[Try best] 第二次作业 argument 167 by442371236

442371236UID: 2636160

167.A folk remedy* for insomnia, the scent in lavender flowers, has now been proved effective. In a recent study, 30 volunteers with chronic insomnia slept each night for three weeks on lavender-scented pillows in a controlled room where their sleep was monitored. During the first week, volunteers continued to take their usual sleeping medication. They slept soundly but wakened feeling tired. During the second week, the volunteers discontinued their medication. As a result, they slept less soundly than the previous week and felt even more tired. During the third week, the volunteers slept longer and more soundly than in the previous two weeks. This shows that over a short period of time lavender cures insomnia. A folk remedy is usually a plant-based form of treatment common to traditional forms of medicine, ones that developed before the advent of modern medical services and technology.

80分钟，   字数  451（用awp写了45分钟的，结果时间到，未保存，有点小郁闷）
  Basing on a recent study, the author draw his conclusion that lavender cures insomnia in over a short period of time. However, paying close attention to the study, I find it is incredibly dubious and so it the aughor’s argument. Generally, the argument is flawed in several respects.

Firstly, two major variables are involved in the study making the study unreliable any more. The testers involved ,who are expected to sleep on lavender-scented pillows,are allowed to take sleeping medication as usual. Thus two variables emerge,both of which might be capable of curing sleeplessness. One is the lavender scent coming from the pillow ,and the other is the sleeping pills taken in the first week. We ,therefor , don’t know exactly which it the acting one, or it is may be their interaction that counts.
Secondly, change of the accommodation and mood may have a inevitable impact on the result of the study. Known from above,that the testers are allocated to a fresh room being monitored which may be quite different from their previous one. What is more, knowing the truth of being monitored may also cause slight ,if not drastic, changes on their mood and ,consequently,change their sleeping conditions. It is likely one sleep well in a fresh atmosphere ,and another  suffer more sleeplessness ,and still another have no reaction to it. It is unknown what kind of people the testers are,and, therefor, we don't whether some of them are influenced by such a change.As a result, the effectiveness of the lavender flowers on curing insomnia is doubtful as well.
  Thirdly, performance of the testers in the last one week out of the overall three weeks is not enough to draw the conclusion that lavedender cures insomnia over a short of time. People sleep soundly in the third week, the second week after the sleeping medication is stopped. On the one hand, we don't know whether it is the aftermath of the sleeping medication. On the other hand, it is not mentioned how the testers behave in the forth week or more. Sleeping well may result from their complete adjustment to the new accommodation or the diminishing influence on their mood. It is still possible that the testers get well with each other and have a good time in the daytime resulting in a mood helpful to sleep. The author fails to rule out some other possibilities, thus,fails to certify his correctness of the argument as well.
    All in all, the study the author's argument based on are seriously far from satisfactory, which fails to eliminate many others incentives and made such a vital fault as making  two major variables involved. To draw a correct and conclusive conclusion, the author should refer to more detailed and authoritative materials.