AWA sample question.
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06 Jul 2016, 21:40
Hello everyone
Im new in the forum, and I was wondering if you could give me your feedback regarding my practice AWA
Here it is:
The recent surge in violence in the southern part of the city is a result of a shortage
of police officers and an absence of leadership on the part of the city council. In
order to rectify the burgeoning growth of crime that threatens the community, the
city council must address this issue seriously. Instead of spending time on
peripheral issues such as education quality, community vitality, and job
opportunity, the city council must realize that the crime issue is serious and double
the police force, even if this action requires budget cuts from other city programs.
My answer:
The passage states that, in order to solve the recent surge of violence in the city, the city council must double the police force, even if by doing so they would
affect other programs. The bases on which such a statement relies are flawed, mainly because the argument is based in assumptions that do not correctly illustrate
the reality of the situation, as well as providing incomplete and subjective evidence.
Firstly, the argument states that the surge in violence in a certain sector of the city results from a shortage of police officers and absence of leadership on the part
of the city council. The author mistakenly assumes that the principal reason for such a complicated issue is the lack of an enforcement body and the poor leadership
from the part of the city representatives. The author, nevertheless, does not illustrate how nor why there is a lack of police presence in this zone, while also
avoiding to point out the present actions taken into account to correct the situation. Perhaps, if the author specifically mentioned information or provided data
supporting this assumption, the argument itself would be strengthened.
Secondly, the argument assumes that the city council is actually not assuming this matter with the seriousness it deserves. Such accusation from the part of the
author, could have been considered as very important had the author provided evidence to prove other matters in which the city council´s role was considered as serious.
Possibly, by presenting evidence from city representatives, stating that the security problem and the lack of police in the southern part of the city is not a matter
of great importance to them, the author would have proven such a flawed conclusion.
Furthermore, the reader can identify a flaw in the line of reasoning and development of conclusions when considering the fact that education quality, community
vitality and job opportunity are identified and categorized as peripheral issues. How is it that education quality is a matter of less importance when talking
about community security? Perhaps, if more students stay in school, there will be less chances of those students getting into problems with the police.
In sum, it can be stated that, given the lack of valuable data and the subsequent amount of assumptions the author uses in such an argument, the argument itself
could be considered as unvalid. The main evidence does not lead to conclusions.