| Critical Reasoning Butler: January 2025 |
| January 1 | CR 1 | CR 2 |
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CR 1 Like most manufacturers of high-end racing bicycles, Pedal Max earns most of its profits on replacement parts rather than on the bicycles themselves. As Pedal Max cannot sell its replacement parts as cheaply as other manufacturers can, it plans to redesign its high-end racing bicycles so that they will accept only newly-designed Pedal Max replacement parts, which will be sold at the same price as Pedal Max’s current replacement parts.
Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports Pedal Max’s projection that its plan will lead to an increase in its sales of replacement parts?
A. The new Pedal Max high-end racing bicycles will be introduced at prices higher than the prices Pedal Max charges for its current bicycle models.
B. It is likely that, in the foreseeable future, high-end racing bicycle manufacturers will have to increase the prices charged for replacement parts.
C. According to comprehensive market research, riders of high-end racing bicycles find the new Pedal Max bicycles considerably better than other high-end racing bicycles they had ridden.
D. A rival to Pedal Max recently announced similar plans to introduce high-end racing bicycles that will accept only the replacement parts produced by that rival.
E. The newly designed Pedal Max replacement parts will cost a bit more to manufacture than Pedal Max’s current replacement parts do.
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CR 2 Film critic: Last year, fewer articles analyzing French films were published in journals of film studies than in previous years. The total number of films produced in France dropped considerably the year before last, so it is likely that the low number of articles was due to the decline in the total number of films made in France.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously undercuts the film critic’s argument?
A. Every article analyzing French films that was submitted for publication last year was actually published.
B. Over the last several years, the availability of French films to international film academics has fallen.
C. Recently, the editorial policies of several journals of film studies were changed, decreasing the likelihood that articles concerning French films will be accepted for publication.
D. Films in languages other than French are produced in France, every year.
E. The number of journals of film studies was the same last year as in previous years.