| Critical Reasoning Butler: August 2025 |
| August 27 | CR 1 | CR 2 |
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CR 1 Country A recently broke off diplomatic relations with Country B when it was reported that Country B had been running a covert intelligence operation within the borders of Country A. While a spokesperson for Country B admitted the charge, the spokesperson said that it was common knowledge that all countries do this, and that Country A was no exception.
Which of the following inferences can be drawn from the argument above?
(A) Country B should apologize and dismantle its intelligence operation in Country A.
(B) The spokesperson for Country B claims that Country A engages in intelligence gathering too.
(C) Because all countries engage in this practice, Country A’s outrage was disingenuous.
(D) Relations between Country A and Country B will be strained for some time.
(E) Country B would be just as outraged if it was reported that Country A was running a covert intelligence operation with Country B’s borders.
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CR 2 According to mutual fund sales experts, a successful year for a stock fund should result not only in increased investor dollars flowing into the fund, but also in increased investor dollars flowing into other mutual stock funds offered by the same company. However, while last year the Grafton Mutual Company’s “Growth Stock Fund” beat average market returns by a factor of two and recorded substantial new investment, the other stock funds offered by Grafton did not report any increase whatsoever.
Which of the following conclusions can properly be drawn from the statements above?
(A) When one of the mutual funds offered by a company beats average market returns, the other mutual funds offered by that company will beat average market returns.
(B) The mutual fund sales experts neglected to consider bond funds in formulating their theory.
(C) The performance of the Grafton “Growth Stock Fund” was a result of a wave of mergers and acquisitions that year.
(D) Investors currently dislike all stock mutual funds because of market volatility.
(E) The success of one mutual fund is not the only factor affecting whether investors will invest in other mutual funds run by the same company.