| Critical Reasoning Butler: September 2025 |
| September 16 | CR 1 | CR 2 |
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CR 1 A study found that last year roughly 6,700 homeless people in the United States were admitted to hospitals due to malnutrition. In the same year, a little more than 7,200 nonhomeless people were admitted to hospitals for the same reason. These findings clearly show that the nonhomeless are more likely to suffer from malnutrition than are the homeless.
The answer to which of the following questions would be most likely to point out the illogical nature of the conclusion drawn above?
(A) What is the relative level of severity of the malnutrition suffered by each group cited in the study?
(B) To what extent, on average, are the nonhomeless better off financially than are the homeless?
(C) To what extent are the causes of malnutrition in the nonhomeless related to ignorance of proper dietary habits?
(D) What percentage of each group cited in the study suffered from malnutrition last year?
(E) What effect would a large increase in the number of homeless shelters have on the incidence of malnutrition among the homeless?
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CR 2 A chemical company recently introduced a new type of foam spray that it claims will reduce the rate of erosion from the walls of road cuts. A study by the company showed that the rate of erosion was low on a road cut where the foam was applied.
Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the company's conclusion?
A. Road cuts similar to the one studied typically show low rates of erosion without the foam.
B. Because the foam itself weathers, the foam would have to be reapplied every 4 years to order to maintain protection against erosion.
C. Studies by the company that produces the material are sometimes unreliable because of conflicts of interest.
D. The rate of erosion from the road cut in the study was greater than expected based on computer simulation models.
E. Other foams made from similar materials have failed to halt erosion from certain types of road cuts.