| Critical Reasoning Butler: November 2025 |
| November 11 | CR 1 | CR 2 |
________________________________________
CR 1 The Ministry of Tourism in country X began an expensive television advertising campaign in country Y two years ago. Since that time, the number of visitors to country X from country Y has increased by more than 8 percent. Clearly, the Ministry of Tourism’s campaign is responsible for the increase.
Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument above?
A. The advertisements sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism in country X were panned by the country Y media for lack of imagination.
B. A devaluation of the currency in country X two years ago made travel there more affordable for residents of country Y.
C. Increasing political turmoil in country X will lead to a decrease in visitors from country Y next year.
D. The number of visitors from country Y to country Z increased by more than 8 percent over the past two years.
E. Over the past two years, the advertisement campaign launched by the Ministry of Tourism in country X cost more money than residents of country Y spent traveling in country X.
________________________________________
CR 2 Opponents of the laws prohibiting nonprescription narcotic drugs argue that in a free society, people have the right to take risks as long as the risks do not constitute a harm to others who have not elected to take such risks. These opponents conclude that it should be each person’s decision whether or not to use narcotic drugs.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the conclusion drawn above?
A. Some narcotic drugs have been shown to have medicinal qualities.
B. There are laws that govern the use of prescription drugs.
C. Studies have shown that people who use nonprescription drugs are much more likely to perpetrate a violent crime when intoxicated than when sober.
D. People who use narcotic drugs are twice as likely to die of an overdose as of natural causes.
E. The rate of drug overdoses is higher in countries that do not have laws governing the use of narcotic drugs than in countries that do have such laws.