| Critical Reasoning Butler: December 2025 |
| December 8 | CR 1 | CR 2 |
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CR 1 Over the last decade, digital publishing has seen immense growth; last year saw a record number of titles released digitally. Will this year bring a new record? Well, these digital titles are either released by publishing houses commissioning new titles for digital release and converting their physical titles into an electronic format or by independent authors self-publishing their books.
Thus far, new titles have been released by publishing houses at well below last year’s record rate. Further, it appears that the number of independent authors planning to release a book this year will be no higher than the number last year, and
there is no evidence that suggests that these authors will release more books per author than did last year’s authors. So, it is unlikely that the number of titles released this year will match last year’s record.
In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?
(A) The first is a claim challenged by the argument; the second is an explicit assumption that the challenge is based on.
(B) The first is a claim challenged by the argument; the second is a judgment advanced in support of the argument’s main conclusion.
(C) The first provides evidence in support of the argument’s main conclusion; the second is an objection that has been raised against that main conclusion.
(D) The first and the second are each claims that have been advanced in support of a position opposed by the argument.
(E) The first provides evidence in support of the argument’s main conclusion; the second is a judgment advanced in support of that main conclusion.
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CR 2 An international study recently examined the effects of second hand smoke on health. surprisingly, although the dosages of harmful chemicals form second hand smoke are so small that their effect should be negligible, the study found that nonsmoking spouses of smokers displayed an incidence of heart disease that was significantly greater than that of nonsmokers who were not as regularly exposed to second hand smoke.
Each of the following if true could contribute to an explanation of the unexpectedly high incidence of heart disease in smoker's spouses EXCEPT:
A. A disproportionately high number of people married to smokers are among the older segment of the married population, a group that inherently has a higher than average risk of heart disease
B. on average, more alcohol and coffee both of which have been linked to heart disease, are consumed in the homes of smokers than in the homes of nonsmokers.
C. A disproportionately high number of smokers are married to other smokers and the risk of heart disease increases in proportion to the number of smokers living in a household.
D. Smokers generally tend to live in higher stress environments than do non smokers and stress is a factor associated with above average incidence of heart disease.
E.A disproportionately high number of smokers live in areas with a high level of industrial pollutants, which have been shown to be a factor in increased risk of heart disease
07 Dec 2025, 11:18
