| Critical Reasoning Butler: December 2025 |
| December 11 | CR 1 | CR 2 |
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CR 1 Nalanda, a revered Buddhist monastery of the ancient kingdom of Magadha, had large teaching institutions such as Taxila, Nalanda, and Vikramashila.
It is likely that Nalanda was a particularly renowned centre of learning of the Magadha kingdom. A study of ancient manuscripts reveals that, at its peak, Nalanda attracted scholars and students from near and far, with some travelling from as far as Tibet, China, Korea, and Central Asia.
Only a particularly renowned centre of learning could have incentivized scholars and students to travel thousands of miles to attend it. In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?
(A) The first is premise used to support the main conclusion of the argument; the second is the main conclusion of the argument.
(B) The first is an inference drawn from another statement in the argument; the second is an inference drawn from the first.
(C) The first is one of the two premises used in support of the main conclusion of the argument; the second is the other of those two premises.
(D) The first is premise used to provide support for the main conclusion of the argument; the second is a premise used to support another conclusion that the argument draws.
(E) The first is the main conclusion of the argument; the second is a premise used to support that conclusion.
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CR 2 Online retail sales have been increasing annually for a number of years. When packages fulfilling these sales are delivered to homes, the dogs in those homes bark both when the delivery truck approaches the home and when the doorbell is rung. Because the dogs perceive the delivery activities as a threat to their territory, they bark more loudly and for a longer time then they do when they bark for other reasons. Consequently, there is bound to be an increase in the number of barking-dog nuisance complaints called in to local police departments.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
A. There are indications that in recent years, the daily number of residences visited by each delivery truck has markedly increased.
B. The increase in the number of packages delivered per day to residences on weekends has not increased at the same rate as those delivered on weekdays.
C. Some people are concerned about crime and want to be aware when their neighborhoods are entered by nonresidents.
D. Complaints about barking dogs almost always arise after a longstanding feud between neighbors results in overreactions to common disturbances.
E. Due to the intense competition for customers, more online retailers are offering free or discounted shipping fees or requiring smaller minimum orders for free shipping.
09 Dec 2025, 08:21
