| Critical Reasoning Butler: May 2025 |
| May 4 | CR 1 | CR 2 |
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CR 1 The northern and southern branches of the liberal coalition have been remarkably consistent in their performance over the last four election cycles. In each cycle, the northern branch accounted for thirty percent of dollars raised in funding and fifty percent of parliamentary seats won, and the southern branch has accounted for the difference.
Regarding the past four election cycles, which of the following can properly be inferred from the statement above?
A. The southern branch has won fewer parliamentary victories per dollar raised in funding than has the northern branch.
B. The northern branch has faced stronger competition among its electorate than has the southern branch.
C. Dollars raised in funding for each of the coalition’s branches have remained approximately consistent.
D. The policies espoused by each branch have not changed.
E. Highly popular policies accounted for a higher proportion of the southern branch’s parliamentary victories than of the northern branch’s.
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CR 2 Three months ago, the governor began her public health campaign encouraging people to take advantage of the state’s many public parks and nature reserves, rather than spending time at cinemas and malls. Since then, there has been an eleven percent decrease in cinema attendance and mall foot traffic in the state and an equivalent increase in visitors to public parks and nature reserves. Clearly, the governor’s campaign has encouraged many people to venture outside rather than entertain themselves indoors.
Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the conclusion drawn above?
A. State-wide strikes among retail workers have greatly reduced the operating capacity and utility of malls and cinemas during the last three months.
B. The governor frequently visits public parks and nature reserves herself.
C. Admission prices for all public parks and nature reserves in the state have risen by an average of seven percent over the last three months.
D. The number of public parks and nature reserves in the state is exactly the same now as it was at this time last year.
E. According to surveys, longtime visitors to the state’s public parks and nature reserves are no more satisfied with them than they were before the governor’s public health campaign began.