| Critical Reasoning Butler: May 2025 |
| May 25 | CR 1 | CR 2 |
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CR 1 In the year 1900, the average household net worth, the mean totality of wealth per one family unit, in Zeneru was $10,000, whereas, in the year 2000, accounting for inflation, it was $30,000. Thus, in 1900, people must have been considered middle class at a net worth that was considered poor in 2000.
Which of the following, if true, undermines the argument above?
A. In 1900, Zeneru’s population was considerably smaller than it was in 2000.
B. In 1900, more Zeneru residents engaged in manual labor than in 2000.
C. Many of the people who built up a considerable net worth in 2000 were only able to do so thanks to advanced technology that was unimaginable in 1900.
D. The proportion of households with a net worth below $10,000 was significantly smaller in 2000 than was the proportion of households with a net worth above $10,000.
E. Most of the gains in average net worth between 1900 and 2000 came from large numbers of Zeneru citizens who had moved out of the lowest levels of poverty.
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CR 2 Demand made by Scottish floriculturist: Tariffs need to be imposed on less expensive flowers grown outside Scotland to maintain the price of flowers in this country; otherwise, our farms will be unable to stay in business.
Response from a Scottish florist: Scottish retailers and other businesses purchase about eighty percent of the flowers grown in Scotland. If the prices we pay are not competitive with those in Europe, our sales will drop, and then the demand for Scottish flowers will go down.
If the factual information presented by both companies is accurate, the best assessment of the logical relationship between the two arguments is that the florist’s argument
A) is self-serving and irrelevant to the proposal of the floriculturist
B) is circular, presupposing what it seeks to prove about the proposal of the floriculturist
C) establishes that even the floriculturist’s business will prosper if the floriculturist’s proposal is rejected
D) fails to give a reason why the proposal of the floriculturist should not be put into effect to alleviate the concern of the floriculturist for staying in business
E) shows that the proposal of the floriculturist would have a negative effect on the floriculturist’s own business