| Critical Reasoning Butler: June 2026 |
| June 15 | CR 1 | CR 2 |
__________________________
CR 1 Auto Manufacturer: For the past three years, the Micro has been our best-selling car. This year, however, sales of the Micro have been down for two consecutive quarters. Therefore, we are going to make certain features, like leather seats and CD players, standard on the Micro, rather than require buyers to pay extra for them.
This will make the Micro more attractive to buyers, thus stimulating sales.
Auto Dealer: Most people who buy the Micro do so because of its low cost.
Adding new standard features will raise the base price of the Micro, costing us sales.
In the argument above, the two statements in bold play which of the following roles?
(A) The first is a conclusion; the second suggests that this conclusion is based on evidence that is irrelevant to the issue at hand.
(B) The first presents a hypothesis; the second casts doubt on the evidence on which that hypothesis is based.
(C) The first provides a conclusion; the second weakens the assumption on which that conclusion relies.
(D) The first offers evidence that is disproved by the second.
(E) The first presents a conclusion; the second supports the conclusion but offers a different interpretation of how it will impact the speaker’s business.
__________________________
CR 2 The growth of the market for self-portraits of 19th century artists has not stopped increasing in the past twenty years, due to a concomitant rise in both the number of museums and in the interest of collectors in Eastern Asia. However, the fact that the market has been growing for the past two decades
does not mean it cannot shrink as well. An international financial crisis may change the current direction the market is taking.
In the argument, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?
A. The first is a fact that has caused further occurences; the second is a fact which clarifies the first.
B. The first is a piece of evidence that is dependent on following pieces of evidence; the second is a prediction which limits the scope of the first.
C. The first is a fact that in turn has caused other facts to come into effect; the second is a conclusion deduced from both the first and other facts.
D. The first is a fact which resulted from following facts; the second is a premise which weighs against the first.
E. The first is a fact brought about by other facts; the second is the conclusion of the argument.