| Critical Reasoning Butler: January 2025 |
| January 8 | CR 1 | CR 2 |
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CR 1 Last month, four industrial printing presses manufactured by Hawthorne Heavy Machinery and owned by Scarlet Ink Publications broke down in an industrial accident. In response, Scarlet Ink Publications ordered four new printing presses as replacements, from Hawthorne. This decision surprised many in the publishing industry because, ordinarily when a product fails repeatedly, users do not buy that product again.
Which of the following, if true, provides the best indication that Scarlet Ink Publishing’s decision was logically well supported?
A. Although only one of Hawthorne Heavy Machinery’s printing presses broke down during the previous year, the firm’s competitors had a perfect safety record in the same period.
B. Hawthorne Heavy Machinery had to replace many of its employees because they went to work for a competing firm.
C. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued new guidelines for printers in order to standardize the safety requirements that govern industrial maintenance.
D. The trade union pressured two major publishers into purchasing safer printing presses so that workers would be safer while operating the machines.
E. The Hawthorne Heavy Machinery printing presses broke down due to operator error, but because of the excellent quality of the printing presses, the damage to the facilities was minimal.
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CR 2 Some hotels in California cater almost exclusively to visiting business executives and government officials and rarely have bookings by families with children. Yet, these hotels also have strong ties with companies specializing in entertaining young children.
Which of the following, if true, best reconciles the seeming discrepancy described above?
A. The companies specializing in entertaining young children buy their materials from distributers outside of California.
B. For several weeks during the summer, these hotels become popular destinations for daylong parties hosted by large organizations for employees and their families.
C. Most guests who stay at these hotels prefer to seek entertainment elsewhere rather than at the hotel itself.
D. The few families that stay at these hotels come in groups of four to five, are friendly with one another, and share the cost of the stay.
E. Entertainment provided for young children by outside companies is as enjoyable as that provided by the hotel.