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20 Nov 2022, 02:18
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AWA Prompt
"Replacing the Mathescam Bridge, which links Ottenville with Tottenville, will prove far less beneficial than would repairing the existing structure. The project will unjustly hurt drivers, because the Ottenville mayor recommended - shortly before the $12 million new bridge proposal was announced - that bridge tolls be raised by 50 percent. Since drivers' main complaints have been uneven pavement and closed lanes, the Mathescam Bridge Authority should not hike tolls and should instead repair the existing bridge, shifting maintenance crews to late evenings, when far fewer drivers are on the roads."
My reply
The argument states that replacing the Mathescam Bridge, which links Ottenville with Tottenville, will be less beneficial as compared with repairing the existing structure by citing the fact that the project will unjustly hurt drivers because Ottenville mayor recommended that bridge tolls be raised by 50 percent. This conclusion is based on various assumptions which are required to be discussed in order to check the soundness of the argument.
First, the argument assumes that 50 percent increase in bridge tolls would incur a high cost to the drivers and that the drivers main complaints have been uneven pavement and closed lanes only. Therefore, it might cost less to repair the existing bridge as compared with the cost to replace the bridge with the new one. However, this assumption is not logical in the way it is stated. It is possible that the initial toll cost per driver has been very less as the bridge could be very old and that more than 80% of the cost to built the bridge has already been recovered. In this case 50 percent increase in the tolls might not be a significant hike that would hurt the drivers unjustly. Moreover, it is also possible that the maintenance cost of the vehicle and the quantity of the fuel that vehicles are consuming are high because of the slow moving vehicles as there are closed lanes and uneven pavement which would cause deterioration in the brakes over the time, and the cost that incur to drivers because of the aforementioned circumstances is significantly higher than the 50% increased toll that the drivers have to pay. In such a case it would be more beneficial to the drivers if the Mathescam Bridge is replaced by the new one.
Secondly, the argument also assumes that shifting maintenance crews to late evenings to repair the existing bridge would cost far less as compared with replacing the bridge with the new one. However, there is no basis has been discussed to compare the both of the costs. In this case it could be possible that it could cost a lot more to shift the maintenance crew to late evenings to repair the bridge. Moreover, there is also a possibility that even though far fewer drivers are on the road in the late evenings however there is more risk of accident to the maintenance crew as there is high possibility that drivers might do drunk driving in the late evenings. Therefore, the mayor might has to pay additional incentives to the maintenance crew to work in the late evenings. This additional incentive cost mixed with the usual cost of repairing the bridge might be significantly higher in absolute value as compared with replacing the old bridge with the new one.
In conclusion, it can be said that there are various assumptions some of which are discussed above based on which the argument rely might not be applicable in the case at issue. If the author had described its stance to justify his/her claim by presenting the figures of comparative costs for the situations discussed above, it would have been much better to conclude the argument more logically. Therefore the argument in its present form is still inconclusive and is still open to further discussion.
"Replacing the Mathescam Bridge, which links Ottenville with Tottenville, will prove far less beneficial than would repairing the existing structure. The project will unjustly hurt drivers, because the Ottenville mayor recommended - shortly before the $12 million new bridge proposal was announced - that bridge tolls be raised by 50 percent. Since drivers' main complaints have been uneven pavement and closed lanes, the Mathescam Bridge Authority should not hike tolls and should instead repair the existing bridge, shifting maintenance crews to late evenings, when far fewer drivers are on the roads."
My reply
The argument states that replacing the Mathescam Bridge, which links Ottenville with Tottenville, will be less beneficial as compared with repairing the existing structure by citing the fact that the project will unjustly hurt drivers because Ottenville mayor recommended that bridge tolls be raised by 50 percent. This conclusion is based on various assumptions which are required to be discussed in order to check the soundness of the argument.
First, the argument assumes that 50 percent increase in bridge tolls would incur a high cost to the drivers and that the drivers main complaints have been uneven pavement and closed lanes only. Therefore, it might cost less to repair the existing bridge as compared with the cost to replace the bridge with the new one. However, this assumption is not logical in the way it is stated. It is possible that the initial toll cost per driver has been very less as the bridge could be very old and that more than 80% of the cost to built the bridge has already been recovered. In this case 50 percent increase in the tolls might not be a significant hike that would hurt the drivers unjustly. Moreover, it is also possible that the maintenance cost of the vehicle and the quantity of the fuel that vehicles are consuming are high because of the slow moving vehicles as there are closed lanes and uneven pavement which would cause deterioration in the brakes over the time, and the cost that incur to drivers because of the aforementioned circumstances is significantly higher than the 50% increased toll that the drivers have to pay. In such a case it would be more beneficial to the drivers if the Mathescam Bridge is replaced by the new one.
Secondly, the argument also assumes that shifting maintenance crews to late evenings to repair the existing bridge would cost far less as compared with replacing the bridge with the new one. However, there is no basis has been discussed to compare the both of the costs. In this case it could be possible that it could cost a lot more to shift the maintenance crew to late evenings to repair the bridge. Moreover, there is also a possibility that even though far fewer drivers are on the road in the late evenings however there is more risk of accident to the maintenance crew as there is high possibility that drivers might do drunk driving in the late evenings. Therefore, the mayor might has to pay additional incentives to the maintenance crew to work in the late evenings. This additional incentive cost mixed with the usual cost of repairing the bridge might be significantly higher in absolute value as compared with replacing the old bridge with the new one.
In conclusion, it can be said that there are various assumptions some of which are discussed above based on which the argument rely might not be applicable in the case at issue. If the author had described its stance to justify his/her claim by presenting the figures of comparative costs for the situations discussed above, it would have been much better to conclude the argument more logically. Therefore the argument in its present form is still inconclusive and is still open to further discussion.
20 Nov 2022, 10:11
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AWA Score: 5 - 5.5 out of 6
Coherence and connectivity: 5/5
This rating corresponds to the flow of ideas and expressions from one paragraph to another. The effective use of connectives and coherence of assertive language in arguing for/against the argument is analyzed. This is deemed as one of the most important parameters.
Paragraph structure and formation: 3.5/5
The structure and division of the attempt into appropriate paragraphs are evaluated. To score well on this parameter, it is important to organize the attempt into paragraphs. Preferable to follow the convention of leaving a line blank at the end of each paragraph, to make the software aware of the structure of the essay.
Vocabulary and word expression: 3.5/5
This parameter rates the submitted essay on the range of relevant vocabulary possessed by the candidate basis the word and expression usage. There are no extra- points for bombastic word usage. Simple is the best form of suave!
Coherence and connectivity: 5/5
This rating corresponds to the flow of ideas and expressions from one paragraph to another. The effective use of connectives and coherence of assertive language in arguing for/against the argument is analyzed. This is deemed as one of the most important parameters.
Paragraph structure and formation: 3.5/5
The structure and division of the attempt into appropriate paragraphs are evaluated. To score well on this parameter, it is important to organize the attempt into paragraphs. Preferable to follow the convention of leaving a line blank at the end of each paragraph, to make the software aware of the structure of the essay.
Vocabulary and word expression: 3.5/5
This parameter rates the submitted essay on the range of relevant vocabulary possessed by the candidate basis the word and expression usage. There are no extra- points for bombastic word usage. Simple is the best form of suave!
Good Luck
Aarya7
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