Argument 56 （assumption指令类题型）
The brief passage:
56. The following appeared in a memo from the vice president of marketing at Dura-Sock, Inc.
"A recent study of our customers suggests that our company is wasting the money it spends on its patented Endure manufacturing process, which ensures that our socks are strong enough to last for two years. We have always advertised our use of the Endure process, but the new study shows that despite our socks' durability, our average customer actually purchases new Dura-Socks every three months. Furthermore, our customers surveyed in our largest market, northeastern United States cities, say that they most value Dura-Socks' stylish appearance and availability in many colors. These findings suggest that we can increase our profits by discontinuing use of the Endure manufacturing process."
The introduction:
Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.
The sample answer:
The vice president of marketing suggests the discontinuity of the patented Endure manufacturing process on account of a couple of assumptions. Bearing a couple of logical flaws when evaluating customers’ preference towards the patent, these assumptions tend to be untenable, based on which the argument is prone to be groundless （注意assumption题型的推导关系是assumption→argument,在开头段的引出题目指令处需要点明）.
It is assumed that the average customers disregard our socks’ durability as they make new purchases every three months. As the customers selected in the new study are unknown, it is possible that the majority of them are likely to grind down their socks in jobs like sport players or ones in transportation and distribution. Assuming the samples are randomly selected （利用让步的逻辑关系，简明扼要地引出下一个逻辑错误）, the reason why they make frequent purchases is not necessarily that their socks are worn-out. What if they buy because of the discounts or gifts? (对于逻辑错误的描述有的点到即止，还有的要写出合理细节) The new study is too ‘new’ to certify the reason behind the buying behavior. The unwarranted assumption fails to verify the money spent on the patented process is wasteful (最后需要点明assumption 和argument之间的联系).
Moreover, it is surveyed that customers in northeastern United States, the largest market, appreciate the trendy appearance and multiple colors of Dura-Socks the most. This is cited to assume that durability is not of top attraction of our product (这里是一处unstated assumption,需要自己补充). Yet, the preference for style and colors does not contradict that for durability. It is highly possible that attendees of the survey only mentioned the most impressive traits of these goods and durability is a habitual one for them. In addition, a survey conducted in the largest market could hardly mirror the average scenario of the whole market. Namely, in other regions where Dura-Socks are on the market, consumers may deliver a paean (赞歌) to their durability （呈现逻辑错误的细节的时候要直接、清晰，也要呈现推导的层次）。This unstated assumption could not prove the investment on the patented process is unnecessary.
The last assumption is that the discontinuity of the process can yield more profits. This is unlikely to realize as the process may be the very reason why customers make purchases of our products. Even though they do not favor our patent, it is too hasty to correlate profits with the break off of a process since profits hinge on a couple of determinants like costs, productivity, administration, etc. Barely could the above findings substantiate the validity of the assumption and the suggestion on suspending the knock-out technology (拳头科技)is unadvisable （点明stated assumption和argument之间的推导关系）.
Conclusion
（略）
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