GRE寫作范文學(xué)習(xí)：音樂節(jié)目調(diào)整

　　The following appeared in a memorandum from the manager of WWAC radio station:

　　"To reverse a decline in listener numbers, our owners have decided that WWAC must change from its current rock-music format. The decline has occurred despite population growth in our listening area, but that growth has resulted mainly from people moving here after their retirement. We must make listeners of these new residents. We could switch to a music format tailored to their tastes, but a continuing decline in local sales of recorded music suggests limited interest in music. Instead we should change to a news and talk format, a form of radio that is increasingly popular in our area."

　　Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.

　　【滿分范文賞析】

　　This memo recommends that WWAC radio station shift from rock-and-roll (R&R) music programming to news and talk programming. To support this recommendation the manager indicates that the number of WWAC listeners is decreasing while the number of older people in WWAC's listening area is increasing. The manager also points out that area sales of music recordings are in decline. Finally, the manager cites the success of news stations in nearby cities. Careful scrutiny of the manager's argument reveals several unproven assumptions, which render the argument unconvincing.

　　【本段結(jié)構(gòu)】

　　本文采用了標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的Argument開頭段結(jié)構(gòu)，即C—A—F的開頭結(jié)構(gòu)。本段首先概括原文的Conclusion，之后簡要提及原文為支持其結(jié)論所引用的一系列Assumption及細(xì)節(jié)，最后給出開頭段到正文段的過渡句，指出原文的Flaw，即這些Assumption無法讓原文邏輯上沒有問題。

　　【本段功能】

　　作為Argument開頭段，本段具體功能就在于發(fā)起攻擊并概括原文的結(jié)論，即WWAC廣播臺應(yīng)當(dāng)把當(dāng)下的搖滾音樂節(jié)目更換為新聞訪談節(jié)目。本段接下來提到了原文中為支持之前的Conclusion所提供的證據(jù)，包括WWAC的聽眾正在下降然而WWAC廣播地區(qū)的老年人的數(shù)量正在上升，這些地區(qū)音樂唱片的數(shù)量也在下降，以及鄰近地區(qū)另外一家廣播臺的成功案例。文章提及這些信息，為是在正文段中對這些Assumption即將進(jìn)行的具體攻擊做鋪墊。

　　First, the manager assumes that the decline in the number of WWAC listeners is attributable to the station's current format. Perhaps the decline is due instead to WWAC's specific mix of R&R music, or to transmission problems at the station. Without ruling out these and other possible reasons for the decline, the manager cannot convince an audience that changing the format would reverse the trend.

　　【本段結(jié)構(gòu)】

　　本段采用了標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的Argument正文段結(jié)構(gòu)，即先是提及原文的第一個邏輯錯誤，之后分析該邏輯錯誤的原因，接下來，進(jìn)一步分析這樣的錯誤為什么讓原文的Conclusion不成立。

　　【本段功能】

　　作為正文第一段，本段攻擊原文所犯的第一個重要邏輯錯誤——因果類錯誤。原文當(dāng)中假設(shè)廣播地區(qū)的人數(shù)下降導(dǎo)致了WWAC聽眾下降的Assumption是不成立的，因?yàn)榭赡艽嬖谄渌颉Ｒ虼嗽跊]有考慮這些因素的情況下，原文當(dāng)中的這個觀點(diǎn)是不合理的。

　　Secondly, the manager's assumption that older people favor all-news programming is unsubstantiated. Perhaps WWAC listeners are dedicated R&R fans who will continue to prefer this type of programming as they grow older. Or perhaps as WWAC's regular audience ages, they will prefer a mix of R&R and news programming rather than one format to the total exclusion of the other. Besides, the number of young people in the listening area might be increasing as well. In short, the mere fact that the number of older people in WWAC's listening area is increasing suggests nothing about WWAC's best programming strategy.

　　【本段結(jié)構(gòu)】

　　本段采用了標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的Argument正文段結(jié)構(gòu)，即先是提及原文的第二個邏輯錯誤，之后分析該邏輯錯誤的原因，接下來，進(jìn)一步分析這樣的錯誤為什么讓原文的Conclusion不成立。

　　【本段功能】

　　作為正文第二段，本段攻擊原文所犯的第二個重要邏輯錯誤——因果類錯誤。原文假設(shè)老年人并不會喜歡在廣播電視臺收聽搖滾音樂，但有可能實(shí)際情況是恰恰相反的，因?yàn)槿藗儛勐爴u滾樂，即便歲數(shù)增大也會收聽?；蛘吡硗庖环N情況，老年人數(shù)上升并不意味著搖滾音樂就沒有了聽眾。在沒有考慮到這些因素的情況下，原文的這個觀點(diǎn)是沒有說服力的。

　　Finally, it is unwarranted to infer from the success of all-news stations in surrounding areas that WWAC will also succeed by duplicating the same format. Those stations might well owe their success to their powerful transmitters, popular newscasters, or other factors. Besides, the very success of these stations suggests that the area's radio listeners might favor those well-established news providers over the fledgling all-news WWAC.

　　【本段結(jié)構(gòu)】

　　本段采用了標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的Argument正文段結(jié)構(gòu)，即先是提及原文的第四個邏輯錯誤，之后分析該邏輯錯誤的原因，接下來，進(jìn)一步分析這樣的錯誤為什么讓原文的Conclusion不成立。

　　【本段功能】

　　作為正文第四段，本段攻擊原文所犯的第四個重要邏輯錯誤——類比類錯誤。原文假設(shè)鄰近地區(qū)某廣播臺的成功模式可以應(yīng)用到WWAC廣播臺。但實(shí)際上這個廣播臺成功的原因并非是WWAC能夠做到的，也就是這種類比并不能成立。所以，原文的這個觀點(diǎn)是沒有依據(jù)的。