Argument AnalysisThe following is a memorandum from the business manager of a television station. Over the past year, our late-night news program has devoted increased time to national news and less time to weather and local news. During this time period, most of the complaints received from viewers were concerned with our stations coverage of weather and local news. In addition, local businesses that used to advertise during our late-night news program have just canceled their advertising contracts with us. Therefore, in order to attract more viewers to the program and to avoid losing any further advertising revenues, we should restore the time devoted to weather and local news to its former level. 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. Response:The discontentment of viewers regarding the stations coverage of weather and local news needs to be reviewed more thoroughly before taking any suitable action. Reverting back to the old format without any proper research regarding the root of the problem will not increase the viewership nor will it attract local businesses to advertise. The viewers complaint may be in regard with the content of the national news and therefore devoting more time to increasing the quality of what is being shown may help in attracting more viewers. The time devoted to weather and local news should very to the relevance of the news shown. If the local and weather news does not affect the local people then they would be not interested in watching the same. Therefore devoting more time to them without checking the quality of what is being shown will not win back viewership. Advertising revenues depend on not only on viewership but also on other factors. If more than one local business has canceled their advertising contracts then they may be dissatisfied by not only the late night news program content. Any ongoing news controversy may also be the reason for their dissatisfaction. Therefore there is a need to reach out and ask the local businesses the reason for the cancelation rather than making assumptions regarding the same. If the old format was efficient, the news channel would not have adapted the new format. Instead of blindly making assumptions, steps should be taken to find out where the station is lacking and then only with proper research should any appropriate step should be taken. Woven baskets characterized by a particular distinctive pattern have previously been found only in the immediate vicinity of the prehistoric village of Palea and therefore were believed to have been made only by the Palean people. Recently, however, archaeologists discovered such a "Palean" basket in Lithos, an ancient village across the Brim River from Palea. The Brim River is very deep and broad, and so the ancient Paleans could have crossed it only by boat, and no Palean boats have been found. Thus it follows that the so-called Palean baskets were not uniquely Palean.The given argument on Palean baskets being not been unique as they were previously thought to be does not gather enough evidence to disregard its former claim. There could be other reasons for the presence of these baskets in Lithos.Palea is a prehistoric village and it is possible Brim River has gone significant changes over the years due to geographical reasons. There is no sufficient research done on whether Brim River even existed during pre-historic times. If there was no river then there was no need for Paleans to build any boat. They could have easily migrated to the other side with their baskets and left them there.There is also only one Palean basket found in Lithos according to the passage. This is not sufficient to conclude that the distinctive pattern found on these woven baskets is not uniquely Palean. Such baskets are present significantly in a larger number in the immediate vicinity of Palea than Lithos. There could be other reasons for the presence of a single Palean basket in Lithos. For example it could have been carried away by the Brim River to the other side easily from Palea.There is also no mention on the extent the woven basket resembles the many baskets found in Palea. The distinctive pattern found on Paleans baskets is not compared with the one found in Lithos. The passage states that it resembles the Palean basket but the extent to how much it resembles the same is not taken up fully by the author.The following argument makes conclusions based on unsubstantial and insufficient evidence. There could be various alternatives to the presence of a woven basket in Lithos and the reason why there were no Palean boats has been found. Therefore the given argument does not take in consideration all the alternatives and bases its conclusion on insufficient evidence without any concrete research."A recent study of eighteen rhesus monkeys provides clues as to the effects of birth order on an individual's levels of stimulation. The study showed that in stimulating situations (such as an encounter with an unfamiliar monkey), firstborn infant monkeys produce up to twice as much of the hormone cortisol, which primes the body for increased activity levels, as do their younger siblings. Firstborn humans also produce relatively high levels of cortisol in stimulating situations (such as the return of a parent after an absence). The study also found that during pregnancy, first-time mother monkeys had higher levels of cortisol than did those who had had several offspring."The recent study of eighteen rhesus monkeys to provide clues on the effects of birth order on an individuals levels of stimulation is incomplete and not properly conducted. The argument bases its conclusions mainly on the amount of cortisol produced in stimulating situations. An individual level of stimulation is dependent on many factors other than the level of the said hormone produced. Moreover, the argument fails to include the situations where the study was conducted. Whether the monkeys were familiar with their surroundings or not is also a relevant point to be discussed as it may have affected their anxiety levels.The stimulating situations are not explained in detail. Only an example of how a meeting with an unfamiliar monkey increases the level of cortisol on infant monkeys is described as the conclusive proof of the study. There are many factors to be taken in consideration apart from the situations the monkeys were put in like their surroundings, their company and the amount of other hormones in their body during stimulation. The research fails to note the effects stimulating situations have on adult rhesus monkey and whether they too react the same way as the young ones.A proper differentiation is required between the adult and young monkeys to come to a coherent conclusion.The argument fails to state the observations along with the proper facts while stating that human infants too produce very high level of cortisol in stimulating situations. It fails to give the reasons on how it comes to a conclusion while determining the amount of cortisol produced in human infants. Humans are similar to rhesus monkeys but there are key differences which set them apart. Basing the conclusions derived from the study of monkeys without considering the key differences gives us an accurate conclusion.Overall, the given argument presents an incomplete data on the study conducted and bases its conclusions mainly on assumptions."Over the past two years, the number of shoppers in Central Plaza has been steadily decreasing while the popularity of skateboarding has increased dramatically. Many Central Plaza store owners believe that the decrease in their business is due to the number of skateboard users in the plaza. There has also been a dramatic increase in the amount of litter and vandalism throughout the plaza. Thus, we recommend that the city prohibit skateboarding in Central Plaza. If skateboarding is prohibited here, we predict that business in Central Plaza will return to its previously high levels."The given passage directly blames skateboarding for all the problems Central Plaza is facing. Be it the decrease in the store owners businesses or be it the increase in vandalism and the amount of litter. There are no valid reasons given as to how and why skateboarding may be responsible for all the negative things happening in Central Plaza. To build up a coherent argument against the practice of skateboarding important questions such as why and how is it happening should be answered which this passage fails to do so.Skateboarding is a sport which requires little logistics and has some amount of age limitations. It is not appropriate for very young children or for people greater than a certain age. The passage fails to explain the generation who has lost interest in shopping from the stores. Is it the generation who prefer skateboarding to shopping or the older generation who dont have any interest in skateboarding? Just because people like skateboarding does not necessary mean they are going to stop shopping. The increase in the popularity of skateboarding should make people shop more for comfortable sportswear and safety equipments. This is not the case for Central Plaza shop owners and therefore it is quite possible that they are the ones who are at fault for the customers disinterest towards them. It is also viable that the qualities of things they are selling are not in accordance to what the customers want.As stated earlier, Skateboarding requires little logistics. Apart from a skateboard and few safety equipments like knew pads etc, little is required. Therefore it is quite strange that people have started littering more after their increased interest in skateboarding when they carry so little for the sport. The nature of litter has not been stated. It could be anything from food items, papers etc. If the litter is not skateboard specific, the author cannot necessary blame the sport for the same. It is also not specified who are spreading vandalism in Central Plaza. Is it the skateboarding enthusiasts or someone else? This information is also not specified. More research and investigation is required on who are the people causing littering and vandalism. The installation of CCTV cameras may be helpful in punishing the wrong.Thus I conclude that the passage has some serious loopholes as it is unable to answer some serious questions on how skateboarding is responsible for Central Plazas problems. Therefore suspending skateboarding without any coherent reason is definitely not the right thing to do.