刘文勇GRE写作Argument题库 Day 168

Day 168 The primary function of the Committee for a Better Oak City is to advise the city government on how to make the best use of the city's limited budget

The following is a letter that recently appeared in the Oak City Gazette, a local newspaper.

“The primary function of the Committee for a Better Oak City is to advise the city government on how to make the best use of the city's limited budget. However, at some of our recent meetings we failed to make important decisions because of the foolish objections raised by committee members who are not even residents of Oak City. People who work in Oak City but who live elsewhere cannot fully understand the business and politics of the city. After all, only Oak City residents pay city taxes, and therefore only residents understand how that money could best be used to improve the city. We recommend, then, that the Committee for a Better Oak City vote to restrict its membership to city residents only. We predict that, without the interference of non-residents, the committee will be able to make Oak City a better place in which to live and work.”

Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered in order to decide whether the recommendation is likely to have the predicted result. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the recommendation.

五问：

（1）“The primary function of the Committee for a Better Oak City is to advise the city government on how to make the best use of the city's limited budget. However, at some of our recent meetings we failed to make important decisions”和“only Oak City residents pay city taxes”是事实，“We recommend, then, that the Committee for a Better Oak City vote to restrict its membership to city residents only”是结论，值得反驳吗？

（2）文中提及近期一些会议没能做出重要决定，能否简单地认为这个委员会一直以来的所有会议都是失败的？一个偶然犯错误的委员会是否可以被接受？

（3）在 Oak City工作但不住在这儿的人就一定不了解当地的政治和经济情况吗？或者说在当地工作的人是否有可能在了解城市方面有额外的优势？你能列举一两个吗？例如：交通状况、住房问题等。（注意：文中结论是强调在 Oak City工作和生活这两方面。）

（4）交税的人和使用税收的人是同一拨人吗？如果不是，那么这个因果关系建立得牢固吗？

（5）没有非居民的干扰，就一定能使 Oak City成为一个更好的地方吗？是否可能会有其他因素对此产生影响？例如该城市居民的犯罪率上升。