EXERCISES
1. Criticize the following portion of a brief:
This college should have a longer Christmas vacation, for
I. College life tends to break up family life;
A. Father and son;
B. Younger brothers and sisters;
C. Intimate friends.
A. Father and son;
B. Younger brothers and sisters;
C. Intimate friends.
2. Criticize the following detached portions of a brief on the proposition,
This city should double its appropriation for the public library, and amend them if necessary:
a. II. The funds for the purchase of books are insufficient and the staff is inadequate.
b. B. The reading room is crowded to suffocation, therefore
1. Many people avoid the library.
c. III. Those who oppose the increased appropriation declare that A. The library is a luxury for the rich; hence
1. The rich should support it; but
2. This is not true, for
a. Most of the borrowers of books are people of moderate means; therefore
b. The city should support the library.
d. IV. A. The city is able to double the appropriation; for
1. It has spent largely for parks,
a. Which are also for the pleasure and improvement of the citizens;
b. Hence it can pay for additions to the library.
e. VI. It is not true
A. That the readers want only recent fiction and that they should buy these books for themselves; for
1. They mostly are not able to buy books; hence
2. They should be encouraged to read other books.
3. Give an example of an argument and an audience where it would be necessary to put the refutation first; of one in which it would be necessary to stir up the interest of readers at the start.
4. Suggest methods for gaining the interest of the readers in the last case.
a. II. The funds for the purchase of books are insufficient and the staff is inadequate.
b. B. The reading room is crowded to suffocation, therefore
1. Many people avoid the library.
c. III. Those who oppose the increased appropriation declare that A. The library is a luxury for the rich; hence
1. The rich should support it; but
2. This is not true, for
a. Most of the borrowers of books are people of moderate means; therefore
b. The city should support the library.
d. IV. A. The city is able to double the appropriation; for
1. It has spent largely for parks,
a. Which are also for the pleasure and improvement of the citizens;
b. Hence it can pay for additions to the library.
e. VI. It is not true
A. That the readers want only recent fiction and that they should buy these books for themselves; for
1. They mostly are not able to buy books; hence
2. They should be encouraged to read other books.
3. Give an example of an argument and an audience where it would be necessary to put the refutation first; of one in which it would be necessary to stir up the interest of readers at the start.
4. Suggest methods for gaining the interest of the readers in the last case.
1. Many people avoid the library.
1. The rich should support it; but
2. This is not true, for
a. Most of the borrowers of books are people of moderate means; therefore
b. The city should support the library.
a. Most of the borrowers of books are people of moderate means; therefore
b. The city should support the library.