Multiple choice

An independent medical research team recently did a survey at a mountain retreat founded to help heavy smokers or cut down on their cigarette smoking. Eight percent of those persons smoking three packs a day or more were able to cut down to one pack a day after they began to try End-Smoke with its patented desire suppressant. Try End-Smoke to help you cut down significantly on your smoking. Which of the following could be offered as valid criticism of the above advertisement?

I. Heavy smokers may be physically as well as psychologically critically addicted to tobacco.II. A medicine that is effective for very heavy smokers may not be effective for the population of smokers generally. III. A survey conducted at a mountain retreat to aid smokers may yield different results than one would expect under other circumstance.

  1. I only

  2. II only

  3. III only

  4. II and III only

  5. I, II, and III
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

(4) The ad is weak for two reasons. First, although it is addressed to smokers in general, the evidence it cites is restricted to heavy (three-packs-a-day) smokers. Second, the success achieved by the product was restricted to a highly specific and unusual location - the mountain retreat of a clinic with a population trying hard to quit smoking. Thus, II will undermine the appeal of the advertisement because it cites the first of the weaknesses. Ill also will tell against the ad since it mentions the second of these weaknesses. I, however, is irrelevant to the ad's appeal since the cause off a smoker's addiction plays no role in the claim of this ad to assist smokers in quitting or cutting down.

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