Laboratory studies show that Saluda Natural Spring Water contains several of the minerals necessary for good health and that it is completely free of bacteria. Residents of Saluda, the small town where the water is bottled, are hospitalized less frequently than the national average. Even though Saluda Natural Spring Water may seem expensive, drinking it instead of tap water is a wise investment in good health.”


The author concludes that drinking Saluda Natural spring water is a wise investment in good health. The evidence presented by him are the presence of essential minerals in it and the less frequent hospitalization rate of the residents of Saluda. But the argument is not totally convincing and is based on unwarranted assumptions.

Although it is mentioned that several minerals necessary for good health are present in Saluda Natural Spring Water, other branded bottled waters may also contain the same or even more minerals. Saluda Spring Water is also expensive. But the price of other bottled waters could be lesser than Saluda Natural Spring Water. Nothing is mentioned about the other competing brands or other household methods to purify tap water.

It is mentioned that the residents of Saluda are less frequently hospitalized but there is no direct evidence which states that the residents of Saluda drink only Saluda Natural Spring Water. The lifestyle of the residents of Saluda may be a healthier one. For example, the amount of time the people of Saluda spend on daily exercise is more than the time spent by people in other parts of the country, or the diet of people of Saluda is more nutritious than the diet of other people of the country. Thus there may be other reasons for the comparatively lower hospitalization rates.

Also, a comparatively lower national average does not necessarily mean less number of people falling sick as the national average may have been inflated due to a famine or an epidemic in some other part of the country.

Overall, the argument is weak because of lack of data about other companies, and a direct evidence that links usage of Saluda spring water and having a good health. The argument could have been strengthened by providing these crucial data about other competing brands and by considering other factors that might play a part in the good health of the people of Saluda.



Please please please grade it, I am writing GMAT on 14th april and I am really worried about my AWA scores[/i]