The Levant—the area that borders the eastern Mediterranean—was heavily populated in prehistoric times. The southern Levant was abandoned about 6,000 years ago, although the northern Levant, which shared the same climate, remained heavily populated. Recently archaeologists have hypothesized that the sudden depopulation in the southern Levant was due to an economic collapse resulting from deforestation.

Summary

The Levant has a northern and a southern part, and both used to have high populations. The northern part still has a high population, but the southern part does not. This is because of a sudden economic collapse resulting from deforestation more than 6,000 years ago.

Notable Valid Inferences

The northern Levant did not face economic collapse about 6,000 years ago. Climate must not be part of the reason why the southern Levant is abandoned. The economic collapse is what caused the depopulation of the southern Levant, as opposed to some other factor.

A
The sheep and goats herded by the peoples of the southern Levant until 6,000 years ago grazed extensively on the seedlings and saplings of indigenous tree species.

This could be true. No information in the stimulus suggests the goats and sheep that existed prior to the deforestation and depopulation of the southern Levant did not graze on indigenous tree species’ seedlings and saplings.

B
Trees were used in the production of lime plaster, a building material used extensively throughout the southern Levant until 6,000 years ago.

This could be true. No information in the stimulus suggests trees were not used to produce lime plaster prior to the deforestation and depopulation of the southern Levant.

C
Organic remains from the northern Levant reliably indicate that tree species flourished there without interruption during the period when the southern Levant was being abandoned.

This could be true. No information in the stimulus suggests the northern Levant had any issues with deforestation.

D
Carbon dating of organic remains from the southern Levant reliably demonstrates that there were no forests present in that area prior to 6,000 years ago.

This must be false. We know the southern Levant faced economic collapse due to deforestation. Such deforestation could not have occurred if there were no forests in the region in the first place.

E
Since there are few traces of either quarried stone or of mud brick in buildings excavated in the southern Levant, it is likely that the buildings built there prior to 6,000 years ago were made almost entirely of timber.

This could be true. No information in the stimulus suggests the southern Levant’s buildings were not made solely from timber.


32 comments

The chances that tropical storms will develop in a given area increase whenever the temperature of a large body of water in that area exceeds 26 degrees Celsius to a depth of about 60 meters. If the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere continues to increase, the temperatures of all of the Earth’s waters will rise, with the result that the number of large bodies of water whose temperatures exceed 26 degrees Celsius to a depth of about 60 meters will eventually be greater than it is today.

Summary

If the temperature of a large body of water exceeds 26 degrees Celsius to a depth of about 60 meters, the chances increase that a tropical storm will develop. If the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere increases, all of Earth’s waters will rise, resulting in a greater number than today of large bodies of water where the temperature exceeds 26 degrees Celsius to a depth of 60 meters.

Strongly Supported Conclusions

If the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere increases, the likelihood that tropical storms develop in any given area on Earth will increase.

A
There are likely to be more tropical storms if the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere continues to increase.

This is strongly supported because we can connect the fact of more carbon dioxide increasing the likelihood of exceeding 26 degrees to a 60 meter depth with the fact of that temperature and depth combination resulting in a higher likelihood of tropical storms.

B
Tropical storms can occur only when the air temperature exceeds 26 degrees Celsius.

This is unsupported because we aren’t given any conditional statement saying that tropical storms only occur at this temperature range. Furthermore, the temperature range given refers to the water temperature, not the air temperature.

C
The number of large bodies of water whose temperatures exceed 26 degrees Celsius to a depth of about 60 meters is greater today than it ever was.

This is unsupported because we don’t know if there was ever a time in Earth’s history where carbon dioxide levels were higher than today, or if another factor besides carbon dioxide ever raised the temperatures of Earth’s waters in the past.

D
The ferocity of tropical storms does not depend on the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere.

This is unsupported because the stimulus only gives us information on the likelihood of tropical storms, not the severity of those storms.

E
Any increase in the temperatures of the Earth’s oceans would cause the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to increase as well.

This is unsupported because the stimulus indicates that the causality moves from carbon dioxide leading to higher ocean temperatures rather than the higher temperatures causing more carbon dioxide.


16 comments

Sam: In a recent survey, over 95 percent of people who purchased a Starlight automobile last year said they were highly satisfied with their purchase. Since people who have purchased a new car in the last year are not highly satisfied if that car has a manufacturing defect, Starlight automobiles are remarkably free from such defects.

Tiya: But some manufacturing defects in automobiles become apparent only after several years of use.

Summarize Argument
In response to Sam’s claim that Starlight automobiles are free from manufacturing defects, Tiya points out that such defects become apparent only after several years.

Describe Method of Reasoning
Tiya’s claim weakens Sam’s conclusion. She does this by stating an additional consideration Sam does not take into account when making his argument. If manufacturing defects are not apparent until several years later, then it is less likely that Starlight automobiles are free from these defects.

A
It argues that Sam’s conclusion is correct, though not for the reasons Sam gives.
Tiya does not agree with Sam’s conclusion. In fact, she weakens Sam’s conclusion by providing an additional consideration.
B
It provides evidence indicating that the survey results Sam relies on in his argument do not accurately characterize the attitudes of those surveyed.
Tiya’s claim does not address the surveys Sam relies on.
C
It offers a consideration that undermines the support Sam offers for his conclusion.
The consideration Tiya offers is that manufacturing defects are apparent only after several years.
D
It points out that Sam’s argument presupposes the truth of the conclusion Sam is defending.
Sam’s argument does not assume Starlight automobiles are free from manufacturing defects.
E
It presents new information that implies that Sam’s conclusion is false.
The new information Tiya presents just makes Sam’s conclusion less likely to be true. It could be that Starlight automobiles are free from manufacturing defects, but Tiya’s argument indicates that this conclusion cannot be made until after several years.

12 comments

Surrealist: Many artists mistakenly think that models need be taken only from outside the psyche. Although human sensibility can confer beauty upon even the most vulgar external objects, using the power of artistic representation solely to preserve and reinforce objects that would exist even without artists is an ironic waste.

Summarize Argument: Counter-Position
The surrealist argues that models do not need to be exclusively taken from outside the psyche; this conclusion is a rejection of the claim made by “many artists” who say that models always need to be taken from outside the psyche. To support his conclusion, the surrealist claims that it is a waste to use art exclusively to represent objects that would already exist without being represented artistically (aka models taken from outside the psyche).

Identify Conclusion
The surrealist concludes by rejecting the mistaken belief of other artists: “Many artists mistakenly think that models need be taken only from outside the psyche.”

A
An artist’s work should not merely represent objects from outside the psyche.
This is the main conclusion. This AC is a rejection of the mistaken belief of many artists; rejecting this mistaken claim is exactly what the surrealist is trying to conclude.
B
Artistic representation is used solely to preserve and reinforce objects.
This answer is not supported by the argument, so we know it is not the conclusion. We are not given an exclusive purpose for artistic representation; in fact, we are told that using artistic representation exclusively to preserve objects that exist externally is a waste.
C
Artists should not base all their work on mere representation.
The conclusion distinguishes between representing models external to and internal to the psyche; the conclusion is not about representation in general. This answer makes a claim about representation in general, so it is not the main conclusion.
D
Great art can confer beauty even upon very vulgar external objects.
The surrealist concedes this point to demonstrate the value in representing models from outside the psyche. However, the surrealist is arguing that artists should not only represent these external objects, so this is not the main conclusion.
E
True works of art rarely represent objects from outside the psyche.
In using “rarely,” this answer makes a claim about the frequency of art. Our argument does not discuss frequency, so this answer is outside the scope of our argument.

52 comments

If you had trouble with this game, you should practice the other Games that are similar to this one (listed below).  That way, you'll learn to see how the Logic Games really are all the same. That's how high scorers see them and that's how you can improve your speed, accuracy, and score.

Start with the Games in the same set as this Game.  Then, work on the Games in the other sets.

The Medium In/Out Games Set
PT20-Game2 | PT39-Game4 | PT47-Game2 | PT58-Game4 | PT59-Game3
_________________________

The Basic In/Out Games Set
PT33-Game2 | PT40-Game4 | PT45-Game3 | PT58-Game2

The Basic+ In/Out Games Set
PT34-Game4 | PT41-Game3

The Easy In/Out Games Set
PT24-Game1 | PT29-Game1 | PT36-Game1 | PT48-Game1 | PT54-Game1 | PT63-Game1

The Difficult In/Out Games Set
PT31-Game2 | PT32-Game2 | PT49-Game3


505 comments