LSAT 35 - Section 4 - Question 08

July 15, 2015

27 comments

LSAT 111 - Section 4 - Question 08

July 15, 2015

It is widely believed that by age 80, perception and memory are each significantly reduced from their functioning levels at age 30. However, a recent study showed no difference in the abilities of 80-year-olds and 30-year-olds to play a card game devised to test perception and memory. Therefore, the belief that perception and memory are significantly reduced by age 80 is false.

Summarize Argument: Counter-Position
The author concludes that the belief that perception and memory are significantly reduced by age 80 is false. She supports this with a recent study showing no difference in the abilities of 80-year-olds and 30-year-olds to play a card game that tests perception and memory.

Identify and Describe Flaw
The author assumes that perception and memory aren't greatly reduced by age 80 simply because 80-year-olds performed just as well as 30-year-olds on the card game. However, she doesn't consider that the game might only test basic levels of perception and memory. If the game requires only a low level of these abilities, the author can't conclude that perception and memory aren't reduced by age 80.

A
the study’s card game does not test cognitive abilities other than perception and memory
This doesn’t impact the argument, so failing to consider it can’t be a flaw. Because the argument only addresses perception and memory, whether the card game tests other cognitive abilities is irrelevant.
B
card games are among the most difficult cognitive tasks one can attempt to perform
We don’t know if this general statement about card games applies to the particular card game designed to test perception and memory. But even if it does, (B) might strengthen the argument by suggesting that 80-year-olds are just as good as 30-year-olds at such a difficult task.
C
perception and memory are interrelated in ways of which we are not currently aware
This doesn’t impact the argument, so failing to consider it can’t be a flaw. The card game showed similar levels of perception and memory between 80-year-olds and 30-year-olds. Whether perception and memory are connected in unknown ways doesn’t affect this outcome.
D
the belief that 80-year-olds’ perception and memory are reduced results from prejudice against senior citizens
Even if this is true, it doesn't point out a flaw in the author’s argument because she’s trying to disprove this belief.
E
playing the study’s card game perfectly requires fairly low levels of perception and memory
The author fails to consider the possibility that the game might only test basic levels of perception and memory. If this is true, then the game would reveal very little about the levels of perception and memory in 80-year-olds vs. in 30-year-olds.

27 comments

LSAT 35 - Section 4 - Question 07

July 15, 2015

71 comments

LSAT 111 - Section 4 - Question 07

July 15, 2015

Attorney: I ask you to find Mr. Smith guilty of assaulting Mr. Jackson. Regrettably, there were no eyewitnesses to the crime, but Mr. Smith has a violent character: Ms. Lopez testified earlier that Mr. Smith, shouting loudly, had threatened her. Smith never refuted this testimony.

Summarize Argument

The attorney concludes that Mr. Smith should be found guilty of assaulting Mr. Jackson. She supports this by saying that Ms. Lopez testified that Mr. Smith loudly threatened her and he never refuted her testimony, so Mr. Smith has a violent character.

Identify and Describe Flaw

The attorney makes many unwarranted assumptions in her argument. She assumes that just because Smith loudly threatened Lopez, he must have a violent character, and that just because he has a violent character, he’s guilty of assaulting Jackson.

She also assumes that just because Smith never refuted Lopez’s claim that he threatened her, her claim must be true.

Note the questions stem: “The attorney’s argument is fallacious because it reasons that ____.” The correct answer will fill in this blank with an assumption made by the attorney.

A
aggressive behavior is not a sure indicator of a violent character

The attorney does not reason that aggressive behavior is not a sure indicator of a violent character. Instead, she assumes that Smith’s aggressive behavior (his alleged loud threat) is a sure indicator of his violent character.

B
Smith’s testimony is unreliable since he is loud and aggressive

The attorney doesn’t bring up any of Smith’s testimony at all, nor does she assume that it’s unreliable.

C
since Smith never disproved the claim that he threatened Lopez, he did in fact threaten her

This points out one of the attorney’s fallacious assumptions. She assumes that, because Smith didn’t refute Lopez’s claim, her claim must be true. She uses this to argue that Smith has a violent character and thus committed the crime.

D
Lopez’s testimony is reliable since she is neither loud nor aggressive

The attorney supports Lopez’s testimony by saying that it was never refuted. She doesn’t assume that Lopez’s testimony is reliable because Lopez isn’t loud or aggressive.

E
having a violent character is not necessarily associated with the commission of violent crimes

The question stem asks for an answer in terms of what the argument reasons. In contrast to (E), “the attorney’s argument is fallacious because it reasons that” having a violent character is necessarily associated with the commission of violent crimes.


74 comments

LSAT 35 - Section 4 - Question 05

July 15, 2015

32 comments

LSAT 111 - Section 4 - Question 05

July 15, 2015

One of the advantages of Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) toxins over chemical insecticides results from their specificity for pest insects. The toxins have no known detrimental effects on mammals or birds. In addition, the limited range of activity of the toxins toward insects means that often a particular toxin will kill pest species but not affect insects that prey upon the species. This advantage makes B.t. toxins preferable to chemical insecticides for use as components of insect pest management programs.

Summarize Argument
The author concludes that B.t. toxins are better for managing insect pests than chemical insecticides. Why? Because particular B.t. toxins will kill only particular species, leaving other insects, birds, and mammals unharmed.

Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that chemical pesticides do not target particular species effectively in the same way as B.t. toxins. She assumes there is no other property of B.t. toxins that makes them less effective or more risky than chemical insecticides in practice.

A
Chemical insecticides cause harm to a greater number of insect species than do B.t. toxins.
This is irrelevant without knowing whether the species harmed are common pests. If B.t. toxins cause damage only to pest insects, but chemical insecticides cause damage to harmless insects, then the argument is strengthened.
B
No particular B.t. toxin is effective against all insects.
This doesn’t mean there is any insect for which no B.t. toxin is effective. It’s possible that every pest insect can be targeted with the appropriate B.t. toxin.
C
B.t. toxins do not harm weeds that do damage to farm crops.
This is irrelevant without information about whether chemical insecticides do the same. If neither substance does damage to such weeds, this offers no contrast.
D
Insects build up resistance more readily to B.t. toxins than to chemical insecticides.
This is a reason why B.t. toxins may be less effective than chemical insecticides in practice. Despite their advantages, B.t. toxins are more likely to be repelled by genetic resistance, and thus less likely to work.
E
Birds and rodents often do greater damage to farm crops than do insects.
This states no difference between B.t. toxins and chemical insecticides that would suggest B.t. toxins are less effective or riskier than chemical insecticides. The author does not say the use of chemical insecticides harms mammals or birds.

32 comments

LSAT 35 - Section 4 - Question 02

July 15, 2015

4 comments

LSAT 111 - Section 4 - Question 02

July 15, 2015

Bureaucratic mechanisms are engineered to resist change. Thus, despite growing dissatisfaction with complex bureaucratic systems, it is unlikely that bureaucracies will be simplified.

Summarize Argument
The author concludes that it is unlikely that bureaucracies will be simplified. As a premise to support this claim, the author says that bureaucracies are designed to resist change.

Identify Argument Part
The referenced text acts as a premise to support the author’s main conclusion. It gives a reason that it is unlikely that bureaucracies will be simplified.

A
It is a premise offered in support of the claim that it is unlikely that bureaucracies will be simplified.
This answer accurately identifies the referenced text as a premise, and it correctly identifies what claim the premise is supporting, so this is the correct answer.
B
It is a conclusion for which the only support offered is the claim that dissatisfaction with complex bureaucratic systems is growing.
The referenced text is a premise, not a conclusion, so this answer is not correct.
C
It is cited as evidence that bureaucratic systems are becoming more and more complex.
The referenced text does not support the claim about the growing dissatisfaction with complex bureaucratic systems. Further, the argument does not claim that bureaucracies are becoming more complex; it says that dissatisfaction with the complexity is growing.
D
It is used to weaken the claim that bureaucracies should be simplified.
The argument does not claim that bureaucracies should be simplified; it only says that they are unlikely to be simplified even though there is growing dissatisfaction with their complexity. Further, the referenced text is used to support the conclusion, not to weaken a claim.
E
It is a conclusion for which the claim that bureaucracies are unlikely to be simplified is offered as support.
The referenced text is a premise, not the conclusion, so this is not the answer.

4 comments

LSAT 28 - Section 4 - Passage 4 - Questions

July 15, 2015

28 comments

LSAT 106 - Section 4 - Passage 4 - Questions

July 15, 2015

34 comments

«‹105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120121122123124125›»