LSAC LSAC Certifications LSAT-TEST Questions & Answers

• Question 691:

  It is well known that many species adapt to their environment, but it is usually assumed that only the most highly evolved species alter their environment in ways that aid their own survival. However, this characteristic is actually quite common. Certain species of plankton, for example, generate a gas that is converted in the atmosphere into particles of sulfate. These particles cause water vapor to condense, thus forming clouds. Indeed, the formation of clouds over the ocean largely depends on the presence of these particles. More cloud cover means more sunlight is reflected, and so the Earth absorbs less heat. Thus plankton cause the surface of the Earth to be cooler and this benefits the plankton.

  Which one of the following accurately describes the argumentative strategy employed?

  A. A general principle is used to justify a claim made about a particular case to which that principle has been shown to apply.

  B. An explanation of how a controversial phenomenon could have come about is given in order to support the claim that this phenomenon did in fact come about.

  C. A generalization about the conditions under which a certain process can occur is advanced on the basis of an examination of certain cases in which that process did occur.

  D. A counterexample to a position being challenged is presented in order to show that this position is incorrect.

  E. A detailed example is used to illustrate the advantage of one strategy over another.

  Correct Answer: D

  The words from "However" to "for example" virtually scream out that plankton is being presented here as a counterexample. The "position being challenged" is that laid out in the beginning--the common assumption that only highly evolved species proactively alter their environments for survival purposes. And the only possible reason for presenting such a "counterexample" is to show that this belief is wrong. Option [A counterexample to a position being]. has it all.

• Question 692:

  It is well known that many species adapt to their environment, but it is usually assumed that only the most highly evolved species alter their environment in ways that aid their own survival. However, this characteristic is actually quite common. Certain species of plankton, for example, generate a gas that is converted in the atmosphere into particles of sulfate. These particles cause water vapor to condense, thus forming clouds. Indeed, the formation of clouds over the ocean largely depends on the presence of these particles. More cloud cover means more sunlight is reflected, and so the Earth absorbs less heat. Thus plankton cause the surface of the Earth to be cooler and this benefits the plankton.

  Of the following, which one most accurately expresses the main point of the argument?

  A. The Earth would be far warmer than it is now if certain species of plankton became extinct,

  B. By altering their environment in ways that improve their chances of survival, certain species of plankton benefit the Earth as a whole.

  C. Improving their own chances of survival by altering the environment is not limited to the most highly evolved species.

  D. The extent of the cloud cover over the oceans is largely determined by the quantity of plankton in those oceans.

  E. Species such as plankton alter the environment in ways that are less detrimental to the well-being of other species than are the alterations to the environment made by more highly evolved species.

  Correct Answer: C

  Two for the price of one in this double-question stimulus, and the two questions are basic ones: What's the main point, and how does the author make it? It's well-known that species adapt to their environment, but most assume that only highly evolved species actually change their environment to aid in survival. But, we find out, this behavior is actually quite common, as the plankton example is presented to demonstrate. The process that follows is actually relatively unimportant, given that we're looking for general stuff like the main point and the argumentative technique. (See bullet point below.) The Keyword "However" indicates that the example of plankton is meant to show that not only the highly evolved species act in the manner described. Option [Improving their own chances of survival...] captures the main gist of the argument.

• Question 693:

  The symptoms of hepatitis A appear no earlier than 60 days after a person has been infected. In a test of a hepatitis A vaccine, 50 people received the vaccine and 50 people received a harmless placebo. Although some people from each group eventually exhibited symptoms of hepatitis A, the vaccine as used in the test is completely effective in preventing infection with the hepatitis A virus. Which one of the following, if true, most helps resolve the apparent discrepancy in the information above?

  A. The placebo did not produce any side effects that resembled any of the symptoms of hepatitis A.

  B. More members of the group that had received the placebo recognized their symptoms as symptoms of hepatitis A than did members of the group that had received the vaccine.

  C. The people who received the placebo were in better overall physical condition than were the people who received the vaccine.

  D. The vaccinated people who exhibited symptoms of hepatitis A were infected with the hepatitis A virus before being vaccinated.

  E. Of the people who developed symptoms of hepatitis A, those who received the vaccine recovered more quickly, on average, than those who did not.

  Correct Answer: D

  For Q. 10 we need to resolve the apparent discrepancy. Remember, the first step in this question type is to make sure you understand, in your own words, the nature of the discrepancy before moving on to the answer choices. In this case, the discrepancy is signaled by the Keyword "although" in the last sentence. The paradox is that even though the vaccine used in this test is completely effective in preventing hepatitis, members of both groups exhibited symptoms of hepatitis A. Now, it's not surprising that members of the placebo group may have contracted the disease; after all, they weren't vaccinated. But how could the members of the group that received the vaccine exhibit symptoms of hepatitis if we're told the vaccine is completely effective in preventing it? Try to answer that yourself, and then look to the answer choices for a similar explanation. Option [The vaccinated people who...] is correct because it gives a perfectly logical explanation: the people who exhibited symptoms contracted hepatitis before they were vaccinated. Remember, the stimulus tells us that the symptoms appear no earlier than 60 days after a person has been infected. Therefore, if a person were infected on day 1, and received the vaccine on day 10, we would expect that person to exhibit symptoms sometime after he or she was vaccinated.

• Question 694:

  Jean: Our navigational equipment sells for $ 1,100 and dominates the high end of the market, but more units are sold by our competitors in the $700 to $800 range. We should add a low-cost model, which would allow us to increase our overall sales while continuing to dominate the high end. Tracy: I disagree. Our equipment sells to consumers who associate our company with quality. Moving into the low-cost market would put our competitors in the high-cost market on an equal footing with us, which could hurt our overall sales.

  Jean's and Tracy's statements most strongly suggest that they disagree over which one of the following propositions?

  A. There is a greater potential for profits in the low- cost market than there is in the high-cost market.

  B. The proposed cheaper model, if it were made available, would sell to customers who would otherwise be buying the company's present model.

  C. The company could dominate the low-cost market in the same way it has dominated the high-cost market.

  D. The company would no longer dominate the high- cost market if it began selling a low-cost model.

  E. Decreased sales of the high-cost model would result in poor sales for the proposed low-cost model.

  Correct Answer: D

  Another disagreement to disentangle this one between Jean and Tracy over business strategy Jean's happy with the business brought in by the high-end navigational equipment, but frets over the fact that competitors are selling more units in a cheaper price range. She suggests adding a low-cost model to boost sales. Tracey differs: Moving into the low-cost arena would, according to her, damage the public's perception of the company as a quality high-end manufacturer, which would jeopardize their success in the high-end market and hurt sales overall. We're looking for a proposition about which the two would disagree, so the best bet is to evaluate each choice asking yourself: "What would Jean think of this? What would Tracy?" When you find them on opposite sides of the fence, you'll have your answer.

• Question 695:

  Nutritionist: Many people claim that simple carbohydrates are a reasonable caloric replacement for the fatty foods forbidden to those on low-fat diets. This is now in doubt. New studies show that, for many people, a high intake of simple carbohydrates stimulates an overproduction of insulin, a hormone that is involved in processing sugars and starches to create energy when the body requires energy, or, when energy is not required, to store the resulting by-products as fat.

  Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the nutritionist's statements?

  A. People on low-fat diets should avoid consumption of simple carbohydrates if they wish to maintain the energy that their bodies require.

  B. People who produce enough insulin to process their intake of simple carbohydrates should not feel compelled to adopt low-fat diets.

  C. People who consume simple carbohydrates should limit their intake of foods high in fat.

  D. People who wish to avoid gaining body fat should limit their intake of foods high in simple carbohydrates.

  E. People who do not produce an excessive amount of insulin when they consume foods high in simple carbohydrates will not lose weight if they restrict only their intake of these foods.

  Correct Answer: D

  Our task is to find the statement that's most strongly supported, so it's reasonable to expect that prephrasing an answer may not be possible. The plan is therefore to gather up the facts, understand them in your own words, and move on to the choices. The nutritionist describes a claim that's subsequently disputed by "new studies": Replacing fatty foods with carbohydrates may not work for those on low-fat diets, as once believed, because eating a lot of carbs produces extra insulin, which in turn acts on sugars and starches to provide energy and, more importantly, produce fat when energy levels are sufficient. There's one key element here that we overlook at our own risk: It is a "high-intake" of carbs that triggers this result.

• Question 696:

  In Debbie's magic act, a volunteer supposedly selects a card in a random fashion, looks at it without showing it to her, and replaces it in the deck. After several shuffles, Debbie cuts the deck and supposedly reveals the same selected card. A skeptic conducted three trials. In the first, Debbie was videotaped, and no sleight of hand was found. In the second, the skeptic instead supplied a standard deck of cards. For the third trial, the skeptic selected the card. Each time, Debbie apparently revealed the selected card. The skeptic concluded that Debbie uses neither sleight of hand, nor a trick deck, nor a planted "volunteer" to achieve her effect.

  Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the skeptic's reasoning?

  A. The skeptic failed to consider the possibility that Debbie did not always use the same method to achieve her effect.

  B. The skeptic failed to consider the possibility that sleight of hand could also be detected by some means other than videotaping.

  C. The skeptic failed to consider the possibility that Debbie requires both sleight of hand and a trick deck to achieve her effect.

  D. The skeptic failed to consider the possibility that Debbie used something other than sleight of hand, a trick deck, or a planted "volunteer" to achieve her effect.

  E. The skeptic failed to consider the possibility that Debbie's success in the three trials was something other than a coincidence

  Correct Answer: A

  Once you know that there is an error in the reasoning, you should read critically, looking to poke holes in the author's argument. In this paragraph, the skeptic concludes that Debbie uses neither sleight of hand, nor a trick deck, nor a planted "volunteer" to achieve her effect. This conclusion is based on three separate trials of her card trick. In each trial though, the skeptic is really only controlling for one variable (using videotape to control for sleight of hand in Trial 1, etc.). But as correct answer choice [The skeptic failed to consider the possibility...] points out, the skeptic failed to consider the possibility that Debbie did not always use the same method to achieve her effect. In other words, when the skeptic tried to control for a trick deck, perhaps Debbie used a planted "volunteer" or sleight of hand to make the trick work. Then, when the skeptic tried to control for the planted "volunteer," Debbie used one of the other methods to make it work.

• Question 697:

  These days, drug companies and health professionals alike are focusing their attention on cholesterol in the blood. The more cholesterol we have in our blood, the higher the risk that we shall die of a heart attack. The issue is pertinent since heart disease kills more North Americans every year than any other single cause. At least three factors--smoking, drinking, and exercise-- can each influence levels of cholesterol in the blood.

  Which one of the following can be properly concluded from the passage?

  A. If a person has low blood cholesterol, then that person's risk of fatal heart disease is low.

  B. Smoking in moderation can entail as great a risk of fatal heart disease as does heavy smoking.

  C. A high-cholesterol diet is the principal cause of death in North America.

  D. The only way that smoking increases one's risk of fatal heart disease is by influencing the levels of cholesterol in the blood.

  E. The risk of fatal heart disease can be altered by certain changes in lifestyle.

  Correct Answer: E

  We're looking for a proper conclusion, so it behooves us to read through the stimulus with an eye towards where it's all heading. The topic is blood cholesterol, a relevant concern "these days." Sentence 2 offers what most would accept as conventional wisdom: the higher one's cholesterol, the greater the risk of a heart attack. The following sentence tells us why this is important (heart disease is the number one killer in North America), and the passage ends with three factors that affect cholesterol. Not much of an argument; more like a collection of facts. But that makes sense, since it's something that "can be properly concluded from the passage" that we're after anyway. It's hard to prephrase exactly what that conclusion might be, but you may have had a pretty good feeling that it would have something to do with the factors listed at the end. After all, the abrupt ending kind of begs the question "what about these factors? Why mention these?" Only options [Smoking in moderation can entail as...], [The only way that smoking increases one's...] and [The risk of fatal heart disease can be altered...] relate specifically to these factors, and the first two conclude more about smoking than we can infer from the passage (see below). But option [The risk of fatal heart disease can be altered...] works: Blood cholesterol influences heart disease, and the factors that influence blood cholesterol are lifestyle choices. Put it together, and it's proper to conclude that the risk of fatal heart disease can be influenced by changes in such choices.

• Question 698:

  Barnes: The two newest employees at this company have salaries that are too high for the simple tasks normally assigned to new employees and duties that are too complex for inexperienced workers. Hence, the salaries and the complexity of the duties of these two newest employees should be reduced.

  Which one of the following is an assumption on which Barnes's argument depends?

  A. The duties of the two newest employees are not less complex than any others in the company.

  B. It is because of the complex duties assigned that the two newest employees are being paid more than is usually paid to newly hired employees.

  C. The two newest employees are not experienced at their occupations.

  D. Barnes was not hired at a higher-than-average starting salary.

  E. The salaries of the two newest employees are no higher than the salaries that other companies pay for workers with a similar level of experience.

  Correct Answer: C

  This is an Assumption question, so we will need the answer choice that connects the evidence with the conclusion. Barnes' conclusion is that the salaries and complexity of the duties of these two newest employees should be reduced. (Conveniently, the conclusion is pointed out by the Keyword "Hence".) Why should they be reduced? Because these employees have salaries that are too high for the simple tasks normally assigned to new employees and they have duties that are too complex for inexperienced workers. Can you see what's going on here? By concluding from this evidence that the two new employees should have their salaries and duties reduced, the author is just assuming that these two new employees are like typical new employees: they must have simple tasks assigned to them, and they are inexperienced. But what if that weren't true? What if they have nonsimple tasks assigned to them, or they are, in fact, experienced workers? Then there would be no reason to reduce their salaries and duties; Barnes' conclusion would not logically follow. So the author must be assuming that they are just like the typical new employee. Once you have this kind of prephrase in your head, you can attack the answer choices. [The two newest employees are not experienced at their occupations] is correct because it tells us that the new employees are just like typical new employees in one important respect--they are not experienced at their occupations.

• Question 699:

  Cats spend much of their time sleeping; they seem to awaken only to stretch and yawn. Yet they have a

  strong, agile musculature that most animals would have to exercise strenuously to acquire.

  Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent paradox described above?

  A. Cats have a greater physiological need for sleep than other animals.

  B. Many other animals also spend much of their time sleeping yet have a strong, agile musculature.

  C. Cats are able to sleep in apparently uncomfortable positions.

  D. Cats derive ample exercise from frequent stretching.

  E. Cats require strength and agility in order to be effective predators.

  Correct Answer: D

  The question stem tells you you'll have to resolve or explain an apparent paradox. Therefore, your first step should have been to clearly identify the paradox. In this case, the stimulus tells you that even though cats mostly just stretch and yawn, they have a strong musculature that most animals would need lots of exercise to acquire. Note the Keyword "Yet" in the last sentence that alerts you to something unexpected coming up. And in fact, it is somewhat surprising that cats can get this musculature when all they do is sleep and stretch and yawn. The correct answer choice will explain how that can be. Option [Cats derive ample exercise from frequent stretching.].is correct because it shows how both parts of this argument could be true. If cats get ample exercise from frequent stretching, and we know from the argument that they do stretch, then that helps to explain how they get the exercise necessary to maintain their agile musculature

• Question 700:

  There should be a greater use of gasohol. Gasohol is a mixture of alcohol and gasoline, and has a higher

  octane rating and fewer carbon monoxide emissions than straight gasoline. Burning gasohol adds no more

  carbon dioxide to the atmosphere than plants remove by photosynthesis.

  Each of the following, if true, strengthens the argument above EXCEPT:

  A. Cars run less well on gasoline than they do on gasohol.

  B. Since less gasoline is needed with the use of gasohol, an energy shortage is less likely.

  C. Cars burn on the average slightly more gasohol per kilometer than they do gasoline.

  D. Gasohol is cheaper to produce and hence costs less at the pump than gasoline.

  E. Burning gasoline adds more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere than plants can remove.

  Correct Answer: C

  This is a strengthen EXCEPT question which means that the correct answer will either weaken the argument or have no effect on it. The author's conclusion is the recommendation made in the first sentence: There should be greater use of gasohol. Why? Because it has a higher octane rating and fewer carbon monoxide emissions than gasoline, and the carbon dioxide it adds to the air is removed by photosynthesis. Pretty straightforward, so on to the answer choices. All of the incorrect answer choices will strengthen the conclusion that gasohol should be used instead of gasoline. Option [Cars burn on the average slightly...] is correct because it provides an advantage that gasoline has over gasohol, namely that cars burn more gasohol per kilometer than gasoline. In other words, gasoline cars get better mileage. This would weaken the recommendation that gasohol be used.