LSAT Logical Reasoning : LSAT Logical Reasoning
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for LSAT Logical Reasoning
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Example Questions
Example Question #31 : Main Point / Main Conclusion
Director of the transportation department: We could save money over the next few years by closing lanes on highways and deferring repairs. The cost savings would be well worth the moderate increase in traffic jams. The roads will eventually need to be repaired, but the department could stay within budget over the next several years, which should be a top priority. If we continue to overspend, we may face a financial disaster.
Assistant director: Closing road lanes would lead not only to a considerable increase in traffic jams but would also lead to increased accidents and death. That said, we’ve explored other options and closing the lanes seems to be our only viable plan to save money, and there is no question that we must accomplish that.
The Director's main point is which of the following?
The department should close road lanes for several years for safety reasons
Paying for road repairs causes the department to spend above its budget
The department should be able to afford repairs in a few years
Road lane closures leads to only a moderate increase in traffic jams
The department should close road lanes for several years to save money
The department should close road lanes for several years to save money
The Director's main point is that road lanes should be closed in order to save money. The other statements are either support for that main point or in conflict with the Director's argument.
Example Question #1 : Determining Which Answer Most Helps To Resolve The Paradox
TV networks believe that football broadcasts provide greater opportunity for profit than any other sport. This belief persists despite the fact that professional baseball leagues have increased their revenue by fifty percent over the last ten years while professional football leagues have increased revenue by only fifteen percent over that time.
Which of the following statements, if true, would most help to reconcile the TV networks' beliefs with the statistics cited?
Many TV networks purchase broadcasting rights to only one sport
Baseball leagues have significantly longer seasons than football leagues
In the last ten years, football has gained more TV revenue than baseball despite baseball leagues gaining more revenue for their respective league.
Football and baseball leagues attract different types of advertisers
Baseball has been popular for many years while football's increase in popularity has come primarily in the last thirty years
In the last ten years, football has gained more TV revenue than baseball despite baseball leagues gaining more revenue for their respective league.
The TV networks' conclusions may be justified even though baseball leagues have increased revenues more than football leagues. The revenue from TV broadcasting is of more direct relevance to the revenue of TV networks.
Example Question #2 : Determining Which Answer Most Helps To Resolve The Paradox
Under the modern model for music distribution, musicians sell the right to broadcast their music to companies who give listeners affordable access to large quantities of music. Some musicians who have been selling their music for many years are displeased with the new model and have seen decreased revenue. Yet, musicians as a whole are making more money under the new model than they were previously.
Which of the following, if true, would most help to reconcile the apparent conflict?
Music producers charge higher fees now, leaving less revenue for musicians
The new model is not generating as much revenue as it could be generating
A greater number of musicians sell music now than under the old model
Some musicians want to make more money than they made under the old model
The old model could be used now and would generate more revenue than the new model
A greater number of musicians sell music now than under the old model
The paradox in the passage is that some musicians generate less revenue now than they did under the old model while, on the whole, musicians earn more revenue than previously. If there are more musicians than under the old model, revenues could increase for the industry as a whole while decreasing for certain musicians. This is not the only information that could explain the paradox, but it does so better than any of the other answers given here.
Example Question #3 : Determining Which Answer Most Helps To Resolve The Paradox
Recent evidence has conclusively shown that cholesterol levels do not correlate with human lifespan. Despite this new evidence, doctors still advise patients with high cholesterol to take medication and engage in physical activity to reduce cholesterol levels.
Which of the following, if true, would most help resolve this discrepancy?
Many doctors receive large gifts from pharmaceutical companies.
Low levels of cholesterol are proven to increase quality of life.
Most medications that doctors prescribe to reduce cholesterol levels are clinically proven to be effective.
High cholesterol levels are proven be correlated with hypertension disorders.
Engaging in extensive physical exercise can stress the human heart.
Low levels of cholesterol are proven to increase quality of life.
The correct answer helps explain why doctors would advise their patients to reduce their cholestrol levels even if it would not increase their longevity.
Example Question #4 : Determining Which Answer Most Helps To Resolve The Paradox
Over the past ten years, insurance premiums have increased, resulting in a large decrease in insurance enrollment across the country. Insurance company revenues, however, have progressively increased in each of the ten years during this period, and industry analysts predict further increases in years to come.
Which one of the following, if true, offers the best explanation for the situation described above?
Most insurance companies raise their premiums every three years.
The decrease in the number of people enrolling for health insurance over the past ten years has been more than offset by the increases in insurance premiums.
The rise of concierge medicine exceeds the number of those enrolling in traditional insurance in most high-income areas.
More individuals are seeking a subsidy for their health care.
Insurance companies donate substantial sums of money to political campaigns.
The decrease in the number of people enrolling for health insurance over the past ten years has been more than offset by the increases in insurance premiums.
Here, the author describes two simultaneous trends that, at first blush, seem to contradict one another. Insurance premiums have increased, which have led to a decrease in insurance enrollment. This first part is logical. However, interestingly, revenues for insurance companies have continued to rise despite the decreased enrollment. The correct answer choice must provide additional revenue that compensates for the decrease in revenue from decreased enrollment. Only the answer choice: “The decrease in the number of people enrolling for health insurance over the past ten years has been more than offset by the increases in insurance premiums” provides this increased revenue that would explain this phenomenon.
Example Question #5 : Resolve The Paradox
During his second semester of college, Tom enrolled in tutoring sessions to help him improve his grades. However, his GPA for his second semester was worse than his GPA for his first semester.
Each of the following, if true, helps to explain why Tom's GPA worsened, EXCEPT:
Tom's school initiated a new academic policy his second semester, which required all professors to base their grading on a curve.
Tom took much more difficult courses his second semester than he did during his first semester.
The tutoring sessions took more time than Tom had realized they would take.
Tom experienced a personal crisis during his second semester that distracted him from school.
The tutoring sessions that Tom enrolled in were counterproductive because the tutor taught him incorrect information.
The tutoring sessions took more time than Tom had realized they would take.
The correct answer is:
The tutoring sessions took more time than Tom had realized they would take.
This does not resolve the paradox, because even if the tutoring sessions took more time than Tom realized they would required, this does not necessarily mean that he did not have the time to utilize them. All the other answer choices do in fact resolve the paradox because they shed light on why Tom's GPA would have worsened.
Example Question #1 : Resolve The Paradox
It is time to face the fact that public libraries throughout the country should be converted to fitness facilities. The country's citizens are progressively becoming less healthy and must have access to fitness facilities in order to improve health. Meanwhile, public libraries take up space but do not provide value to the public. The best course of action is clear.
The author of the passage is most likely to agree with which of the following?
Public libraries have caused the country's citizens to be unhealthy
Public libraries have not served a valuable purpose in the past
It is possible for citizens to improve health without increased access to fitness facilities
Access to fitness facilities is necessary for citizens to improve health
Public libraries have provided value to the public in the past
Access to fitness facilities is necessary for citizens to improve health
The author does not make a judgment about the historic value provided by public libraries, leaving that question open. The author does state, however, that citizens "must have access to fitness facilities in order to improve health." Thus, the author apparently holds the view that access to fitness facilities is necessary for improved health.
Example Question #5 : Determining Which Answer Most Helps To Resolve The Paradox
Smoking cigarettes continues to be a common practice despite countless studies demonstrating that the habit causes deadly diseases. The government has attempted to reduce the number of smokers with advertising campaigns that explain the consequences of smoking, but the campaigns have been ineffective because the habit continues to be as prevalent as it was previous to the campaigns. The government should try one or more of the many alternatives to advertising. For instance, the government could raise the tax on cigarettes to the extent that smoking is prohibitively expensive.
Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?
There are various, prevalent habits that cause deadly diseases
At the time when most cigarette smokers began smoking, the effects of smoking were unknown
When taxes on products increase, people are often willing to pay the increased cost to maintain a habit
Advertising campaigns are generally successful only many years after being implemented; the government's campaign has been in effect for one year
The vast majority of government advertising campaigns are effective
Advertising campaigns are generally successful only many years after being implemented; the government's campaign has been in effect for one year
A key premise of the argument is that the government's advertising campaign has been unsuccessful because smoking is as prevalent as it was prior to the campaign. The campaign may still be successful, however, if campaigns are generally successful only after many years. The new information would undermine a fundamental premise of the argument.
Example Question #6 : Resolve The Paradox
Eye surgery has become a viable alternative to wearing glasses. There have been questions about long term effectiveness for many years, but the doubt seems to be disappearing. Few people have reported negative effects even years after surgery and many people say their improved vision has lasted. We should see the demand for eye surgery increasing drastically as a result of doubts being dispelled. Yet, the number of people obtaining eye surgeries remains relatively constant.
Which of the following most helps to explain the paradox?
There are many negative effects from eye surgery even though most people now believe that there are none
Most people who decide to not have eye surgery, do so because of the high cost
Some people have experienced negative effects from eye surgery
Eye surgery is more popular in some locations than in others
Previous doubts about eye surgery effectiveness were unreasonable
Most people who decide to not have eye surgery, do so because of the high cost
If most people do not have eye surgery because of the cost, then dispelling concerns about effectiveness may not lead to more eye surgeries.
Example Question #6 : Determining Which Answer Most Helps To Resolve The Paradox
Two years ago, the state legislature significantly increased the fines for distracted driving offenses in an attempt to reduce traffic accidents. The legislature also made such offenses more severe with regard to possible driver license suspensions, and publicized the new penalties on highway signs and television commercials. Yet recent studies show that since the changes, the number of tickets for distracted driving has actually increased statewide.
Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy in the passage above?
The state has experienced a significant population boom over the past two years.
Car manufacturers have recently added some safety features, such as additional lights or audible signals, to warn drivers who are veering out of traffic lanes.
Speed limits in many parts of the state have increased over the past two years.
The increase in distracted driving tickets within the state is a statistically significant increase.
Some drivers in the state are still unaware of the changes to the distracted driving laws.
The state has experienced a significant population boom over the past two years.
The correct answer choice resolves the discrepancy by explaining that an overall population increase could increase the total number of tickets despite the deterring effects of the legislative change. Note that it is the total number of tickets, not the average tickets per person, that has increased. The only other answer choice that comes close to explaining the discrepancy is that some drivers are unaware of the changes. However, this answer choice is weak, as it only applies to “some” drivers; more importantly, it does not explain why the total number of tickets has increased rather than stayed the same. The other answer choices are not useful in explaining the discrepancy.
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