All LSAT Reading Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #245 : Reading Comprehension
In day-to-day functioning, people rely on both memory and knowledge of that memory, referred to as metamemory. For example, a person often cannot immediately recall a name upon meeting someone, but they feel that they know it. This feeling is the result of monitoring memory. Because of this feeling-of-knowing (FOK), most people will continue to search their memory for this name. Once a name is generated, people then monitor and decide if they are confident enough to use that name.
Memory monitoring involves evaluating the ongoing progress of any aspect of memory. Experiments that evaluate memory monitoring typically have individuals make subjective judgments about their memory at various stages of learning and recall. Participants are asked a series of questions. After each question that they answer, they are asked to provide a retrospective confidence (RC) judgment, rating the likelihood that their response is accurate. When participants do not answer a question, they are asked for their prospective FOK judgment, assessing whether they nonetheless feel they do know the answer (for example because they think they may be able to remember it at some point in the future).
Perhaps predictably, RC judgments are highly correlated with actual knowledge of a topic. FOK judgments, however, correlate rather weakly—albeit positively—with actual knowledge. While there are some instances where the FOK is the result of a momentary inability to recall something, more often than not the FOK stems from the sense that one should know something, for example because the field is familiar.
Research has resulted in a general consensus that, when monitoring memory, individuals infer whether a particular response will be, or has been, remembered based on the inputs that are readily available. However, the particular inputs used differ depending on when memory is assessed. Prospective FOK judgments are thought to be based on familiarity of the cue, accessibility of information about the memory, or a combination of the two. In contrast, it is widely accepted that RC judgments are based on the memory-retrieval experience—that is, the “on-line” experience of directly retrieving some previously studied item.
According to the passage, FOK judgments and RC judgments differ in all of the following ways EXCEPT that
one is subjective and the other is objective.
they involve inferences based on different clues.
they assess knowledge at different points in the recall process.
one is more accurate than the other.
they are elicited experimentally under different conditions.
one is subjective and the other is objective.
Except questions are specific questions for which you need to look back and find evidence for each answer in the text. If you can’t find evidence for a particular statement, that’s your answer. Remember, however, that these questions are often best done by process of elimination – it is often much easier to conclude that you can find evidence for four of five statements than conclude that you can’t find evidence for one.
The question asks for how FOK and RC judgments are different – therefore, the correct answer will be a way in which the two are the same or will be a completely untrue statement.
Answer choice "they assess knowledge at different points in the recall process." is true – FOK judgments assess knowledge for questions that are left unanswered after experimental subjects fail to answer them, while RC judgments assess knowledge after the participants answer a question. Eliminate "they assess knowledge at different points in the recall process.".
Answer choice "they are elicited experimentally under different conditions." is true for the same reason as "they assess knowledge at different points in the recall process.". The “different conditions” are the different points in the process under which RC and FOK judgments are assessed. Eliminate "they are elicited experimentally under different conditions.".
Answer choice "one is subjective and the other is objective." is false, since the passage states in paragraph 2 that both judgments are subjective: “Experiments that evaluate memory monitoring typically have individuals make subjective judgments about their memory at various stages of learning and recall.” Because choice "one is subjective and the other is objective."isn’t even true, it can’t be a point of difference, so choice "one is subjective and the other is objective." is correct.
Choice "they involve inferences based on different clues." is true based on information found in the fourth paragraph. The passage states that the “clue” the person bases a FOK judgment on is familiarity with the topic. For RC judgments, the “clue” is the memory retrieval experience itself – how they felt while they were remembering the information in question. Eliminate "they involve inferences based on different clues.".
Choice "one is more accurate than the other." is true based on information found in the third paragraph, which states that RC is a much more reliable indicator as to whether a person got something right or wrong than FOK is.
Example Question #171 : Reading Comprehension
In day-to-day functioning, people rely on both memory and knowledge of that memory, referred to as metamemory. For example, a person often cannot immediately recall a name upon meeting someone, but they feel that they know it. This feeling is the result of monitoring memory. Because of this feeling-of-knowing (FOK), most people will continue to search their memory for this name. Once a name is generated, people then monitor and decide if they are confident enough to use that name.
Memory monitoring involves evaluating the ongoing progress of any aspect of memory. Experiments that evaluate memory monitoring typically have individuals make subjective judgments about their memory at various stages of learning and recall. Participants are asked a series of questions. After each question that they answer, they are asked to provide a retrospective confidence (RC) judgment, rating the likelihood that their response is accurate. When participants do not answer a question, they are asked for their prospective FOK judgment, assessing whether they nonetheless feel they do know the answer (for example because they think they may be able to remember it at some point in the future).
Perhaps predictably, RC judgments are highly correlated with actual knowledge of a topic. FOK judgments, however, correlate rather weakly—albeit positively—with actual knowledge. While there are some instances where the FOK is the result of a momentary inability to recall something, more often than not the FOK stems from the sense that one should know something, for example because the field is familiar.
Research has resulted in a general consensus that, when monitoring memory, individuals infer whether a particular response will be, or has been, remembered based on the inputs that are readily available. However, the particular inputs used differ depending on when memory is assessed. Prospective FOK judgments are thought to be based on familiarity of the cue, accessibility of information about the memory, or a combination of the two. In contrast, it is widely accepted that RC judgments are based on the memory-retrieval experience—that is, the “on-line” experience of directly retrieving some previously studied item.
Which of the following, if true, would support the author's claims about the inputs associated with memory monitoring?
Brain scans of individuals performing FOK and RC judgments show that the two processes occur in different areas of the brain.
Individuals report high RC if the memory accessed to answer a question had a large amount of accessible information associated with it.
Individuals who were asked the same question on subsequent days reported higher FOK - even if they didn't know the answer - than did individuals who hadn't heard the question before.
The longer the time period between when an individual studies a topic and when he or she is asked about it, the lower the FOK judgment associated with that question.
Prospective FOK judgments are often associated with high levels of brain activity around the memory retrieval centers of the brain.
Individuals who were asked the same question on subsequent days reported higher FOK - even if they didn't know the answer - than did individuals who hadn't heard the question before.
Whenever the GMAT asks you to recall (or apply) a specific part of the text, you should consult your STOP reading of the passage to determine where in the text you need to look back to answer the question. In this case, the question asks you about the "inputs associated with memory monitoring." In other words, what factors affect a RC or FOK judgment? This information can be found in the last paragraph, which states that RC judgments are based on the "memory retrieval experience" whereas FOK judgments are based on "familiarity of the cue, accessibility of information about the memory, or a combination of the two." The correct answer will support one of these two claims.
The only one that matches is choice "Individuals who were asked the same question on subsequent days reported higher FOK - even if they didn't know the answer - than did individuals who hadn't heard the question before.". If individuals who have heard a question before (but still can't answer it) have higher FOK than those who haven't heard the question, that lines up with the claim that the "familiarity of the cue" affects FOK judgments.
Among the other answers, choice "Individuals report high RC if the memory accessed to answer a question had a large amount of accessible information associated with it." can be eliminated because the amount of information associated with an answer affects FOK judgments, not RC judgments. Choice "Brain scans of individuals performing FOK and RC judgments show that the two processes occur in different areas of the brain." can be eliminated because even if different parts of the brain are associated with each type of judgment, this doesn't support either claim. Choice "Prospective FOK judgments are often associated with high levels of brain activity around the memory retrieval centers of the brain." can be eliminated since there is no evidence that brain activity around memory retrieval means that there is more information associated with the question. And choice "The longer the time period between when an individual studies a topic and when he or she is asked about it, the lower the FOK judgment associated with that question." can be eliminated because time between studying and questioning is not listed as a factor in RC or FOK judgments.
Example Question #247 : Reading Comprehension
In day-to-day functioning, people rely on both memory and knowledge of that memory, referred to as metamemory. For example, a person often cannot immediately recall a name upon meeting someone, but they feel that they know it. This feeling is the result of monitoring memory. Because of this feeling-of-knowing (FOK), most people will continue to search their memory for this name. Once a name is generated, people then monitor and decide if they are confident enough to use that name.
Memory monitoring involves evaluating the ongoing progress of any aspect of memory. Experiments that evaluate memory monitoring typically have individuals make subjective judgments about their memory at various stages of learning and recall. Participants are asked a series of questions. After each question that they answer, they are asked to provide a retrospective confidence (RC) judgment, rating the likelihood that their response is accurate. When participants do not answer a question, they are asked for their prospective FOK judgment, assessing whether they nonetheless feel they do know the answer (for example because they think they may be able to remember it at some point in the future).
Perhaps predictably, RC judgments are highly correlated with actual knowledge of a topic. FOK judgments, however, correlate rather weakly—albeit positively—with actual knowledge. While there are some instances where the FOK is the result of a momentary inability to recall something, more often than not the FOK stems from the sense that one should know something, for example because the field is familiar.
Research has resulted in a general consensus that, when monitoring memory, individuals infer whether a particular response will be, or has been, remembered based on the inputs that are readily available. However, the particular inputs used differ depending on when memory is assessed. Prospective FOK judgments are thought to be based on familiarity of the cue, accessibility of information about the memory, or a combination of the two. In contrast, it is widely accepted that RC judgments are based on the memory-retrieval experience—that is, the “on-line” experience of directly retrieving some previously studied item.
Based on the information in the passage, in which of the following situations would a RC judgment occur?
A shopper tries to remember the price at which a particular item was advertised.
An individual tries to remember a password for an online application.
An individual studying for an exam reviews his notes to see what he needs to review.
A shopper considers whether the PIN he is about to enter is the correct one.
A test taker reviews her test for potential calculation mistakes before turning it in.
A shopper considers whether the PIN he is about to enter is the correct one.
Remember that for any specific question, your strategy should be to go back to the text and read to remind yourself of exactly what the text said about the information being asked about. According to the text, RC judgments refer specifically to the process of monitoring the likelihood that a particular piece of information is correct once that piece of information is retrieved.
The only answer choice that matches this description is "A shopper considers whether the PIN he is about to enter is the correct one.". The shopper has already retrieved a piece of information (a PIN) and is considering whether it is correct before entering it.
Choice "A test taker reviews her test for potential calculation mistakes before turning it in." is close, but is incorrect because while it does deal with whether an already-answered question is correct, it doesn't deal with the probability that a memory is correct, but instead deals with whether the test taker made a careless mistake. Since RC judgments deal specifically with memory recall, this answer choice can be eliminated.
Among the other answers, choices "An individual tries to remember a password for an online application." and "A shopper tries to remember the price at which a particular item was advertised." can be eliminated because the process of remembering itself is neither a FOK or RC judgment. Choice "An individual studying for an exam reviews his notes to see what he needs to review." can be eliminated because it deals more closely with a "feeling of knowledge" judgment as described in the passage.
Example Question #248 : Reading Comprehension
In 2004, Jared Diamond published Collapse, a rigorous analysis of why certain ancient societies have perished. His groundbreaking study explored the environmental and historical factors that contributed to the demise of the “Viking colonies” of Greenland, the Polynesians of Easter Island, and the Anasazi of the American southwest. Diamond’s core thesis was that human recklessness and lack of foresight were the major factors in precipitating the ends of these societies.
Diamond’s work was among the first to seek out the commonalities between deforestation in Easter Island and resource depletion in ancient Greenland. Because he posited that human agency played a key role in determining whether cultures disintegrate or thrive, his message was viewed by many prominent environmental activists as a call to action – societies can remain vibrant providing they make prudent decisions regarding resource management.
However, many critics have claimed that Diamond’s explanations for the extinctions of ancient societies were simplistic, and placed undue blame on the regions’ inhabitants. For example, Terry Hunt, an archaeologist at the University of Hawaii, has claimed that the Polynesian deforestation, which Diamond attributed to the recklessness of the native peoples, was actually caused by predatory rats. Moreover, Hunt has noted that Diamond overlooked the role that European disease played in decimating native populations. If these other factors are taken into account, the issue of blame becomes a far more complex one and some of Diamond’s positions may need to be reconsidered.
According to the passage, all of the following were used by Diamond or Hunt to support their positions EXCEPT:
deforestation on Easter Island resulting from reckless behavior or lack of foresight
resource depletion in Greenland resulting from reckless behavior or lack of foresight
deforestation on Easter Island resulting from animal behavior
overuse of pasture land by animals of the Anasazi in the American southwest
the spreading of disease by Europeans among some native populations
overuse of pasture land by animals of the Anasazi in the American southwest
For this specific style “EXCEPT” question, you need to go back and confirm which four of the answer choices were discussed in the passage. Here you need to make sure they were used as evidence for the two researchers. For "overuse of pasture land by animals of the Anasazi in the American southwest", you learn in the first paragraph that Diamond studied the Anasazi of the American southwest, but you are not told what he thinks specifically resulted in their disappearance. Nothing is stated about overuse of pasture so "overuse of pasture land by animals of the Anasazi in the American southwest" is correct. For "deforestation on Easter Island resulting from reckless behavior or lack of foresight" and "resource depletion in Greenland resulting from reckless behavior or lack of foresight" you learn the work of Diamond focused on “commonalities between deforestation in Easter Island and resource depletion in ancient Greenland” relating to his theory that “human recklessness” and “lack of foresight” were the cause of the disappearance. So both "deforestation on Easter Island resulting from reckless behavior or lack of foresight" and "resource depletion in Greenland resulting from reckless behavior or lack of foresight" were used to support Diamond’s thesis. "deforestation on Easter Island resulting from animal behavior" and "the spreading of disease by Europeans among some native populations" are explicitly given in the third paragraph as reasons for Hunt’s position that Diamond was too simplistic and placed undue blame on the native populations. The correct answer is "overuse of pasture land by animals of the Anasazi in the American southwest".
Example Question #172 : Reading Comprehension
In 2004, Jared Diamond published Collapse, a rigorous analysis of why certain ancient societies have perished. His groundbreaking study explored the environmental and historical factors that contributed to the demise of the “Viking colonies” of Greenland, the Polynesians of Easter Island, and the Anasazi of the American southwest. Diamond’s core thesis was that human recklessness and lack of foresight were the major factors in precipitating the ends of these societies.
Diamond’s work was among the first to seek out the commonalities between deforestation in Easter Island and resource depletion in ancient Greenland. Because he posited that human agency played a key role in determining whether cultures disintegrate or thrive, his message was viewed by many prominent environmental activists as a call to action – societies can remain vibrant providing they make prudent decisions regarding resource management.
However, many critics have claimed that Diamond’s explanations for the extinctions of ancient societies were simplistic, and placed undue blame on the regions’ inhabitants. For example, Terry Hunt, an archaeologist at the University of Hawaii, has claimed that the Polynesian deforestation, which Diamond attributed to the recklessness of the native peoples, was actually caused by predatory rats. Moreover, Hunt has noted that Diamond overlooked the role that European disease played in decimating native populations. If these other factors are taken into account, the issue of blame becomes a far more complex one and some of Diamond’s positions may need to be reconsidered.
According to the passage, which of the following is used by Diamond as a piece of evidence for his core thesis?
The fact that there was proper resource management
The fact that cultures were unable to accurately predict the future
The fact that diseases were introduced by Europeans
The fact that deforestation resulted from animal behavior
The fact that there was a natural depletion of food sources
The fact that cultures were unable to accurately predict the future
In this specific style question, you need to go back to the passage and confirm which one of these five facts was used to support Diamond’s position. Answer choices "The fact that diseases were introduced by Europeans" and "The fact that deforestation resulted from animal behavior" are two things that are used by Hunt to support his position – they were used to undermine Diamond’s core thesis so these are both incorrect. "The fact that there was proper resource management" and "The fact that there was a natural depletion of food sources" also have it backwards. Diamond believed that it was human behavior – “human recklessness” and “lack of foresight” – that led to the extinction of these societies. Proper resource management and a natural depletion of food sources would not support this thesis. "The fact that cultures were unable to accurately predict the future" matches exactly the reason given by Diamond in the last sentence of the first paragraph: “a lack of foresight”. “Foresight” is defined as: “the ability to predict or the action of predicting what will happen or be needed in the future.” So a “lack of foresight” is synonymous with an “inability to accurately predict the future.” Remember that the primary difficulty in specific style questions is wordplay. The correct answer will often use a synonymous, but difficult to recognize, form of what is stated in the passage and the incorrect answer choices will use similar but inaccurate descriptions of what you read. The correct answer is "The fact that cultures were unable to accurately predict the future".
Example Question #1 : Analyzing Cause And Effect In Social Science Passages
Adapted from “Introductory Remarks” in The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud (trans. 1913)
In attempting to discuss the interpretation of dreams, I do not believe that I have overstepped the bounds of neuropathological interest. For, when investigated psychologically, the dream proves to be the first link in a chain of abnormal psychic structures whose other links—the hysterical phobia, the obsession, and the delusion—must interest the physician for practical reasons. The dream can lay no claim to a corresponding practical significance; however, its theoretical value is very great, and one who cannot explain the origin of the content of dreams will strive in vain to understand phobias, obsessive and delusional ideas, and likewise their therapeutic importance.
While this relationship makes our subject important, it is responsible also for the deficiencies in this work. The surfaces of fracture, which will be frequently discussed, correspond to many points of contact where the problem of dream formation informs more comprehensive problems of psychopathology which cannot be discussed here. These larger issues will be elaborated upon in the future.
Peculiarities in the material I have used to elucidate the interpretation of dreams have rendered this publication difficult. The work itself will demonstrate why all dreams related in scientific literature or collected by others had to remain useless for my purpose. In choosing my examples, I had to limit myself to considering my own dreams and those of my patients who were under psychoanalytic treatment. I was restrained from utilizing material derived from my patients' dreams by the fact that during their treatment, the dream processes were subjected to an undesirable complication—the intermixture of neurotic characters. On the other hand, in discussing my own dreams, I was obliged to expose more of the intimacies of my psychic life than I should like, more so than generally falls to the task of an author who is not a poet but an investigator of nature. This was painful, but unavoidable; I had to put up with the inevitable in order to demonstrate the truth of my psychological results at all. To be sure, I disguised some of my indiscretions through omissions and substitutions, though I feel that these detract from the value of the examples in which they appear. I can only express the hope that the reader of this work, putting himself in my difficult position, will show patience, and also that anyone inclined to take offense at any of the reported dreams will concede freedom of thought at least to the dream life.
The author could not rely upon the dreams related in scientific literature because __________.
The author does not give a reason for this in the passage, but says that the rest of his work explains why this is the case.
he needed to interview people himself in order to discuss their emotional reactions to their dreams
no work of scientific literature had discussed dreams at the time the author began his study
he couldn’t be sure if material had been changed in or censored from them
not many dreams had been discussed in scientific literature, and those that had been discussed concerned a very limited number of topics
The author does not give a reason for this in the passage, but says that the rest of his work explains why this is the case.
The author discusses how he selected dreams to analyze in the third paragraph. About dreams in scientific literature, he says, “The work itself will demonstrate why all dreams related in scientific literature or collected by others had to remain useless for my purpose.” Thus, while some of the answer choices may sound plausible, the passage does not tell us precisely why the author could not use the dreams in scientific literature and does not give us enough information to allow us to claim that one of the listed reasons is in fact the actual reason why the author avoided using these reported dreams. The correct answer is thus “The author does not give a reason for this in the passage, but says that the rest of his work explains why this is the case.”
Example Question #2 : Analyzing Cause And Effect In Social Science Passages
Adapted from The Family Among the Australian Aborigines: a Sociological Study by Bronislaw Malinowski (1913)
It seems beyond doubt that in the aboriginal society the husband exercised almost complete authority over his wife; she was entirely in his hands and he might ill-treat her, provided he did not kill her. Out of our thirty statements, in six cases (Kurnai, Bangerang, Lower Murray tribes, according to Bonney, Geawe-Gal, Port Jackson tribes, North-west Central Queenslanders) the absolute authority of the husband is explicitly affirmed. We read in them either the bare statement that the husband had an absolute power over his family; or, in the better of them, we are more exactly informed that he had only to abstain from inflicting death on his wife. It was the latter's kinsman who would avenge her (Kurnai, Bangerang, North-west Central Queenslanders). It is difficult to ascertain in what form society would interfere with the husband if he transgressed the limits of his legal authority, i. e. killed his wife. Curr informs us that the woman's relatives would avenge her death. Howitt says that there would ensue a blood feud, which comes nearly to the same. It is very probable that the woman's kin retained some rights of protection. The remaining statements implicitly declare that the husband's authority was very extensive. (Encounter Bay tribes according to Meyer; New South Wales tribes according to Hodgson; Port Stephens tribes according to R. Dawson; Arunta; Herbert River tribes; Queenslanders according to Palmer; Moreton Bay tribes according to J. D. Lang; South-Western tribes according to Salvado; West Australians according to Grey.) It is clear that wherever we read of excessive harshness and bad treatment, wounds, blows inflicted on women, the husband must possess the authority to do it; in other words, he does not find any social barrier preventing him from ill-treatment. Especially as, in these statements, such ill-treatment is mentioned to be the rule and not an exception. In two statements we can gather no information on this point. According to the statement of J. Dawson on the West Victoria tribes, the husband's authority appears strictly limited by the potential intervention of the chief, who could even divorce the woman if she complained. But Curr warns us against Dawson's information concerning the chief and his power. Curr's arguments appear to be very conclusive. Too much weight cannot be attached, therefore, to Dawson's exceptional statement. Discarding it, we see that we have on this point fairly clear information. We may assume that society interfered but seldom with the husband, in fact, only in the extreme case of his killing his wife. Six statements are directly, and the remainder indirectly, in favor of this view, and the only one contradictory is not very trustworthy.
The author dismisses the argument by Dawson largely because __________.
the author has used enough sources before he considers Duncan's argument
the author has a personal problem with Duncan
Dawson discusses a different issue than the one the author does
Dawson's argument largely does not add anything to the author's argument
another academic has largely rebutted Duncan's claims
another academic has largely rebutted Duncan's claims
The author specifically cites Dawson's argument about the authority of the chief in aboriginal Australian societies as one that cannot be trusted. Citing another author's better-reasoned and better-sourced statement, the author does not give credence to Dawson's position.