Logical reasoning PrepTest 112 · Section 4 · Question 21

Question prompt

Tina: For centuries oceans Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: E

The notes below walk through why it fits the stem and how to eliminate the rest.

Argument or Facts

Argument/Argument

Valid or Flawed

Flawed/Flawed

Question Type

Point at Issue Questions

Stimulus Summary

Phenomenon - Oceans and eccentricity have been linked for centuries
Tina’s explanation: The link is because of the use of ships as asylums in Europe during the Renaissance
Sergio’s explanation: The link is probably because people have always viewed both as mysterious and unpredictable

Answer Anticipation

Knowing common patterns on the LSAT is very helpful here in noting the two elements that serve as points at issue between Tina and Sergio!
First, this stimulus falls into a common pattern - Phenomenon/Explanation. Tina brings up a phenomenon that both she and Sergio attempt to explain. They reach different explanations for the link between oceans and eccentricity, so we have one point at issue.
However, there’s a second point at issue that comes from another element that’s generally important on the LSAT - a timeline. While the timeline is a little more hidden than it usually is, both Tina and Sergio mention one. On Tina’s end, the link is tied to the European Renaissance. In Sergio’s explanation, he mentions that the characteristics of the ocean and eccentric people have “always” and “invariably” been linked. So Sergio believes the link has existed for much longer than Tina does.
Let’s head to the answers and find either of these possibilities.

Answer choices

  1. A
    Eccentric humans were considered Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    Sergio doesn’t talk about who is viewed as socially undesirable, making this answer out of scope of his argument. Note that he does provide information that speaks to the European Renaissance - “always” and “invariably” mean that those views would be shared during that time period.
  2. B
    Oceans have always been Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    Sergio flat out states this, but Tina doesn’t talk about whether oceans have always been viewed this way. She establishes their connection to human eccentricity as being true for “centuries,” but that’s both non-specific enough to allow for her to agree it’s always been the case and not the link that this answer is talking about.
  3. C
    The linkage between oceans Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    Sergio doesn’t speak to this specifically, making it out of scope of his argument. And Tina says that the linkage between oceans and eccentricity derives from this practice, so it can’t explain it.
  4. D
    People have never attributed Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    Both speakers attempt to explain the link between these things - it’s the shared phenomenon they both acknowledge. As such, this is something they both disagree with, not something they disagree with each other over.
  5. E
    The linkage between oceans Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E matches the stem
    Tina believes the link derives from a practice of the European Renaissance, so she disagrees with this answer. Sergio believes the link has “always/invariably” existed, so he agrees with it. This answer is therefore the point at issue between them.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 7%
  2. B 9%
  3. C 14%
  4. D 5%
  5. E Credited 64%

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