Logical reasoning PrepTest 136 · Section 4 · Question 9

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Main Point

Stimulus Summary:
TG - My books appeal to a wide audience, so I get no respect.

Rebuttal - Gurney's stories are interesting but forgettable, which is why he doesn't get credit for his achievements, and thus he's wrong.

Answer Anticipation:
The argument starts with what Terrence Gurney suggests, so this is almost certainly going to be an opposing point. That's backed up by the author casting an opinion on Gurney's suggestion in the second sentence, and we know that when the author gives an opinion of an opposing point, it's almost always the main point.

That Gurney's explanation for his lack of due credit is wrong is backed up by the following statements (after a concession that he tells interesting stories)—his writing is flat and therefore forgettable. Straightforward so far.

But then the last sentence shows up, and it's also a conclusion—"This is likely the reason . . . " By qualifying the certainty ("likely") and stating that the preceding statement serves as support for it, this statement can be identified as a conclusion, as well. The second sentence is still more likely the main point since it's an opinion on the opposing point, but we need to make sure this last point supports it (and is thus an intermediate conclusion) before we can say for sure—after all, a question on the LSAT is on the line!

Before we can do that, though, we need to rephrase that conclusion to state what it actually means that Gurney is wrong. Gurney presents an explanation for why he isn't given due credit—his books appeal to a wide audience. In saying that he's mistaken, the author of this argument is saying that can't be the explanation for why he isn't given due credit. Why? Well, because his flat and unforgettable writing is a more likely explanation for it. So it is the case that that last statement is support for the second sentence, and thus that second sentence is the main point. Let's look for an answer that paraphrases the long-form rephrasing we made of it at the beginning of this paragraph.

Answer Explanation:
This answer paraphrases that second sentence, bringing in what Gurney is mistaken about, so it's the correct answer.

Key Takeaway:
The author's opinion of an opposing point will almost always serve as the main point of an argument. Don't treat this as a guarantee, but do treat it as a presumption.

Incorrect. This answer is trying to get you to think that the author's conclusion is referring back to Gurney's claim that he has literary achievements, not the explanation for the lack of credit he's received.

Incorrect. While these statements are opinions, which tend to be conclusions, in this case, they're used to support the conclusions of the argument (both structurally and logically).

Incorrect. This is Gurney's argument, which serves as the opposing point.

Incorrect. This is a mish-mash of the author's premises and Gurney's conclusion, so it doesn't reflect anyone's main point.