Logical reasoning PrepTest 142 · Section 1 · Question 1

Incorrect. This answer conflates the argument. It's not causally connecting books and candy—it's analogizing their effects.

Incorrect. Candy isn't a difficult food to eat, and so there's no indication that Jones's books are difficult to read or understand.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Argument Completion

Stimulus Summary:
Reading Jones's books is like eating candy, which tastes good but leaves one malnourished and without a taste for better food. In other words, Jones's books __________.

Answer Anticipation:
This argument uses a rather colorful analogy to recommend against letting children read Jones's books. In it, Jones's books are related to candy, which is tasty but isn't nutritious and ruins one's taste for better food. It then brings that analogy back to Jones's books, and we're tasked with finishing the analogy by stating what the analogous effects of reading Jones's books are to those of candy.

The negative effects of candy are that one is left poorly nourished and without a taste for better food. So, to finish the analogy, Jones's books must leave one without intellectual benefit (something to that effect, to reflect poor nutrition) and without a taste for better books. Either of these, or both together, will complete this argument.

Answer Explanation:
This answer highlights the analogous impact of a book to that of candy. Candy "dulls one's taste for better [food]," and, similarly, Jones's books would dull one's tastes for better books.

Key Takeaway:
Arguing by analogy is a common method of reasoning on the LSAT. Some questions only require you to notice that the method of reasoning is being used. Other questions, however, will require you to break down the analogy, identify the relevant elements, and relate them to each other. Make sure that you understand the pieces of each side of the analogy and what they pair with so you can answer the question correctly.

Incorrect. First, there's no indication that the message of Jones's books is a problem—it's hard to imagine what the analogous feature to a book's message would be for candy. Second, parents and the teaching they do isn't mentioned or analogous to anything mentioned.

Incorrect. While there might be an argument for an answer that states children would like Jones's books so much they'd keep reading them instead of reading better books, this answer instead says that the kids will become avid readers. That's hardly a negative!