PrepTest 127

[lcid:3604] Prep Test 127 LSAT — Logical Reasoning — S1 Logical reasoning

Question prompt

Teacher: Participating in organized Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: A

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

Argument or Facts

Argument

Valid or Flawed

Flawed

Question Type

Argument Structure Questions

Answer Anticipation

In general, you should view the role of any statement in an argument through the lens of the conclusion - how does a given statement play into an argument attempting to prove the conclusion?
Here, the conclusion is that youth sports should continue to be funded. The argument opens with a reason to continue doing so (it helps kids get stronger and more coordinated), and something that seems to argue against it (the inferiority complex it gives some kids). However, the author then pivots and shows how that downside is actually an upside, thus justifying the continued funding of these sports.
The statement in question here is that first benefit of youth sports. It argues in favor of funding - it is a benefit of them - but the author goes on to highlight a separate reason to continue funding them. So the correct answer should describe it as a premise, but not the sole premise, supporting the conclusion.

Answer choices

  1. A
    It is mentioned as Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A matches the stem
    The benefit to some kids’s strength and coordination is one reason to fund youth sports; the inferiority complex that will lead to greater success down the line in other kids is another. This answer correctly describes the role of the statement in question as a reason/support for the conclusion, but not the only one.
  2. B
    It is a claim Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    The Teacher discusses a separate reason to fund youth sports, but she never claims that some kids don’t get stronger and more coordinated as a result of participating. In fact, she follows up that statement by saying that critics say these sports “also” have another effect, reinforcing that she believes it to be true.
  3. C
    It is a hypothesis Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    There’s no evidence provided that youth sports makes kids stronger and more coordinated - it’s presented as an established fact (as almost all non-intermediate conclusion premises are).
  4. D
    It is cited as Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    Making kids stronger and more coordinated is a benefit of youth sports, so it’s not a reason to defund them, even an insufficient one. While the Teacher doesn’t focus her argument on this benefit, she does use it to justify her conclusion.
  5. E
    It is cited as Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    Again, it’s a benefit of youth sports, so it’s not an objection to be overcome in arguing for the continued funding of them.

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