PrepTest 118
[lcid:3571] Prep Test 118 LSAT — Logical Reasoning — S4
Logical reasoning
Question prompt
People are not happy
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.
Question Type
Must Be True Questions / Quantifiers Questions / Sufficient & Necessary Questions
Answer choices
-
APeople who realize that Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice A is not credited
Incorrect. This answer choice neglects finding happiness in one's personal life. -
BThe nature of modern Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice B is not credited
Incorrect. If anything, the argument supports the conclusion that family (and friendship) is the only place one can be happy, so it can't be undermined. -
CMost people in modern Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice C is not credited
Incorrect. While the argument establishes that most people could only be happy in their personal lives, it doesn't establish that most actually are. Sadly, happiness could be rare based on the information in the stimulus. -
DA majority of people Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice D is not credited
Incorrect. The argument is about people feeling needed/appreciated, not appreciating their work. -
EFewer than a majority Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice E matches the stem
Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument
Valid or Flawed:
Flawed
Question Type:
Must Be True
Stimulus Summary:
not Feel needed → not Happy (Happy → Feel needed)
Most can feel needed only with family and friends
Most know their job could be done by others
Answer Anticipation:
The argument establishes that feeling needed is a necessary part of being happy. It also establishes that most people can't feel needed in their professional lives, so they therefore can't feel happy because of that aspect of their lives. Only in their private lives can they feel needed, so only there can they derive happiness.
So, putting the conditional together with the two areas of life discussed:
Most people can't be happy in their professional lives.
Most people can only feel happy in their private lives.
Answer Explanation:
"Fewer than a majority" is a fancy way of saying "Most don't/can't." So simplifying the language here, this answer says, "Most people can't find happiness outside of their private lives." That's a logically equivalent rephrasing of our inference from the stimulus that most people can only find happiness in their private lives, so this is the correct answer.
Key Takeaway:
In Must Be True questions, focus on conditionals when present! Even if they don't chain together to form inferences, they can frequently be applied to information presented in other statements in order to lead to those inferences.