PrepTest 137

[lcid:3646] Prep Test 137 LSAT — Logical Reasoning — S3 Logical reasoning

Question prompt

Legal theorist: Governments should Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: C

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

Question Type

Principle Questions / Strengthen Questions

Answer choices

  1. A
    Governments should not be Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    Incorrect. Interoffice memos are not similar to diaries/thoughts that were meant to stay private to oneself.
  2. B
    When crime is a Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    Incorrect. This argument expands the government's evidentiary power, and the stimulus is about placing limits on it.
  3. C
    Governments should not be Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C matches the stem
    Correct. Argument or Facts:
    Argument

    Valid or Flawed:
    Flawed

    Question Type:
    Principle (Strengthen)

    Stimulus Summary:
    Diary—Silent conversation with yourself
    Talking to yourself = Writing down your thoughts = Keeping your thoughts to yourself
    Therefore: Governments shouldn't be allowed to use your diary as evidence in a criminal trial

    Answer Anticipation:
    Principle (Strengthen) questions are (almost always) all about connecting the details from the premises to the judgment in the conclusion. Here, that judgment is that the government shouldn't be allowed to use your diary against you in a criminal trial.

    Why? Well, according to the Theorist, there's no difference between keeping a diary, talking to yourself, and keeping your thoughts to yourself. However, the Theorist never connects these ideas to something being inadmissible in a court of law. Therefore, the correct answer is going to have to do so:

    If something is the same as talking to yourself/writing your thoughts down/keeping your thoughts to yourself, then the government shouldn't be allowed to use that in a criminal trial.

    Answer Explanation:
    The Theorist equates keeping a diary (writing one's thoughts down) to keeping those thoughts to yourself—in other words, they weren't intended for others. If remarks that aren't intended for others shouldn't be fair game for governments in criminal prosecutions, then the argument holds together, so this is our answer.

    Key Takeaway:
    For Principle (Strengthen) questions, the devil is in the details! The correct answer should reflect the details from the premises/scenario in justifying the judgment in the conclusion.
  4. D
    Governments should not have Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    Incorrect. A diary isn't correspondence, so this answer doesn't align with the described scenario.
  5. E
    Governments should do everything Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    Incorrect. If anything, this answer would justify confiscating diaries to prosecute suspects—among many other things!

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