PrepTest 129

Incorrect. So close! This answer reflects the causality in the stimulus, but it neglects the subjectivity. The stimulus doesn't state that this speed of life has made it difficult for people to achieve their goals—just that it has made us "feel" like we don't have enough time to achieve our goals. That shift is enough to invalidate this answer.

Incorrect. The stimulus doesn't make a judgment as to the balance of the pros and cons, so this answer is out of scope.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Strengthen

Stimulus Summary:
Life moves faster today, making it feel tough to achieve what we want.

Answer Anticipation:
The question stem is an interesting one without a clear classification. It seems closest to a Principle (Strengthen) question in that we're looking for a generalization that backs up the stimulus. However, it doesn't specifically call out a principle, and it doesn't highlight that the stimulus is an argument—rather, it specifically refers to "statements." However, we can approach this in a similar manner since the stimulus is a scenario filled with judgments, and the correct answer is going to be an "assessment," which, looking at them, seems to be another word for, as we said, a generalization.

As such, it'll be important to find an answer that reflects the details of the stimulus. There are two specific details we can call out that deal with common logic features tested on the LSAT. The first is causality—the stimulus specifically notes that the speed of modern life "has created" certain feelings. The second is subjectivity—the statements repeatedly talk about subjective assessments ("feelings", "making us feel," "what we think we want"). The correct answer will likely highlight these features in the generalization since they are important ones on the test.

Answer Explanation:
This answer highlights both the subjectivity and the causality in the stimulus, presenting a generalization of the scenario laid out by the Critic. Technological changes have driven a faster pace of life than ever before, and this has created a shift in how people feel about life. Since this answer gets the details right and generalizes from the specifics, it's the correct answer.

Key Takeaway:
First, when a question stem is a little off from the standard phrasing, don't get too wrapped up in what type of question it is. Figure out something it's close to and adapt your strategy from there.

Second, when at a loss for what to look for in a stimulus (e.g., here, there wasn't really a conclusion or logic to analyze), focus on features that have proven to be important on the LSAT—causality, conditional statements, elements that lead to flaws, comparisons—and you'll likely identify the elements of the stimulus you need in order to find the correct answer.

Incorrect. While the stimulus does note that these feelings of impermanence make it more difficult to achieve what we think we want, it doesn't compare knowing what we want (as opposed to thinking we know what we want) to other time periods. In fact, the only comparison that is drawn is between the pace of modern life compared to the pace at all other times ("than ever before").

Incorrect. The stimulus notes that technological advancements change people's feelings, so this answer is a reversal of the noted causality.