PrepTest 104
[lcid:3512] Prep Test 104 LSAT — Logical Reasoning — S1
Logical reasoning
Question prompt
Recent research shows that
Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right
Credited answer: D
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
Strengthen Questions
Stimulus Summary
Classical account of sound change - It’s gradual
Research - Sound change isn’t gradual
Conclusion - Sound-Change Theory must be discarded
Answer Anticipation
The conclusion of this argument has a key phrase in it - “in general.” By bringing up Sound-Change Theory in general, the conclusion opens itself up to a bad generalization flaw - a subset of Sampling flaw.
In order to throw out Sound-Change Theory generally, we’d need to establish something is wrong with that theory in general. Instead, however, the argument establishes only that the classical account of that theory should be discarded since it doesn’t match up with reality.
However, there’s no indication that the classical Sound-Change Theory being thrown out is sufficient to justify throwing the theory out in general. It’s possible that modern sound-change theories are quite different from the classical account. In other words, that classical account may not represent all theories, and so needing to throw out that classical account might not lead to throwing out the others.
Since we’re attempting to strengthen this argument, we should look for any answer that establishes the classical account is representative, or a key element, of the other Sound-Change Theories.
Answer choices
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AThe data on which Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice A is not credited
This answer plays into the discarding of the classical account, but it doesn’t address whether that warrants throwing out the theory in general. The modern accounts may be based on new data that is accurate. -
BThe emergence of new Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice B is not credited
The stimulus is silent as to whether any Sound-Change Theory believes sound changes to be random or not, so this answer is out of scope. -
CThe meeting of linguistically Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice C is not credited
The argument in the stimulus revolves around the speed with which new sounds emerge, not how those sounds emerge or whether they’re predictable. -
DAll theories of sound Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice D matches the stem
If the classical theory serves as a strong basis for all Sound-Change theories, then that classical theory being discarded is a strong sign that all of the theories will also need to be discarded. This answer makes the classical account more representative of all theories, thus strengthening the generalization from it to all theories made in the conclusion. -
EFor most languages, historical Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice E is not credited
The theories in the stimulus are about new sounds emerging in a language, so there’s no need to have a complete record of the language throughout its history. Additionally, if anything, there being a lack of information in a given area will weaken a theory, not strengthen it.
What this tests
Discussion
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