PrepTest 111
[lcid:3542] Prep Test 111 LSAT — Logical Reasoning — S3
Logical reasoning
Question prompt
Parent: I had tried
Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right
Credited answer: B
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
Illustration Questions
Stimulus Summary
Goal - Get a child to brush her teeth
Failed approaches - Demonstrate desired behavior (imitation); Use logic
Successful approach - Brush her teeth for her, then read her a book, until she started brushing when Parent grabbed a book
Answer Anticipation
The stimulus here presents a goal - get a child to brush her teeth. Then, it explores some failed approaches (imitation; logic) before discussing a successful one - getting her in the habit of brushing her teeth.
Since we’re looking for an answer that establishes a principle that the parent’s experience conforms to, we want an answer that either explains why the successful approach succeeded, why the unsuccessful ones failed, or a bit of both. Note that we should look out for trap answers that mix up what was successful and what wasn’t.
With that noted, let’s head to the answers and find one that lines up with this experience.
Answer choices
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AChildren are most effectively Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice A is not credited
The stimulus notes that the parent was unable to get the child to imitate him, so this answer contradicts the parent’s experience. -
BChildren more readily adopt Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice B matches the stem
This answer lines up with the successful approach (getting the child in the habit of brushing ahead of storytime) and states that it’s “more readily” effective than other approaches, thus lining up with the experience of the parent with the two failed strategies. Since this answer reflects the experience in the stimulus, it’s the correct answer. -
CChildren are too young Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice C is not credited
The stimulus does note that using reason to convince the child to brush her teeth was ineffective. However, this answer falls short for two reasons. First, there’s no indication that the problem was the child didn’t understand the argument - she may have just stubbornly ignored it. Second, this answer ignores the rest of the experience - and it doesn’t explain why the successful approach was successful! -
DChildren often imitate the Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice D is not credited
This answer compares imitation to reason, but those were the two failed approaches, so this answer doesn’t speak to the parent’s experience. -
EChildren ordinarily act contrary Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice E is not credited
There’s no indication that the child here was seeking attention, and the successful method showed that the child could be taught to act according to their parents’ wishes.
What this tests
Discussion
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Why A and not B? 3 replies
Started by Ellisw23