PrepTest 106

[lcid:3520] Prep Test 106 LSAT — Logical Reasoning — S1 Logical reasoning

Question prompt

Hospital auditor: The Rodríguez 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/Argument

Valid or Flawed

Flawed/Flawed

Question Type

Point at Issue Questions

Stimulus Summary

Hospital Auditor: The money was donated to minimize suffering, but some is being spent on diagnosis, so the terms of the donation are being violated.
Clinic Administrator: Early diagnosis leads to less suffering (so the terms aren’t being violated).

Answer Anticipation

When the second speaker in a Point at Issue question starts with a pivot (“But”), it’s important to figure out what they’re pivoting away from.
Here, the Auditor ends her argument by stating that the clinic isn’t spending the donated money on the minimization of suffering as stipulated by spending some of the money on diagnostics. The Administrator responds by stating that spending money on diagnostics is spending the money on the minimization of suffering. So, in short, the Auditor believes the money is being spent in a way that violates the terms of the donation, whereas the Administrator believes that it isn’t.
Since that’s a point at issue between the two, let’s look for it in the answer choices.

Answer choices

  1. A
    whether early treatment of Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    Close! This answer does deal with whether early treatment (which is a result of better diagnostics) results in a decline in suffering. However, this answer draws the distinction between lessening suffering and eliminating suffering, whereas the stimulus was about whether investing in diagnostics can be considered an investment in the minimization of suffering.
  2. B
    whether the patients being Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    Neither individual questions whether the clinic is providing adequate treatment.
  3. C
    whether the Rodríguez family Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    There doesn’t seem to be a debate over whether the stipulation exists. The Auditor brings it up, and the Administrator responds as if there is such a stipulation.
  4. D
    whether the neurological clinic Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D matches the stem
    The condition placed on the donation was that it was to be spent on minimizing patient suffering. The Auditor believes that the 20% being spent on new diagnostic technology research violates those terms. The Administrator believes that money is being spent in a way that will allow for early diagnosis and thus treatment that lessens suffering. Since the two reach different conclusions on this answer, it’s the point at issue between them.
  5. E
    whether the Rodríguez family Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    The question isn’t whether the Rodriguez family anticipated this use for their donation, but rather whether it conforms to their stipulations. The clinic could spend money in a way that the Rodriguez family didn’t anticipate while still putting it to use minimizing suffering.

What this tests

Discussion

  • A vs E 3 replies

    Started by NicoleC

  • A vs B 1 reply

    Started by Abigail-Okereke

  • Wrong category? 1 reply

    Started by kgbnd

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