PrepTest 153

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Must Be True

Stimulus Summary:
There's an enzyme that eliminates nicotine from the body. Smokers who make the most common form of this enzyme smoke more than people whose bodies make other forms. Eliminating nicotine from the body triggers a fresh craving in smokers, so therefore . . . it's your turn to finish the argument.

Strategy Overview:
Just like any other MBT, you've got some facts and even a rule, and now you have to provide the conclusion to the argument. Identify the rule, apply it to the facts, and derive a valid conclusion, then look for it in the answer choices.

Answer Anticipation:
The rule here is "the faster nicotine is eliminated from the body, the sooner one craves a cigarette." So, if smokers with the most common form of the enzyme crave cigarettes more often than others, it should be true that the most common form of the enzyme clears nicotine from the body faster than other forms.

Answer Explanation:
This must be true. If you crave a smoke sooner the faster this enzyme eliminates nicotine, and those with the most common form crave a smoke sooner after their last cigarette, they must be eliminating nicotine from their bodies faster.

Key Takeaway:
Don't let sciencey stuff bog you down. These science MBTs are an Achilles heel for many students, but that's totally a psych-out from the LSAT. You don't have to know any science at all to do them. The logic would be the same if the argument was about cars: Most internal combustion engines in cars burn gasoline. A recent study showed that owners of vehicles with V8 engines have to fill up their tanks more often than those who own V6 or V4 vehicles. Why? Well, the more gas a car burns, the more often you have to fill it up, so . . . . (It's easy to see that V8 engines must burn more gas.) Same logic, different topic. Don't let sciencey words intimidate you!

Incorrect. This could easily be false. Nothing in the argument contradicts it. It's way out of scope.

Incorrect. This could be true, and could be false. Either way, it isn't supported by the premises found in the stimulus.

Incorrect. This is interesting and maybe even a little tempting, but we don't have a premise to support it. We only have information about forms of the enzyme, not quantity of it.

Incorrect. This could be false. Even if eliminating nicotine is its only function, the results of the study are still pretty reasonable.