PrepTest 113

[lcid:3550] Prep Test 113 LSAT — Logical Reasoning — S3 Logical reasoning

Question prompt

On the surface, Melville's 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

Principle Questions / Strengthen with Necessary Premise Questions

Stimulus Summary

Judgment/Conclusion - We should read Billy Budd as a non-allegorical tragedy
Basis - There’s no textual or historical evidence that Melville intended the book as a religious allegory

Answer Anticipation

Principle (Strengthen) questions generally present a conclusion that makes a judgment, and premises that provide details supporting that judgment. The correct answer establishes those details as leading to the judgment. As such, we should start with the conclusion and work backwards to identify the relevant details.
That ends up being particularly important here, as there is a lot of information in the stimulus that is extraneous. The argument really starts after the question at the end with the, “Since.”
So the argument boils down to: There’s no evidence Melville intended an allegorical reason, so we shouldn’t read it as an allegory. The correct answer should connect those concepts:
If there’s no evidence the author intended a work allegorically, it shouldn’t be read as an allegory.

Answer choices

  1. A
    Given a choice between Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    This answer justifies interpreting a book in a nonallegorical way, but not because it could be read in either a non- or allegorical way. Rather, it’s the lack of evidence the book was intended as an allegory that the author relies on to justify the nonallegorical reading.
  2. B
    The only relevant evidence Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    First, allegorical/nonallegorical isn’t really a genre, but let’s not get too English major on this! The argument itself would accept evidence that it was intended as an allegory, which wouldn’t necessarily be the author’s stated intention.
  3. C
    In deciding between rival Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    If anything, the stimulus suggests that the allegorical reading is the one that is most favorable to the work, so this answer would justify the opposite conclusion.
  4. D
    Without relevant evidence as Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D matches the stem
    The stimulus bases the conclusion that the work should be read in a nonallegorical manner on the lack of evidence Melville intended it as an allegory. This answer justifies that argument - there isn’t relevant evidence to an intended allegorical reading of the novel in question, so it shouldn’t be read as an allegory.
  5. E
    The only relevant evidence Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    The author raises “historical evidence” as also potentially relevant, so the text itself isn’t the “only” relevant evidence to the author.

What this tests

Discussion

  • E look right 1 reply

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