LSAT 102 – Section 2 – Question 15

LSAT 102 - Section 2 - Question 15

June 1998

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT102 S2 Q15
+LR
Weaken +Weak
A
11%
163
B
0%
152
C
1%
156
D
84%
166
E
3%
159
131
144
157
 +Medium 148.204 +SubsectionMedium

Some plants have extremely sensitive biological thermometers. For example, the leaves of rhododendrons curl when the temperature of the air around them is below 0(C (Celsius). Similarly, mature crocus blossoms open in temperatures above 2(C. So someone who simultaneously observed rhododendrons with uncurled leaves, crocuses with mature but unopened blossoms, and a thermometer showing 1(C could determine that the thermometer’s reading was accurate to within plus or minus 1(C.

Summarize Argument
The author concludes that someone observing two separate plant phenomena would be able to determine that a thermometer reading is correct to within plus or minus one degree celsius.

Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that air temperatures are consistent in the observed area. Since crocuses open above two degrees, the temperature around the crocuses has to be below two degrees for the crocuses. But the rhododendrons would remain uncurled at any temperature above zero degrees, which means the air around them could be well above two degrees.

A
Neither rhododendrons nor crocuses bloom for more than a few weeks each year, and the blossoms of rhododendrons growing in any area do not appear until at least several weeks after crocuses growing in that area have ceased to bloom.
This is saying that our hypothetical is impossible, but that doesn’t matter. We’re concerned about weakening the argument using the hypothetical.
B
Many people find it unpleasant to be outdoors for long periods when the temperature is at or about 1(C.
Again, we’re dealing with a hypothetical. We don’t care whether the hypothetical thermometer-holder likes being out in the cold.
C
The climate and soil conditions that favor the growth of rhododendrons are also favorable to the growth of crocuses.
It doesn’t matter how these plants grew. We care about a specific instance of using the plants’ biological thermometers to test a real thermometer.
D
Air temperature surrounding rhododendrons, which can grow 12 feet tall, is likely to differ from air temperature surrounding crocuses, which are normally only a few inches high, by more than 2(C, even if the two plants are growing side by side.
Since the air temperature surrounding the two plants is likely to differ, we can’t use the plants’ reactions to the temperature to gauge if the thermometer reading is right. The plants might be reacting to different temperatures.
E
Certain types of thermometers that are commonly used to measure outdoor temperatures can be extremely accurate in moderate temperature ranges but much less accurate in warmer or colder temperature ranges.
We don’t know what a “moderate” temperature is. Zero degrees? Twenty degrees? Besides, we’re using the plants’ reactions to the temperature to gauge if the thermometer is accurate. That’s the whole point of the hypothetical.

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LSAT PrepTest 102 Explanations

Section 1 - Reading Comprehension

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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