LSAT 113 – Section 3 – Question 12

LSAT 113 - Section 3 - Question 12

June 2002

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT113 S3 Q12
+LR
+Exp
Argument part +AP
A
93%
166
B
1%
156
C
1%
158
D
1%
149
E
5%
159
127
138
148
 +Easier 146.265 +SubsectionMedium

Some biologists believe that the capacity for flight first developed in marine reptiles, claiming that feathers are clearly developed from scales. Other biologists rightly reject this suggestion, pointing out that bats have no scales and that nonmarine reptiles also have scales. Those who believe that flight first developed in tree-dwelling reptiles reject the claim that the limbs of land-dwelling reptiles might have developed into wings. They insist that it is more likely that tree-dwelling reptiles developed wings to assist their leaps from branch to branch.

Summarize Argument: Counter-Position
The author’s conclusion rejects the view of biologists who believe that the capacity for flight first developed in marine reptiles. Those biologists, with whom the author disagrees, support their claim with the theory that feathers developed from scales. To support his rejection of these biologists, the author uses the example of bats, which fly and have no scales, and non-marine reptiles that have scales. These examples cast doubt on the view that marine reptiles first developed the capacity for flight.
In the last two sentences of the stimulus, the author actually introduces a completely new argument! The discussion in the last two sentences is not relevant for our understanding of the author’s perspective.

Identify Argument Part
The claim in the question stem supports the author’s rejection of the view that flight first developed in marine reptiles.

A
It is cited as evidence against the claim that the capacity for flight first developed in marine reptiles.
The claim in the question stem is a premise that supports the author’s conclusion, which is that it is not true that the capacity for flight first developed in marine reptiles. (A) encapsulates this.
B
It is cited as evidence against the claim that the capacity for flight first developed in land-dwelling animals.
The second (irrelevant) argument makes a claim that it is less likely that land-dwelling reptiles’ limbs developed into wings. (B) includes an imprecise reference to this second argument; the claim in the question stem has no relationship with this second argument.
C
It is cited as evidence against the claim that the capacity for flight first developed in tree-dwelling reptiles.
The claim in the question stem does has no relationship to the claim that flight first developed in tree-dwelling animals; instead, the claim in the question stem is used to reject the claim about flight and marine animals.
D
It weakens the claim that tree-dwelling reptiles were the first kind of reptile to develop the capacity for flight.
The claim in the question stem has no relationship to the claim that flight first developed in tree-dwelling animals; instead, the claim in the question stem is used to reject the claim about flight and marine animals.
E
It corroborates the observation that some mammals without scales, such as bats, developed the capacity to fly.
The claim in the question stem works together with the observation that some mammals without scales can fly; these two claims don’t support each other, but they work together to support the main conclusion.

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LSAT PrepTest 113 Explanations

Section 1 - Reading Comprehension

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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