LSAT 122 – Section 1 – Question 09

LSAT 122 - Section 1 - Question 09

June 2006

You need a full course to see this video. Enroll now and get started in less than a minute.

Request new explanation

Target time: 1:40

This is question data from the 7Sage LSAT Scorer. You can score your LSATs, track your results, and analyze your performance with pretty charts and vital statistics - all with a Free Account ← sign up in less than 10 seconds

Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT122 S1 Q09
+LR
+Exp
Most strongly supported +MSS
Conditional Reasoning +CondR
Net Effect +NetEff
A
7%
155
B
82%
164
C
1%
154
D
3%
155
E
7%
157
136
146
156
 +Medium 146.495 +SubsectionMedium

Technological improvements will enable food production to increase as populations increase. However, increases in food production will be negligible unless societies become more centralized so that all factors contributing to the production of food can be better coordinated. But, historically, the more centralized a society was, the greater the percentage of its people who perished if and when it collapsed. Thus, increasing the centralization of societies in an effort to increase food production via better technology will merely exacerbate the disasters associated with societal collapse.

Summary

As populations increase, technological progress will enable food production to also increase. If societies do not become more centralized, such that the factors contributing to food production can be better coordinated, then increases in food production from technology will be small. Historically, more centralized societies had a greater number of people die if it collapsed. Increasing centralization can therefore worsen the outcome of a societal collapse.

Strongly Supported Conclusions

It is impossible to significantly increase food production from technological gains without also worsening the risk of potential societal collapse. Technological improvements may prevent some, but not all, harms that occur when populations increase.

A
The more centralized a society is, the greater its need for increased food production.

This is unsupported because the author states that a greater need for food production may arise due to population increases, not necessarily due to increases in centralization.

B
Not every problem associated with the collapse of a centralized society would be prevented by technological improvements.

This is strongly supported because while the technology may help prevent food from running out, it may not prevent a large loss of life if societies become more centralized and then collapse.

C
The rate at which the world’s population is growing will continue to increase indefinitely.

This is unsupported because the author gives us no indication on how population changes will progress in the far future.

D
The production of food can be increased only by improved technology.

This is unsupported because the author states that technology may cause food production to increase, not that technological progress is a necessary condition of food production.

E
Societies have become more centralized as technology has improved.

This is unsupported because the author only states that societies will have to become more centralized to see major food gains from technological improvements, not that society has become more centralized.

Take PrepTest

Review Results

LSAT PrepTest 122 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Reading Comprehension

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

Get full LSAT course

Leave a Reply