LSAT 135 – Section 2 – Question 23

LSAT 135 - Section 2 - Question 23

December 2011

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT135 S2 Q23
+LR
+Exp
Most strongly supported +MSS
A
56%
166
B
7%
158
C
14%
160
D
15%
159
E
9%
159
152
161
170
 +Hardest 146.729 +SubsectionMedium

Certain bacteria that produce hydrogen sulfide as a waste product would die if directly exposed to oxygen. The hydrogen sulfide reacts with oxygen, removing it and so preventing it from harming the bacteria. Furthermore, the hydrogen sulfide tends to kill other organisms in the area, thereby providing the bacteria with a source of food. As a result, a dense colony of these bacteria produces for itself an environment in which it can continue to thrive indefinitely.

Summary
Some bacteria that produce hydrogen sulfide as a waste product would die if exposed to oxygen. The hydrogen sulfide produced removes oxygen from the bacteria’s surroundings by reacting with it. Hydrogen sulfide also kills other organisms which the bacteria use as a food source. Therefore, a dense colony of these bacteria can thrive indefinitely.

Strongly Supported Conclusions
A dense colony of bacteria that produce hydrogen sulfide will indefinitely kill enough surrounding organisms for food and prevent oxygen from coming into contact with the bacteria.

A
A dense colony of the bacteria can indefinitely continue to produce enough hydrogen sulfide to kill other organisms in the area and to prevent oxygen from harming the bacteria.
This answer is strongly supported. If the colony is to survive forever, it must be that they will produce enough food for themselves in the form of other organisms and prevent oxygen from coming into direct contact with the colony.
B
The hydrogen sulfide produced by the bacteria kills other organisms in the area by reacting with and removing oxygen.
This answer is unsupported. We don’t know from the stimulus how the other organisms in the bacteria’s environment are killed from the hydrogen sulfide. There could be another way than reacting with oxygen in the environment.
C
Most organisms, if killed by the hydrogen sulfide produced by the bacteria, can provide a source of food for the bacteria.
This answer is unsupported. Saying “most” organisms is too strong in this answer. We only know that there must be some organisms that the hydrogen sulfide kills in order to produce a food source.
D
The bacteria can continue to thrive indefinitely only in an environment in which the hydrogen sulfide they produce has removed all oxygen and killed other organisms in the area.
This answer is unsupported. In the stimulus, removing oxygen and killing organisms in the area are sufficient conditions for the continued existence of a colony of bacteria. We don’t know if these conditions are necessary.
E
If any colony of bacteria produces hydrogen sulfide as a waste product, it thereby ensures that it is both provided with a source of food and protected from harm by oxygen.
This answer is unsupported. The stimulus is limited to “certain” bacteria that produce hydrogen sulfide as a waste product. We don’t know if these facts are true of any colony of bacteria.

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LSAT PrepTest 135 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Reading Comprehension

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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