LSAT 137 – Section 4 – Question 23

LSAT 137 - Section 4 - Question 23

October 2012

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT137 S4 Q23
+LR
Resolve reconcile or explain +RRE
A
1%
151
B
66%
165
C
4%
160
D
28%
162
E
1%
152
139
155
170
 +Harder 146.883 +SubsectionMedium

Biologists found that off the northeast coast of a certain country the P-plankton population has recently dropped 10 percent. Additionally, fish species X, Y, and Z are beginning to show extraordinarily high death rates in the region. Since these species of fish are known to sometimes eat P-plankton, biologists believe the two phenomena are connected, but the exact nature of the connection is unknown. No other species in the ecosystem appear to be affected.

"Surprising" Phenomenon
Why have the populations of P-plankton, fish X, fish Y, and fish Z, all gone down recently, even though no other species in the ecosystem has experienced a decrease in population?

Objective
The correct answer should tell us about something recent and harmful to P-plankton, fish X, fish Y, and fish Z. The correct answer should not be something that we would expect to kill members of other species.

A
Several major pharmaceutical companies in the region have been secretly dumping large amounts of waste into the ocean for many years.
The dumping has been going on for “many” years, so it wouldn’t explain a recent decrease in population. Also, we’d expect the harmful effects of dumping to damage other species, too, in addition to P-plankton, fish X, fish Y, and fish Z.
B
A new strain of bacteria is attacking P-plankton by destroying their cell walls and is attacking the respiratory systems of fish species X, Y, and Z.
This is something harmful to P-plankton, fish X, fish Y, and fish Z. Note that this bacteria is a “new” strain, which helps explain why the decreased population occurred recently.
C
A powerful toxin in the water is killing off P-plankton by inhibiting their production of a chemical they use in reproduction.
This doesn’t explain why populations of the fish have gone down recently.
D
Fish species X, Y, and Z are all experiencing widespread starvation within the affected region, and the loss of P-plankton is driving their death rates up even higher.
This tells us how loss of P-plankton affects the fish. But it doesn’t explain why the P-plankton population decreased recently.
E
Global warming has changed the climatic conditions of the ocean all along the northeast coast of the country.
We’d expect harmful effects of global warming, if any, to affect other species in addition to P-plankton, fish X, fish Y, and fish Z.

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LSAT PrepTest 137 Explanations

Section 1 - Reading Comprehension

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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