A was the only answer that quite literally made any sense. This is a great example of how POE can be an incredibly powerful tool on questions that might have tough grammar.
Premise: The author (archaeologist and his/her field) has all that they need from the mosaic + the needs of future archaeologists using the mosaic.
Subtle assumption: The author is slightly assuming that he is the only user or beneficiary of the mosaic.
1) When I think of PSA, I think about the underlying assumption that the author is making that the argument currently is subpar or can be poked at.
2) We need to find AC that clears potential questions or answers them.
A) A is saying that, because this is an archaeological matter, only archaeologists have a say. This clears the assumption - even if he and his field his benefitting they have reason to claim the continued placement or the removal of the mosaic; in this case continued placement.
This eliminates other considerations such as, maybe the mosaic was taken for a museum or art gallery and not to be studied. The author is making the claim that ONLY an archaeologist gets that deciding factor.
#feedback I think you're missing what makes C a tempting answer choice. Yes, the present archaeologists already possess all the information about the mosaics, making the information offered by leaving them in their original position irrelevant to them. However, the stimulus discusses future archaeologists who a) might not have access to the records of the present archaeologists (i.e. all the information such as the material of the mosaics) and b) won't have access to the mosaics in their original location because they have already been removed. SO, C tempts us because it is saying that if the mosaics were left in their original location, future archaeologists might have had access to more information about them otherwise inaccessible had they been moved.
I understand what makes A the better AC, but C is more tempting of an answer choice than addressed in the explanation and I think it is worth covering in more detail.
#feedback I feel that the explanation given in the review perfectly encapsulates why this answer is incorrect, IF you are able to readily recall information from previous lessons. Way back in the beginning, somewhere in Foundations, we were taught to put effort into not using information we learned outside of what is given in the test to answer questions. It's evident that materials used in an archeological site will reveal information about the site and artifact itself, but how did you come to this conclusion? I deduce you came to conflate this idea of materials with missing information that future archeologists may seek because of prior knowledge you have gained in life. We are made to believe that we know all the information about these archeological findings that we must now from the stim and stimulus.
I have learned that within the bounds of the LSAT, act like you are a kindergartener. Use ONLY information given in the stimulus and stim to come to your answer, shirk prior knowledge about topics ranging from archeological finds to Garfield. If the LSAT writers say that the sky is purple, the sky is purple. If there is any reason to explain why the sky is purple in the answer choices, pick that one.
I picked C, because even though the stim doesn’t say that “materials” are important, we could very logically assume that knowing what type of material something is is very important for those future archaeologists, so the mosaics should not be removed because future archaeologists might need it and we dont want to mislead them.
@Binchtastic So did I! But this doesn't necessarily help the argument as it could also be the case that the materials are apparent when the mosaic is moved, C never says only in the original location. To your point about materials, maybe the argument is claiming that archaeologists would be misled about whether Zeugma had mosaics at all, not what they were made of. We just don't know! However, if we assume that only archaeological considerations determine whether mosaics should be removed, the author has checked that box with the premises, and this creates a direct link between premises and conclusion, explicitly justifying the conclusion that the mosaics should have been left there.
I hate questions like this where none of the answers are the ideal answer and you cannot be confident in choosing your answer, even if it's the "most correct" one
When I go through each answer choice, I do it in 7sageLin voice. So I did A, and thought this is decent. B) "who the hell cares?", C) Again, who the hells cares? We arent even talking about this. D) Kind of weakens it a bit. E) Same as D.
Do you know what I mean when I say I read it in his voice? When you do a drill and get it wrong and you click explain. Then boom, the Messiah himself is speaking to you. "If you chose C, well I am not really sure what you're looking at. You see.."
His cut through the BS and make witty remarks on the answer choices resonated with me and I have a 90% success rate in narrowing it down to two answers.
I was pretty confused about A being the correct answer, perhaps because the "only" part threw me off. I think I understand it now and I wrote my understanding below. Could someone please let me know if I am correctly understanding this now?
Before accounting for answer choice A, there could have hypothetically been other non-archaeological considerations that would have explained the removal of the mosaics (which would have contradicted the Archaeologist's opinion) which would also have thereby weakened his stance. In eliminating all other possibilities that could have potentially explained the removal of said mosaics, answer choice A helps to justify the Archaeologist's reasoning by eliminating alternative hypotheses that would have stood in opposition.
@rickyrivas94 I did the same thing. I think this is where reading a question stem and being able to identify the type of question it is asking is critical. It makes sense in an "assumption" style of question where the question stem says we are to "assume" that the answer choices are correct, that an answer could use more "extreme" language. My brain doesn't seem to want to work that way, though.
"The only considerations that bear upon the question of whether the mosaics should have been removed are archaeological."
So when deciding whether to remove the mosaics we should only consider the archaeologists points. This strengthens and bridges the gap in the argument. For example image that a politician differed in viewpoint about keeping the mosaic in the site. By having answer choice a the argument does not consider the politician's view.
116 comments
A was the only answer that quite literally made any sense. This is a great example of how POE can be an incredibly powerful tool on questions that might have tough grammar.
What does POE stand for and mean?
FRFR
process of elimination
@broermtd Right, because all of the other answers were the opposite
Sometimes I get the answer by finding 4 wrong answers. Even though I didn't like A, it had to be the right answer.
Same and honestly it works a majority of the time
@logangallagher8 Did the same thing. they all felt off, but A felt the least off
To be honest I didn't even know what A meant
@MRod
Conclusion: The mosaic should be left there.
Premise: The author (archaeologist and his/her field) has all that they need from the mosaic + the needs of future archaeologists using the mosaic.
Subtle assumption: The author is slightly assuming that he is the only user or beneficiary of the mosaic.
1) When I think of PSA, I think about the underlying assumption that the author is making that the argument currently is subpar or can be poked at.
2) We need to find AC that clears potential questions or answers them.
A) A is saying that, because this is an archaeological matter, only archaeologists have a say. This clears the assumption - even if he and his field his benefitting they have reason to claim the continued placement or the removal of the mosaic; in this case continued placement.
This eliminates other considerations such as, maybe the mosaic was taken for a museum or art gallery and not to be studied. The author is making the claim that ONLY an archaeologist gets that deciding factor.
@amhuynh Thank you
Zeugma balls lol
#feedback I think you're missing what makes C a tempting answer choice. Yes, the present archaeologists already possess all the information about the mosaics, making the information offered by leaving them in their original position irrelevant to them. However, the stimulus discusses future archaeologists who a) might not have access to the records of the present archaeologists (i.e. all the information such as the material of the mosaics) and b) won't have access to the mosaics in their original location because they have already been removed. SO, C tempts us because it is saying that if the mosaics were left in their original location, future archaeologists might have had access to more information about them otherwise inaccessible had they been moved.
I understand what makes A the better AC, but C is more tempting of an answer choice than addressed in the explanation and I think it is worth covering in more detail.
#feedback I feel that the explanation given in the review perfectly encapsulates why this answer is incorrect, IF you are able to readily recall information from previous lessons. Way back in the beginning, somewhere in Foundations, we were taught to put effort into not using information we learned outside of what is given in the test to answer questions. It's evident that materials used in an archeological site will reveal information about the site and artifact itself, but how did you come to this conclusion? I deduce you came to conflate this idea of materials with missing information that future archeologists may seek because of prior knowledge you have gained in life. We are made to believe that we know all the information about these archeological findings that we must now from the stim and stimulus.
I have learned that within the bounds of the LSAT, act like you are a kindergartener. Use ONLY information given in the stimulus and stim to come to your answer, shirk prior knowledge about topics ranging from archeological finds to Garfield. If the LSAT writers say that the sky is purple, the sky is purple. If there is any reason to explain why the sky is purple in the answer choices, pick that one.
bingo bango bongo
Great comment hgm0320
I actually eliminated A at first cuz i thought it was too powerful, then i read everything else and had to go with it
I got this right but it is a classic case of all of the answers being bad/mid, and having to parse out which one is the last bad
I picked C, because even though the stim doesn’t say that “materials” are important, we could very logically assume that knowing what type of material something is is very important for those future archaeologists, so the mosaics should not be removed because future archaeologists might need it and we dont want to mislead them.
@Binchtastic So did I! But this doesn't necessarily help the argument as it could also be the case that the materials are apparent when the mosaic is moved, C never says only in the original location. To your point about materials, maybe the argument is claiming that archaeologists would be misled about whether Zeugma had mosaics at all, not what they were made of. We just don't know! However, if we assume that only archaeological considerations determine whether mosaics should be removed, the author has checked that box with the premises, and this creates a direct link between premises and conclusion, explicitly justifying the conclusion that the mosaics should have been left there.
I hate questions like this where none of the answers are the ideal answer and you cannot be confident in choosing your answer, even if it's the "most correct" one
I'm just very tempted to go find ppl on linkedin who says to be LSAT test makers and just see what they look like
Based
I got C...
This lecture was super helpful. I picked A originally because I did not like any of the other answer choices.
I ended up picking C in BR but I talked myself into that one lol (One of the dangers of BR)
I did the same thing lolllll
I truly did not understand what A was trying to say- C made the most sense to me:/
@amara I felt that too, I was deciding between A and C but I chose A because C didn't sound like a rule to me
Everytime i talk myself out of the right answer it makes me want to scream into my pillow
Real
I didn't understand the phrasing of A </3
When I go through each answer choice, I do it in 7sageLin voice. So I did A, and thought this is decent. B) "who the hell cares?", C) Again, who the hells cares? We arent even talking about this. D) Kind of weakens it a bit. E) Same as D.
Do you know what I mean when I say I read it in his voice? When you do a drill and get it wrong and you click explain. Then boom, the Messiah himself is speaking to you. "If you chose C, well I am not really sure what you're looking at. You see.."
His cut through the BS and make witty remarks on the answer choices resonated with me and I have a 90% success rate in narrowing it down to two answers.
I was pretty confused about A being the correct answer, perhaps because the "only" part threw me off. I think I understand it now and I wrote my understanding below. Could someone please let me know if I am correctly understanding this now?
Before accounting for answer choice A, there could have hypothetically been other non-archaeological considerations that would have explained the removal of the mosaics (which would have contradicted the Archaeologist's opinion) which would also have thereby weakened his stance. In eliminating all other possibilities that could have potentially explained the removal of said mosaics, answer choice A helps to justify the Archaeologist's reasoning by eliminating alternative hypotheses that would have stood in opposition.
chose c in blind review lol that answer was so tempting
I suck at these
This question made no sense to me.
Ill be honest.. I am getting these right but honestly have no idea what the hell I am doing, hah.
real
So real, and then on the PTs I don't read the question well enough and second-guess myself like crazy
almost picked C, my gut said A. Not sure if that is the right way to do these tho lol
I screamed at my computer when I got this wrong, chose C. I'm so pissed.
I saw, "only," for answer choice A and did not choose it. Do words in AC's matter? such as ONLY, or NEVER?
@rickyrivas94 I did the same thing. I think this is where reading a question stem and being able to identify the type of question it is asking is critical. It makes sense in an "assumption" style of question where the question stem says we are to "assume" that the answer choices are correct, that an answer could use more "extreme" language. My brain doesn't seem to want to work that way, though.
@rickyrivas94 i had the exact same question, a remnant from logical reasoning question i think. is there a way to identify this?
I didn't even understand what A was saying :(
A is eliminating other possible explanations
"The only considerations that bear upon the question of whether the mosaics should have been removed are archaeological."
So when deciding whether to remove the mosaics we should only consider the archaeologists points. This strengthens and bridges the gap in the argument. For example image that a politician differed in viewpoint about keeping the mosaic in the site. By having answer choice a the argument does not consider the politician's view.
POE definitely helps