What were they thinking w/ riddled basins?

Comments

• FixedDice Member

  March 2018 edited March 2018 1804 karma

  @nathanieljschwartz said:
  the questions ask for an actual understanding of what riddled basins are, not just testing our ability to understand reasoning structure

  ...Which is kind of what RC passages are designed to do. I understand your feelings though. It is certainly more complex than the usual science passage.
• goingfor99th Free Trial Member

  March 2018 3072 karma

  I loved this passage the first time. I tend to like science passages, though.
• Ignatius Alum Member

  March 2018 382 karma

  Yeah, that passage can burn in hell. However, it does serve as a learning point in terms of anticipating what to expect from the LSAT writers.
• 1 Like

  beezmoof Alum Member

  March 2018 555 karma

  Thanks for making me laugh w the title
• twssmith Alum ⭐

  March 2018 5120 karma

  @nathanieljschwartz said:
  I just spent more than an hour studying and trying to understand the passage about riddled basins. I think i got it but what was LSAC thinking when they allowed this to be published. It is such an intricate passage and the questions ask for an actual understanding of what riddled basins are, not just testing our ability to understand reasoning structure

  Cracking up at title!! It is an infamous science passage but a few of us have been working on recognizing the cookie cutter aspect of the science Process passages that require more than a shallow understanding of the process as you recognized!

  A couple of similar passages:
  PT2 Passage 3 - Waterbugs
  PT48 Passage 4 Embryo Polarity
  PT 49 Passage 4 Maize
• goingfor99th Free Trial Member

  March 2018 3072 karma

  Embryo Polarity
• nathanieljschwartz Alum Member

  March 2018 1723 karma

  @twssmith yeah iv done those passages and noticed the similarity, after sitting and analyzing the passage for 1.5 hrs i feel like i completely understand it but i dont feel any better prepared for another passage akin to it [if that makes sense]. Not sure if i wasted my limited time on it or not
• 2 Likes

  akistotle Member ⭐ 🍌🍌

  March 2018 9382 karma

  You know who took PT50 as the real LSAT back in September 2006?

  J.Y. Ping.
• twssmith Alum ⭐

  March 2018 5120 karma

  Nathaniel,
  I hear you about trying to really understand what was going on with the riddled basins, I have spent hours on it personally and on the side with different small study groups.

  The main takeaway for me that I try to share with others - recognize asap that a passage is process oriented and that it will likely take a little more time up front reading it to have a semblance of a grasp on a more detailed level than you would on other passages. This awareness is not limited to science passages; science passages lend themselves to be more recognizable but art and the other types can follow a similar type of construction.

  Calling @Daniel.Sieradzki to share more insight
• twssmith Alum ⭐

  March 2018 5120 karma

  ( @akistotle - can you help? Daniel S's name doesn't populate my drop down list
• westcoastbestcoast Alum Member

  March 2018 3788 karma

  They are trying to freak you with abtruse science concepts and see if you can maintain your cool and be able to get a high level view of how the basins work. I recall that when i did that passage a while back, i had no idea what the passage just said. I did have a good idea what each paragraph's purpose were so I was able use the proper lines to answer each question.
• 1 Like

  akistotle Member ⭐ 🍌🍌

  March 2018 9382 karma

  @twssmith said:
  ( @akistotle - can you help? Daniel S's name doesn't populate my drop down list

  Hmm the tagging seems to be working now...Let me know if it happens again!
• BinghamtonDave Alum Member ⭐ 🍌🍌

  March 2018 8711 karma

  @twssmith another passage that might be along the lines of what you mentioned isPT 38-3-1 about controlled burns. Very detail heavy and for a few of the questions we've got to not only read between the lines, but piece together information.