Always between two ACs in LR

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• 7 Likes

  Slippin_Jimmy Core Member

  December 2023 40 karma

  Usually when I find myself stuck between two attractive answer choices, I ask myself what each answer choice is assuming & whether it is feeding into my personal bias and outside knowledge of the world.

  Often, trap answers are designed to appease your personal assumptions and common sense of the real world.
• 2 Likes

  anonymous8 Alum Member

  December 2023 85 karma

  Remember that you are trying to get rid of wrong answer choices especially when you are down to two. If the answer has something you don't like, get rid of it. I sometimes highlight the word or phrase that I don't like in the in the answer choice. For instance, I might highlight "All" because I feel like it's too strong or "few" because it is too weak or "average sales" because the premise was about total sales not average, etc. Then during review, if I get the question right it is a confidence builder. It affirms my gut instinct to have crossed out the wrong answer because of a word or phrase that I highlighted. On occasion, when I get the answer wrong, it also sticks to me better because I wasn't passive in the process. I made a real attempt and got it wrong so I remember it for next time.

  Also, for weakening LR questions: You are trying to weaken the relationship between the premise/support and the conclusion. So first identify each then ask yourself why even if the premise was true the conclusion doesn't follow.

  Example:
  Premise: Sally gave me 2 apples. Mark gave me 3 apples.
  Conclusion: Therefore I have 5 apples.

  Weakener example #1: I already had 1 apple before Sally and Mark gave me apples.
  The premise is still true (Sally gave me 2 apples & Mark 3 apples), but the conclusion doesn't follow (I would have 6 apples not 5)
  Weakener example #2: I ate 2 of the apples.
  Again, the premise is still true but I am weakening the relationship to the conclusion. (I would have 3 apples not 5).
  Weakener example #3: Robert game me 4 apples.
  In weakening LR questions, it is common for LSAT to say, "Which of the following, if true, weakens the argument". The "if true" allows them to introduce new info. If Robert gave me 4 apples, then I would have 9 apples. This totally weakens the argument.

  Trap answer choice example: I also have 3 pears. This doesn't do anything. Sure it talks about another fruit, but the conclusion and its support are about apples not pears. LSAT is just trying to waste your time on this answer choice. Don't let it.
• 1 Like

  bailey.luber Member Sage 7Sage Tutor

  December 2023 352 karma

  When stuck between two ACs:

  • MUST get into my own words what the difference between the ACs
  • then rephrase what you are looking for in the right AC
  • then MAKE YOURSELF highlight a couple potential “red flags” for each
    
    
    • word or phrase that is unsupported, too strong, etc
  • Pit the “red flags” against each other
  • HIGHLIGHT evidence in the stimulus or passage to prove your answer
• rileyscriv26 Alum Member

  December 2023 40 karma

  Thank you!