LSAT 103 – Section 2 – Question 09

LSAT 103 - Section 2 - Question 09

September 1998

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT103 S2 Q09
+LR
Most strongly supported +MSS
A
4%
161
B
87%
167
C
1%
161
D
8%
163
E
0%
139
130
143
156
 +Medium 149.468 +SubsectionMedium

Early pencil leads were made of solid graphite mined in Cumberland, in Britain. Modern methods of manufacturing pencil leads from powdered graphite are the result of research sponsored by the government of France in the 1790s, when France was at war with Britain and thus had no access to Cumberland graphite.

Summary
Early pencil leads were made from solid graphite mined in Cumberland, in Britain. Modern pencil leads are manufactured from powdered graphite. Powdered graphite was made possible from research sponsored by the French government in the 1790’s. During that time period, France was at war with Britain and had no access to solid graphite from Cumberland.

Strongly Supported Conclusions
In the 1790’s, France was unaware of any other source of solid graphite the country could use to manufacture pencil lead.

A
The world’s only deposit of graphite suitable for manufacture of pencils is in Cumberland, in Britain.
This answer is unsupported. To say that solid graphite for pencil lead is “only” found in Cumberland is too strong. We only know from the stimulus that early pencil leads were manufactured from this source of graphite.
B
In the 1790s, France’s government did not know of any accessible source of solid graphite appropriate to meet France’s need for pencils.
This answer is strongly supported. France did not have access to the graphite mined in Cumberland due to the war with Britain. Therefore, they sponsored research to develop powdered graphite because they must not have been aware of any other accessible source of solid graphite.
C
One of the causes of war between France and Britain in the 1790s was the British government’s attempt to limit the amount of Cumberland graphite being exported to France.
This answer is unsupported. We don’t know anything about what caused the war between France and Britain from the stimulus.
D
Government-sponsored research frequently gives rise to inventions that are of great benefit to society.
This answer is unsupported. To say that this research “frequently” results in inventions is too strong. We only know of one example, powered graphite, from the stimulus.
E
Even today, all pencil leads contain Cumberland graphite.
This answer is unsupported. We don’t know anything about what modern pencil leads contain from the stimulus. We only know that modern methods of manufacturing involve powered graphite.

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LSAT PrepTest 103 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Reading Comprehension

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