LSAT 109 – Section 3 – Question 01

LSAT 109 - Section 3 - Question 01

December 2000

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT109 S3 Q01
+LR
Resolve reconcile or explain +RRE
Causal Reasoning +CausR
A
1%
157
B
96%
167
C
0%
156
D
3%
158
E
0%
154
127
136
146
 +Easier 148.18 +SubsectionMedium

North American eastern white cedars grow both on cliff faces and in forests. Cedars growing on exposed cliff faces receive very few nutrients, and rarely grow bigger than one-tenth the height of cedars growing in forests, where they benefit from moisture and good soil. Yet few eastern white cedars found in forests are as old as four hundred years, while many on cliff faces are more than five hundred years old.

"Surprising" Phenomenon
Why do many cedars on cliff faces, which are relatively undernourished, live longer than cedars in forests?

Objective
A hypothesis explaining this discrepancy must state a key difference between cedars on cliff faces and cedars in forests. This difference must result in many cedars on cliff faces living longer than most cedars in forests.

A
The conditions on cliff faces are similar to those in most other places where there are few tall trees.
This does not explain the relative longevity of cedars on cliff faces. It suggests that environmental conditions cause cedars on cliff faces to grow shorter, but states no relationship between a cedar's height and its life span.
B
In areas where eastern white cedars grow, forest fires are relatively frequent, but fires cannot reach cliff faces.
This explains why cedars on cliff faces more often live to old age. Forest fires kill many cedars in forests, but do not reach cedars on cliff faces, so cedars in forests are exposed to a survival risk that cedars on cliff faces are not.
C
Trees that are older than a few hundred years start to lose the protective outer layer of their bark.
This is not a difference between cedars in forests and cedars on cliff faces. If all cedars lose their bark’s outer layer in old age, then cedars in both places should be equally affected.
D
The roots of cedars on cliff faces lodge in cracks in the cliff, and once the roots are so large that they fill a crack, the tree is unable to grow any taller.
This explains why cedars on cliff faces are shorter, but not why more of them grow old. It states no relationship between the height of a tree and its longevity.
E
Eastern white cedar wood is too soft to be used for firewood or modern buildings, but it is occasionally used to make furniture.
This rules out a possible explanation, rather than provide one. It implies that cedars are only infrequently harvested for wood, casting doubt on the possibility that cedars in forests are killed in large numbers by humans.

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LSAT PrepTest 109 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Reading Comprehension

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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