LSAT 112 – Section 1 – Question 06

LSAT 112 - Section 1 - Question 06

December 2001

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT112 S1 Q06
+LR
Main conclusion or main point +MC
Causal Reasoning +CausR
Fact v. Belief v. Knowledge +FvBvK
A
14%
155
B
1%
146
C
0%
149
D
81%
160
E
4%
150
123
138
152
 +Easier 147.196 +SubsectionMedium

J.Y.’s explanation

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It is widely believed that eating chocolate can cause acne. Indeed, many people who are susceptible to acne report that, in their own experience, eating large amounts of chocolate is invariably followed by an outbreak of that skin condition. However, it is likely that common wisdom has mistaken an effect for a cause. Several recent scientific studies indicate that hormonal changes associated with stress can cause acne and there is good evidence that people who are fond of chocolate tend to eat more chocolate when they are under stress.

Summarize Argument: Counter-Position
The author thinks it’s likely that stress causes both acne and chocolate-eating, rather than chocolate consumption causing acne. To support this, they offer two pieces of evidence. First, stress hormones can cause acne. Second, chocolate enjoyers eat more chocolate when stressed.

Identify Conclusion
The conclusion is that “it is likely that common wisdom has mistaken an effect for a cause.” In other words, eating chocolate is probably an effect of stress (which also causes acne), rather than causing acne itself.

A
People are mistaken who insist that whenever they eat large amounts of chocolate they invariably suffer from an outbreak of acne.
The author doesn't say that people are mistaken about experiencing acne outbreaks during high-chocolate periods, and doesn't deny that chocolate consumption and acne can correlate. This simply isn’t a claim the author makes.
B
The more chocolate a person eats, the more likely that person is to experience the hormonal changes associated with stress.
The argument is not designed to prove that there is a correlation between stress and eating chocolate. Rather, this is used as a premise to support the conclusion that stress leads to both chocolate-eating and acne, rather than chocolate causing acne.
C
Eating large amounts of chocolate is more likely to cause stress than it is to cause outbreaks of acne.
This is not stated in the argument; the author isn’t saying that eating chocolate causes anything. Instead, the claim is that eating chocolate can be a result of stress.
D
It is less likely that eating large amounts of chocolate causes acne than that both the chocolate eating and the acne are caused by stress.
This accurately paraphrases the conclusion. The evidence given in the argument is meant to support the claim that stress causes both acne and chocolate-eating, as a rebuttal to the “common wisdom” of chocolate causing acne.
E
The more stress a person experiences, the more likely that person is to crave chocolate.
This isn’t quite what the argument says about stress and chocolate consumption, but even if it were, that relationship is used as support for the overall conclusion. It is not supported by anything else, so it is not the conclusion.

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LSAT PrepTest 112 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Reading Comprehension

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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