LSAT 112 – Section 3 – Question 11

LSAT 112 - Section 3 - Question 11

December 2001

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Question QuickView	Type	Tags	Answer Choices	Curve	Question Difficulty	Psg/Game/S Difficulty	Explanation
PT112 S3 Q11	+LR	Strengthen +Streng Causal Reasoning +CausR Net Effect +NetEff Value Judgment +ValJudg	A 1% 145 B 1% 145 C 95% 160 D 1% 149 E 1% 148	125 132 140	+Easiest	144.548 +SubsectionEasier

Peter: Because the leaves of mildly drought-stressed plants are tougher in texture than the leaves of abundantly watered plants, insects prefer to feed on the leaves of abundantly watered plants. Therefore, to minimize crop damage, farmers should water crops only just enough to ensure that there is no substantial threat, from a lack of water, to either the growth or the yield of the crops.

Jennifer: Indeed. In fact, a mildly drought-stressed plant will divert a small amount of its resources from normal growth to the development of pesticidal toxins, but abundantly watered plants will not.

Summarize Argument

Peter concludes that farmers should water their plants just enough to ensure there’s no threat to the yield or growth of the crops. This is because plants that are abundantly watered are susceptible to pests.

Notable Assumptions

In order for his recommended strategy to be sound, Peter assumes that mildly drought-stressed plants are not at greater risk than are the abundantly watered plants that insects eat. Were the opposite true, it would be preferable for farmers to water their crops and avoid the stress of drought at all costs.

The leaves of some crop plants are much larger, and therefore absorb more water, than the leaves of some other crop plants.

Peter thinks all these crops should be watered just enough to avoid being targeted by insects. We don’t care how much water it takes to get these crops to that point.

In industrialized nations there are more crops that are abundantly watered than there are crops grown under mild drought stress.

Peter thinks industrialized nations should switch their strategy.

Insect damage presents a greater threat to crop plants than does mild drought stress.

Plants can either be exposed to mild drought stress or insects. Insects are more damaging, so the alternative is a better option. This is what Peter argues.

Farmers are not always able to control the amount of water that their crops receive when, for instance, there are rainstorms in the areas where their crops are growing.

Peter argues for what farmers should do when watering their plants. We don’t care about rainstorms, which are totally out of farmers’ control.

Mexican bean beetles are more likely to feed on the leaves of slightly drought-stressed soybeans than oak lace bugs are to feed on the leaves of abundantly watered soybeans.

This is strangely specific. It’s an exception to a rule Peter gives us: insects are more likely to feed on abundantly watered plants. We can’t directly contradict that premise.

LSAT 112 – Section 3 – Question 11

LSAT 112 - Section 3 - Question 11

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Review Results

LSAT PrepTest 112 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Reading Comprehension

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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