LSAT 115 – Section 2 – Question 09

LSAT 115 - Section 2 - Question 09

December 2002

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT115 S2 Q09
+LR
Weaken +Weak
Causal Reasoning +CausR
Value Judgment +ValJudg
A
6%
154
B
2%
154
C
5%
156
D
86%
163
E
1%
150
129
140
152
 +Easier 148.811 +SubsectionMedium

Claude: To introduce greater public accountability into French foreign-policy decisions, France should hold referenda on major foreign-policy issues. Election results are too imprecise to count as a mandate, since elections are decided on multiple issues.

Lorraine: The general public, unlike people in government, is unwilling or unable to become informed about foreign-policy issues. Therefore, the introduction of such referenda would lead to foreign-policy disaster.

Summarize Argument
Lorraine disagrees with Claude’s claim that France should hold referenda on major foreign-policy issues. Instead, Lorraine concludes that having referenda on foreign-policy decisions would lead to disaster. As support, she references the fact that the general public is unwilling or unable to become informed about foreign-policy.

Notable Assumptions
Lorraine’s argument assumes that the public’s lack of knowledge would persist if such a referendum system was implemented.

A
The mechanics of holding a referendum would not, in the computer age, pose insuperable problems.
Lorraine’s objection isn’t about the feasibility of holding a referendum; rather, she believes that the referendum would lead to harmful policy outcomes.
B
Some of the information on which foreign-policy decisions are based comes from intelligence sources that must not be compromised by publicity.
This gives reason to believe that the public might not be in the best position to make foreign policy decisions. This information aligns with Lorraine’s argument, rather than countering it.
C
Foreign proponents and opponents of a particular policy would attempt to sway French public opinion before a referendum.
(C) details a risk of using referenda to make foreign policy decisions, which aligns with Lorraine’s belief that these referenda would be harmful.
D
The general public has little desire to become informed about foreign-policy issues precisely because it has little or no power to influence foreign-policy decisions.
This weakens the argument because it gives a reason to believe that, if such a referendum system was in place, the pubic would be more informed because they would have the power to influence decisions.
E
Foreign governments friendly to France would be reluctant to share information with France if it might become public in a referendum debate.
This gives another risk to using referenda to make foreign policy decisions, which aligns with Lorraine’s judgement and does not weaken her argument.

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LSAT PrepTest 115 Explanations

Section 1 - Reading Comprehension

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Reading Comprehension

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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