LSAT 117 – Section 3 – Question 12

LSAT 117 - Section 3 - Question 12

October 2004

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT117 S3 Q12
+LR
+Exp
Weaken +Weak
Causal Reasoning +CausR
A
2%
159
B
91%
166
C
1%
158
D
0%
157
E
6%
164
120
120
140
 +Easiest 146.848 +SubsectionMedium

Navigation in animals is defined as the animal’s ability to find its way from unfamiliar territory to points familiar to the animal but beyond the immediate range of the animal’s senses. Some naturalists claim that polar bears can navigate over considerable distances. As evidence, they cite an instance of a polar bear that returned to its home territory after being released over 500 kilometers (300 miles) away.

Summarize Argument: Phenomenon-Hypothesis
Some naturalists hypothesize that polar bears can navigate from unfamiliar territory to familiar areas across long distances. As support for this hypothesis, they reference a polar bear that returned home after it was released over 500 km away.

Notable Assumptions
The stimulus defines navigation as finding a way from an unfamiliar territory to familiar areas, but in the example of the polar bear, we don’t know if the polar bear was released in unfamiliar territory. The naturalists assume that the polar bear was released in unfamiliar territory. They also assume that the polar bear didn’t receive any other assistance in making its way home.

A
The polar bear stopped and changed course several times as it moved toward its home territory.
The fact that the polar bear changed course several times doesn’t contradict the fact that the polar bear successfully made it home after being released 500 km away.
B
The site at which the polar bear was released was on the bear’s annual migration route.
(B) weakens the argument because it shows that the polar bear did not meet one of the requirements of navigation: finding its way through unfamiliar territory. If the site at which the polar bear was released was familiar, then its actions don’t fit the definition of navigation.
C
The route along which the polar bear traveled consisted primarily of snow and drifting ice.
The terrain through which an animal is navigating is not relevant to the argument; we only care about if the polar bear was navigating.
D
Polar bears are only one of many species of mammal whose members have been known to find their way home from considerable distances.
It doesn’t matter how many animals are capable of finding their way home across long distances. We only care about if the example cited by the naturalists is aligned with the definition of navigation.
E
Polar bears often rely on their extreme sensitivity to smell in order to scent out familiar territory.
The argument is concerned with whether or not the polar bear was navigating, not how it was able to do so. The fact that polar bears often use smell is not relevant.

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LSAT PrepTest 117 Explanations

Section 1 - Reading Comprehension

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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