LSAT 12 – Section 1 – Question 06

LSAT 12 - Section 1 - Question 06

October 1994

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT12 S1 Q06
+LR
Method of reasoning or descriptive +Method
A
87%
165
B
0%
160
C
1%
160
D
11%
159
E
1%
155
128
140
153
 +Easier 147.398 +SubsectionMedium

Here we have a Method of Reasoning question, which we know from the question stem: “Millie uses which one of the following argumentative strategies in contesting Oscar’s position?”

After correctly identifying the question type we can use structural analysis to describe the Method of Reasoning used by our speaker. Immediately we should note we have two speakers in our stimulus. That means we need to be on the lookout for two conclusions and two sets of explanations. Oscar begins by telling us they have been recently accused of plagiarism. Oscar concludes this accusation is unwarranted on the grounds that Myers gave Oscar private permission to use the passages Oscar is accused of plagiarizing.

That makes sense depending on your definition of plagiarism. Our second speaker, Millie, points out the assumption in Oscar’s argument about what it means to plagiarize a piece of writing. Millie concludes that Myers is unable to bestow permission for Oscar to plagiarize because plagiarism itself is a type of lie, and permission to lie does not change the fact that Oscar committed plagiarism.

Millie has undermined Oscar’s position in their response by pointing out Oscar’s conclusion only follows if one changes the meaning of plagiarism. If plagiarism simply means to use another’s writing without permission, then Oscar has not committed plagiarism. As pointed out by Millie, having permission from the author does not change the fact Oscar is using another person’s work for the purpose of misleading the audience.

Knowing our correct answer choice will point out Millie’s debate surrounding this definition, we can proceed into answer choice elimination.

Correct Answer Choice (A) This is exactly what we are looking for! This is the only answer choice that correctly points out the reinterpretation of plagiarism created by the second speaker.

Answer Choice (B) This is not descriptively accurate. In order to invoke evidence to show that Oscar did quote this author we would need to be able to point to an exact line in Millie’s argument referring to the text itself.

Answer Choice (C) This answer choice implies the disagreement between Oscar and Millie concerns if Oscar had permission to use the author’s writing. But our stimuli aren’t concerned with whether the author tried to give Oscar permission. Instead, our speakers are concerned with whether or not the author’s permission qualifies Oscar’s work as falling under the umbrella of plagiarism.

Answer Choice (D) In order for this answer choice to be correct, we would need to be able to identify some sort of “theory of rights” introduced in the stimulus. Without a description of that theory or an explanation as to how we know Oscar aligns with it, we can eliminate this answer choice from consideration.

Answer Choice (E) We are not debating the credibility of either speaker. Instead, we are debating the validity of whether an author can rightfully give another permission to use their work without it qualifying as plagiarism.

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LSAT PrepTest 12 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Logic Games

Section 3 - Reading Comprehension

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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