LSAT 120 – Section 1 – Question 06

LSAT 120 - Section 1 - Question 06

October 2005

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT120 S1 Q06
+LR
Resolve reconcile or explain +RRE
A
7%
162
B
74%
164
C
5%
160
D
14%
159
E
1%
154
124
144
163
 +Medium 145.819 +SubsectionMedium

Recent investigations of earthquakes have turned up a previously unknown type of seismic shock, known as a displacement pulse, which is believed to be present in all earthquakes. Alarmingly, high-rise buildings are especially vulnerable to displacement pulses, according to computer models. Yet examination of high-rises within cities damaged by recent powerful earthquakes indicates little significant damage to these structures.

"Surprising" Phenomenon
Why have high-rises within cities damaged by recent powerful earthquakes sustained little significant damage when computer models say these buildings are especially vulnerable to displacement pulses?

Objective
Any hypothesis that can resolve this will need to explain how these buildings manage to avoid significant damage during earthquakes, despite their expected vulnerability.

A
Displacement pulses travel longer distances than other types of seismic shock.
It doesn’t matter how far displacement pulses travel compared to other seismic shocks. We need to know why high-rises are able to withstand powerful displacement pulses.
B
Scientific predictions based on computer models often fail when tested in the field.
If scientific predictions based on computer models are frequently inaccurate, it’s possible the models’ predictions about high-rises may be inaccurate. Therefore, (B) presents the possibility that high-rises aren’t actually vulnerable to displacement pulses in the first place.
C
While displacement pulses have only recently been discovered, they have accompanied all earthquakes that have ever occurred.
This confirms that all earthquakes are accompanied by displacement pulses but does nothing to explain why high-rises have sustained little damage from these pulses.
D
The displacement pulses made by low- and medium-intensity earthquakes are much less powerful than those made by the strongest earthquakes.
We’re not concerned with low- and medium-intensity earthquakes or their displacement pulses. The stimulus only discusses powerful earthquakes and their displacement pulses.
E
Computer models have been very successful in predicting the effects of other types of seismic shock.
This fails to explain why high-rises suffer little significant damage. If anything, this deepens the mystery, because if computer models are so good at predicting the effects of other seismic shocks, then why are the models about the effects of displacement pulses on high-rises so at odds with real-world results?

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LSAT PrepTest 120 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Reading Comprehension

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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