LSAT 124 – Section 3 – Question 22

LSAT 124 - Section 3 - Question 22

December 2007

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT124 S3 Q22
+LR
Except +Exc
Resolve reconcile or explain +RRE
A
29%
162
B
58%
166
C
5%
158
D
4%
158
E
5%
161
148
160
172
 +Hardest 145.896 +SubsectionMedium

A recent survey indicates that the average number of books read annually per capita has declined in each of the last three years. However, it also found that most bookstores reported increased profits during the same period.

"Surprising" Phenomenon
Why have most bookstores reported increased profits in the last three years even though a survey shows the average number of books read annually per person has declined in each of the last three years?

Objective
This is an EXCEPT question. The four wrong answers will tell us something has changed over the past three years that might lead to more bookstore profits despite a decline in average books read.

A
Recent cutbacks in government spending have forced public libraries to purchase fewer popular contemporary novels.
If libraries have fewer popular contemporary novels, more people might be going to bookstores to read those popular novels. This is how bookstore profits might have increased despite a general decline in books read.
B
Due to the installation of sophisticated new antitheft equipment, the recent increase in shoplifting that has hit most retail businesses has left bookstores largely unaffected.
This tells us bookstores haven’t been very affected by a recent spike in shoplifting. But we would still expect bookstore profits to be lower due to the general decline in reading. (B) isn’t giving us a reason to think bookstores could somehow increase their profits.
C
Over the past few years many bookstores have capitalized on the lucrative coffee industry by installing coffee bars.
Bookstores might be making more money from coffee bars today compared to the past. This could explain how bookstore profits could increase despite an overall decline in books read.
D
Bookstore owners reported a general shift away from the sale of inexpensive paperback novels and toward the sale of lucrative hardback books.
Bookstores might be selling more hardback books, which have higher profits margins (”more lucrative”). This could explain how bookstore profits might have increased despite a general decline in books read.
E
Citing a lack of free time, many survey respondents indicated that they had canceled magazine subscriptions in favor of purchasing individual issues at bookstores when time permits.
People might have increased purchases at bookstores in lieu of reading magazines delivered or emailed directly to them from a subscription. This could explain how bookstore profits might have increased despite a general decline in books read.

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LSAT PrepTest 124 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Reading Comprehension

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