LSAT 131 – Section 1 – Question 22

LSAT 131 - Section 1 - Question 22

December 2009

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT131 S1 Q22
+LR
+Exp
Resolve reconcile or explain +RRE
A
6%
159
B
78%
166
C
1%
154
D
3%
155
E
11%
163
141
152
162
 +Medium 147.383 +SubsectionMedium

Last summer, after a number of people got sick from eating locally caught anchovies, the coastal city of San Martin advised against eating such anchovies. The anchovies were apparently tainted with domoic acid, a harmful neurotoxin. However, a dramatic drop in the population of P. australis plankton to numbers more normal for local coastal waters indicates that it is once again safe to eat locally caught anchovies.

"Surprising" Phenomenon

Why does the decrease in plankton numbers make the anchovies safe to eat?

Objective

The correct answer will establish a relationship between the number of P. australis and the safety of the anchovies. It will imply that fewer plankton means less domoic acid in the anchovies or that a decrease in plankton makes the domoic acid in anchovies safer to consume.

A
P. australis is one of several varieties of plankton common to the region that, when ingested by anchovies, cause the latter to secrete small amounts of domoic acid.

This states that anchovies will secrete, not contain, domoic acid after ingesting P. australis. It is not implied that anchovies secreting domoic acid must contain that acid, nor that domoic acid in the water builds up in anchovies’ bodies.

B
P. australis naturally produces domoic acid, though anchovies consume enough to become toxic only when the population of P. australis is extraordinarily large.

This explains why a decrease in P. australis numbers makes the anchovies safe. Once the plankton are less prevalent, the domoic acid in anchovies lowers to safe levels.

C
Scientists have used P. australis plankton to obtain domoic acid in the laboratory.

This does not imply that high P. australis numbers cause anchovies to contain domoic acid. It is possible that P. australis does not naturally produce or contain domoic acid, in which case its relationship to the anchovies remains unexplained.

D
A sharp decline in the population of P. australis is typically mirrored by a corresponding drop in the local anchovy population.

This does not explain why locally caught anchovies are safe to eat. It does not imply that the surviving anchovies are in any way safer to consume.

E
P. australis cannot survive in large numbers in seawater that does not contain significant quantities of domoic acid along with numerous other compounds.

This establishes a condition necessary for the survival of P. australis, but does not imply that a decrease in plankton must accompany a decrease in domoic acid. It is possible the plankton died for a different reason and domoic acid is still prevalent in the water.

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LSAT PrepTest 131 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Reading Comprehension

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