LSAT 138 – Section 2 – Question 08

LSAT 138 - Section 2 - Question 08

December 2012

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT138 S2 Q08
+LR
Most strongly supported +MSS
Causal Reasoning +CausR
A
5%
160
B
1%
152
C
90%
165
D
1%
152
E
2%
152
135
144
152
 +Medium 147.395 +SubsectionMedium

Scientists conjecture that certain microbes consume organic molecules in exposed shale and similar sediments. In so doing, the microbes remove oxygen from the atmosphere and generate carbon dioxide, a gas that, evidence indicates, promotes global warming. They also conjecture that these microbes reproduce more quickly at higher temperatures.

Summary
Scientists think that certain microbes consume organic molecules in exposed shale and similar sediments. As they do this, the microbes take oxygen from the atmosphere and create carbon dioxide, which promotes global warming. Scientists also think that these microbes reproduce more quickly in warmer temperatures.

Strongly Supported Conclusions
If temperatures increase, certain microbes will also increase.
If temperatures increase, more organic molecules in exposed shale and similar sediments will be consumed by these microbes.
If temperatures increase, more carbon dioxide will be produced by certain microbes.
If temperatures increase, these microbes will worsen global warming.

A
The microbes’ activity will soon diminish as the organic molecules in exposed sediments are depleted.
Unsupported. The stimulus does not tell us the quantity of the organic molecules in the exposed sediments or how “soon” they might be depleted. We thus cannot conclude how soon the microbes’ activity might diminish or if it will diminish at all.
B
Every organism that generates carbon dioxide reproduces more quickly at high temperatures.
Unsupported. The stimulus only discusses the certain microbes that consume organic molecules in exposed shale and similar sediments. The scientists believe that these microbes reproduce more quickly at higher temperatures, but they do not speak to any other organisms.
C
If global warming occurs, it will be exacerbated by the activity of the microbes.
Strongly supported. If global warming occurs (and thus temperatures increase), the microbes will reproduce more quickly, consume more exposed molecules, produce more carbon dioxide, and exacerbate global warming.
D
The microbes do not remove any element other than oxygen from the atmosphere.
Unsupported. The stimulus only mentions that the microbes remove oxygen from the atmosphere; we do not know whether or not the microbes remove other elements as well.
E
A significant portion of the carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere was produced by the microbes.
Unsupported. We know that the microbes contribute carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, but we do not know how much they contribute or how that amount compares with the entire amount of carbon dioxide in the air.

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LSAT PrepTest 138 Explanations

Section 1 - Reading Comprehension

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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