LSAT 138 – Section 3 – Question 17

LSAT 138 - Section 3 - Question 17

December 2012

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT138 S3 Q17
+LR
Strengthen +Streng
Causal Reasoning +CausR
Link Assumption +LinkA
A
11%
160
B
3%
157
C
13%
161
D
69%
166
E
4%
158
145
156
166
 +Harder 147.528 +SubsectionMedium

The conventional view is that asteroids strike the earth at random locations, thereby randomly affecting various aspects of the earth’s evolution. One iconoclastic geophysicist claims instead that asteroids have struck the earth through a highly organized natural process. Cited as evidence is the unusual pattern of impact craters that form a halo-like swath across the Northern Hemisphere. There is a consensus that these craters appeared at the end of the Cretaceous period, followed by a mass extinction of much land and ocean life.

Summarize Argument
The geophysicist concludes that asteroids strike the earth in a highly organized way, not randomly. She supports this by pointing to a unique pattern of impact craters that form a halo across the Northern Hemisphere.

Notable Assumptions
The geophysicist assumes that the unique pattern of impact craters could not have been caused by asteroids striking earth at random locations and are instead evidence of a highly organized natural process.

A
Several asteroid strikes within a short period could produce both volcanic activity that warms the oceans and atmospheric debris that blocks sunlight, and such changes could cause mass extinctions.
Irrelevant. The fact that asteroid strikes could cause mass extinctions tell us nothing about whether those strikes are random or follow a highly organized natural process.
B
If asteroids repeatedly pummel the same spots, the beating may affect the flow of molten rock inside the earth, which would affect the degree to which continents drift around the earth’s surface.
Irrelevant. The fact that asteroid strikes could affect continental drift tells us nothing about whether those strikes are random or follow a highly organized natural process.
C
The impact craters that form a halo-like swath across the Northern Hemisphere were the result of a single cluster of meteors striking the earth.
Irrelevant. This fails to address whether the single cluster of meteors struck randomly or followed a highly organized natural process.
D
Lumpy masses within the earth cause gravitational interactions with approaching asteroids that force them into specific orbits before impact.
This suggests that asteroids do strike earth through a highly organized natural process. If lumpy masses in the earth force asteroids into specific orbits, this determines where they will strike, which suggests that they do not strike at random locations.
E
No similar pattern of impact craters was created during any other period of the earth’s history.
Irrelevant. The fact that this pattern of impact craters is unique tells us nothing about whether it occurred randomly or as the result of a highly organized natural process.

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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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