LSAT 15 – Section 3 – Question 20

LSAT 15 - Section 3 - Question 20

June 1995

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT15 S3 Q20
+LR
Resolve reconcile or explain +RRE
A
21%
159
B
78%
165
C
0%
152
D
0%
141
E
0%
156
141
151
161
 +Medium 147.322 +SubsectionMedium

This is a Resolve, Reconcile, and Explain Question. We know this because of the question stem: “...most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy?”

RRE questions will require an explanation of a conflicting set of facts. Our correct answer choice, when plugged back into the stimulus, will resolve the discrepancy by explaining how two sides of the apparent conflicting issues actually make sense together. The correct answer will use both sides, though not necessarily explicitly, to explain the conflict. Often, the test will entice you to make naive assumptions about the conflict - don’t fall for it! Your approach should fall under the “this seems wrong because of xyz, but I can think of a few reasons it could work.”

Our first sentence presents us with what happens when you consume excess calories: you gain weight. This makes sense. Our next sentence says that alcoholic beverages have tons of calories. This (sadly) tracks.

Before we read on, with these two ideas in mind, what can we infer? That excess intake of alcoholic drinks could cause someone to gain weight. With this question, it’s possible to anticipate where the argument could go; they’re probably going to say something about how, contrary to these facts, people who drink a lot of alcohol don’t gain weight.

What does our next sentence say? Exactly this: people who drink 2-3 drinks, exceeding their intake, do not generally gain weight. The grammar here is a little complicated. If helpful, focus on the subject and then the predicate and then expand your scope from there. The subject is “people.” What kind of people? And so on.

Back to the argument. Can we think of reasons why people who drink 2-3 beverages a day do not gain weight? Perhaps these people exercise a lot. Perhaps these people have higher metabolisms. These are just two reasons - they are many, many more.

Okay - let’s go to the answer choices.

Answer Choice (A) This may seem attractive, but it’s absolutely wrong. We’re directly rejecting the facts we’re given. The people who drink these excess calories do exceed their caloric intake - it’s in the last sentence. This is out.

Correct Answer Choice (B) It’s giving an overlooked possibility for how these people who drink 2-3 drinks are able to not gain weight. The excess calories are dissipated through heat, which means they’re not converted and stored as fat.

Answer Choice (C) This answer choice focuses on people who do not drink but who eat high-calorie foods and still do not gain weight. How does this help resolve the fact that people who drink excess calories don’t gain weight?

Answer Choice (D) This is a restatement of the last sentence! It doesn’t add or explain anything.

Answer Choice (E) This is completely irrelevant to our issue: people who don’t eat excess calories don’t lose weight. Don’t lose weight? This doesn’t even interact with either of our sides.

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LSAT PrepTest 15 Explanations

Section 1 - Reading Comprehension

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Logic Games

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