LSAT 154 – Section 4 – Question 12

LSAT 154 - Section 4 - Question 12

September 2017

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT154 S4 Q12
+LR
Most strongly supported +MSS
Causal Reasoning +CausR
A
4%
152
B
1%
152
C
2%
150
D
2%
151
E
91%
164
137
144
151
 +Medium 147.301 +SubsectionMedium

A lichen is made up of a photosynthetic organism and a fungus growing in symbiosis on a solid surface. Lichens absorb minerals from air and rainwater but also from the surfaces on which they grow; they cannot excrete the elements they absorb. Some varieties are very vulnerable to toxic compounds, including compounds found in polluted air. Such compounds can damage both of the symbiotic partners.

Summary
A photosynthetic organism and a fungus growing symbiotically make up a lichen. Lichens absorb minerals from the air, rainwater, and the surfaces they grow on. Lichens cannot excrete elements they absorb. Some types of lichen are very vulnerable to toxic compounds, including toxins found in polluted air. These compounds can damage the photosynthetic organism and fungus that make up a lichen.

Strongly Supported Conclusions
Serious air pollution can have adverse affects on lichen growing in the area.

A
Lichens would not be vulnerable to toxic compounds if they could excrete the elements that they absorb.
This answer is unsupported. We don’t know whether absorbing toxic compounds is the only way that these compounds could be harmful for lichens.
B
The return of lichens to a region indicates that the air quality has improved there.
This answer is unsupported. We don’t know from the stimulus whether lichens disappear in areas with poorer air quality.
C
The absence of lichens in a region indicates that the air is probably polluted in that area.
This answer is unsupported. There could be other variables besides air pollution that could affect the population of lichen. We cannot say if it is air pollution for certain.
D
The photosynthetic organism and the fungus that make up a lichen can also thrive independently of each other.
This answer is unsupported. We only know from the stimulus how these organisms function symbiotically with each other.
E
Serious air pollution in a region can cause problems for lichens.
This answer is strongly supported. If toxic compounds found in polluted air can harm either or both of the symbiotic partners, then these compounds can have adverse effects for lichens.

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LSAT PrepTest 154 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Reading Comprehension

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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