The LSAT game

Posted Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 19h48 in Personal

A lot of people hate standardized tests like the LSAT, and understandably so. For some strange reason, however, I find them kind of fun, except for the immense stress and trepidation associated with the test and its implications on one’s future. I’ll be glad when this whole thing is over, as long as I get a good score. *crosses fingers*

I just got my first untimed 180 on a practice exam today. I missed three questions– one in each of the two Arguments sections, and one in the Reading Comprehension section. (For this particular exam, you could’ve missed four questions and still gotten a 180, which is more than the typical two or three question buffer.) The answers to my missed Reading Comprehension question and the first Arguments question I can understand; however, for the other Arguments question, I have no idea how the test writers justify their “correct” answer. I’ve typed out the question and answer choices below. If anyone out there can provide me with a satisfactory reasoning for the “correct” answer, I’ll be be very impressed, because neither I nor my coworkers could figure this one out.

If a person chooses to walk rather than drive, there is one less vehicle emitting pollution into the air than there would be otherwise. Therefore if people would walk whenever it is feasible for them to do so, then pollution will be greatly reduced.

Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?

(A) If automobile passengers who never drive walk instead of ride, there will not be fewer vehicles on the road as a result.
(B) Nonmoving running vehicles, on average, emit half as much pollution per second as moving vehicles, but the greater congestion is, the more nonmoving running vehicles there are.
(C) Since different vehicles can pollute at different rates, it is possible for one driver who walks to make a greater contribution to pollution prevention than another driver who walks.
(D) On average, buses pollute more than cars do, but buses usually carry more passengers than cars do.
(E) Those who previously rode as passengers in a vehicle whose driver decides to walk instead of drive might themselves decide to drive.

Other than questions like the one above leaving me a bit frustrated and unsure, I’m pretty comfortable answering most of the questions on the LSAT. The hard part now is cutting down my time– in some sections by as much as 15 minutes. :(

EDIT: If you want to know the answer, highlight the text between these brackets: [B]

3 Comments »

Comment from ruach on August 23, 2007 at 2:55 am

i wasn’t going to comment if my answer didn’t match the one in the brackets, but since it did, here goes. i’m not sure you’ll find this reasoning satisfactory, though.

a. valid if-then statement, but does not strengthen the argument.

b. if more people walk, there will be less congestion. thus there will be less pollution, regardless of the rate at which pollution is admitted. supports the argument.

c. fair contention, but does not strengthen the argument.

d. utterly irrelevant.

e. undermines the argument.

Comment from stevec on August 23, 2007 at 9:25 am

your comment makes sense to me. and it is the most satisfactory of anything i’ve heard from anyone else. i’ll give you a cookie next time i see you. :)

Comment from ruach on August 28, 2007 at 11:19 am

yay! a cookie!

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