Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Easy

PT10 S1 Q11 Explanation

The fire that destroyed

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Logical Reasoning question.

TopicsMain Conclusion

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Stimulus

The fire that destroyed the Municipal Building started before dawn this morning, and the last fire fighters did not leave until late this afternoon. No one could have been anywhere in the vicinity of a fire like that one and fail to notice it. Thomas must have seen it, whatever he now to get from his apartment to the library without going past the Municipal Building.

What this question is testing

Main Conclusion

Your task

Break the argument into its conclusion and evidence, then do exactly what the question stem asks with that structure.

Common trap

Answers that sound relevant to the topic but don't connect to the argument's actual reasoning.

Winning move

Predict what a right answer must do, then test each choice against the conclusion-evidence gap.

Reading along? Open the full official question in LawHub — we show a fragment here and keep the reasoning in our own words.

The question
11.

The main conclusion of the argument

Answer choices

  1. Premise10% picked this

    Thomas was in the vicinity of the fire

    This answer is a premise that supports the conclusion: Thomas was in the vicinity of the fire (because his route takes him past the Municipal Building).

  2. Opposing Idea5% picked this

    Thomas claimed not to have seen

    This answer represents Thomas's claim and not the main conclusion of the argument. The conclusion is that despite this claim, Thomas saw the fire.

  3. Correct82% picked this

    Thomas saw the fire this

    Why this is right

    This matches the meaning of the main conclusion, which we identified as Thomas saw the fire this morning.

    Skill tested: Main Conclusion · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

  4. Premise0% picked this

    Thomas went directly from his apartment to the library

    This is another premise used to support the main conclusion. Thomas admits going directly from his apartment to the library.

  5. Premise3% picked this

    Thomas went by the Municipal Building

    This is also a premise supporting the conclusion and includes part of the evidence that Thomas must have seen the fire.

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