Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Easy

PT103 S2 Q7 Explanation

Speakers of the Caronian language

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

TopicsNecessary Assumption

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Stimulus

Speakers of the Caronian language constitute a minority of the population in several large countries. An international body has recommended that the regions where Caronian-speakers live be granted autonomy as an independent nation in which Caronian-speakers would form a majority. But Caronian-speakers live in several, widely scattered areas that cannot be united Caronian-speakers to be the majority population. Hence, the recommendation cannot be satisfied.

What this question is testing

Necessary Assumption

Your task

Find the assumption the argument requires in order for its conclusion to hold.

Common trap

Answers that would help the argument but aren't strictly required (sufficient, not necessary).

Winning move

Negate each choice — the right one breaks the argument when negated.

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

The question
7.

The argument relies on which one of the

Answer choices

  1. Out of Scope: once existed2% picked this

    A nation once existed in which Caronian-speakers formed the majority of

    We don't need to assume that such a nation ever existed in the past in order to conclude that such a nation cannot exist in the present.

  2. Out of Scope: perceive / community5% picked this

    Caronian-speakers tend to perceive themselves as constituting a

    Perceptions are irrelevant to this argument, as is the idea of a "single community." We don't know what relationship that has to the relevant concepts of geographic boundaries and independent nationhood.

  3. Correct88% picked this

    The recommendation would not be satisfied by the creation of a nation formed

    Why this is right

    This matches our prediction by establishing that a nation that satisfies the recommendation can't lack that single continuous boundary.

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

  4. Too Strong: will not include5% picked this

    The new Caronian nation will not include as citizens anyone who does

    To satisfy the recommendation, we need Caronian-speakers to be the majority. We don't need them to be the only citizens in the nation.

  5. Too Broad: most nations1% picked this

    In most nations several different languages

    Answers that broaden the scope of the stimulus are suspect in Necessary Assumption questions. We need to draw a conclusion about one specific nation. We don't need to assume anything about most nations, broadly speaking.

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