Economist: To the extent that homelessness

Answer choices

1. A

   Correct76% picked this

   It limits the application of the argument to a part of

   Why this is right

   Saying “to the extent that ____ “ definitely sounds like you're limiting the application of something. “To the extent that Gilly's Games Guide will fully prep you for the Games section, it's a great LSAT resource, but it won't help much with LR or RC.” I limited the application of GGG's usefulness to the games section. “You can't blame the profit motive for homelessness” would apply the argument to the whole problem of homelessness. “To the extent that homelessness arises from a lack of available housing, you can't blame the profit motive” limits the argument to just the part of homelessness that relates to lack of affordable housing.

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

   76%
2. B

   Too Strong: primary8% picked this

   It suggests that the primary cause of homelessness is lack of

   This expression isn't ranking where lack of available housing lands on the Top 5 causes of homelessness. The author might say, “To the extent that homelessness arises from a lack of available housing, we shouldn't blame the profit motive. To the extent that homelessness arises out of medical bankruptcies caused by health insurance policies that don't cover preexisting conditions, the profit motive should be blamed.” We would have no idea from those statements whether the author thinks lack of affordable housing or medical bankruptcies are a bigger cause of homelessness.

   8%
3. C

   Wrong Role6% picked this

   It is offered as evidence crucial to

   The evidence is the 2nd and 3rd sentences. The phrase we're being asked about isn't even a grammatically complete idea; it's a phrase, not an independent clause. It's impossible for a phrase to be evidence. Evidence is a factual or opinionated claim, both of which are complete ideas (subject + verb). You can't support or hurt any argument by saying a phrase. These are phrases: Since 1997 ... … to the liquor store … with nothing but a wheelbarrow to his name never one to reject a game of tetherball, Along with Easter, … We don't who they're referring to or what that thing did, because there's no subject or verb.

   6%
4. D

   Wrong Role9% picked this

   It expresses the conclusion to be

   The conclusion is the main clause of the 1st sentence. The phrase we're being asked about isn't even a grammatically complete idea; it's a modifier, not an independent clause. It's impossible for a phrase to be a conclusion. A conclusion has to actually be a claim, i.e. a complete idea (subject + verb). You can't conclude a phrase or support a phrase. You can't conclude, "Therefore, to the extent that homelessness arises from a lack of available housing." because it's not even a complete sentence.

   9%
5. E

   Out of Scope: solution1% picked this

   It suggests a possible solution to the problem

   There isn't a solution offered to the problem of homelessness. We could obviously look at the words they're pointing us to and invest our own solution, “Maybe we could solve homelessness by making more affordable housing!”, but the author didn't do that. The author's argument isn't trying to solve the problem; it's just trying to acquit the profit motive for being blamed for one part of the problem.

   1%