Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Easy

PT108 S3 Q12 Explanation

Geologist: A geological fault in the mountain

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

TopicsStrengthen

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Full official LSAT questions are available through LawHub. This page provides LSAT Lab's explanation, strategy, and review tools without republishing the full official question.

Stimulus

Geologist: A geological fault in the mountain under which the proposed nuclear waste storage facility would be buried could, after a few thousand years, cause the contents to seep out or water to seep in. Since nuclear waste remains dangerous for up to 25,000 years, such seepage would be disastrous. So we mountain until scientists investigate whether this mountain has any geological faults.

What this question is testing

Strengthen

Your task

Find the choice that makes the argument's conclusion more likely to be true.

Common trap

Answers that are consistent with the argument but add no real support, or that strengthen a claim the argument doesn't make.

Winning move

Locate the gap between evidence and conclusion, then pick the choice that closes it.

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

The question
12.

Which one of the following arguments, if true, most strengthens the

Answer choices

  1. Trap1% picked this

    In a few thousand years, human civilization may no

  2. Correct90% picked this

    The scientists' investigation would conclusively show whether or not the mountain has

    Why this is right

    Answer B is correct.

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

  3. Trap6% picked this

    The proposed facility was not initially intended to be used for the storage

  4. Trap2% picked this

    The scientists' investigation would increase dramatically the cost of storing nuclear waste

  5. Trap2% picked this

    Nuclear waste could be stored in the proposed facility on a

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