Recent research indicates that increased

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

TopicsMost Supported

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Stimulus

Recent research indicates that increased consumption of fruits and vegetables by middle-aged people reduces their susceptibility to stroke in later years. The researchers speculate that this may be because fruits and vegetables are rich in folic acid. Low levels of folic acid an amino acid that contributes to blocked arteries.

What this question is testing

Most Supported

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

13.

Which one of the following statements is most strongly supported by the

Answer choices

Opposite4% picked this
An increased risk of stroke is correlated with low levels
We think high levels of homocysteine (which contribute to blocked arteries) would be correlated with an increased risk of stroke.
4%
Correct83% picked this
A decreased risk of stroke is correlated with increased levels of
Why this is right
This reinforces the causal chain this paragraph was putting together: You eat more fruits and veggies, you get more folic acid, you have lower homocysteine, you have less blocked arteries, you have reduced susceptibility to stroke.
Skill tested: Most Supported · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.
83%
Opposite2% picked this
An increased propensity for blocked arteries is correlated with decreased levels
The last sentence makes it seem like an increased propensity for blocked arteries would be correlated with high levels of homocysteine.
2%
Opposite6% picked this
A decreased propensity for blocked arteries is correlated with low levels
Low levels of folic acid are correlated with high homocysteine, which blocks arteries, so that would be an increased propensity for blocked arteries.
6%
Too Strong5% picked this
Stroke is prevented by ingestion of folic acid in quantities sufficient to prevent a decline in
Too Strong: prevented Opposite: decline in homocysteine This is only about reducing susceptibility to stroke. The paragraph isn't saying that we can prevent stroke. More importantly, this is messing up the relationship between homocysteine and stroke. High homocysteine would lead to stroke (via blocked arteries). Low homocysteine would prevent stroke. This answer is saying, "If we can just eat enough folic acid to keep our homocysteine from getting low, we can prevent stroke". It's really, "if we can eat enough folic acid to MAKE a decline in levels of homocysteine, we'll be better at preventing stroke".
5%

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