Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Easy

PT114 S4 Q11 Explanation

Environmentalist: The complex ecosystem of

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

TopicsMain Conclusion

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Stimulus

Environmentalist: The complex ecosystem of the North American prairie has largely been destroyed to produce cattle feed. But the prairie ecosystem once supported 30 to 70 million bison, whereas North American agriculture now supports about 50 million cattle. Since bison yield as much meat as cattle, and the natural prairie required neither uncultivated state could restore biodiversity without a major decrease in meat production.

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.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the environmentalist’s

Answer choices

  1. Out of Scope6% picked this

    If earlier North American agricultural techniques were reintroduced, meat production would

    This answer introduces the idea of earlier agricultural techniques, which is not directly addressed in the environmentalist's argument.

  2. Unsupported Comparison5% picked this

    Protecting the habitat of wild animals so that we can utilize these animals as a food source is more cost

    This answer suggests a comparison in cost-effectiveness between protecting habitats and raising cattle, which is not explicitly made in the argument.

  3. Too Strong1% picked this

    The biodiversity of the North American prairie ecosystem should not be restored if doing so will

    This answer assumes intolerable economic consequences, which is not discussed or implied as a criteria in the environmentalist’s argument.

  4. Out of Scope4% picked this

    Preservation of the remaining North American bison would be a

    This answer discusses the preservation of bison specifically, which is not the focus of the environmentalist's argument about restoring land to its natural state.

  5. Correct84% picked this

    The devastation of the North American prairie ecosystem could be largely reversed without significantly

    Why this is right

    This answer accurately captures the environmentalist’s conclusion that reversing the devastation of the prairie can restore biodiversity without a significant impact on meat production.

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

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