Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Easy

PT114 S4 Q3 Explanation

Journalist: Obviously, though some animals

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

TopicsMain Conclusion

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Stimulus

Journalist: Obviously, though some animals are purely carnivorous, none would survive without plants. But the dependence is mutual. Many plant species would never have come to be had there been no animals to pollinate, fertilize, and broadcast their seeds. Also, plants’ photosynthetic activity would deplete the carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere were engine fumes, and smoke from fires, many set by human beings.

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
3.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion of

Answer choices

  1. Trap6% picked this

    The photosynthetic activity of plants is necessary for animal life, but animal life is also necessary for the

  2. Trap5% picked this

    Some purely carnivorous animals would not survive

  3. Trap0% picked this

    The chemical composition of Earth and its atmosphere depends, at least to some extent, on the existence and activities of

  4. Trap1% picked this

    Human activity is part of what prevents plants from depleting the oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere on which plants

  5. Correct89% picked this

    Just as animals are dependent on plants for their survival, plants are dependent on

    Why this is right

    Answer E is correct.

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

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