Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Medium

PT117 S3 Q16 Explanation

Retailers that excel in neither

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

TopicsParallel

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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

Retailers that excel in neither convenience nor variety of merchandise tend not to be very successful. Yet many successful retailers excel in just one of the areas and meet competitors’ standards for the other. depend on excellence in both areas.

What this question is testing

Parallel

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
16.

The structure of the reasoning in the argument above is most parallel to that in which one

Answer choices

  1. Correct73% picked this

    Runners who have only average speed and endurance are unlikely to win long-distance races. Some long-distance champions, however, win by being above average in

    Why this is right

    Answer A is correct.

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

  2. Trap1% picked this

    Bicyclists who have only average speed are unlikely to win short races, but in a long-distance race such bicyclists can win if they have

  3. Trap1% picked this

    Excellence in a particular swimming stroke is not always necessary in order for a swimmer to win a race that requires each swimmer to

  4. Trap22% picked this

    Apples that are neither especially firm nor especially flavorful are unsuitable for baking; yet while flavor is essential for both baking and eating, many

  5. Trap3% picked this

    Most plants that are neither ornamental nor edible are useless and are thus classified as weeds; yet many such plants are useful for purposes

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