Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Easy

PT12 S1 Q7 Explanation

Soil scientists studying the role

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

TopicsParadox

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Stimulus

Soil scientists studying the role of compost in horticulture have found that, while compost is useful for building soil structure, it does not supply large enough quantities of the nutrients essential for plant growth to make it a replacement for fertilizer. Many home gardeners, however, have found they can grow essential nutrients by enriching the soil with nothing but compost.

What this question is testing

Paradox

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
7.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the discrepant findings of the soil scientists

Answer choices

  1. Trap1% picked this

    The findings of soil scientists who are employed by fertilizer manufacturers do not differ widely from those of scientists employed by

  2. Correct96% picked this

    Compost used in research projects is usually made from leaves and grass clippings only, whereas compost used in home gardens is generally made

    Why this is right

    Answer B is correct.

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

  3. Trap1% picked this

    Most plants grown in home gardens and in scientists’ test plots need a favorable soil structure, as well as essential

  4. Trap2% picked this

    The soil in test plots, before it is adjusted in the course of experiments, tends to contain about the same quantities of plant nutrients

  5. Trap1% picked this

    Some of the varieties of plants grown by home gardeners require greater quantities of nutrients in order to be healthy than do the varieties

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