Reading ComprehensionDifficulty: Medium

PT123 S1 P3 Q14 Explanation

Renewable Energy Resources

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Reading Comprehension question.

TopicsMain PointScience

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Passage

The following passage was written in

The demand for electricity in certain countries has been projected recently to grow by 50 percent by the year 2010. Unfortunately, the increased use of fossil fuels to generate this electricity may ultimately damage human and environmental health. For example, emissions of air pollutants in these countries are expected to double over costs. Technologies for the successful long-term exploitation of these resources, however, are not always implemented successfully.

In rural Brazil, for example, millions of citizens do not have electricity, and the lack of necessary infrastructure has limited efforts to provide it. In 1992, an energy agency from the United States developed a joint project with two Brazilian states to install 800 household solar electrical systems and train local personnel and expansion unlikely. Thus, the movement toward a sustainable, rural electricity system in Brazil remains stalled.

But some efforts have avoided these pitfalls. In the mid-1980s, a Danish energy agency helped agencies in India build three modern wind turbine plants and gradually develop local technical capacity. Local participants were trained in planning, operation, maintenance, and construction of turbines. Indian firms subsequently began manufacturing turbines and, as more locally levels, the project has a good chance of remaining competitive and profitable for the long run.

What this question is testing

Main Point

Your task

Capture the passage's overall primary point — the claim everything else supports.

Common trap

Answers that are true but too narrow (a single paragraph) or too broad (beyond the passage's scope).

Winning move

Summarize the whole passage in one sentence first, then match it to a choice.

Reading along? Open the full official question in LawHub — we show a fragment here and keep the reasoning in our own words.

The question
14.

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

Answer choices

  1. Wrong Emphasis: early vs. later15% picked this

    While some later efforts to implement renewable energy systems have been plagued and eventually halted by economic conflicts, early renewable energy projects relying more

    While it's true that the more successful venture was earlier (India in the 1980's vs. Brazil in the 90s'), the passage never made earlier vs. later into an important distinction. Otherwise, this answer is worth considering, since it does seem to highlight the causal difference-maker for success: relying more heavily on local involvement.

  2. Wrong Emphasis: no "implementation"1% picked this

    Investors in renewable energy projects should consider not only financial factors but also the potential gains in human and environmental health from using this

    This answer doesn't talk about the pitfalls / key strategies relating to how a new energy technology gets implemented. This answer seems to only be talking about whether investors should / shouldn't invest in renewable energy in the first place. This also doesn't mention the key factor the author wants us to come away with, the big difference between the failed Brazilian attempt and the successful Indian one: local involvement.

  3. Opposite Takeaway5% picked this

    Renewable energy sources represent a promising means for addressing many countries’ energy demands and environmental concerns, but the necessary technologies can be implemented most

    This answer could be great if it ended with "... can be implemented most effectively in countries that have heavy local involvement when it comes to setting up and running these technologies". This answer is providing the opposite takeaway, that the key to success is foreign involvement.

  4. Correct78% picked this

    Though renewable energy sources represent a promising means for meeting the rising energy demands of certain countries, the exploitation of these resources is unlikely

    Why this is right

    The warm-up clause covers the context of the 1st paragraph, and then the main clause gives us the key takeaway of the two examples: the secret to success is getting good local participation.

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

  5. Wrong Emphasis: solar vs. wind1% picked this

    Certain types of renewable energy sources, such as wind-generated electricity systems, are more likely to be successful than other types, but continued investment and

    Just like (A), this focuses on the wrong distinction between why India succeeded and why Brazil failed. (A) makes it seem like it was a case of earlier vs. later. (E) makes it seem like it was a case of wind vs solar. But the causal distinction the author was trying to convey was that in Brazil there was little local involvement and India there was much.

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