Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Medium

PT124 S3 Q9 Explanation

Tea made from camellia

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

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Stimulus

Tea made from camellia leaves is a popular beverage. However, studies show that regular drinkers of camellia tea usually suffer withdrawal symptoms if they discontinue drinking the tea. Furthermore, regular drinkers of camellia tea are more likely than people in general to develop kidney result in a heightened risk of kidney damage.

What this question is testing

Weaken

Your task

Find the choice that makes the argument's conclusion less likely to be true.

Common trap

Answers that look negative but attack a claim the argument never relied on.

Winning move

Find the assumption the argument depends on, then pick the choice that undermines it.

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

The question
9.

Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens

Answer choices

  1. Out of Scope1% picked this

    Several other popular beverages contain the same addictive chemical that is found

    The addictive nature of camellia tea is not relevant to the conclusion that camellia tea causes kidney damage.

  2. Out of Scope2% picked this

    Addictive chemicals are unlikely to cause kidney damage solely by virtue of

    The argument does not claim that the addictive chemicals in camellia tea cause kidney damage.

  3. Out of Scope0% picked this

    Some people claim that regular consumption of camellia tea helps alleviate

    Alleviating stress is not relevant to whether camellia tea causes kidney damage.

  4. Too Weak21% picked this

    Most people who regularly drink camellia tea do not develop

    The evidence established that people who drink camellia tea are more likely than those who do not to develop kidney damage, but that still leaves room for most drinkers of camellia tea not to develop kidney damage.

  5. Correct76% picked this

    Many people who regularly consume camellia tea also regularly consume other beverages suspected of

    Why this is right

    This provides a possible alternative cause of kidney damage and thereby makes it a bit less likely that camellia tea is the cause.

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

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