Reading Comprehension

PT126 · S2 · P2 · Q9 Purple Loosestrife

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

  • Save & drill this skill — build targeted practice sets from questions like this one

  • Video walkthroughs — watch every question solved step by step

  • 81 official LSATs — as questions, timed sections & full-length tests

Start practicing free

The following passages concern a plant called purple loosestrife.

Topic

The ecological and sociological perspectives on the spread and control of purple loosestrife, an invasive wetland plant.

Framework

Present Debate

Main Point

The two passages offer contrasting views: Passage A (science perspective) focuses on the negative ecological impact of purple loosestrife and emphasizes the need for scientific control, while Passage B (sociological perspective) challenges the framing of loosestrife as purely an environmental threat and suggests that social/economic motivations underlie the push for its control. *Most Valuable Sentences:* - Passage A: (end of Passage A) - Passage B: (end of Passage B)

P1 (Passage A): Description of Invasion and Impact

This paragraph introduces purple loosestrife as a highly invasive species with a big negative impact on native wetland plants and possibly wildlife. It discusses how hard it is to control, describes failed and limited management efforts, and notes that research on long-term solutions is lacking.

P2 (Passage A): Call for Action & Control Methods

Here, the scientific report urges the need for integrated management and stresses that early intervention is key to minimizing ecological damage.

P1 (Passage B): Critique of the “War” on Loosestrife

The sociological voice jumps in here, calling out how loosestrife control is justified as an environmental crusade. The paragraph suggests that the framing is as much about the cultural story we tell (nature vs. invasive weed) as it is about real environmental danger.

9.

It can be inferred that the authors would be most likely to disagree about which one of the following?

  1. Purple loosestrife spreads more quickly

    Unsupported Disagree Position

    Passage A talks about this and agrees with this, but Passage B never addresses any comparison between disturbed and undisturbed habitats, so we have no grounds to think Passage B would argue, "No it doesn't -- It spreads at the same rate or slower in disturbed habitats."

    2% picked this

  2. Correct

    The threat posed by purple

    Why this is right

    This is a very specific detail, but it's a good proxy for the central disagreement: is, or isn't, purple loosestrife a serious problem? One of the ways in which Passage A was selling the threat of purple loosestrife was by saying, "serious reductions in waterfowl and aquatic furbearer productivity have been observed". Passage B was downplaying the threat of purple loosestrife. Does she talk about aquatic furbearer populations? Yes, she says "The impact of purple loosestrife on furbearing mammals is discussed at great length, though none of the species highlighted can be considered threatened in North America."

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

    67% picked this

  3. Most people who advocate that

    Too Strong

    Too Strong: most people Unsupported Disagree Position Passage B would presumably agree with this, although "most" people might be stronger than anything in the text. But she is definitely portraying the general uproar about purple loosestrife as a disingenuous fear. They say they're looking out for nature, but they're really looking out for the welfare of the fishing/hunting/camping industries. But do we have any support in Passage A for the idea that, "most people who want to eradicate purple loosestrife are genuine?" No, Passage A would probably say that they are being genuine (because who wants to admit to being disingenuous). But they make no comment on whether the majority of people who agree with them are genuine in their concerns. This is just like when we do LR Agree / Disagree: an answer that mentions something that only appeared in the 2nd speaker is almost always wrong.

    24% picked this

  4. The size of the biomass

    Out of Scope: generally thought

    Neither passage compares how much biomass has been displaced to how much biomass most people thought had been displaced. So we can't support an Agree or Disagree position on this answer.

    4% picked this

  5. Measures should be taken to

    Out of Scope: other invasive species

    Neither passage discusses other non-native species, so we can't support an Agree or Disagree position on this answer.

    3% picked this

Continue the review in LSAT Lab

Save this question, watch the video walkthrough, and drill similar questions in your LSAT Lab account.

Save and practice this skill
LSAT Lab

Turn this review into a targeted study plan.

Save this question, drill more like it, watch the video walkthrough, and track your progress in your LSAT Lab account.

Start practicing free