Logical Reasoning

PT130 · S4 · Q11 Researcher: This fall I returned

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Logical Reasoning 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

Researcher: This fall I returned to a research site to recover the armadillos I had tagged there the previous spring.

Premises

This fall I returned to a research site to recover the armadillos I had tagged there the previous spring.

A large majority of the armadillos I recaptured were found within a few hundred yards of the location of their tagging last spring.

Conclusion

Armadillos do not move rapidly into new territories.

Evaluate

The author assumes that since the armadillos were in the same place during the spring of two different years, that they remained there the entire time. If armadillos were like birds, they might be in the same place each spring, and yet travel great distances during other parts of the year.

11.

Which one of the following is an assumption required by the researcher's argument?

  1. Of the armadillos living in

    Too Weak

    This means that most of the armadillos living in the area were tagged. But this has no information about whether they travel great distances.

    3% picked this

  2. Most of the armadillos tagged

    Weaken

    This makes it more likely that armadillos travel into new territories.

    1% picked this

  3. Predators did not kill any

    Too Strong

    Some of the armadillos could have been killed by predators and the argument would not be undermined.

    2% picked this

  4. The tags identifying the armadillos

    Out of Scope

    Even if the tags could be removed, it does not speak to whether the recaptured armadillos are representative of armadillos more generally.

    4% picked this

  5. Correct

    A large majority of the

    Why this is right

    This rules out the possibility that the armadillos travel great distances during other parts of the year.

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

    90% 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