Logical Reasoning

PT135 · S2 · Q7 Gotera: Infants lack the motor

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

Gotera: Infants lack the motor ability required to voluntarily produce particular sounds, but produce various babbling sounds randomly.

Evidence

Infants lack the motor ability required PS → MC to voluntarily produce particular sounds, but produce various babbling sounds randomly.

Most children are several years old before they can voluntarily produce most of the vowel and consonant sounds of their language.

Conclusion

We can conclude that speech SA → MC acquisition is entirely a motor control process rather than a process that is abstract or mental.

Evaluate

The argument assumes that speech SA → PS acquisition is entirely a function of one’s ability to produce particular sounds.

7.

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

  1. Correct

    Speech acquisition is a function

    Why this is right

    This bridges the gap between SA → PS speech acquisition and producing the sounds of spoken language.

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

    62% picked this

  2. During the entire initial babbling

    Too Strong

    There’s no reason infants cannot intentionally move their tongues while they are babbling. It must be assumed that they cannot move their tongues enough to intentionally produce particular sounds, but to say they cannot move their tongues at all while they are babbling goes too far.

    25% picked this

  3. The initial babbling stage is

    Too Strong

    It is implied that the initial babbling phase occurs during infancy, but it need not be completed during infancy.

    2% picked this

  4. The initial babbling stage is

    Irrelevant Relationship

    The babbling stage and the speech acquisition process need not necessarily be connected.

    6% picked this

  5. Control of tongue and mouth

    Weaken

    This would undermine the conclusion because it would suggest that mental development cannot be separated from motor control.

    5% 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