Logical Reasoning

PT137 · S2 · Q10 Annie: Our university libraries

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

Annie: Our university libraries have been sadly neglected.

Annie's Conclusion

The univ admin should admit their policies were messed up and fix it the fastest way possible, which is charging students a library fee.

Annie's Evidence

The univ libraries have been neglected, with few new books purchased and most of the older books damaged.

Evaluating Matilda's Response

Does she disagree with any Annie's explicit claims? Is she arguing: - the libraries haven't been neglected? - lots of new books have been bought? - most of the older books are in fine condition? - the admin shouldn't admit their policies were bad? - they shouldn't remedy the situation the fastest way possible, by charging students a library fee?

It seems like Matilda is arguing that last position. She doesn't think the student fee is fair, because the problem isn't the fault of the students.

Goal

Let's look for an answer addressing whether or not we should charge the students a library fee, in order to fix the libraries.

10.

Annie and Matilda disagree about whether

library administrators are to blame
Both Agree
Annie says administrators' policies have been "in error." Matilda explicitly blames "careless library administrators." They both agree on this.
5% picked this
library improvements could be most
Half Scope
We know that Annie agrees because she claims a student fee is the fastest way to fix the libraries. But we can't accuse Matilda of arguing that it's not the fastest way, that there's some faster alternative. She doesn't address whether it would be fastest; she just says students shouldn't pay because they're not at fault.
5% picked this
students will ultimately benefit from
Half Scope
Neither party speaks directly to whether students will benefit, but given that they're both talking about library improvements, it's probably a common sense thought that students benefit from improvements. In that case, they'd both agree. Matilda isn't arguing that students wouldn't benefit from library improvements. She's just arguing that students shouldn't be the ones to pay for them, since they didn't cause the problem.
1% picked this
Correct
those not responsible for the
Why this is right
This is a disguised version of "we should charge the students a library fee". Both parties agree that the admin is to blame, so they would agree that students are NOT responsible for the current condition. Since Annie wants to charge a student fee to remedy the situation, she implicitly agrees that "ppl not responsible for the current condition should bear the cost for fixing it". And of course Matilda says no they should not, precisely because they're not responsible for the current condition.
Skill tested: Agree/Disagree · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.
86% picked this
funds for library improvements could
Half Scope
Annie says the student fee is the fastest way, suggesting that there are other ways. So she'd probably agree with this. But we can't derive from Matilda's paragraph that she believes that, "the only way to raise library funds is via student fees". If anything, by opposing student fees, she seems to be suggesting the contrary.
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