Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Easy

PT138 S3 Q14 Explanation

Mayor: Our city faces a difficult

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

TopicsParadox

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Stimulus

Mayor: Our city faces a difficult environmental problem caused by the enormous amount of garbage that we must dispose of. Although new recycling projects could greatly reduce this amount, these projects would actually be the overall amount of environmental damage.

What this question is testing

Paradox

Your task

Break the argument into its conclusion and evidence, then do exactly what the question stem asks with that structure.

Common trap

Answers that sound relevant to the topic but don't connect to the argument's actual reasoning.

Winning move

Predict what a right answer must do, then test each choice against the conclusion-evidence gap.

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

The question
14.

Which one of the following, if true, would most help to resolve the apparent inconsistency in the mayor's claims

Answer choices

  1. Trap4% picked this

    The vehicles that pick up materials for recycling create less pollution than would be caused

  2. Correct83% picked this

    The great costs of new recycling projects would prevent other pollution-reducing projects

    Why this is right

    Answer B is correct.

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

  3. Trap8% picked this

    The mayor's city has nearly exhausted its landfill space and therefore must incinerate much

  4. Trap3% picked this

    More recycling would give industries in the mayor's city a greater incentive to use recycled materials

  5. Trap3% picked this

    People who recycle feel less justified in consuming more than they need than do people

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