Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Medium

PT138 S3 Q8 Explanation

Some claim that migratory birds

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

TopicsMain Conclusion

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Stimulus

Some claim that migratory birds have an innate homing sense that allows them to return to the same areas year after year. However, there is little evidence to support this belief, since the studies testing whether the accuracy of birds' migratory patterns is due to such an innate ability are inconclusive. After sense of direction simply because they find their way home time after time.

What this question is testing

Main Conclusion

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
8.

Which one of the following statements most accurately expresses the main conclusion drawn

Answer choices

  1. Too Strong1% picked this

    Neither migratory birds nor humans have an innate

    The argument does not suggest anything so certain.

  2. Correct81% picked this

    There is as yet little reason to accept that birds have an

    Why this is right

    This best paraphrases the argument’s main point.

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

  3. Intermediate Conclusion14% picked this

    Studies testing whether the accuracy of birds' migratory patterns is due to an innate homing

    This is an intermediate conclusion; it is supported by premises and supports the main point.

  4. Unsupported1% picked this

    The ability to use landmarks to find one's way home is probably not an innate

    The argument suggests that using landmarks is possibly an innate ability in birds, but “possibly” does not imply “probably not.”

  5. Too Strong2% picked this

    It is as false to claim that humans have an innate sense of direction as it is to claim that birds

    The conclusion is only about migratory birds, not humans.

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