Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Easy

PT147 S4 Q11 Explanation

Linguist: Three of the four subfamilies

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

TopicsMain Conclusion

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Stimulus

Linguist: Three of the four subfamilies of the so-called "Austronesian" languages are found only among indigenous peoples in Taiwan, whereas the fourth is found on islands over a huge area stretching from Madagascar to the eastern Pacific Ocean. Since these subfamilies all originated in the same language, which must have been originally hence, that Austronesian-speaking peoples originated in Taiwan and later migrated to other islands.

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
11.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the overall conclusion drawn in

Answer choices

  1. Background Fact0% picked this

    The Austronesian family of languages has four subfamilies, three of which are found only among

    This is the first claim, which is factual and not supported. Conclusions are supported opinions.

  2. Assumption2% picked this

    Wherever most subfamilies of the Austronesian family of languages have been spoken longest is probably the homeland

    This claim was never stated, so it can't be the Conclusion. It's just designed to "feel like the Author" because it's expressing one of her assumptions.

  3. Intermediate Conclusion8% picked this

    Taiwan is probably the homeland where Austronesian languages have been

    This is a supported opinion from the author, so it is a conclusion. But since the following claim (the final claim of the paragraph) begins "and hence", we know that the last claim is a bigger conclusion.

  4. Assumption5% picked this

    Austronesian-speaking peoples originated in the homeland where Austronesian languages have been

    This claim was never stated, so it can't be the Conclusion. It's just designed to "feel like the Author" because it's expressing one of her assumptions.

  5. Correct84% picked this

    Austronesian-speaking peoples probably originated in Taiwan and later migrated to

    Why this is right

    This rephrases the last claim of the paragraph, which was the main conclusion (prefaced by the conclusion indicator Hence and supported by all the other claims in the paragraph).

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

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