Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Medium

PT149 S1 Q14 ExplanationDebate coach: Brotta's

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

TopicsNecessary Assumption

Keep going in LSAT Lab

  • 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

Free to start

Full official LSAT questions are available through LawHub. This page provides LSAT Lab's explanation, strategy, and review tools without republishing the full official question.

Stimulus

Debate coach: Britta’s command of the historical facts was better than Robert’s, and that led to the distinct impression that Britta won the debate. But it’s also important to evaluate how reasonable the debaters’ arguments were, regardless of their ability to bring the facts to bear consideration, Robert’s debate performance was as good as Britta’s.

What this question is testing

Necessary Assumption

Your task

Find the assumption the argument requires in order for its conclusion to hold.

Common trap

Answers that would help the argument but aren't strictly required (sufficient, not necessary).

Winning move

Negate each choice — the right one breaks the argument when negated.

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.

The debate coach’s argument depends on the

Answer choices, explained

  1. Too Strong: quite unreasonable3% picked this

    Britta’s arguments were quite

    The author doesn't have to assume in absolute terms that Britta's arguments were unreasonable. He just needs to assume that Robert's arguments were at least as reasonable.

  2. Correct75% picked this

    Robert’s arguments were more reasonable than

    Why this is right

    In order for the author to think that Robert had just as good a performance as Britta, when he concedes that Robert lost the “battle of the facts”, he must be assuming that Robert won the “battle of the reasonableness”. If we were to negate this, saying “Robert's arguments weren't any more reasonable than Britta's”, that would work as an Objection because we could say, “at best, Robert tied Britta in terms of reasonableness, and Robert lost in terms of facts, so how can we say that Robert did just as good?”

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

  3. Too Strong18% picked this

    good debate performances require very reasonable

    Too Strong: require / very reasonable Relative vs. Absolute The author doesn't need to assume that good performances require very reasonable arguments. Negating this would basically mean, “there has been at least one good debate performance that only had reasonable (not VERY reasonable) arguments. That's no objection. Furthermore, our author isn't actually try to label either person's performance good (absolute), just as good (relative).

  4. Too Specific: full command1% picked this

    neither Britta nor Robert was in full command of

    The author is conceding that Robert wasn't in full command of the facts (since he grants that Britta's command was better), but the author might accept that Britta was in full command of the facts. Thus, negating this answer wouldn't turn into any sort of objection.

  5. Too Strong: requires Opposite3% picked this

    winning a debate requires having a good command of

    The author hasn't committed himself to any stringent rules about what winning a debate requires, and if anything this assumption would work against his argument, since Britta had a better command of the facts.

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