Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Medium

PT152 S1 Q18 ExplanationIn an island nature preserve

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

TopicsParadox

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Stimulus

In an island nature preserve, Common Eider nests are found in roughly equal numbers in highly concealing woody vegetation, wooden boxes, and open grasslands that do not conceal nests. Some Common Eiders lay their eggs in nests established by other Common Eiders, probably in order to locate them in an area that lay their eggs in other birds’ nests most commonly select established nests in wooden boxes.

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
18.

Which one of the following, if true, would most help to explain why, in this nature preserve, Common Eiders that lay their eggs in other birds’ nests most

Answer choices, explained

  1. No Distinction4% picked this

    Some Common Eiders that lay their eggs in nests established by other Common Eiders have been observed, in subsequent years, building nests of

    This answer has nothing to do with explaining why nests in wooden boxes are a preferred option over nests concealed in woody vegetation, because the answer doesn't tell us any fact that would distinguish those two options.

  2. Correct80% picked this

    Established nests concealed in woody vegetation are difficult for Common Eiders

    Why this is right

    We want an answer to explain why CE's prefer nests in wooden boxes to nests concealed in woody vegetation, and this answer is saying, "They prefer wooden box nests because they can actually find that kind of nest." In other words, the CE's would happily plop their eggs in a nest concealed in woody vegetation, if they could only detect one. Instead, what most CE's do is settle for a nest in a wooden box, because it's better than the 3rd option (open grassland that does not conceal nests), and it's easier to find.

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

  3. No Distinction6% picked this

    Defensive behavior by nest builders can sometimes deter intruding

    This answer has nothing to do with explaining why nests in wooden boxes are a preferred option over nests concealed in woody vegetation, because the answer doesn't tell us any fact that would distinguish those two options. This answer would apply to a nest builder whether the nest was being built in a concealed woody area or in a wooden box.

  4. No Distinction4% picked this

    Virtually all of the island nature preserve consists of habitats that have been, at some point in the

    This answer has nothing to do with explaining why nests in wooden boxes are a preferred option over nests concealed in woody vegetation, because the answer doesn't tell us any fact that would distinguish those two options.

  5. No Distinction5% picked this

    Foxes and other natural predators of the Common Eider are not uncommon in the

    This answer has nothing to do with explaining why nests in wooden boxes are a preferred option over nests concealed in woody vegetation, because the answer doesn't tell us any fact that would distinguish those two options.

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