PT154 S2 Q3 ExplanationHorses, although descended from

Answer choices, explained

1. A

   No Impact0% picked this

   The forest-dwelling ancestor of horses was many times smaller

   We would need a lot more information to know how the size of the horses' ancestor would have any impact on this situation.

   0%
2. B

   Half Scope1% picked this

   The only true wild horse existing today, Przewalski’s horse, inhabits the cold grasslands

   This indicates that grasslands can exist in cold areas, and that wild horses live in these cold grasslands. To some degree, it helps explain why the horse population was large during a cold period. But it doesn't explain the other half of the paradox. Why did the horse population decline during the warmer period that followed?

   1%
3. C

   Unclear Impact Opposite (if anything)1% picked this

   Some modern species that are related to horses, such as zebras, inhabit the warm

   It's possible that some fact about zebras could help explain the paradox we're given. But this answer doesn't explain why horse populations peaked during a cold period and then declined during a warming period. The fact that grasslands exist in warm areas, and animals related to horses live in those grasslands, does the opposite of what we want, if anything. It's evidence that horses might have thrived during the warming period discussed in the stimulus.

   1%
4. D

   Correct94% picked this

   During cold periods there are extensive grasslands, but these tend to revert to forest when

   Why this is right

   It's normal to expect grass to grow when it's warm, not when it's cold, but this answer states that the opposite is actually true. This indicates that the grasslands where horses thrive were more common during the cold period 25,000 years ago and less common during the warm period that followed. Hence, the horse population declined during the warm period. It's helpful to note that the stimulus never said how cold it got 25,000 years ago. It's easy to envision an ice age, or at least a very wintery, snowy climate where grass is unlikely to grow, but we're never told it was actually that cold. The LSAT very frequently does this, tricking us into assuming something that wasn't actually stated.

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

   94%
5. E

   No Impact4% picked this

   Several cycles of a cold period followed by a period of warming have occurred in the

   We already know that horse populations have gone through cycles during the past 2 million years. We know that there appears to be some connection between the most recent cycle and a shift from a cold period to a warmer one. If anything, this answer is just consistent with information that we've already been given. It doesn't help explain why the horse population peaked 25,000 years ago and then rapidly declined.

   4%