Reading ComprehensionDifficulty: Easy

PT157 S1 P4 Q21 ExplanationEnvironmental Effects of International Debt

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Reading Comprehension question.

TopicsInferenceScience

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Passage

Some environmentalists claim that the higher the international debt a nation carries, the more likely it is that the quality of life in that nation will suffer. These environmentalists argue that in a variety of ways the effort a nation must expend to pay its debt hastens the depletion of its natural example, through the elimination of government subsidies for practices that reduce pollution or conserve natural resources.

But the evidence for the environmentalists’ claims is weak. With respect to the exports promotion hypothesis, one recent study does suggest a positive correlation between international debt and deforestation, but also indicates that other factors besides debt may play a stronger role. Another study found only a slight positive correlation between debt of the fiscal discipline or economic restructuring imposed by debt may rein in potentially harmful spending.

What this question is testing

Inference

Anticipate

The exports promotion hypothesis is still controversial because the research is half-done. The deforestation studies are inconclusive, and pollution and resource depletion have not even been studied yet. You cannot settle a debate when you have not collected the data.

Goal

Find the answer about incomplete research.

Reading along? Open the full official question in LawHub — we show a fragment here and keep the reasoning in our own words.

The question
21.

Based on information in the passage, it can be inferred that one reason for lingering controversy over the status of the exports

Answer choices, explained

  1. Unsupported6% picked this

    there are very few countries to which the hypothesis

    The passage never suggests the hypothesis applies to only a few countries. The studies examine multiple nations.

  2. Correct81% picked this

    the hypothesis has not been fully

    Why this is right

    The passage states that "the impact of debt on environmental indicators such as pollution or depletion of other resources has not yet been studied," meaning the hypothesis has not been fully investigated.

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

  3. Unsupported5% picked this

    debt must be increased in order to

    The passage never says debt must increase to increase exports. The hypothesis concerns diverting existing resources toward export production.

  4. Too Strong5% picked this

    environmental degradation is not

    The passage says certain effects have not been studied yet, not that environmental degradation is unmeasurable in principle.

  5. Unsupported4% picked this

    environmentalists cannot agree on a precise statement of

    The passage never mentions disagreement among environmentalists about the hypothesis's wording or content.

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