Reading Comprehension

PT23 · S4 · P3 · Q15 Environmental Alarmists

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

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

The debate over the environmental crisis is not new; anxiety about industry’s impact on the environment has existed for over a century.

https://assets.lsatlab.com/uploads/2022/04/pt23-p4.mp4

Topic

The changing attitudes toward the environmental crisis and how views on industry’s impact on nature have shifted and polarized over time.

Framework

Old / New

Main Point

The debate on environmental issues has become much more polarized compared to the past, largely due to a shift in the way people perceive nature and humanity's role in relation to it. (Most Valuable Sentence: P1, )

P1: Introduction – The Rise of Polarization

A century ago, there was concern about environmental damage, but today the debate is way more polarized, with environmentalists and industry at odds, making productive cooperation even harder.

P2: Contrast with the Past

Back in the day, people like George Marsh could harshly criticize environmental destruction and still be taken seriously—nobody felt the need to aggressively defend industry or deny environmental harms.

15.

The author refers to the equilibrium model of ecology as an "ecological mystique" (first sentence of the last paragraph) most likely in order to do which one of the following?

Correct
underscore the fervor with which
Why this is right
"Underscoring the fervor" can be supported with the claims that follow 'ecological mystique': - interfering with the environment was now taboo - wilderness adored - nature was now "debased and endangered by technology" This is the part of the passage where the author is saying environmentalists went from having a practical vision of their interests to having a religious / "mystical" attachment to environmentalism.
Skill tested: Local Purpose · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.
58% picked this
point out that the equilibrium
Out of Scope: recently support
Nothing in this area of the passage is talking about recent empirical research. We're talking about how back in 1960, the concerns about the environment went from being pragmatic and grounded to being extreme / mystical / passionate / religious.
2% picked this
express appreciation for how plants
Wrong Role
People who believe this ecological mystique probably express appreciation for how plants and animals attain diversity and stability when left alone. After all, they adore wilderness. But the author's reason for using a term like "mystique" is to show when the environmental movement went from reasonable to dogmatic.
9% picked this
indicate that the ideas of
Out of Scope: difficult to understand
Nothing in this area of the passage is talking about 20th century reformers being hard to understand. We're talking about how back in 1960, the concerns about the environment went from being pragmatic and grounded to being extreme / mystical / passionate / religious.
14% picked this
indicate how widespread support is
What, Not Why
This is the sort of trap answer we often see on Local Purpose, in which it's trying to appeal to us by talking about what was said, rather than why it was said. Technically, the author was not indicating how widespread support is. The author was indicating how widespread the equilibrium model was back in the 1960s. But the reason why the author is using the term "mystique" isn't to show support was widespread but to show that support was more impassioned / more dogmatic / with religious conviction.
16% picked this

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