LSAT 138 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q8

LR Question 8 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Some claim that migratory birds have an innate homing…

QUESTION TYPE: Identify the Conclusion

CONCLUSION: There is little evidence that birds have an innate homing sense.

REASONING: Birds may simply navigate via landmarks, as humans do. We don’t say that humans have an innate homing sense.

ANALYSIS: Words such as ‘however’ are important, they indicate contrast. Authors use ‘however’ to express their opinion.

In this case the author believes there is little evidence that birds have an innate homing sense. They justify this conclusion with a theory about landmarks.

Homing sense is different from using landmarks. A homing sense would allow you to get home even if you were left in an unfamiliar area.

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1. We don’t even know if this is true. Birds might have an innate homing sense. It’s just that the evidence is inconclusive.
2. CORRECT. This comes right after ‘however’, which often indicates a conclusion and always indicates the author’s opinion. The rest of the argument supports this statement.
3. This is evidence to support the statement that we don’t have much evidence that birds have an innate homing sense.
4. A nonsense answer. The argument suggests it is indeed possible that birds use landmarks. We don’t know if this is an innate ability or not. The word ‘innate’ was used by the author to refer to a homing sense, not landmark navigation.
5. The author doesn’t even say whether humans have an innate sense of direction. He just says that our ability to use landmarks doesn’t prove we have such a sense of direction.