LSAT 138 | Section 1 | Reading Comprehension: Q11

RC Question 11 Explanation

DISCUSSION: For an inference question, you should attempt to justify your answer using the passage. There are always specific lines that will allow this.

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1. CORRECT. The middle of paragraph 1 says that secondary substances have no direct role in plant growth or metabolism. But paragraphs 2-3 explain how secondary substances protect against or attract insects.
2. The last sentence of paragraph 3 suggests the opposite: insects eat only a narrow range of plants.
3. The middle of paragraph 3 shows that insects use taste and smell to identify plants they can eat. We don’t know if insects can use any other methods.
4. The passage never mentions anything like this. It’s unclear why toxic substances would have survived in few species if they helped protect against insects.
5. The passage never mentions if plants have toxic defenses apart from secondary substances.