LSAT 151 | Section 2 | Logical Reasoning: Q11

LR Question 11 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: The goal of reforesting degraded land is to create an area …

QUESTION TYPE: Paradox

PARADOX: Reforesting is meant to create many tree species. Yet some people only plant one fast-growing species.

ANALYSIS: When you reforest damaged land, you want to end up with a bunch of different tree species. So you’d assume that people would plant a bunch of different species.

But some people use a strategy where they only plant one tree species that grows fast.

It’s not because they’re stupid! Note that it says “experienced land managers”.

So there must be some validity to this strategy. Maybe by planting this one species that grows fast you get benefits that ultimately lead to many trees growing in the area. And then you end up with a reforested land.

___________

1. So fast-growing trees like sunlight. That doesn’t explain how it ends up growing into multiple species.
2. Who cares about aesthetics?
3. This tells us that tree species generally have to be native to the land. But it still doesn’t tell us how planting one species would achieve diversity.
4. CORRECT. This connects everything. Planting one species → trees grow → wildlife comes → wildlife spreads seeds → eventually you get many species.
5. Sure, I could’ve guessed that it’s hard. Doesn’t tell us anything about the paradox.