LSAT 151 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q23

LR Question 23 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Researchers have found that some unprotected areas outside of a national park …

QUESTION TYPE: Paradox

PARADOX: The park was designed to protect birds. Yet some unprotected areas outside the park have more of a certain bird than areas inside the park.

ANALYSIS: The park is protected, yet it has less of a certain bird species than similar unprotected areas. To explain that, we need a reason why the inside of the park might actually be worse for those birds, despite being protected.

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1. CORRECT. Moose are more common inside the park and eat food the birds need. This explains why some birds may be less common inside the protected park than outside it.
2. Reptiles outside the park are irrelevant unless they explain the bird numbers.
3. This shows some birds move from inside to outside, but it does not explain why outside areas have higher bird populations.
4. This makes the areas sound similarly suitable, so it does not explain the difference.
5. This makes the finding more surprising, not less. If the park was designed to protect endangered birds, we would expect endangered birds to do well inside it.