LSAT 155 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q11

LR Question 11 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Science writer: Studies indicate that North Americans are…

QUESTION TYPE: Identify the Conclusion

CONCLUSION: The lethargy studies do not settle the question of whether fast food is unhealthy.

REASONING: Studies show North Americans are becoming more lethargic, and one researcher has inferred that fast-food consumption has an adverse effect. However, although fast-food consumption has increased, lack of exercise is also correlated with lethargy, so the cause is undetermined.

ANALYSIS: In Identify the Conclusion questions, there are a few things to look for. The most obvious is the use of the word “Thus” or similar words, which indicates a conclusion of some kind. This isn’t infallible, however, because it could be an intermediate conclusion.

Another thing that you should do in these questions is determine which sentences provide support and which ones are supported. The conclusion will be supported but not provide support or act as a premise to other parts of the argument.

Here, we have our “thus” before the last sentence. It doesn’t act as a premise to other parts, and the other parts are premises for this final sentence. It is, therefore, the conclusion of the writer’s argument.

___________

1. The link between lethargy and lack of exercise is a premise used by the author, but not the conclusion.
2. The author never said that high consumption is only a problem when exercise is missing. The conclusion needs to be something the author said!
3. This is not true. We don’t know anything about what the cause actually is!
4. The lethargy studies did not fail to consider one probable cause – the researcher did. The studies just noted the increase in lethargy.
5. CORRECT. See above – this is the conclusion.

Recap: The question begins with “Science writer: Studies indicate that North Americans are”. It is a Identify The Conclusion question. Learn how to master LSAT Identify questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.