LSAT 155 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q3

LR Question 3 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: When frightened by hunters in a truck, healthy gazelles…

QUESTION TYPE: Paradox

PARADOX: Healthy gazelles will “stot” when they detect a predator. This is a leap into the air as they run. However, it draws attention and consumes energy.

ANALYSIS: So we’ve been told what’s bad about stotting. But we know they do it, so there must be a reason for it. There needs to be a benefit to stotting, and the correct answer will explain that benefit.

___________

1. This doesn’t really resolve the paradox. It basically is just saying “there is a paradox and it doesn’t have to make sense”.
2. This doesn’t really explain a benefit of stotting, it only gives us more information about when an animal may stot.
3. CORRECT. This tells us why stotting exists – it shows predators that the gazelle is not worth pursuing. It doesn’t matter that it draws attention and consumes energy because the predator will be busy looking for a different, weaker prey.
4. This doesn’t explain the paradox. In fact, it deepens the paradox. If healthy gazelles often notice the predator first, why draw attention to themselves?
5. This explains how lions might catch gazelles, but not why stotting is common in healthy gazelles.

Recap: The question begins with “When frightened by hunters in a truck, healthy gazelles”. It is a Paradox question. Learn how to master LSAT Paradox questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.