LSAT 155 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q10

LR Question 10 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Many species of plants produce nectars known as extrafloral…

QUESTION TYPE: Strengthen

CONCLUSION: Jumping spiders apparently defend EFN-producing plants against leaf-eating insects.

REASONING: Certain ants protect EFN-producing plants. Experiments have shown that jumping spiders more commonly jump onto EFN-producing plants than other plants.

ANALYSIS: Here, we basically just know that jumping spiders jump onto these plants much more often than the other ones. But that’s it. We don’t know if that’s to defend them, or why the spiders do it at all. The correct answer will complete our understanding and tell us why we can be sure that the spiders are defending the plants.

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1. This tells us that protecting the EFN-producing plant is good for it. But it doesn’t tell us that the spiders are protecting the plants.
2. CORRECT. This tells us that the presence of the jumping spiders is good for the EFN-producing plants.
3. Like A, this tells us that the plants need protection. But that doesn’t mean that the spiders are protecting them.
4. Knowing that other spiders don’t protect the EFN-producing plants doesn’t mean that these spiders do. Maybe no spiders protect the plants.
5. This tells us that the ants effectively defend the plants. But we don’t learn anything about the spiders, which is what we need.

Recap: The question begins with “Many species of plants produce nectars known as extrafloral”. It is a Strengthen question. Learn more about LSAT Strengthen questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.