LSAT 2 | Section 2 | Logical Reasoning: Q4

LR Question 4 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Dried grass clippings mixed into garden soil gradually…

QUESTION TYPE: Paradox

ANALYSIS: On some questions, it is not worth thinking too hard, either about the stimulus or the answer choices. Here we are told that dried grass clippings help the soil by providing food for bacteria. Fresh grass clippings hurt it.

Dried is good and fresh is bad. Why?

Answer choice D is straightforward: fresh grass clippings kill the helpful bacteria.

It’s not any more complicated than that. Read the right answer, double check the stimulus to be sure you’re not missing something, and move on.

___________

1. By this logic, we would expect both dried and fresh grass to help.
2. This would show why dried grass helps, but not why fresh grass hurts.
3. This doesn’t explain why fresh grass clippings hurt.
4. CORRECT. This certainly explains why fresh grass clippings result in poorer soil.
5. This doesn’t explain anything; it just describes a new situation.

Recap: The question begins with “Dried grass clippings mixed into garden soil gradually”. It is a Paradox question. Learn more about LSAT Paradox questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.