LSAT 20, Logical Reasoning I, Q6, LSATHacks

LR Question 6 Explanation, by LSATHacks

QUESTION TEXT: Besides laying eggs in her own nest, any female wood…

QUESTION TYPE: Most Strongly Supported

FACTS:

1. Female wood ducks will lay eggs in other ducks’ nests if they see them leave.
2. Wood ducks leave many eggs in the fake nests people put up, because those nests are easy to see.
3. As a result, few eggs lain in fake nests hatch. There are too many eggs.

ANALYSIS: It sounds like the nesting boxes currently aren’t working very well. They’re too visible. Ducks can see females leave, and so they leave eggs in the other nests. Then there are too many eggs in those nests.

(The reason females lay eggs in other nests is to trick the other ducks into raising their own children for them. They pass on their genes but don’t have to do any work.)

___________

1. The stimulus said that females will lay eggs in their own nests only if another nest isn’t available. But it didn’t say when females choose natural nests vs. fake nests.
2. It’s not just seeing other ducks that counts. The ducks would have to see the other ducks leave their nests in order to steal the nests.
3. We’re not told how big nests are.
4. CORRECT. It’s too easy to see the nests, so the ducks put too many eggs in the fake nests. Then the eggs don’t hatch.
5. We’re not told anything about how wood ducks’ natural habitat is doing, and we don’t know why people put up nests.

Recap: The question begins with “Besides laying eggs in her own nest, any female wood”. It is a Most Strongly Supported question. Learn more about LSAT MSS questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.

Hi, I'm Graeme Blake

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