LSAT 101 | Section 2 | Logical Reasoning: Q4

LR Question 4 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Because quitting smoking is very stressful and leads to weight…

QUESTION TYPE: Strengthen – Exception

CONCLUSION: It might be easier to quit smoking if you replace it with a healthy activity.

REASONING: Quitting smoking is stressful, and you gain weight.

Two groups were sent to a quit-smoking course. Half of the group was also sent to aerobics classes. 40% of the aerobics group quit, while none of the other group did.

ANALYSIS: This is already a decent argument. We can strengthen it by showing that the study was properly conducted, and that the effects lasted a long time.

___________

1. Quitting smoking can make you gain weight. This answer shows that aerobics can eliminate that factor and make it easier to quit.
2. This shows the sample size was large and random. That helps show a study’s results are valid.
3. CORRECT. We don’t care about non-smokers, and we don’t care much about weight gain when non-smokers stop exercising. The argument recommended that smokers do exercise – it didn’t recommend that they start and then stop.
4. Stress was one of the two factors that made it hard to quit smoking. This shows that exercise can make it easier to quit by reducing stress.
5. 40% of those in the second group had stopped smoking after the study, and 38% of the group were still non-smokers after a year. That’s impressive, and shows the effects of exercise were long lasting.

Recap: The question begins with “Because quitting smoking is very stressful and leads to weight”. It is a Strengthen question. Learn more about LSAT Strengthen questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.