LSAT 104 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q5

LR Question 5 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: During the 1980s, Japanese collectors were very active in the…

QUESTION TYPE: Strengthen

CONCLUSION: Japanese collectors bought impressionist paintings because they liked them and thought they had aesthetic value.

REASONING: No reasoning is given.

ANALYSIS: Presumably people buy paintings because they like them, but there are many other reasons. You might buy a painting to impress people, or to follow the crowd.

We can strengthen the argument by removing the other reasons, or showing that the Japanese collectors really did like the paintings, aesthetically.

The right answer shows that the Japanese really were buying the paintings because they thought they were beautiful.

___________

1. This doesn’t tell us why Japanese collectors bought impressionist paintings in the 1980s.
2. This could explain why Japan had the money to buy impressionist paintings. It doesn’t explain why they did.
3. CORRECT. This shows that the impressionist paintings reminded collectors of Japanese paintings that they valued highly. Techniques and visual effects are aesthetic reasons to prefer a painting.
4. This shows that impressionist paintings were valuable, but it doesn’t explain why Japanese collectors bought them in the 1980s.
5. This shows that Japanese collectors didn’t only buy impressionist paintings. But it doesn’t explain why they did buy impressionist paintings.

Recap: The question begins with “During the 1980s, Japanese collectors were very active in the”. It is a Strengthen question. Learn how to master LSAT Strengthen questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.