LSAT 104 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q5

LR Question 5 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Ticks attach themselves to host animals to feed. Having…

QUESTION TYPE: Must be True

FACTS:

1. Deer ticks feed off of host animals. They drop off the animals when they’re full, and never earlier.
2. Deer ticks that feed off white-footed mice always drop off in daytime, no matter how long they’ve been feeding.
3. White-footed mice stay in their nests in daytime.

ANALYSIS: The ticks must drop off in the mice’s nests. This is true because ticks drop off in daytime, and the mice stay in their nests during the day.

The ticks’ behavior is sort of puzzling. If they stay until they’re done feeding, then how do they always manage to drop off before sunset?

This turns out not to matter. We never solve the mystery of how the ticks always manage to fill up during daylight, no matter how long they’ve

been feeding.

___________

1. We have no evidence for this. Ticks leave their hosts before sunset, but they could attach anytime. And the days of the week are irrelevant: only humans keep track of weekends.
2. This seems unlikely. We know that whenever ticks attach themselves to feed, they feed to capacity. (It is possible that ticks attach themselves for other reasons).
3. CORRECT. Ticks drop off in daylight, and mice stay in their nests during daytime.
4. It’s true the mice sleep during the day, but maybe they’re still aware of the ticks. They might wake up and feel the uncomfortable feeling that something is sucking their blood.
5. Why should this be true? It’s possible there are fewer ticks during cold winters, for example.

Recap: The question begins with “Ticks attach themselves to host animals to feed Having”. It is a Must be True question. Learn how to master LSAT MBT questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.