LSAT 116, Section 4, RC Passage 4, Wine

RC Passage 4 Explanation

This is an explanation for passage 4 of LSAT preptest 32, the October 2000 LSAT. This passage is about wines. It presents the benefits of moderate wine consumption.

This section has paragraph summaries and an analysis of the passage, links to the explanations for the questions are below.

Paragraph Summaries

1. Scientists thought that wine’s most important effect was drunkenness. But wine has long been thought to produce other, healthful effects.
2. Moderate wine consumption seems to reduce heart attacks. This is surprising, because other types of alcohol increase the risk of heart disease.
3. Wine seems to do many useful things that have scientific names. This might be because of grapes.

Analysis

This is a simple passage, disguised by complex language. You don’t really have to know what’s going on in the third paragraph, as long as you know that the paragraph identifies some reasons wine might prevent heart disease. If you need the details for a questions, that’s when you should check back.

The first paragraph merely criticizes scientists who lump wine in with other alcohol, and the second paragraph shows that wine seems to be good for us in low doses.

I’ve simplified the paragraphs above. The ideas really are that simple, once you get past the scientific lingo.