LSAT 40, Logical Reasoning I, Q1, LSATHacks

LR Question 1 Explanation, by LSATHacks

QUESTION TEXT: Considering that Mark Twain is Samuel Clemens…

QUESTION TYPE: Paradox

CONCLUSION: It is odd that few people know Samuel Clemens was a writer.

REASONING: Almost everybody knows that Mark Twain was a writer, and Mark Twain is Samuel Clemens.

ANALYSIS: If you thought “Who the heck is Samuel Clemens?” you’re on the right track to answering this question. If most people don’t know that Mark Twain is Samuel Clemens, that explains why they don’t realize Mr. Clemens was a writer.

___________

1. That shouldn’t matter. I knew Mark Twain was a writer before I had read any of his books.
2. Good for them. But why isn’t the opposite true?
3. CORRECT. Yes. How would I know anything about Samuel Clemens if I hadn’t heard of him and didn’t realize he was Mark Twain?
4. In this case, people don’t know that Clemens was an author, so this info is irrelevant.
5. “Some” can be a very low number, even 1% or less.

Recap: The question begins with “Considering that Mark Twain is Samuel Clemens”. It is a Paradox question. Learn how to master LSAT Paradox questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.

Hi, I'm Graeme Blake

Founder of LSAThacks; I scored a 177 on the LSAT.

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