LSAT 6 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q16

LR Question 16 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: An ancient Pavonian text describes how an army of one million…

QUESTION TYPE: Flawed Reasoning

CONCLUSION: Some students concluded that soldiers actually had drunk the lake dry (and killed the fish in doing so.)

REASONING: An ancient text stated that a huge army had drunk a lake dry. Archaeologists discovered that shortly after the alleged event water based life was suddenly absent after the event.

ANALYSIS: This story may be taken from Herodotus. He described an army of one million solders invading Greece. They drank rivers dry on their march.

The archaeologists have shown that it is possible the ancient text was correct. But sometimes people imagine fantastical explanations for events they cannot otherwise explain. We have no evidence that the text is correct in its explanation of why the lake went dry.

___________

1. The students aren’t generalizing. They’re making a conclusion about one specific event.
2. We have no evidence for what actually did cause the aquatic life to die.
3. Actually, the students did accept the hypothesis that soldiers drank the lake dry.
4. Historians can substantiate that there was an ancient land called Pavonia: we have a text they wrote.
5. CORRECT. Yes. It’s quite possible something caused the lake to go dry. The text has been confirmed by the archaeologists on that point. But we don’t know if the text’s explanation is correct. Can an army really drink a lake dry?

Recap: The question begins with “An ancient Pavonian text describes how an army of one million”. It is a Flawed Reasoning question. Learn more about LSAT Flaw questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.