LSAT 133 | Section 4 | Reading Comprehension: Q23

RC Question 23 Explanation

DISCUSSION: The right answer needs to be in both passages. As with question 22, most answers aren’t mentioned in either passage, so it’s best to eliminate those first, then prove one of the remaining answers correct using the passage.

I used this technique to quickly decide between C and E. It was easy to check both of them using the passage, once I had eliminated the other answers.

___________

1. Neither passage mentions other disciplines. Paragraph 1 of passage B mentions “self-discipline”. This answer choice was probably trying to confuse you by hoping you would remember the word “discipline”, out of context.
2. Outside knowledge makes this answer tempting, as this sounds like a reasonable tactic. But, neither passage mentions methodologies. Common sense can be used to judge whether an answer is reasonable, but answers still need support from the passage to be correct.
3. CORRECT. See paragraph 2 of passage A and lines 30-32 of passage B.
4. This answer is insane, if taken literally. And you have to take LSAT answers literally. This says a historian must answer all objections. That means if I say “this theory doesn’t cure cancer!” then the historian must address my crazy concern.
   Of course, the real reason this answer is wrong is because it’s not mentioned in the passage. But our common sense judgement that this answer is insane tells us that neither author would ever say it. This makes it a prime candidate for fast elimination.
5. Tempting, but passage A doesn’t mention rival interpretations, or giving “consideration” to interpretations. Paragraph 2 says interpretations are not that important: they are valuable only if they accord with and explain facts.