LSAT 135 | Section 3 | Reading Comprehension: Q23

RC Question 23 Explanation

DISCUSSION: This is lines 12-15. The farmland is heavily fertilized. The quickest way to fix this would be to replace the topsoil.

Logically, we must be replacing the over-fertilized topsoil with soil that has less fertilizer. Otherwise, why bother?

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1. We know that thistles grow in fertilized land (lines 10-11). Fertilized land is a sufficient condition. But it’s possible thistles can grow even in soil that isn’t fertilized.
2. We have no idea if replacement topsoil has fungi. Presumably all soil has some fungi. The third paragraph shows that both farmed and unfarmed soil has fungi (lines 38-50). 
3. Why would this be true? We’re not told anything about the replacement soil. Maybe it has tons of good plants.
4. CORRECT. This would make sense. We’re replacing over-fertilized topsoil. So it would make sense to use soil that has less fertilizer. 
5. Who knows? The soil just has to be good soil. It’s possible it was used to grow corn, then rehabilitated.