LSAT 141 | Section 2 | Logical Reasoning: Q14

LR Question 14 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Inez: Space-exploration programs pay for themselves…

QUESTION TYPE: Method of Reasoning

CONCLUSION: Winona says that it’s silly to justify the space program due to its indirect research effects.

REASONING: We could just fund technology directly.

ANALYSIS: Ines justifies the space program due to its indirect technological spinoffs. Winona makes the argument that there’s no need to fund space exploration, because we could just fund technology directly.

The answers are abstract. On a question like this, you should have an idea what you’re looking for. Don’t spend much time on any answer until you’ve looked at all of them. The right answer is often obvious once you get to it, so you don’t want to waste 30 seconds on A or B before looking at D and E.

Rather than “explain” why the wrong answers are wrong, I’ve included examples of what each wrong answer would look like. There’s no way to “explain” those answers because they simply aren’t what Winona did.

___________

1. Winona didn’t say this.
   Example of method: “You say the space program will have benefits. But there’s no evidence that will happen.”
2. Winona didn’t say this.
   Example of method: “You forgot that the space program causes terrible pollution from its use of fuel. This drawback outweighs the the program’s research benefits.”
3. Winona didn’t say this.
   Example of method: “You said the space program is inexpensive, and that massive investments in the program produced benefits. But if there have been massive investments, then the program was not inexpensive.”
4. Winona didn’t say this.
   Example of method: “You say the space program will produce benefits. But that will cost 10 trillion dollars.”
5. CORRECT. This is exactly what Winona does.