LSAT 144 | Section 1 | Reading Comprehension: Q25

RC Question 25 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: In passage B’s description of the developments…

DISCUSSION: The Black Swan is mentioned in line 5. If we say “All swans are white”, then it only takes a single black swan to disprove that statement. That’s the power of negative evidence.

So to answer the question, we’re looking for the single observation that was enough to overturn Newton’s theory of gravity. That was Mercury, lines 58-64.

___________

1. CORRECT. See lines 58-64 and the analysis above. Mercury’s orbit suggested Newton’s theory was wrong.
2. Uranus’s orbit was eventually found consistent with Newton’s theory.
3. Neptune helped support Newton’s theory, as its discovery explained why earlier predictions for Uranus’ orbit had been wrong.
4. Venus is not mentioned in the passage. This is just here to distract you.
5. The sun was only mentioned as one of the elements scientists had to account for in their predictions. See line 36.