LSAT 77, Reading Comprehension, Q24, LSATHacks

RC Question 24 Explanation, by LSATHacks

QUESTION TEXT: What is the primary function of the last…

DISCUSSION: This is a dull question. If you go into the answers without prephrasing, you can waste precious time debating between A-D, which are all wrong.

LSAC did this on purpose. None of A-D are even close to being correct. LSAC wanted you to skip by them, looking for an answer that said “to evaluate the evidence”.

Before doing a question like this, reskim the fourth paragraph and predict the answer. Then look at all the answers before sinking much time into any of them. This will make you go faster, not slower.

(Lines 44-47 are especially clear that paragraph 4 is about the state of the evidence)

___________

1. Paragraph 4 mostly discusses Steele’s evidence. There’s only one objection given, on lines 55-58: “there may be other, less radical explanations”.
2. Not so. Most of paragraph 4 discusses Steele’s evidence. It’s true there’s not much evidence there, but that’s not the same thing as “dismissing a theory for lack of evidence”.
   Example of dismissing a theory: We can dismiss that theory. It has no evidence.
3. What new findings? This answer doesn’t refer to anything that actually exists in paragraph 4.
4. Paragraph 4 doesn’t mention future research.
5. CORRECT. Lines 44-47 in particular make this clear. Most of paragraph 4 discusses Steele’s evidence and claims.