LSAT 146 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q16

LR Question 16 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Babblers, a bird species, live in large cooperative…

QUESTION TYPE: Paradox

PARADOX: Babbler birds cry out when they see predators. This makes predators realize the babblers are nearby. The well-camouflaged babblers could usually feed safely without a warning cry.

ANALYSIS: There are a couple of things to note here:

• Babblers can usually feed safely, despite predators. But it could still be true that predators often catch babblers. So a warning could make sense.
• Babblers keep barking long after they’re all hidden. So the barking may serve a purpose other than warning.

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1. So? This just adds another way babblers can avoid predators. It doesn’t explain the bark.
    
   You might have picked this because you thought the babblers flew away after barking. But, the stimulus suggests the babblers stay in the area to take cover. (Babblers stay in groups, and predators know their location while they keep barking).
2. CORRECT. The stimulus said babblers could usually feed safely. So it’s still possible predators could attack them. Therefore this answer adds a reason for the barks: by alerting the predators to the presence of a group of babblers, the predators become intimidated and are less likely to attack.
    
   I don’t love this answer, but remember the stimulus just says “most help to explain”. It doesn’t have to be a definitive solution.
3. So? The information about the barks applies to all predators, not to a single type.
4. You might have picked this because you thought predators wouldn’t hear the barks. But, the stimulus clearly says that the barks make the predators aware of the babblers presence and location.
5. So? The stimulus doesn’t say whether barks will make predators eat other animals or let predators know where other animals are.