LSAT 154 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q17

QUESTION TEXT: Beads were used as currency for centuries. But why beads…

QUESTION TYPE: Principle – Justify

CONCLUSION: It was natural for beads to be used as currency.

REASONING: Beads were initially used as pretty things to wear. Much currency was first used for decoration.

ANALYSIS: This argument actually makes an incorrect reversal. They tell us:

Currency ➞ first used as decoration

Then they tell us beads were used as decoration, so they became currency. It’s backwards!

But we’re here to support the argument. To do that, the correct answer should suggest “First used as decoration ➞ currency”. However, this is a “principle/justify” question, so it will be less direct than that. You’ll have to translate terms to match to the stimulus.

The answers use a few new terms: original use, derivate use, primary/secondary use.

Original use is pretty clear. Derivative use = the use that happened afterwards. As in this later use derives from the original use.

Primary/secondary use are different. The primary use of a golf ball is golf. But you can put them to a less frequent, secondary use such as juggling them, or massaging your foot, etc. Secondary = less common. Secondary does not mean later and there is no necessary link between a primary and a secondary use.

___________

1. See the discussion above. Primary/secondary use means main use vs. infrequent use. Whereas currency had an original main use as decoration, but then switched to a new main use.
   If you translate this answer into a plain english example, it’s ridiculous nonsense.
   Example of answer: Both golf balls and oranges have juggling as a secondary use. Because this secondary use is similar, the primary use of oranges (eating them), will transfer to golf balls, and people will eat golf balls.
2. Same as A. Primary/secondary use means main use vs. infrequent use. Whereas currency had a main use as art, but then switched to a new main use.
   If you translate this answer into a plain english example, it’s ridiculous nonsense.
   Example of answer: Coins and credit cards both have “paying for stuff” as their primary use. But, people also flip coins as a secondary use. So, this secondary use will transfer, and people will soon start flipping credit cards to make decisions.
3. CORRECT. See the discussion above. This basically means that if you have the same original use (decoration), we can expect the same new use (currency). Derivative means something that comes later, “derived” from the original use.
4. This goes too far. It means “gold can’t be money unless people stop making art out of it”. Which is obviously false: gold is used for both art and money. Likewise, beads could have been both adornment and currency. This answer contradicts common sense, and isn’t required by the passage.
5. This is the opposite of what the passage does. Beads went from a particular use (decoration) to a general value (currency, which can be used for many things).
    
   Whereas this answer says we go from valuing something generally to valuing it for particular uses.

Recap: The question begins with “Beads were used as currency for centuries But why beads”. It is a Principle Justify question. Learn how to master LSAT Principle Justify questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.

Quick Jump PT Section Que