LSAT 149 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q24

LR Question 24 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Critics of a plan to create new building sites from land…

QUESTION TYPE: Complete the Argument

CONCLUSION: The critics are wrong that filling in the land will reduce the dolphin habitat area.

REASONING: No reasoning is given.

ANALYSIS: The critics have noted the following:

• Dolphins only enter fairly shallow water
• The current dolphin habitat is shallow, and bordered by land and deep water ➞ this suggests that the area in the question is the only place locally that dolphins can live

The author will likely suggest that the buildings will only take up a small bit of dolphin habitat. Or maybe the dolphins can’t live in the area in question for some reason.

___________

1. This suggests the dolphins don’t need the entire habitat, and so taking a small part of the habitat won’t hurt the dolphins. This would be the right answer if the conclusion was about hurting dolphins.
   But the conclusion is about whether the plan will reduce dolphin habitat. This doesn’t change the fact that the plan will reduce dolphin habitat.
2. CORRECT. The area in question has water only 5 feet deep. So this answer tells us the area is too shallow for dolphins to live in. Therefore, filling it in won’t take space from dolphins.
3. This is the kind of irrelevant consideration that kills most internet argument: people can’t stay on topic.
   This argument isn’t about what’ the biggest threat to the dolphin habitat. It’s about whether the building site is a threat at all.
4. This isn’t important. We know dolphins can’t go in water more than 30 meters deep. Below that any water is fine, as far as we know. Water that is 25 meters deep on average could include much water 28 feet deep and also water 5-10 meters deep.
   You may have picked this thinking it showed the shallower water wasn’t useful for dolphins. It’s a good thought, but answer B is the one that addresses that.
5. This answer says the area in question is a short distance from the habitat. That shows it’s outside the habitat, and not relevant.

Recap: The question begins with “Critics of a plan to create new building sites from land”. It is a Complete the Argument question. Learn more about LSAT Complete the Argument questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.