LSAT 150 | Section 2 | Logical Reasoning: Q16

LR Question 16 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Environment minister: Many countries have signed an international…

QUESTION TYPE: Principle – Justify

CONCLUSION: Our country shouldn’t sign the agreement to reduce ocean pollution.

REASONING: Complying with the agreement would probably reduce our economic growth.

ANALYSIS: The principle here is simple. We just need to show that we shouldn’t do something if it reduces economic growth.

___________

1. The environment minister explicitly said that the agreement is likely to achieve its pollution-reduction goal!
2. CORRECT. If this is true, then the country shouldn’t sign the agreement. After all, the agreement is likely to reduce economic growth.
3. There was no better means of pollution reduction mentioned, so this answer isn’t supported.
4. This is a trap answer. If you’re deciding whether to sign an agreement, you might sign in! We need an answer that says “don’t sign the agreement”. If you picked this, maybe you were looking for something that was true in the stimulus? It’s true that the minister did consider economic growth at home and abroad. But we need an answer that proves the question right.
5. We’re looking for an answer that tells us not to implement a policy!

Recap: The question begins with “Environment minister: Many countries have signed an international”. It is a Principle Justify question. Learn more about LSAT Principle Justify questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.