LSAT 84, Logical Reasoning II, Q17, LSATHacks

LR Question 17 Explanation, by LSATHacks

QUESTION TEXT: Since mosquito larvae are aquatic, outbreaks of mosquito-borne…

QUESTION TYPE: Paradox

PARADOX: Mosquitoes-borne disease outbreaks generally appear more often after wet weather. But in wetland areas, these outbreaks appear more after dry periods.

ANALYSIS: To resolve this, there needs to be a difference between normal locations and wetlands that creates this situation. Normally mosquitoes appear more after wet weather, but they appear more after droughts in wetlands. Droughts in wetlands must have some kind of outbreak-creating effect that doesn’t exist in other locations.

We can look for an answer choice that conveys such an advantage.

___________

1. This doesn’t tell us anything about why droughts increase mosquito presence in wetlands. At best, it just explains why wetlands might have more mosquitoes.
2. Similar to A, this only tells us that outbreaks may be rare near wetlands because there are less people. If humans tended to gather near wetlands in a drought period, that would explain more wetland outbreaks. But that’s not what this answer says.
3. CORRECT. If the insects that prey on mosquito larvae are aquatic, they will suffer in a period of drought. This will ease the predation on the larvae, allowing more mosquitoes to reach adulthood and spread disease.
4. This doesn’t provide us any reason why drought would make more outbreaks.
5. More plants doesn’t mean more mosquitoes. This doesn’t explain the discrepancy.

Recap: The question begins with “Since mosquito larvae are aquatic, outbreaks of mosquito-borne”. It is a Paradox question. Learn how to master LSAT Paradox questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.

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