LSAT 153 | Section 2 | Logical Reasoning: Q22

LR Question 22 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Critic: Almost all of the paintings from our city’s art…

QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption

CONCLUSION: Blue Irises cannot be considered part of the city’s art movement.

REASONING: Almost all of the paintings in the movement exhibit bold brushwork and a sharp contrast of light and shadow. Those that do not are all abstract paintings that do not depict light or shadow. Blue Irises does not exhibit the sharp contrast.

ANALYSIS: The critic has set up two categories of paintings in the city’s art movement: paintings with bold brushwork and a sharp contrast, and abstract paintings (which have no sharp contrast).

The author then says that Blue Irises has no sharp contrast, so it cannot be considered part of the movement. But this only excludes it from the first category; if it were abstract, it could still make the cut. We want an answer that, when negated, means the author is incorrect and Blue Irises does fit with the movement.

___________

1. The critic’s argument requires this to not be true! If this is true, then Blue Irises doesn’t need a sharp contrast to be included.
   Negation: Blue Irises isn’t nonrepresentational.
2. The critic does not assume this. It’s possible that there are shadows but no sharp contrast.
   Negation: Blue Iris depicts some shadows.
3. CORRECT. If this were not true, the critic’s argument would fall apart as Blue Irises would be suitable for the second category of paintings.
   Negation: Blue Irises is an abstract painting.
4. It doesn’t matter if this is true or not. There can be nonrepresentational paintings without bold brushwork, but it wouldn’t necessarily make Blue Irises part of the art movement.
   Negation: Some of the nonrepresentational paintings produced in the critic’s city do not display bold brushwork.
5. The critic does not assume this. It doesn’t matter anyway, because Blue Irises does not have the contrast.
   Negation: Some paintings in the critic’s city with a sharp contrast of light and shadow did not emerge from the city’s art movement.

Recap: The question begins with “Critic: Almost all of the paintings from our city’s art”. It is a Necessary Assumption question. Learn more about LSAT Necessary questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.