LSAT Prep practice exam Questions And
Answers Verified 100% Correct
1. Feathers recently taken from seabirds stuffed and
preserved in the 1880s have been found to contain only
half as much mercury as feathers recently taken from
living birds of the same species. Since mercury that
accumulates in a seabird's feathers as the feathers grow
is derived from fish eaten by the bird, these results
indicate that mercury levels in saltwater fish are higher
now than they were 100 years ago.
The argument depends on assuming that
(A) the proportion of a seabird's diet consisting of
fish was not as high, on average, in the 1880s
as it is today
(B) the amount of mercury in a saltwater fish
depends on the amount of pollution in the
ocean habitat of the fish
(C) mercury derived from fish is essential for the
normal growth of a seabird's feathers
(D) the stuffed seabirds whose feathers were tested
for mercury were not fully grown
(E) the process used to preserve birds in the 1880s
did not substantial - ANSWER -E
2. Novel X and Novel Y are both semiautobiographical
novels and contain many very similar themes and
situations, which might lead one to suspect plagiarism
on the part of one of the authors. However, it is more
likely that the similarity of themes and situations in the
two novels is merely coincidental, since both authors are
from very similar backgrounds and have led similar
lives.
Which one of the following most accurately expresses
the conclusion drawn in the argument?
(A) Novel X and Novel Y are both
semiautobiographical novels, and the two
,novels contain many very similar themes and
situations.
(B) The fact that Novel X and Novel Y are both
semiautobiographical novels and contain many
very similar themes and situations might lead
one to suspect plagiarism on the part of one of
the authors.
(C) The author of Novel X and the author of
Novel Y are from very similar backgrounds
and have led very similar lives.
(D) - ANSWER -D
3. Therapist: Cognitive psychotherapy focuses on
changing a patient's conscious beliefs. Thus,
cognitive psychotherapy is likely to be more
effective at helping patients overcome
psychological problems than are forms of
psychotherapy that focus on changing
unconscious beliefs and desires, since only
conscious beliefs are under the patient's direct
conscious control.
Which one of the following, if true, would most
strengthen the therapist's argument?
(A) Psychological problems are frequently caused
by unconscious beliefs that could be changed
with the aid of psychotherapy.
(B) It is difficult for any form of psychotherapy to
be effective without focusing on mental states
that are under the patient's direct conscious
control.
(C) Cognitive psychotherapy is the only form of
psychotherapy that focuses primarily on
changing the patient's conscious beliefs.
(D) No form of psychotherapy that focuses on
changing the patient - ANSWER -B
4. Commentator: In academic scholarship, sources are
always cited, and methodology and theoretical
assumptions are set out, so as to allow critical
study, replication, and expansion of scholarship.
,In open-source software, the code in which the
program is written can be viewed and modified by
individual users for their purposes without getting
permission from the producer or paying a fee. In
contrast, the code of proprietary software is kept
secret, and modifications can be made only by the
producer, for a fee. This shows that open-source
software better matches the values embodied in
academic scholarship, and since scholarship is
central to the mission of universities, universities
should use only open-source software.
The commentator's reasoning most closely conforms to
which one of the following principles?
(A) Whatever software tools are most advanced and
can achieve the goals of academic scholarship
are the one - ANSWER -C
5. A consumer magazine surveyed people who had sought
a psychologist's help with a personal problem. Of those
responding who had received treatment for 6 months or
less, 20 percent claimed that treatment "made things a
lot better." Of those responding who had received longer
treatment, 36 percent claimed that treatment "made
things a lot better." Therefore, psychological treatment
lasting more than 6 months is more effective than
shorter-term treatment.
Which one of the following, if true, most seriously
weakens the argument?
(A) Of the respondents who had received treatment
for longer than 6 months, 10 percent said that
treatment made things worse.
(B) Patients who had received treatment for longer
than 6 months were more likely to respond to
the survey than were those who had received
treatment for a shorter time.
(C) Patients who feel they are doing well in
treatment tend to remain in treatment, while
those who a - ANSWER -C
6. Philosopher: Nations are not literally persons; they
, have no thoughts or feelings, and, literally
speaking, they perform no actions. Thus they
have no moral rights or responsibilities. But no
nation can survive unless many of its citizens
attribute such rights and responsibilities to it, for
nothing else could prompt people to make the
sacrifices national citizenship demands.
Obviously, then, a nation _______.
Which one of the following most logically completes
the philosopher's argument?
(A) cannot continue to exist unless something other
than the false belief that the nation has moral
rights motivates its citizens to make sacrifices
(B) cannot survive unless many of its citizens have
some beliefs that are literally false
(C) can never be a target of moral praise or blame
(D) is not worth the sacrifices that its citizens make
on its behalf
(E) should always be thought of in metaphorical
rather than literal terms - ANSWER -B
7. When exercising the muscles in one's back, it is
important, in order to maintain a healthy back, to
exercise the muscles on opposite sides of the spine
equally. After all, balanced muscle development is
needed to maintain a healthy back, since the muscles on
opposite sides of the spine must pull equally in
opposing directions to keep the back in proper
alignment and protect the spine.
Which one of the following is an assumption required
by the argument?
(A) Muscles on opposite sides of the spine that are
equally well developed will be enough to keep
the back in proper alignment.
(B) Exercising the muscles on opposite sides of the
spine unequally tends to lead to unbalanced
muscle development.
(C) Provided that one exercises the muscles on
opposite sides of the spine equally, one will
have a generally healthy back.
Answers Verified 100% Correct
1. Feathers recently taken from seabirds stuffed and
preserved in the 1880s have been found to contain only
half as much mercury as feathers recently taken from
living birds of the same species. Since mercury that
accumulates in a seabird's feathers as the feathers grow
is derived from fish eaten by the bird, these results
indicate that mercury levels in saltwater fish are higher
now than they were 100 years ago.
The argument depends on assuming that
(A) the proportion of a seabird's diet consisting of
fish was not as high, on average, in the 1880s
as it is today
(B) the amount of mercury in a saltwater fish
depends on the amount of pollution in the
ocean habitat of the fish
(C) mercury derived from fish is essential for the
normal growth of a seabird's feathers
(D) the stuffed seabirds whose feathers were tested
for mercury were not fully grown
(E) the process used to preserve birds in the 1880s
did not substantial - ANSWER -E
2. Novel X and Novel Y are both semiautobiographical
novels and contain many very similar themes and
situations, which might lead one to suspect plagiarism
on the part of one of the authors. However, it is more
likely that the similarity of themes and situations in the
two novels is merely coincidental, since both authors are
from very similar backgrounds and have led similar
lives.
Which one of the following most accurately expresses
the conclusion drawn in the argument?
(A) Novel X and Novel Y are both
semiautobiographical novels, and the two
,novels contain many very similar themes and
situations.
(B) The fact that Novel X and Novel Y are both
semiautobiographical novels and contain many
very similar themes and situations might lead
one to suspect plagiarism on the part of one of
the authors.
(C) The author of Novel X and the author of
Novel Y are from very similar backgrounds
and have led very similar lives.
(D) - ANSWER -D
3. Therapist: Cognitive psychotherapy focuses on
changing a patient's conscious beliefs. Thus,
cognitive psychotherapy is likely to be more
effective at helping patients overcome
psychological problems than are forms of
psychotherapy that focus on changing
unconscious beliefs and desires, since only
conscious beliefs are under the patient's direct
conscious control.
Which one of the following, if true, would most
strengthen the therapist's argument?
(A) Psychological problems are frequently caused
by unconscious beliefs that could be changed
with the aid of psychotherapy.
(B) It is difficult for any form of psychotherapy to
be effective without focusing on mental states
that are under the patient's direct conscious
control.
(C) Cognitive psychotherapy is the only form of
psychotherapy that focuses primarily on
changing the patient's conscious beliefs.
(D) No form of psychotherapy that focuses on
changing the patient - ANSWER -B
4. Commentator: In academic scholarship, sources are
always cited, and methodology and theoretical
assumptions are set out, so as to allow critical
study, replication, and expansion of scholarship.
,In open-source software, the code in which the
program is written can be viewed and modified by
individual users for their purposes without getting
permission from the producer or paying a fee. In
contrast, the code of proprietary software is kept
secret, and modifications can be made only by the
producer, for a fee. This shows that open-source
software better matches the values embodied in
academic scholarship, and since scholarship is
central to the mission of universities, universities
should use only open-source software.
The commentator's reasoning most closely conforms to
which one of the following principles?
(A) Whatever software tools are most advanced and
can achieve the goals of academic scholarship
are the one - ANSWER -C
5. A consumer magazine surveyed people who had sought
a psychologist's help with a personal problem. Of those
responding who had received treatment for 6 months or
less, 20 percent claimed that treatment "made things a
lot better." Of those responding who had received longer
treatment, 36 percent claimed that treatment "made
things a lot better." Therefore, psychological treatment
lasting more than 6 months is more effective than
shorter-term treatment.
Which one of the following, if true, most seriously
weakens the argument?
(A) Of the respondents who had received treatment
for longer than 6 months, 10 percent said that
treatment made things worse.
(B) Patients who had received treatment for longer
than 6 months were more likely to respond to
the survey than were those who had received
treatment for a shorter time.
(C) Patients who feel they are doing well in
treatment tend to remain in treatment, while
those who a - ANSWER -C
6. Philosopher: Nations are not literally persons; they
, have no thoughts or feelings, and, literally
speaking, they perform no actions. Thus they
have no moral rights or responsibilities. But no
nation can survive unless many of its citizens
attribute such rights and responsibilities to it, for
nothing else could prompt people to make the
sacrifices national citizenship demands.
Obviously, then, a nation _______.
Which one of the following most logically completes
the philosopher's argument?
(A) cannot continue to exist unless something other
than the false belief that the nation has moral
rights motivates its citizens to make sacrifices
(B) cannot survive unless many of its citizens have
some beliefs that are literally false
(C) can never be a target of moral praise or blame
(D) is not worth the sacrifices that its citizens make
on its behalf
(E) should always be thought of in metaphorical
rather than literal terms - ANSWER -B
7. When exercising the muscles in one's back, it is
important, in order to maintain a healthy back, to
exercise the muscles on opposite sides of the spine
equally. After all, balanced muscle development is
needed to maintain a healthy back, since the muscles on
opposite sides of the spine must pull equally in
opposing directions to keep the back in proper
alignment and protect the spine.
Which one of the following is an assumption required
by the argument?
(A) Muscles on opposite sides of the spine that are
equally well developed will be enough to keep
the back in proper alignment.
(B) Exercising the muscles on opposite sides of the
spine unequally tends to lead to unbalanced
muscle development.
(C) Provided that one exercises the muscles on
opposite sides of the spine equally, one will
have a generally healthy back.
