Inference and Implied Meaning Flashcards
7 cards from real LNAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Inference and Implied Meaning flashcards as text
A politician states: 'We have no evidence that the proposed tax cut will harm public services.' What can most reasonably be inferred from this statement?
Answer: The absence of evidence does not confirm the tax cut is safe.
The statement only claims a lack of evidence against harm, which does not logically establish that no harm will occur.
A legal text states: 'A contract is void where one party lacked capacity at the time of signing.' A person signs a contract while intoxicated. What is most strongly implied?
Answer: The contract may be voidable depending on the degree of incapacity.
The text implies voiding requires proven lack of capacity; intoxication must be severe enough to constitute genuine incapacity for the rule to apply.
An editorial reads: 'Every government that has introduced this policy has seen economic growth.' What does this most strongly imply?
Answer: There is a correlation between the policy and growth, but causation is not established.
Observing that two things co-occur establishes correlation, not that one causes the other.
A scientist says: 'My study found no statistically significant link between the drug and side effects in adults.' What is most reasonably implied about children?
Answer: The study's findings cannot be directly applied to children.
A study conducted only on adults cannot validly extend its conclusions to populations not studied.
A passage argues: 'Strict sentencing deters crime only when potential offenders believe they will be caught.' What does this imply about the effectiveness of long sentences alone?
Answer: Long sentences are ineffective without a high perceived probability of detection.
The argument implies severity of punishment is conditional on the belief that punishment will actually follow, so severity alone is insufficient.
A judge rules: 'The defendant's silence during questioning cannot be used as evidence of guilt.' What is most strongly implied about the burden of proof?
Answer: The prosecution must establish guilt without relying on the defendant's silence.
Excluding silence as evidence implies the prosecution must prove its case through other means, consistent with the presumption of innocence.
A newspaper reports: 'Crime rates fell sharply in the year following the introduction of community policing.' A reader infers community policing reduced crime. What assumption underlies this inference?
Answer: No other significant changes occurred that year that could explain the drop.
Attributing the fall to community policing assumes no other concurrent factors could explain the trend.