Reading Comprehension 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 Reading Comprehension flashcards as text
A passage argues that mandatory minimum sentences reduce judicial discretion and lead to unjust outcomes. Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen this argument?
Answer: Data reveals that mandatory minimums result in longer sentences for low-level offenders than for violent repeat criminals.
Evidence that low-level offenders receive longer sentences than violent repeat criminals directly supports the claim that mandatory minimums produce unjust outcomes.
In a passage discussing freedom of the press, the author states: 'A democracy cannot function if its citizens cannot access accurate information.' What is the author most likely assuming?
Answer: Citizens in a democracy rely on information to make informed political decisions.
The argument presupposes that democratic participation depends on informed citizens, making access to accurate information foundational.
A passage contrasts two theories of contract law: the 'will theory' (contracts bind because parties consented) and the 'reliance theory' (contracts bind because one party relied on the promise). The author concludes the reliance theory is superior. Which response would best challenge this conclusion?
Answer: The will theory better explains why contracts signed under duress are considered void.
If the will theory explains a key legal doctrine (duress voidance) better than reliance theory, this directly challenges the claim of reliance theory's superiority.
A text claims: 'Rising university tuition fees disproportionately harm students from low-income backgrounds.' Which of the following is the most accurate description of this claim?
Answer: It is an empirical claim that requires evidence about income distribution and fee impacts.
The claim makes a factual assertion about real-world effects on different income groups, making it empirical and verifiable.
Read: 'The law must balance the rights of the individual against the needs of the collective. When these conflict, neither can be automatically prioritized.' What does this passage most directly imply?
Answer: Legal conflicts between individual and collective interests must be resolved case by case.
The statement that neither can be 'automatically prioritized' implies that each conflict requires its own contextual resolution rather than a fixed rule.
A passage uses the phrase 'paper tiger' to describe international human rights treaties. What does this metaphor most likely convey?
Answer: The treaties appear powerful but lack effective enforcement.
'Paper tiger' is an idiom meaning something that appears threatening or powerful but is actually ineffectual — applied here to unenforceable treaties.
An author argues that civil disobedience is justified when legal channels have been exhausted and the law being protested is clearly unjust. A critic responds: 'Who decides what counts as clearly unjust?' This objection most directly challenges which aspect of the argument?
Answer: The criterion of injustice, which lacks an objective or agreed standard.
The critic targets the vagueness of 'clearly unjust,' questioning how this threshold can be defined or agreed upon without a neutral arbiter.