LNAT Technical Skills & Application 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A statute states: 'No vehicle may enter the park.' A maintenance crew needs to bring in a motorized lawnmower. Applying strict statutory interpretation, what is the correct conclusion?
- The lawnmower may enter because it serves the park's purpose
- The lawnmower is prohibited because it is a vehicle (Correct answer)
- The crew must seek an exception from Parliament
- The statute is ambiguous and unenforceable
Correct answer: The lawnmower is prohibited because it is a vehicle
Under strict literal interpretation, a motorized lawnmower qualifies as a vehicle and is therefore prohibited regardless of its purpose.
Question 2: In formal logic, which of the following is the contrapositive of 'If P then Q'?
- If Q then P
- If not P then not Q
- If not Q then not P (Correct answer)
- If P then not Q
Correct answer: If not Q then not P
The contrapositive of 'If P then Q' is 'If not Q then not P,' and it is logically equivalent to the original statement.
Question 3: A researcher finds that cities with more ice cream sales have more drowning deaths. The most rigorous conclusion is:
- Ice cream consumption causes drowning
- Drowning risk increases ice cream consumption
- A third variable (heat/summer) likely explains both (Correct answer)
- The data is too limited to draw any conclusion
Correct answer: A third variable (heat/summer) likely explains both
Both ice cream sales and drowning increase in hot weather, making temperature a confounding variable that explains the correlation.
Question 4: Which argument form commits the fallacy of affirming the consequent?
- If A then B; A is true; therefore B is true
- If A then B; B is true; therefore A is true (Correct answer)
- If A then B; A is false; therefore B is false
- If A then B; B is false; therefore A is false
Correct answer: If A then B; B is true; therefore A is true
Affirming the consequent incorrectly infers the antecedent (A) from the truth of the consequent (B).
Question 5: A law requires 'reasonable notice' before terminating a contract. A court must decide whether 24 hours constitutes reasonable notice for a commercial lease. Which interpretive tool is MOST appropriate?
- Literal rule — apply the plain meaning of 'reasonable'
- Golden rule — avoid an absurd outcome
- Purposive approach — consider the legislature's aim (Correct answer)
- Ejusdem generis — apply the rule of the same kind
Correct answer: Purposive approach — consider the legislature's aim
The purposive approach asks what protection the legislature intended to provide, which is most relevant to interpreting a vague standard like 'reasonable.'
Question 6: An argument states: 'All contracts require consideration. This agreement has no consideration. Therefore it is not a contract.' This is an example of:
- Inductive reasoning
- Modus ponens
- Modus tollens (Correct answer)
- Analogical reasoning
Correct answer: Modus tollens
Modus tollens follows the form 'If P then Q; not Q; therefore not P,' which matches denying the consequent to deny the antecedent.
Question 7: In a LNAT reading passage, the author argues that mandatory minimum sentences 'have failed to deter crime.' A student wishes to weaken this argument most effectively. Which approach is best?
- Show that crime rates have fallen in states without mandatory minimums
- Provide evidence that crime rates fell after mandatory minimums were introduced (Correct answer)
- Argue that deterrence is not the only goal of sentencing
- Question whether the author is a criminologist
Correct answer: Provide evidence that crime rates fell after mandatory minimums were introduced
Showing crime fell after mandatory minimums were introduced directly challenges the claim that they failed to deter crime.
LNAT Technical Skills & Application 2
A statute states: 'No vehicle may enter the park.' A maintenance crew needs to bring in a motorized lawnmower.
Applying strict statutory interpretation, what is the correct conclusion?