Passage Flashcards
7 cards from real LSAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Passage flashcards as text
A passage about contract law states: 'The doctrine of promissory estoppel operates as an equitable remedy where no formal contract exists.' A question asks what the author means by 'equitable remedy.' Based on context, this most likely means:
Answer: A remedy granted based on fairness when strict legal rules would produce an unjust result
In legal contexts, 'equitable' refers to fairness-based judicial relief, distinct from strict legal rules, which matches the passage's framing of promissory estoppel.
An LSAT passage presents this argument structure: general principle → specific application → exception to application. A question asks which of the following best describes the organization. The correct answer should identify:
Answer: A deductive framework applied to a case, then qualified by a limiting condition
The structure (principle → application → exception) is a deductive pattern where a general rule is applied and then its limits are defined.
A passage about cognitive science and jury decision-making concludes that jurors rely heavily on narrative coherence rather than probabilistic reasoning. An 'application' question asks: which situation would MOST challenge the passage's conclusion?
Answer: A case where jurors rejected a compelling narrative in favor of statistical DNA evidence
If jurors rejected a compelling narrative for statistical evidence, this directly contradicts the conclusion that narrative coherence drives decisions.
In a passage discussing two competing theories of constitutional interpretation, the author states in the final paragraph: 'Neither approach fully accounts for the complexity of modern governance.' This statement most likely serves to:
Answer: Acknowledge limitations shared by both theories without fully abandoning either
Saying neither approach 'fully accounts' for complexity suggests both have partial value but shared shortcomings, a balanced critique rather than outright rejection.
An LSAT RC passage on intellectual property law uses the term 'sui generis' without defining it. The surrounding context discusses a form of protection that doesn't fit existing copyright or patent categories. What does 'sui generis' most likely mean here?
Answer: Of its own kind; forming a unique category
Latin for 'of its own kind,' 'sui generis' is used in legal contexts to describe something that forms its own unique category, fitting the context of protection that doesn't fit existing frameworks.
A passage discusses the history of antitrust law and includes this sentence: 'The Sherman Act of 1890 cast a wide net, but courts gradually narrowed its reach.' What does 'narrowed its reach' most likely mean?
Answer: Judicial interpretations limited the range of conduct the Act could regulate
When courts 'narrow the reach' of a statute, they interpret it to apply to fewer situations than its broad text might suggest.
A Reading Comprehension question asks: 'The author's attitude toward the traditional view can best be described as...' The passage states the traditional view is 'outdated' and 'fails to account for recent findings.' What is the author's attitude?
Answer: Critical dismissal
Words like 'outdated' and 'fails to account for' signal that the author is critically dismissing the traditional view.