Reading Comprehension: Science and Law Passages Flashcards

A science passage describes a researcher who disputes the mainstream interpretation of fossil evidence, arguing that existing data supports an alternative evolutionary timeline. The author's primary purpose is most likely to:

Answer: Present the researcher's argument and evaluate its merits relative to mainstream views

LSAT RC passages presenting a dissenting scientific view typically ask readers to identify the author's balanced evaluative purpose rather than a one-sided endorsement.

A legal passage states: 'Courts have consistently held that evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment is inadmissible, yet exceptions carved out over decades have significantly narrowed this exclusionary rule.' The word 'carved' most nearly suggests that the exceptions were:

Answer: Created deliberately and incrementally through judicial decisions

The metaphor of 'carving' implies active, deliberate shaping over time, consistent with incremental judicial decision-making.

According to an LSAT science passage on climate modeling, scientists use ensemble models rather than single models primarily because:

Answer: Ensemble models average out individual model biases and better capture uncertainty

Ensemble approaches are valued in climate science for reducing bias through averaging and representing the range of possible outcomes.

A law passage discusses strict liability torts, noting that defendants are held liable regardless of fault. Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument that strict liability promotes social welfare?

Answer: Manufacturers subject to strict liability invest more in product safety than those subject only to negligence standards

Evidence that strict liability incentivizes safety investment directly supports the social welfare justification by showing a beneficial behavioral change.

A comparative reading passage pairs a scientific study on cognitive bias with a legal scholar's essay on jury decision-making. The most likely reason the test makers paired these passages is to:

Answer: Illustrate how empirical findings about cognition can illuminate and challenge legal assumptions

Comparative passages typically pair texts to show how insights from one field apply to or complicate assumptions in another.

In an LSAT passage, the author states that a proposed environmental regulation 'conflates correlation with causation.' This critique suggests the regulation's proponents:

Answer: Assumed that because two phenomena co-occur, one causes the other

Conflating correlation with causation means inferring a causal relationship from mere co-occurrence without establishing a causal mechanism.

A science-law passage discusses patent eligibility for genetic sequences. The author would most likely agree that:

Answer: The distinction between discovery and invention is central to determining patent eligibility for genetic material

The discovery-versus-invention distinction is the foundational legal question in genetic patent eligibility cases, particularly after Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics.