LSAT Inference from Passages 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage states that an author publishes only when confident in her research, and that her latest book was published last spring. What can most safely be inferred?
- The author was confident in her research for the latest book (Correct answer)
- The latest book will be commercially successful
- The author publishes at least one book per year
- The author's research methods are rigorous by academic standards
Correct answer: The author was confident in her research for the latest book
Given her stated policy, the fact that she published implies she was confident in that particular work.
Question 2: A passage notes that a pharmaceutical company spent more on marketing than on research last year. Which inference is most directly supported?
- The company's drugs are ineffective
- The company prioritized promotion over drug development that year (Correct answer)
- All pharmaceutical companies spend more on marketing than research
- Marketing spending reduces drug safety
Correct answer: The company prioritized promotion over drug development that year
The spending ratio directly implies where the company placed its resource priorities in that fiscal year.
Question 3: A passage describes a town where library usage dropped significantly after a new streaming service launched. What inference is most warranted?
- Libraries will become obsolete within a decade
- Some people who previously used libraries now use the streaming service instead (Correct answer)
- The streaming service offers superior content to libraries
- Library funding should be increased to compete with streaming
Correct answer: Some people who previously used libraries now use the streaming service instead
The timing and correlation suggest some users switched from library to streaming service, though full displacement is not established.
Question 4: A passage asserts: 'Politicians who accept donations from industry groups tend to vote in favor of those groups' interests.' Senator X voted against an industry regulation. What can be inferred if Senator X received donations from that industry?
- Senator X was bribed by the industry group
- Senator X's vote is consistent with the pattern described (Correct answer)
- Senator X will always vote against regulations
- Senator X is the only politician influenced by donations
Correct answer: Senator X's vote is consistent with the pattern described
The senator's vote aligns with the passage's stated tendency, making the vote consistent with, though not proof of, the pattern.
Question 5: A passage explains that a region experiences drought whenever La Niña conditions persist for more than three months, and notes La Niña has now lasted four months. What follows?
- The region is currently experiencing drought (Correct answer)
- La Niña will continue for several more months
- Drought will permanently damage the region's agriculture
- La Niña causes drought in all regions
Correct answer: The region is currently experiencing drought
Since the conditions for drought have been met according to the stated rule, drought must be occurring in that region.
Question 6: A passage states that a judge consistently rules in favor of plaintiffs in personal injury cases involving corporations. Which inference is best supported by this information alone?
- The judge is biased against corporations
- Plaintiffs in such cases tend to have stronger legal arguments before this judge
- The judge's rulings reflect a pattern that favors plaintiffs in this case type (Correct answer)
- Corporations should avoid litigation in this judge's court
Correct answer: The judge's rulings reflect a pattern that favors plaintiffs in this case type
The passage establishes only a behavioral pattern; inferring bias or legal strength goes beyond what the data supports.
Question 7: A passage notes that voters in urban districts rejected a highway expansion proposal, while suburban and rural voters supported it. What can most reasonably be inferred?
- Urban voters are generally opposed to infrastructure projects
- The proposal's perceived benefits differed by geographic community (Correct answer)
- Suburban and rural areas have more political influence
- Highway expansion is always controversial in democratic societies
Correct answer: The proposal's perceived benefits differed by geographic community
The geographic split in voting suggests that different communities assessed the proposal's impacts differently based on their locations.
LSAT Inference from Passages 3
A passage states that an author publishes only when confident in her research, and that her latest book was published last spring.
What can most safely be inferred?