LSAT Logical Reasoning: Strengthen and Support Questions 4

Question 1

A criminologist argues that neighborhood watch programs reduce residential burglary rates. A skeptic claims the reduction is due to gentrification, not the programs. Which of the following most strengthens the criminologist's position against this skepticism?

(A) Neighborhood watch programs have existed for over four decades in the United States.
(B) Burglary rates declined in neighborhoods that implemented watch programs but did not experience significant demographic or income changes.
(C) Participants in neighborhood watch programs report feeling safer in their communities.
(D) Burglary tends to be an opportunistic crime that is sensitive to perceived risk of detection.

Accepted Answer

Burglary rates declined in neighborhoods that implemented watch programs but did not experience significant demographic or income changes.

Answer

Option B eliminates the confounding variable (gentrification) by showing the programs work even in neighborhoods where gentrification did not occur.

Question 2

A dietitian argues that eating breakfast daily improves students' academic performance. Which of the following, if true, most strengthens this argument?

(A) Students who eat breakfast tend to come from households with higher incomes and more parental involvement.
(B) In a randomized study, students assigned to receive school breakfasts showed greater improvements in test scores than a control group, even after controlling for socioeconomic factors.
(C) Schools that offer free breakfast programs have higher overall attendance rates.
(D) Students often report feeling more alert in morning classes when they have eaten breakfast.

Accepted Answer

In a randomized study, students assigned to receive school breakfasts showed greater improvements in test scores than a control group, even after controlling for socioeconomic factors.

Answer

Option B provides the strongest support through a randomized controlled study that controls for confounding factors like socioeconomic status, isolating the effect of breakfast on performance.

Question 3

A forest service manager argues that controlled burns prevent devastating wildfires by reducing accumulated fuel load. Which of the following, if true, most strengthens this argument?

(A) Areas that underwent controlled burns in previous years sustained significantly less damage when wildfires later swept through the region compared to adjacent unburned areas.
(B) Controlled burns require significant resources and careful planning to execute safely.
(C) Some environmental groups oppose controlled burns because they release carbon dioxide.
(D) The number of wildfires has increased nationally over the past two decades.

Accepted Answer

Areas that underwent controlled burns in previous years sustained significantly less damage when wildfires later swept through the region compared to adjacent unburned areas.

Answer

Option A provides direct comparative evidence showing the predicted protective effect of controlled burns when actual wildfires occurred.

Question 4

A psychologist argues that regular meditation practice reduces symptoms of anxiety disorders. Which of the following most strengthens this argument by addressing a potential weakness?

(A) Many people who try meditation for anxiety report finding it helpful.
(B) A meta-analysis of 40 clinical trials found that meditation reduced anxiety symptoms significantly more than no treatment, with effects persisting at 6-month follow-up.
(C) Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years in various cultures.
(D) Meditation can be practiced without a therapist, making it a low-cost intervention.

Accepted Answer

A meta-analysis of 40 clinical trials found that meditation reduced anxiety symptoms significantly more than no treatment, with effects persisting at 6-month follow-up.

Answer

Option B provides the strongest support through a meta-analysis of multiple trials showing both efficacy compared to no treatment and durability of effects over time.

Question 5

A linguist argues that children who are raised bilingual develop stronger executive function skills than monolingual children. Which of the following, if true, most strengthens this argument?

(A) Bilingual children often outperform monolingual children on tasks requiring attention switching and inhibition of competing responses.
(B) Learning a second language requires significant time and effort that could be spent on other activities.
(C) Some researchers have questioned whether the bilingual advantage in executive function is as large as initially reported.
(D) Children raised in bilingual households tend to score slightly lower on vocabulary tests in each individual language.

Accepted Answer

Bilingual children often outperform monolingual children on tasks requiring attention switching and inhibition of competing responses.

Answer

Option A directly supports the claim by showing that bilingual children outperform on the specific cognitive tasks that constitute executive function.

LSAT - Law School Admission Test Practice Test

LSAT - Law School Admission Test Practice Test

LSAT Logical Reasoning: Strengthen and Support Questions 4