LSAT Preparation 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary skill tested by Reading Comprehension passages on the LSAT?
- Rapid word-for-word memorization of dense text
- Understanding the structure, purpose, and main point of complex academic writing (Correct answer)
- Identifying spelling and grammar errors in legal documents
- Applying external knowledge of law, science, or history to answer questions
Correct answer: Understanding the structure, purpose, and main point of complex academic writing
LSAT Reading Comprehension tests whether you can extract meaning, structure, and author intent from challenging texts — not memorize facts or apply outside knowledge.
Question 2: What strategy do many top scorers use when reading an LSAT RC passage?
- Read every word slowly to maximize comprehension before any question
- Skim only the first sentence of each paragraph, then dive into questions
- Read actively for the author's main point and the role each paragraph plays (Correct answer)
- Read the questions first and then hunt for corresponding answers line by line
Correct answer: Read actively for the author's main point and the role each paragraph plays
Active reading for structure and main point allows you to navigate questions efficiently, since most RC questions relate to purpose, tone, or inference rather than specific details.
Question 3: On the LSAT, which of the following best describes a 'necessary assumption' question?
- A question asking you to identify an assumption that, if false, would make the argument invalid (Correct answer)
- A question asking you to find new information that strengthens the conclusion
- A question asking you to identify the main point of the argument
- A question asking you to find a flaw in the argument's reasoning
Correct answer: A question asking you to identify an assumption that, if false, would make the argument invalid
Necessary assumption questions ask for the hidden premise the argument cannot survive without — if the assumption is false, the conclusion fails.
Question 4: What distinguishes a 'sufficient assumption' question from a 'necessary assumption' question on the LSAT?
- Sufficient assumptions are always longer and more complex than necessary ones
- A sufficient assumption, if true, guarantees the conclusion; a necessary assumption is required but may not alone guarantee it (Correct answer)
- Sufficient assumptions must be stated in the passage; necessary ones are always unstated
- They test the same skill and the distinction is irrelevant to strategy
Correct answer: A sufficient assumption, if true, guarantees the conclusion; a necessary assumption is required but may not alone guarantee it
A sufficient assumption bridges the logical gap so completely that the conclusion follows with certainty, while a necessary assumption is merely indispensable without necessarily sealing the argument.
Question 5: Which of the following study habits is most likely to HARM LSAT score improvement?
- Doing extensive timed section practice
- Reviewing every wrong answer thoroughly
- Doing many untimed questions without ever practicing under time pressure (Correct answer)
- Categorizing question types to identify personal weaknesses
Correct answer: Doing many untimed questions without ever practicing under time pressure
Exclusive untimed drilling builds comprehension but never trains the stamina and pacing required on the actual 35-minute timed sections.
Question 6: What does LSAC's 'Score Preview' option allow test-takers to do?
- See their score before deciding whether to send it to law schools (Correct answer)
- Retake any section they performed poorly on for free
- Preview question types before the official test begins
- Request an official score review for a potential miscalculation
Correct answer: See their score before deciding whether to send it to law schools
Score Preview lets you see your score before it is released to law schools, giving you the option to cancel it if you wish — though cancellation has restrictions.
Question 7: Which LSAT section is unscored but still completed by all test-takers?
- The Logic Games section
- The Writing Sample (Correct answer)
- The variable (unscored) experimental section
- The second Reading Comprehension passage set
Correct answer: The Writing Sample
The LSAT Writing Sample does not contribute to the 120–180 score but is completed separately and sent to all law schools the applicant applies to.
LSAT Preparation 4
What is the primary skill tested by Reading Comprehension passages on the LSAT?