Logical Reasoning · Role of a Statement
PrepTest 116 · Section 2 · Question 19
Phase 1 (your first ~400 questions): read the guidance, then answer. No clock.
Step 1 · Pre-Question Guidance · read this first
- “unlikely”
- “most”
- “quickly”
Playground logic
Lulu says the garden will probably never be weed-free, then explains how weeds behave: they spread fast and bounce back. Her first sentence is the top bun (the Boss), and the behavior of weeds is the patty that holds it up.
Step 2 · The kid story
Lulu Versus the Weeds
Lulu stood in Grandpa's garden holding a tiny shovel and her clipboard. "It is unlikely this garden will someday have zero weeds," she announced. Kevin, who was eating pineapple pizza on a bucket, asked why. Lulu tapped her clipboard. "Most weeds make tons of seeds. When we pull them, they react the same way every time: they grow right back from bits of root, and they still choke Grandpa's tomatoes." Kevin chewed. "So the first thing you said is your point, and the weed stuff is why?" "Exactly," said Lulu. "My first sentence is the Boss. The weed facts are the Helpers. The Boss just showed up early to the meeting." Biscuit dug a hole, which did not help anyone.
Step 3 · Try the model question
It is unlikely that Grandpa's garden will someday have zero weeds. Most weeds produce huge numbers of seeds, and when they are pulled, they reliably regrow from root pieces while still crowding out the vegetables.
What job does the claim that the garden will probably never be weed-free do in the argument?
Step 4 · The courtroom tale
The Endless Ants
Ms. Patel, attorney for the picnic club, stood up first thing. "Your Honor, it is unlikely this park will someday have zero ants. Most ant colonies are enormous, and when we spray one nest, the colony simply moves and keeps marching to our sandwiches." Mr. Whitfield objected. "What is she arguing?" The judge smiled. "Counselor, her first sentence is her point. Everything after it is the reason. A conclusion does not have to wait politely until the end of the speech." Mr. Whitfield sat down and brushed an ant off his suspenders.
Step 5 · Work the real question
Open PrepTest 116, Section 2, Question 19 in your official copy from LSAC (for example in LawHub) and read it there.
Your answer
How to apply it
Locate the quoted claim in the stimulus. Ask: does anything else in the argument give a reason to believe it? If the remaining sentences describe a pattern of behavior that explains why the claim is likely, the claim is the main conclusion. Then match the answer that labels it a conclusion and correctly names what supports it. Check every detail of the described support against the stimulus, not just the word conclusion.