Logical Reasoning · Strengthen

PrepTest 129 · Section 1 · Question 13

Phase 1 (your first ~400 questions): read the guidance, then answer. No clock.

Step 1 · Pre-Question Guidance · read this first

Question type

Strengthen

The one idea it tests

An argument from a past case gets stronger when the two cases are shown to be truly alike.

The basic logic

A group says a task is too costly. The arguer says that is probably false, because a different group once said the same about a different task, then did it cheaply when forced. The argument rests on the two tasks being comparable. Strengthen by showing the new task would not be much harder or costlier than the old one.

Tiny words that decide it

“probably”
“once”
“yet”
“when forced”

Playground logic

Grandpa's patty is the shoe-tying story, and his top bun is that Tommy's 'impossible' room cleaning is probably possible too. The secret sauce is that cleaning the room is not much harder than learning to tie shoes was. Prop up that sameness and the argument stands taller.

Step 2 · The kid story

Impossible, Said Tommy

Tommy stares at his room. Socks on the lamp. Candy wrappers under the bed. Mr. Whiskers asleep on a pile of comics. "Cleaning this by Saturday is impossible," he moans. Grandpa chuckles. "You said the same about tying your shoes. Impossible, you said. Then your mom stopped buying shoes with straps. You learned in one afternoon, and you even made a double knot." Lulu writes it down. "Grandpa says Tommy is probably wrong again." Priya sips her juice box. "That only works if this room is not a lot harder than shoelaces were. If it is ten times harder, the story doesn't help." Marcus peeks under the bed. "It might be eleven times harder." Tommy throws a sock at him.

Step 3 · Try the model question

Tommy says cleaning his room by Saturday is impossible. That claim is likely wrong. Tommy once said learning to tie his shoes was impossible, yet when he had no other choice, he learned in one afternoon.

Which one of these, if it were true, would most support the reasoning above?

Step 4 · The courtroom tale

The Case of the Impossible Bridge

A town builder testifies that repainting the old footbridge in a month is impossible. Mr. Whitfield cross-examines. "Ten years ago, your company swore it was impossible to fix the town clock in a month. Then the mayor set a deadline. You finished in two weeks and made money doing it." "That was a clock," says the builder. "Exactly," says Mr. Whitfield. "So I will now show that repainting this bridge costs and takes no more than that clock job did." He hands the judge a stack of estimates. The judge reads them. "If these hold up, the comparison is a fair one, and your claim looks weak."

Step 5 · Work the real question

Open PrepTest 129, Section 1, Question 13 in your official copy from LSAC (for example in LawHub) and read it there.

Your answer

How to apply it

Name the conclusion: someone's cost claim is likely wrong. Name the evidence: a past group made a similar claim about a different task and was wrong. The hidden assumption is that the two tasks are comparable. Look for the choice that shows the new task is no harder or costlier than the old one. Reject choices that repeat the old story, make the new task look harder, or go beyond what is needed.