Logical Reasoning · Role of a Statement

PrepTest 129 · Section 2 · Question 16

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

Step 1 · Pre-Question Guidance · read this first

Question type

Role of a Statement

The one idea it tests

If every other claim supports a statement directly and nothing supports anything else, that statement is the only conclusion.

The basic logic

Draw arrows. After the background, the claim in question is supported by two separate premises. Check whether either premise is itself supported by anything, and whether the claim in question goes on to support anything else. If neither, there is just one top bun and no middle bun.

Tiny words that decide it

“although”
“and”
“not”
“generally”

Playground logic

Background bun: the Galactic Gum Company sells a shoe gadget hyped as a time saver. Top bun: it does not live up to the hype. Two patties hold it up side by side: the slow part of getting ready is finding shoes, and untangling the gadget eats the saved time. No middle bun anywhere.

Step 2 · The kid story

The Snap-Shoe Scam

The Galactic Gum Company launched its newest wonder: the Snap-Shoe Lacer, a little gadget that ties your shoes for you. The ad shouted, "Get ready for school in half the time!" Tommy bought one with his candy money. Lulu watched him for a week with her clipboard. Then she gave her report. "The Snap-Shoe does not deliver what its ad promised. The slow part of getting ready is finding your shoes, not tying them. And untangling the gadget every morning eats up any time it saves." Tommy sighed. "So I paid for a knot machine." Kevin peeked over. "Can it tie pizza boxes?" Lulu ignored him. "Two reasons, one big point. That is my whole report."

Step 3 · Try the model question

Lulu: The Snap-Shoe Lacer is a gadget that ties your shoes for you. Though it is advertised as a time saver, it does not deliver what its ad promised. Most of the time spent getting ready goes to finding shoes, not tying them. And untangling the gadget usually uses up whatever time it saves.

What job does the claim that the gadget does not deliver what its ad promised perform in Lulu's reasoning?

Step 4 · The courtroom tale

The Self-Folding Laundry Basket

A customer sued a store over a basket that folds laundry by itself. Mr. Whitfield snapped his suspenders. "Your Honor, the box promised to save hours. My point is simple: it does not deliver. Here is why. First, the slow part of laundry is sorting and putting things away, not folding. Second, every shirt comes out so crooked that refolding it takes longer than folding it by hand." The judge wrote on her pad. "So you have one claim and two reasons, each holding it up on its own." "Exactly. Neither reason needs its own proof here, and my claim is not a stepping stone to anything bigger." The judge nodded. "A one-story house. Very tidy."

Step 5 · Work the real question

Open PrepTest 129, Section 2, Question 16 in your official copy from LSAC (for example in LawHub) and read it there.

Your answer

How to apply it

Number each sentence and draw support arrows. Mark background that just describes things. Find what the reasons point to. Then check two things about the claim in question: does it support anything further (which would make it a middle bun), and does anything else stand above it? If both answers are no and the premises point straight at it, it is the sole conclusion. Match that job.