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Logical Reasoning · Inference

PrepTest 138 · Section 3 · Question 2

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

Step 1 · Pre-Question Guidance · read this first

Question type
Inference (Most Strongly Supported)
The one idea it tests
Chain the links from a cause to a harm, then run the chain backwards: stopping the cause can help.
The basic logic
No conclusion is given. One link says a change makes a certain carrier thrive. Another says that carrier passes trouble to people. Put them together and preventing the change can reduce the trouble. Look for a modest answer (can, may) that stays inside the links.
Tiny words that decide it
  • “some”
  • “main”
  • “often”
  • “can”

Playground logic

Three patties, no top bun: splitting the long table makes crumbs pile up, crumbs bring Biscuit, and Biscuit knocks over lunches. Priya snaps the chain together and runs it in reverse: keeping the table whole can help protect lunches.

Step 2 · The kid story

The Great Table Split

Ms. Rivera split the long lunch table into six tiny tables. Lulu kept notes. 'At tiny tables, crumbs pile up the most, because nobody can reach the trash can.' Owen added, 'Crumbs are the main thing that brings Biscuit inside on visiting day.' Nadia sighed. 'And Biscuit often bumps trays off the tables when he hunts crumbs. Lunches go flying.' Marcus jumped up. 'So tiny tables are the worst thing that ever happened to this school!' Priya shook her head. 'Too big. But look at the chain. Tiny tables, more crumbs, more Biscuit, more flying lunches. So keeping the big table together can help save some lunches.' Kevin held his pineapple pizza tight. 'I support the big table.' Biscuit, under the table, did not.

Step 3 · Try the model question

When the long lunch table is split into small tables, crumbs pile up most at the small tables. Crumbs are the main thing that draws Biscuit into the lunchroom. Biscuit often knocks lunches to the floor while hunting crumbs.

The statements above give the most support to which one of the following?

Choices

Step 4 · The courtroom tale

The Case of the Divided Parking Lot

A neighborhood group asked Judge Lin to stop a builder from chopping the big parking lot into small corners. Mr. Whitfield stood. 'Your Honor, three facts. Small corners collect the most loose litter. Loose litter is the main thing that draws the raccoons. And the raccoons often tip over the neighbors' garbage bins, which makes a mess people trip on.' The builder's lawyer scoffed. 'So he says raccoons will take over the city!' Mr. Whitfield smiled. 'No. I say only this: keeping the lot whole can help keep people safer.' The judge nodded. 'That follows from your three facts. A raccoon takeover does not.'

Step 5 · Work the real question

Open PrepTest 138, Section 3, Question 2 in your official copy from LSAC (for example in LawHub) and read it there.

Your answer

How to apply it

There is no conclusion, so gather the statements as links. Find the change, find who thrives after it, and find what that thriving thing does to people. Snap the links into a chain, then ask what follows if the first link is prevented. Choose the answer that stays modest and uses only these links. Cross off answers that make absolute claims, stretch to other groups, or add a link nobody gave.