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Logical Reasoning · Inference / Most Strongly Supported

PrepTest 140 · Section 2 · 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
A link between having something and having less of a problem gently suggests that lacking the thing may play some part in the problem.
The basic logic
The passage gives a correlation and nothing more. The best answer stays modest: it says something 'may' be at least partly behind the problem. Answers that call something the best, the only, or a complete fix leave the lunchbox.
Tiny words that decide it
  • “may”
  • “partly”
  • “significantly”

Playground logic

Ms. Rivera's lunchbox holds one fact: kids with reading buddies missed fewer homework assignments. Priya's safe bite is soft: working alone might be part of why homework gets missed. Marcus wants to say buddies fix everything, which is a Megaphone.

Step 2 · The kid story

Reading Buddies and Missing Homework

Missing homework was a big problem in Ms. Rivera's class. So she ran a little survey. Kids who had formed a real friendship with a reading buddy turned in missing homework far less often than kids who had not. Marcus jumped up. 'Case closed! Reading buddies are the best cure in the world. Give everyone a buddy and no homework will ever go missing again!' Lulu flipped her clipboard. 'The survey didn't say that.' Priya sipped her juice box. 'All we know is the two things go together. So maybe working all alone is part of why homework goes missing. Maybe.' Tommy, who had candy in his desk and a missing worksheet, said nothing. Biscuit, the class visitor, chewed the survey.

Step 3 · Try the model question

Missing homework is a problem in Ms. Rivera's class. Students who formed a real friendship with a reading buddy missed homework much less often than students who did not.

Which claim do these facts back up best?

Choices

Step 4 · The courtroom tale

The Garden Club Hearing

A city lawyer told Judge Park, 'Neighbors who joined the garden club filed fewer noise complaints than those who did not. So the garden club will end all complaints forever!' Mr. Whitfield rose, suspenders snapping. 'Your Honor, the record shows two things go together. That's all. At most, being isolated might be part of what drives the complaints.' The judge agreed. 'Counsel, your evidence whispers. Your claim shouts. I'll accept the whisper.' The city lawyer sat down, and the garden club sent everyone tomatoes.

Step 5 · Work the real question

Open PrepTest 140, Section 2, Question 2 in your official copy from LSAC (for example in LawHub) and read it there.

Your answer

How to apply it

Read the facts and note that they show a link, not a proven cause. Now sort choices by strength. Cross out any that say best, only, essential, or will eliminate. Cross out any that compare with groups the passage never mentions. The survivor should be hedged, using words like may or partly, and should point the same direction as the link. Run the Spoiler Test: could the facts be true and this be false? Barely.