LSAT Logical Reasoning Practice Test 1

Good physicians inform patients of the possible risks associated with a procedure before the patient undergoes a procedure. Jolene’s physician didn’t warn her of the risks of her procedure before operating, so her physician is unethical.

Which of the following is an assumption that would allow the conclusion to be properly drawn?

Historian: Although some people contend that the Trois-Frères cave paintings depict scenes early humans experienced while hunting, these ancient cave paintings actually represent some of the earliest known examples of early human religious rituals. For example, in the caves’ entrance, paintings show a variety of animals harmoniously gliding through space. The animals in the painting are not animals that would typically cohabitate peacefully. Likewise, at the center of the cave, a large picture of a half-animal, half-man creature is painted high on the ceiling in a place often referred to as “the cathedral”. The half-animal, half-man creature represents the homosapiens early representation of a god that they believed controlled all the animals they hunted, and the floating animals represent the spirits of the dead animals returning to their god.

Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the author’s overall conclusion?

Studies show that cities with more churches tend to have a less educated population than cities with fewer churches. Many churches today encourage churchgoers to disregard evidence based scientific theories such as the theory of evolution or global warming. Churches today also discourage congregants from believing anything that would contradict the church teachings. Thus, by teaching people to disbelieve science and to disbelieve any information that might contradict church teachings, cities with larger numbers have more citizens that distrust the information they learn in educational institutions such as high schools and colleges.

The reasoning this argument is flawed is that it:

Architects that appreciate historic architecture are able to design very innovative modern buildings. Without having an appreciation for historic architecture, an architect can never design a famous modern building.

If the above statements are true, which of the following statements can be properly inferred?

Allen: In many states, nurse practitioners and physician assistants are able to perform almost all of the procedures that traditionally only a physician could perform. This shows that physicians don’t learn more in medical school than nurse practitioners and physician assistants do in fewer years of school.

Pauline: Although it is true that many nurse practitioners and physicians assistants do a lot of the same procedures that physicians perform, many states still require a physician to oversee any procedure performed by a nurse practitioner or physician assistant, which means that the physicians likely receive certain training that nurse practitioners or physician assistants do not.

It can be inferred from the dialogue that Allen and Pauline most likely disagree that:

Mayor: The city’s police force is suffering from a gross lack of funding. This lack of funding is causing our hard-working officers to use outdated technology and to drive outdated vehicles. We need to dedicate more funding to the police force so that officers can be properly outfitted with better equipment and vehicles if we want to keep our citizens safe. Without the right equipment, officers can’t efficiently fight crime.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the mayor’s argument?

Employees become dissatisfied with their work when they feel under appreciated. When Employers frequently compliment their employees’ work and communicate clearly when employees are not performing well, employees stay with their employers for long periods of time. Employees that feel underappreciated always eventually quit their jobs.

If the above statement is true, which of the following statements must also be true?

Advertisement: Shutters, although expensive, are worth every penny because no other window treatment can increase the resell value of a home as significantly as shutters. Studies show that sellers who have a home with shutters receive twice as many offers on their homes as sellers with no shutters.

The reasoning in this argument is flawed in that the argument:

Marcel: Children have access to more information today than ever before. Although the access to information can help children learn, there are certain things that children shouldn’t be exposed to, and children see almost everything online. The easy access to adult content on the web must be the reason why today’s children have been labeled as desensitized and emotionally unstable.

Ignacio: Children today are smarter, and more well rounded than they have ever been because they are able to learn more than ever before. Yes, children see some things online that may not be appropriate, but they do not have any problems contextualizing what they see because they are so well rounded and intelligent. Any emotional instability or sense of desensitization associated with today’s youth is because of the older, pre-internet generation’s inability to communicate with the more intelligent and more informed younger generation.

Ignacio responds to Marcel’s question by:

Researcher: Some historians contend that the Fall of Rome was caused by the Roman Empire’s overspending on military affairs and by the adoption of Christianity as the Empire’s main religion, the former causing economic unrest and the latter causing a loss of traditional Roman values. Although these theories do have merit, they rely on events that occurred because of one preceding event. Before Rome adopted Christianity or had a spending problem, the Roman Empire was invaded by groups like the Germanic Goths, leading the Romans to overspend on military expenses and to adopt a new religion in order to please their competitors.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the overall conclusion drawn in the argument?