PrepTest 111, Section 4, Question 14
Marian Anderson, the famous contralto, did not take(33 more words not shown)
The conclusion of the argument(10 more words not shown)
- AAnyone who succeeds(4 more words not shown)
- BAnyone who is(15 more words not shown)
- CAnyone who is(15 more words not shown)
- DAnyone who does(11 more words not shown)
- EAnyone who does(15 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Having a good perspective and not taking success for granted sound related. But the argument still needs to connect them.
Anderson struggled early in life. The rule we are given says that anyone who did so is able to keep a good perspective on the world. That gets us to a claim about Anderson's ability to maintain perspective. It hasn't yet told us whether she takes success for granted.
The question asks us to make the conclusion follow. I'd add a rule that starts where the existing reasoning ends: anyone able to keep that good perspective does not take success for granted. Then Anderson's early struggle leads to the perspective requirement, and that leads to the conclusion.
What we’re looking for
Direction matters. A rule about what people who already don't take success for granted are like won't automatically tell us that Anderson belongs to that group. We need a way to get into that group from the information we have.
Working the answers
- A
This points toward taking success for granted, while the conclusion says Anderson does not. It supplies no route from her early struggle or her ability to keep perspective to the result we need. The missing rule has to support that result, not its opposite.
- BCorrect
Anderson's early struggle means she is able to keep a good perspective. B tells us that anyone with that ability does not take success for granted. Applying the two rules in sequence establishes the conclusion about Anderson. Each step starts with something the previous step gives us.
- C
This goes back from having the ability to keep perspective to having struggled early. We already know Anderson struggled early. Even if the link worked in both directions, we would still have no rule connecting either description with not taking success for granted.
- D
This says not taking success for granted requires an early struggle. Meeting that requirement doesn't establish that someone doesn't take success for granted. A person could struggle early and still later take success for granted without violating D. The answer needs to rule out that possibility for Anderson, and D doesn't.
- E
This says people who don't take success for granted can keep a good perspective. But it doesn't say everyone with that ability belongs to the first group. Under E, someone could be able to keep perspective and still take success for granted. B gives the direction we need; E leaves that possibility open.
More Sufficient Assumption questions
Learn the LSAT our way
Our platform drills Sufficient Assumption questions at your level and adjusts as you improve.