PrepTest 130, Section 4, Question 7
Farmer: Because water content is what makes popcorn(54 more words not shown)
Which one of the following,(15 more words not shown)
- AThe region in(22 more words not shown)
- BLeaving popcorn to(15 more words not shown)
- CDrying popcorn on(21 more words not shown)
- DWhen popcorn does(21 more words not shown)
- EIf popcorn is(9 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
The farmer wants just the right amount of water left in the kernels. Drying them at the right rate matters, and the farmer says the best method uses the sun while the corn is still in the field.
Then why bring it indoors?
There could be more than one acceptable drying method. But knowing that an indoor method works would not fully explain choosing it over the method the farmer calls best. Maybe indoor drying costs less. Or maybe it is easier to control: outdoor conditions can vary, whereas the farmer can keep a room warm and dry.
What we’re looking for
The question asks us to resolve that difference between theory and practice. I want a circumstance that explains this farmer's choice, while allowing sun drying to remain the preferred method under suitable conditions.
Working the answers
- ACorrect
The local weather gets in the way at precisely the relevant time. A long cloudy season starts just before the corn would begin drying in the fields. Sun drying may be best when enough sunshine is available, but this farmer has reason to use a warm, dry room during that season.
We do not need to assume that the sun never appears or that outdoor drying is literally impossible. The reduced opportunity for sun drying gives a practical reason to choose the indoor method.
- B
This points in the wrong direction for the possible cost explanation. Field drying is the least expensive method, so choosing indoor drying would give up a cost advantage as well as the stated drying advantage. B makes the choice harder to explain.
- C
This helps us understand that a different method could still produce usable popcorn. But it does not explain why the farmer chooses that method over the best one. There may be several acceptable options; we still want a reason to select the indoor option.
- D
Taking longer to pop is a consequence of insufficient drying. D does not tell us whether this farmer's corn would dry better indoors or in the field. It leaves the choice between methods unexplained.
- E
This explains why the farmer should avoid drying the corn too much. It does not tell us that indoor drying avoids that problem better than sun drying in this farmer's circumstances. The importance of moisture is already part of the setup; the location of the drying is what needs explaining.
More Paradox questions
Learn the LSAT our way
Our platform drills Paradox questions at your level and adjusts as you improve.