PrepTest 159, Section 3, Question 11
The crocodiles of Lake Victoria, in East Africa,(52 more words not shown)
Which one of the following,(16 more words not shown)
- AWildlife authorities on(15 more words not shown)
- BAbout 100 crocodiles(15 more words not shown)
- CMore attacks on(14 more words not shown)
- DAdult crocodiles in(10 more words not shown)
- EPeople now fish(12 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Are the crocodiles encountering more people?
An increase in attacks could have several explanations. Perhaps there are more crocodiles. Perhaps they have less food and are more inclined to attack humans. Or perhaps people are spending more time in places where crocodiles live, creating more opportunities for attacks.
The passage rules out the first two changes: the crocodile population hasn't increased, and the animals have no less food available. That doesn't mean a crocodile can never be hungry. It means a drop in food availability isn't the change explaining the increase.
What we’re looking for
The question asks us to account for more attacks over the last 20 years. I'd look at the human side of the encounters. The same number of crocodiles with the same food supply could attack more people if people were entering their habitat more often or in more places.
Working the answers
- A
Destroying crocodiles believed responsible for attacks is a response to attacks, not an explanation of the increase. If anything, removing dangerous animals might reduce future attacks. The answer gives no reason this practice would produce the rise we're trying to explain.
- B
Is 100 a lot compared with before? We aren't told. A current count in the area with most attacks doesn't identify a change over the last 20 years. We need to explain why attacks increased, not merely establish that crocodiles live where attacks happen.
- C
This compares Lake Victoria with other parts of Africa. Our puzzle compares Lake Victoria now with Lake Victoria in the past. The lake could have had the most attacks both before and after the increase, so this doesn't explain the change.
- D
A lack of fear might help explain why crocodiles attack people at all. But the answer doesn't say they have become less afraid of people or boats. Without a relevant change, it doesn't explain why attacks have increased.
- ECorrect
Fishing now extends into more parts of the lake, giving people more opportunities to enter crocodile habitat. That can increase encounters and attacks without an increase in the crocodile population or a decrease in food. E supplies a change on the human side, just as we predicted.
More Paradox questions
Learn the LSAT our way
Our platform drills Paradox questions at your level and adjusts as you improve.