LSAT PrepTest 44 Section 2 Question 2 Explanation | Logical Reasoning

I didn't write the following blog post. It was already on the blog when I took over the URL. The following blog post may contain mistakes. -Steve

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Here's a question from the October 2004 LSAT.

As usual in Logical Reasoning, let's make a quick chain of phrases to show how the argument progresses (this can be done with just a little underlining once you get comfortable doing that):

Bypass done despite other options --> They're cheaper and less risky --> Especially for 1 vein

So, given this, let's pre-phrase what the argument supports. The point of the argument is about bypass often being unnecessary, so something like the argument supports the point that "bypass surgery is often not needed since there are cheaper and less risky alternatives. We see right away that answer choice E fits our pre-phrase well since it picks up on the theme that there are other, better options than a coronary bypass in some cases. Let's go through the other answer choices quickly:

A) Outside the scope of the argument, which just says that there are sometimes less risky alternatives to bypasses when heart problems arise. It never says that bypasses are the most risky treatment.

B) Outside the scope of the argument once again. The argument says only that bypasses are sometimes needless, not they they're any more needless now that at any time in the past.

C) The scope is wrong once again. The argument says that bypasses may be especially unneeded when only 1 vessel is diseased, but it doesn't say that bypasses are needed if more than one vessel is diseased. They may still be unneeded in that case.

D) Outside the passage's scope again. The argument says that bypasses are "especially debatable" when it comes to just 1 vessel. That could mean that bypasses are too risky or expensive, etc. Maybe the bypasses are just especially risky with a single vessel, but not especially more expensive than alternative therapies. The passage just isn't saying what the answer choice is.

Remember:

1) Use a pre-phrase to weed out wrong answers more quickly. A chain of phrases can help in pre-phrasing a good answer.

2) Look out for answer choices beyond the scope of the passage. If the passage doesn't talk about what an answer choice talks about, it can't be that the passage is supporting that answer choice! Again, it is crucial to know exactly what the passage is and isn't saying. The scope category can often eliminate all of the wrong answer choices.