LSAT PrepTest 43 Section 1 Question 6 Explanation | Reading Comprehension

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 Reading Comprehension question from the June 2004 LSAT.

On main point questions, the summaries we wrote down earlier can be quite helpful:

P 1: Situational/rhetorical factors explain most code-switching

P 2: Where, what, and who is in the conversation affects it

P 3: Sometimes code-switching done just for rhetoric's sake

Considering these summaries, we can pre-phrase a main point. The passage explains code-switching, so the main point is something like "code-switching can often be explained by situational and rhetorical factors." E fits this well, since both mention the two main explanations of code-switching. Let's go through the other choices quickly:

A) Too broad in scope and way too vague to be the main point. The passage doesn't just say that their lives are affected by switching languages. It goes into a lot of detail to explain why they do it. This choice doesn't capture that.

B) Too narrow in scope; the passage does say that not every single instance of code-switching can be explained, but it mostly focuses on explanations for code-switching, not instances of unexplainable code-switching. So, this choice can't be the main point, since its focus is on a very small part of the passage.

C) The passage directly contradicts this, saying that situational factors explain more instances of code-switching, so this is the opposite of what we want. The passage contradicts this choice, so it can't be the main point.

D) Out of scope; the passage just presents the findings of the researchers but doesn't say whether they forced them to revise their beliefs or confirmed their beliefs.

E) Correct.

Remember:

1) Use summaries and a pre-phrase.

2) Get rid of choices that are too narrow in scope or out of scope.