LSAT 110 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q24

LR Question 24 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Ringtail opossums are an Australian wildlife species…

QUESTION TYPE: Strengthen

CONCLUSION: The opossums are going extinct because of non-native predators rather than from a lack of food.

REASONING: 75% of opossums released from captivity were eaten by foxes.

ANALYSIS: This is a bad argument. The opossums were living in captivity. They may not have had a chance to learn how to survive amongst predators. Wild opossums might not get eaten by foxes often and lack of food might be a bigger problem for them.

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1. This doesn’t help, since the conclusion is that non-native predators are threatening the opossum. The conclusion would be stronger (slightly) if there were more non-native predators. 
2. All that matters is that the foxes adapted well enough to eat opossums. The fact that some other species adapted better does not strengthen the argument.
3. This doesn’t affect the fact that it was foxes that killed the opossums once they were released. We have no indication that food was an issue for these opossums.
4. This doesn’t matter. The conclusion was that non-native predators were harming the opossum. The opossums weren’t dying from lack of food. They were dying because foxes ate them.
5. CORRECT. This eliminates the possibility that the opossums raised in captivity were simply unprepared to deal with predators.