LSAT-LR Practice Questions
Prepare for LSAT-LR with more than an answer.
- Exam fee
- $248 USD
- Level
- Graduate School Admission
- Valid for
- 5 years
Domains covered on the exam 4
- Argument Analysis and Evaluation40%
- Inference and Deduction25%
- Reasoning by Analogy and Principle Application20%
- Critical Reading and Comprehension15%
- 1
A financial services company is developing a new mobile application. The development team has been presented with two competing priorities from management: the application must have the highest level of security available, and it must provide a seamless and fast user experience. The lead developer argues that implementing the most stringent security protocols, such as multi-step biometric authentication for every transaction, will inevitably slow down the application and make the user experience cumbersome. The marketing director, however, insists that a single security breach would be catastrophic for the brand, and therefore security cannot be compromised, even for the sake of user experience.
Which of the following principles best describes the underlying source of the conflict between the lead developer and the marketing director?
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Correct answer: B
The core of the conflict is that both parties want two positive things (max security and max user experience), but the developer's argument establishes them as being in opposition to each other. The marketing director prioritizes one (security), while the developer highlights the negative impact on the other (user experience). Their disagreement stems from the tension between these two competing, desirable objectives.
- 2
Historian: Some have argued that the invention of the printing press was the single most important factor in the rise of literacy in Renaissance Europe. This is an oversimplification. While the printing press made books more widely available, it was the simultaneous emergence of a merchant class with the leisure time and commercial need for reading that truly fueled the literacy boom. Without this demand, the increased supply of books would have had little effect.
The historian's argument proceeds by:
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Correct answer: C
The argument first identifies a commonly held causal explanation (printing press -> literacy). It then challenges this by proposing an alternative and, in the historian's view, more fundamental cause (emergence of a merchant class). It doesn't deny the first cause's role entirely ('While the printing press made books available...') but subordinates it to the second, more significant factor.
- 3
To be considered for the conductor position with the national symphony, a candidate must have at least ten years of experience and must be fluent in German. Johann has twelve years of experience and is a native German speaker. Therefore, Johann will be considered for the position.
The reasoning in the argument is flawed because it treats conditions that are necessary as if they were:
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Correct answer: B
The requirement states that experience and German fluency are necessary (you must have them). However, there could be other unstated necessary requirements (e.g., a degree from a top conservatory). The argument incorrectly assumes that meeting these two necessary conditions is sufficient to guarantee consideration. This is a classic necessary vs. sufficient flaw.
- 4
In a study of corporate performance, researchers found that companies with the highest employee satisfaction ratings also had the highest five-year profit growth. This demonstrates that prioritizing employee satisfaction is the most effective strategy for any company that wants to maximize its long-term profitability.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously calls the conclusion of the argument into question?
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Correct answer: C
The argument concludes a causal relationship: Satisfaction -> Profit. This option weakens the conclusion by suggesting the causal relationship is reversed: Profit -> Satisfaction. If high profits lead to high satisfaction (by funding better pay and benefits), then the observed correlation does not support the conclusion that prioritizing satisfaction is the strategy to achieve profits.
- 5
The argument is structured to lead to the conclusion that a specific action should be taken. It begins by establishing a goal, then presents evidence about the preferences of a key group related to that goal. It concludes by recommending a course of action designed to align with those preferences.
Which of the following arguments most closely conforms to the description above?
graph TD A[Establish Goal] --> B{Identify Key Group's Preference}; B --> C[Recommend Action based on Preference];Show answer details
Correct answer: B
This argument perfectly matches the described structure. Goal: increase readership. Evidence about key group: poll shows target demographic wants local news. Recommended action: expand local news section.
- 6
Art Critic: The recent surge in popularity of minimalist digital art is driven not by genuine aesthetic appreciation, but by the speculative frenzy in the market for non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The valuation of these pieces has no connection to their artistic merit, which is often negligible. Therefore, this art trend is a bubble destined to burst, leaving many collectors with worthless assets.
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Correct answer: B
The critic's conclusion that the trend is a 'bubble destined to burst' depends on the unstated assumption that trends based on speculation instead of merit are inherently unsustainable. The critic connects speculative frenzy to a future collapse, and this option provides that necessary link. Without this assumption, the popularity could simply continue regardless of its driver.
- 7
A city implemented a 'congestion pricing' policy, charging vehicles a fee to enter the downtown core during business hours. A year later, traffic congestion in the downtown core had decreased by 15%, and air quality had improved by 10%. However, residents of neighborhoods just outside the downtown core reported a significant increase in traffic and a shortage of street parking. This shows that the congestion pricing policy was a failure.
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Correct answer: A
The argument concludes the policy is a 'failure' based solely on its negative effects on adjacent neighborhoods. This reasoning is flawed because it ignores the policy's stated successes (reduced downtown congestion, improved air quality) and judges it against a criterion (preventing negative impact on surrounding areas) that may not have been its primary goal. A policy can be successful in its main objectives even if it has unintended side effects.
- 8
A new smart-thermostat, the 'EcoTemp 5000', is advertised as saving homeowners up to 20% on their heating bills. The device uses machine learning to adapt to a household's schedule and preferences, optimizing when the furnace runs. To justify its high price, the manufacturer claims the EcoTemp 5000 will pay for itself in energy savings within two years.
Which of the following findings would most weaken the manufacturer's claim? (Select TWO)
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Correct answer: A, C
This weakens the claim by suggesting the advertised savings are based on an unrepresentative sample. If average homes have better insulation, their potential savings will be much lower, extending the time it takes for the device to pay for itself.
This attacks the core of the payback claim. If a large part of the bill is fixed, even a 20% reduction in the consumption part of the bill will result in a much smaller percentage reduction on the total bill, thus making the two-year payback period less likely.
- 9
If a government wishes to reduce nationwide sugar consumption, it must either subsidize healthy food alternatives or tax sugary drinks. However, subsidizing healthy food is prohibitively expensive. Therefore, the government must tax sugary drinks if it wants to reduce sugar consumption.
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Correct answer: B
The original argument presents a false dichotomy (A or B must happen), eliminates one option (not A), and concludes the other must happen (therefore B). The flaw is that 'subsidize' and 'tax' might not be the only two options. This answer choice perfectly mirrors that flawed structure: it presents a potentially false dichotomy (innovate or expand), eliminates one option due to cost, and concludes the other is necessary.
- 10
It is a known fact that regular exercise improves cardiovascular health. It is also well-established that good cardiovascular health is strongly correlated with a longer lifespan. Therefore, anyone who exercises regularly will live longer than they would have if they had not exercised.
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Correct answer: B
The conclusion is not necessarily true. The argument shifts from a general correlation (good cardiovascular health is correlated with longer lifespan) to a definitive individual outcome. An individual who exercises regularly could have their life cut short by an accident or a non-cardiovascular disease. The premises only support a probabilistic claim (they are more likely to live longer), not a certain one.
