LSAT Prep Plus 2024 Reading Comprehension

Passage Type - Theory/Perspective

passage focuses on a thinker’s theory or perspective on some part of the Topic; typically (though not always), the author disagrees, and critiques the opponent’s perspective or defends his won

Passage Type - Event/Phenomenon

passage focuses on an event, a breakthrough development, or a problem that has arisen; when a solution to the problem is proposed, the author most often agrees with the solution (and that represents the passage’s Main Idea)

Passage Type - Debate

passage outlines two opposing positions(neither of which is the author’s) on some aspect of the Topic; the author may side with one of the positions, may remain neutral, or may critique both 

• this structure has been rare on recent LSATs

Passage Type - Biography

the passage discusses something about a notable person; the aspect of the person’s life emphasized by the author reflects the Scope of the passage

What are global questions?

ask about the passage as a whole, usually Main Idea or Author’s Purpose for the passage

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main point of the passage?

Global

The primary purpose of the passage is to…

Global

Which of the following most accurately describes the organization of the passage?

Global

What are inference questions?

characterized by language in the stem telling you that the correct answer is based on or follows from the passage without necessarily being stated in the passage

• the feature they all have in common is that the correct answer follows from the passage without being directly stated in it

Based on the passage, the author would most likely to agree with which one of the following statements about unified field theory?

Inference

The passage suggests which one of the following about the behavior of migratory water fowls?

Inference

Given the information in the passage, to which one of the following would radiocarbon dating techniques likely be most applicable?

Inference

It can be inferred that the author would be most likely to agree that

Inference

Which one of the following statements is most strongly supported by the passage?

Inference

The author’s attitude toward the use of DNA evidence is appeals by convicted felons is most accurately described as

Inference

The author’s stance regarding monetarist economic theories can most accurately be described as one of … 

Inference

What are detail questions?

in some way, it tells you that the correct answer will closely paraphrase something stated explicitly in the passage

• “according to the passage”

• “the passage states”

According to the passage, some critics have criticized Gilliam’s films on the grounds that…

Detail

The passage states that a role of a municipality’s comptroller in budget decision by the city council is to ….

Detail

The author identifies which one of the following as a commonly held but false preconception?

Detail

When the question stem shares the same words highlighted in the passage…

it is usually asking for an Inference that can be drawn from what is said there or it is a Logic Function question asking you why the author has included that particular detail or how she has used it

The passage does NOT provide evidence that Mead utilizes which one of the following techniques in one or more of her ethnographies?

Detail

The author attributes each of the following to the Federalists EXCEPT:

Detail EXCEPT

What are Logic Function questions?

question stem points you to a portion of the passage - a detail, a reference, or a paragraph - and asks you why the author included it or how it functions within the passage

The author of the passage mentions declining inner-city populations most likely in order to

Logic Function

The author’s discussion of Rimbaud’s travels in the Mediterranean in the third paragraph functions primarily to

Logic Function

Which one of the following best states the function of the third paragraph of the passage?

Logic Function

Be careful on Logic Function questions to avoid answer choices that accurately reflect what the passage said about the detail or reference but ….

do not explain why the author included it

What are Logic Reasoning Questions?

mirror the task of a question type typically found in the Logical Reasoning section

Which one of the following would, if true, most strengthen the claim made by the author in the final sentence of the passage?

Logic Reasoning

Which one of the following pairs of proposals is most closely analogous to the pair of studies discussed in the passage?

Logic Reasoning

Which one of the following statements most accurately summarizes the passage’s main point?

Global

The author most likely refers to Western Apache place names in order to 

Logic Function

Which one of the following statements describes an example of the function accorded to personal names under Levi-Strauss’s view?

Inference

The primary function of the second paragraph is to…

Logic Function

Based on the passage, with which one of the following statements about Mill’s view would the author of the passage be most likely to agree?

Inference

It can be inferred from the passage that each of the following features of Hopi personal names contributes to their poetic quality EXCEPT:

Inference EXCEPT

The author’s primary purpose in writing the passage is to

Global