The Loophole in LSAT Logical Reasoning by E.C. - Chapter 1

Cluster Sentences

Sentences that try to make reading difficult. They test your ability to read convoluted language

-unlike a sentence, aka a complete thought, these compress several thoughts into a mess

-the convulution comes in when they decide to explain something, then they explain part of the explaination, then they explain part of the explanation of the explanation

-do not give up reading them

-to understand them, break them down, recognize all the complete thoughts within them, and then you will see the individual ideas instead of one big mess

Specifiers

these are little words that glue bigger words to explanations in cluster sentences:

-by

-since

-as

-if

-in

-in addition to

-into

-because

-after

-on

-that

-of

-around

-which

-for

-although

-between

-until

-when

-while

-who

How do I use indicators to break down cluster sentences?

when you are reading a cluster sentence and see an indicator stop. Then, jot down a complete thought from what you have found so far, repeat.

Commas

-they indicate pauses which make LSAT writing easier to understand

-they indicate that something on either side of it is an optional statement

Core element

it is a apart of a sentence that cannot be removed without destroying all grammatical sense of reason. It has the sentence’s main noun and verb in it

Optional Element

it is a piece of a sentence that can be removed without any bad grammatical consequences.

Remember, this element is grammatically optional, not meaning optional. The info contained in it could be essential to your understanding of the stimulus.

How do I know if a piece of a sentence (IE a section seperated by a comma(s)) is optional?

by looking at it by itself and seeing if it’s a complete thought. If the piece makes sense as a full sentence on its own, it is the core element. If it does not make sense, it is an optional element

Middle-out

this technique is used when you have two or more commas in a sentence. if the middle piece can be a complete sentence, both outer pieces are optional. if the middle piece cant be a complete sentence, its just specifying - we can delete it and read the core outer pieces to understand the sentence better

Middle-out exercise 1

-the forest ranger, a man with kind eyes, put out our illegal fire.

-can i make a complete sentence out of “a man w. kind eyes”? no, so it is the optional element. we take it out, and combine the two outer pieces into one core element

-result: “the forest ranger put out our illegal fire”

Middle-out exercise 2

Hannah, an entertainment mogul, ran for governor in montana

-can i make a complete sentence out of the middle piece “an entertainment mogul”? no, so it is the optional element. we take it out, and combine the two outer pieces into one core element

-result: “hannah ran for governor in Montana.” this is our core element

Middle-out exercise 3

-In addition to winning the race, Jared completed his first year at ASU, a fine university in the American southwest

--can i make a complete sentence out of “Jared completed his first year at ASU”? yes, so it is the core element.

-The outer elements are optional: “in addition to winning the race” (specifying Jared,) AND “a fine uni in the American southswest” (specifying ASU)

How should you read O.E. and C.E., aka a cluster sentence?

OE can be filtered out at first but then return to them when you have identified the CE

How to read 3+ commas in a sentence?

• The box, which was red since it came up on our red-sensor that was developed by Alex and Jordan, who happened to enjoy color spectroscopy, was empty

• you will still look at each pair of commas and use middle out.

• take the sentence apart two commas at a time

• look at the first three elements, aka the first two commas. is the middle part (which was red since it came up on our red-senserthat was developed by Alex and Jordan) a complete thought? NO Then, that part is optional

• Look at the second and third comma. The middle part does not stand on its own. The entire big middle of this sentence is optional

• The very beginning and the very end are the core + The box was empty

  • Now look at the whole sentence with the OE and CE

What do specifiers do

they give more information about the noun (the person/thing) or verb (action). Its like you clicked “more info” and inserted extra info into the middle of what you are reading. Basically, they give more information.

CLUSTER DRILL - PAGE 17

CLUSTER DRILL - PAGE 17

Translating

turning the stimulus into a story you can tell. E.g. We dont repeat the exact words. thus, once you put stimuls in your own words, it sticks easily.

How to translate

1) read and understand each sentence piece by piece

2) in the beginning of your prep, cover up the stimules with a post-it after done reading

3) say what you just read in your own, easy, casual words.

Find the CE: Several years ago, as a measure to reduce the population of gypsy months, which depend on oak leaves for food, entomologists introduced into many oak forests a species of fungus that is poisonous to gypsy moth caterpillars.

There are three commas in total, so we should use middle-out. “As a measure to reduce the population of gypsy months” is between the first and second commas. Can it stand on its own as a complete thought? No! It’s an OE.

The next middle peices comes between the second and thid commas: “which depend on oak leaves for food.” Can the stand on its own? No, it’s OE.

We’re out of commas, so the first and the last peices of this sentence must be CE.

Several years ago entomologists introduced into many oak forests a species of fungus that is poisonous to gypsy month caterpilars.

What is the next step after finding the CE?

return to the specifiers in the OEs, determine if they have good info, translate (eg figure out what it means),decipher what each OE’s specifier is spcifying, explaining, or elaborating on

Decipher the First OE: Several years ago, as a measure to reduce the population of gypsy months, which depend on oak leaves for food, entomologists introduced into many oak forests a species of fungus that is poisonous to gypsy moth caterpillars.

-look on the other side of the comma. is the OE specifying “several years ago?” no, it doesn’t make sense.

-look further away from the comma. is it specifying “which depend on oak leaves for food?” no, that cant be measured.

-go into the core: “entomologist introduced into many oak forests a specfies of fungus that is poisonous to gypsy moth caterpillars.’ does that sound ike it could be a measure to reduce gyp moths? yes, so they put this fungus in theforest in order to reduce the opulaiton

several years ago [entomolgists] introduced into many
oak forests a specfies of | fungus that is poisonous to
gypsymoth caterpillars. |
……………………………………|
as a measure to reduce the
population of gypsy moths

Decipher the Second OE: Several years ago, as a measure to reduce the population of gypsy months, which depend on oak leaves for food, entomologists introduced into many oak forests a species of fungus that is poisonous to gypsy moth caterpillars.

-look on the other side of the comma. is the OE specifying “gypsy months”? it makes sene that a bug would depden on leaves for food, so it seems “gypsy months” are being specfied here.

Based on the previous example, what are the steps to figure what an OE is specifying in the stimulus?

-look at the other side of one comma. does it makes sense that the OE is specifying that side? yes or no? if yes, you’ve figure out.

-if not, look on the other side of the OE. does it makes sense yes or no? no, look further. repeat if it continues to be no.

LSAT TRANSLATION - PAGES 21-25

LSAT TRANSLATION - PAGES 21-25

Translation Gameplan

• recognize cluster sentences, and do not panic

• look for your friend, the comma and do your comma tricks

• when confused, translate one small chunk at a time

  • translate everything!

a(n) ________________ contains at least one complete thought

sentence

________________ are those little words that glue bigger words to explanations

specifiers

to taclke a cluster sentence with two or more commas, use ________________

middle-out

________________ is the one skill you need to master logical reasoning

translation

a piece of a sentence that can be removed without any grammatical consequences. although they are grammatically optional, it does not mean they are not meaning optional. the info in an _________ ________ could be essential to understaning the stimulus

optional element

this is a part of the sentence that cannot be removed without destroying all grammatical sense of reason. it contains the sentence’s main noun and verb

core element

cluster sentences

True or False: A core element is a piece of the sentence that can be removed without any bad grammatical consequences.

False: An OE is a piece of thesentence that can be removed without any grammatical consequences

True or False: Commas indicate that something on either side of the comma is a core element.

False: Commas indicate that something on either s ide of the comma is an OE

True or False: The test writers purposefully write poorly.

True

Which words on the following list are specifiers?

after then who interrogatory
long since comma ostentatious
when cluster for that

after, who, since, when, for, that