angela
Thanks Received: 8
LSAT Geek
 
Posts: 17
Joined: April 07th, 2009
 
 
 

PT48, S4, Q3 Since 1989 the importation of ivory from

by angela Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:38 pm

3. (D)
Question type: Explain a result
Although the question asks which statement is best supported by the argument, the argument itself clearly establishes a paradox or discrepancy: namely that the importation of mammoth ivory spiked in the period of time after African ivory was outlawed but then dipped again when a test for mammoth ivory was established. Instead, the expected result would be that there would be no change in the importation of mammoth ivory after the test was established. Answer choice (D) accurately resolves the paradox and explains the unexpected result.

(A) is irrelevant to the discrepancy presented.
(B) is irrelevant to the discrepancy presented.
(C) is irrelevant to the discrepancy presented.
(E) is irrelevant to the discrepancy presented.
User avatar
 
uhdang
Thanks Received: 25
Atticus Finch
Atticus Finch
 
Posts: 227
Joined: March 05th, 2015
 
 
 

Re: PT48, S4, Q3 Since 1989 the importation of ivory from

by uhdang Mon Jun 15, 2015 3:10 am

This is Must Be True question. And the right answer choice for this type of question should be directly supported from the stimulus. Also, for Must Be True type, there is usually no conclusion given.

Core :
Importation of both Ivory and mammoth tusk were both legal since 1989
=>
Ivory was banned and number of mammoth tusk imported increased
=>
Technique to distinguish those two were implemented + (at the same time) Number of mammoth tusk imported decreased

We can infer that between ivory's ban and distinguishing technique's implementation, those ivories that were thought to be mammoth tusk were in fact, largely consist of ivories.

Now, let's go to the answer choice.

A) Whether this technique is reliable or not is not provided from the stimulus. Thus, “still cannot reliably distinguish” is unsupported.

B) We have no idea regarding currently imported ivory. Unsupported from the text.

C) Could be true answer. This could have happened, but nothing is definitely given regarding population of African elephants from the stimulus.

D) This is the paraphrase we have provided above. (Correct)

E) Not given any information about “total amount.” This could just as well be otherwise.
"Fun"