LSAT Explanation PT 19, S2, Q5: Adults who work outside the home
LSAT Question Stem
Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy in the information above?
Logical Reasoning Question Type
This is a Paradox question.
Correct Answer
The correct answer to this question is D.
LSAT Question Complete Explanation
Let's begin by summarizing the passage. We learn that adults who work outside the home spend 100 minutes less time each week preparing dinner than those who don't work outside the home. However, their dinners do not differ significantly in nutritional value, variety of menus, or number of courses. This creates a discrepancy that we need to resolve with the given answer choices.
Think of it like this: imagine two chefs, one with 3 hours to cook a meal and the other with only 2 hours. Surprisingly, the meals they prepare are of similar quality. We need to find a reason that could explain this situation.
The question type here is Paradox, and we're asked to resolve the discrepancy in the information provided.
Answer choice (A) talks about the fat content of dinners eaten by adults who do not work outside the home. While this might suggest a difference in the meals, it doesn't help explain why the meals are still similar in quality despite the time difference. So, this choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (B) focuses on breakfast preparation, but our passage is concerned with dinner. This information is irrelevant to the discrepancy we're trying to resolve, so this choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (C) tells us that adults who work outside the home spend less time on all household responsibilities, including dinner preparation. However, this doesn't help explain the similarity in the quality of the meals. We already know there's a time difference; we need to find a reason that could explain the similar quality. This choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (D) states that adults who work outside the home eat dinner at home less often. This helps resolve the discrepancy because it suggests that the 100-minute difference in preparation time might not affect the time spent per meal. If they're eating at home less often, they're preparing fewer meals overall, which could explain the similar quality despite the time difference. This is the correct answer choice.
Answer choice (E) discusses planning dinner menus in advance. If adults who work outside the home are less likely to plan well, it's hard to understand how they could prepare similar quality meals with less time. This choice doesn't help resolve the discrepancy and is incorrect.