LSAT Explanation PT 23, S3, Q11: Vitamin XYZ has long been a

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following inferences is most supported by the passage? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Most Strongly supported question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is B. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

Let's first understand the passage: Vitamin XYZ is popular among health food enthusiasts. A study showed that people who took large amounts of vitamin XYZ daily for two years had a 40% lower risk of heart disease compared to a control group. The researchers also corrected for differences in relevant health habits, such as diet.

The question type is Most Strongly Supported (MSS), which means we need to find an answer choice that is directly supported by the information in the passage.

Now, let's analyze the answer choices:

a) Taking large amounts of vitamins is probably worth risking the side effects.

- This answer choice is not supported by the passage, as there is no mention of side effects or any risks associated with taking large amounts of vitamins. We only know about the positive effect of vitamin XYZ on heart disease risk.

b) Those who take large doses of vitamin XYZ daily for the next two years will exhibit on average an increase in the likelihood of avoiding heart disease.

- This answer choice is correct. The passage states that people who took large amounts of vitamin XYZ daily for two years had a 40% lower risk of heart disease. Since there is no reason to doubt the study's results, it's reasonable to infer that the same effect would likely continue for those who take the vitamin in the future.

c) Li, who has taken large amounts of vitamin XYZ daily for the past two years, has a 40 percent lower risk of heart disease than she did two years ago.

- While the 40% lower risk of heart disease was the average for the study group, we cannot infer that every individual who takes the vitamin will experience the exact same decrease in risk. The passage doesn't provide enough information to make this specific claim about Li.

d) Taking large amounts of vitamin XYZ daily over the course of one's adult life should be recommended to most adults.

- This answer choice is not supported by the passage. We only know about the positive effect of vitamin XYZ on heart disease risk over a two-year period. There is no information about long-term effects or side effects, so we cannot recommend it to most adults based on the passage.

e) Health food enthusiasts are probably correct in believing that large daily doses of multiple vitamins promote good health.

- This answer choice is too broad. The passage only discusses the effect of vitamin XYZ on heart disease risk, not the effects of multiple vitamins or overall health. We cannot make this inference based on the information provided.

Therefore, the correct answer is (b): Those who take large doses of vitamin XYZ daily for the next two years will exhibit on average an increase in the likelihood of avoiding heart disease.