LSAT Explanation PT 25, S2, Q7: Generations of European-history students have been

LSAT Question Stem

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

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Main Conclusion question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is C. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

Let's begin by analyzing the argument in the passage. The passage discusses the teaching that a political assassination caused the First World War. The author argues that this teaching is misleading without some qualification, as there were deeper causes of the war, such as treaties and alliances, and the military force that was already amassed. The assassination is considered a cause only in a trivial sense, like the individual spark that ignites a conflagration in inevitable prevailing conditions.

To simplify this, imagine a room filled with gasoline and a lit candle falls on the floor. The candle is like the assassination - it ignites the fire, but the room being filled with gasoline (the treaties, alliances, and military force) is the deeper cause that makes the fire inevitable.

Now, let's identify the question type and the answer choices. The question type is Main Conclusion, which asks us to restate the main point of the passage. The correct answer is C.

a) This answer choice states that the assassination did not cause the war and that each event leading up to the war had equal claim to being called its "cause." However, the passage does mention that the assassination was a cause, albeit a trivial one. The passage also doesn't discuss the equality of the other causes. Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.

b) This answer choice suggests that the war was destined to happen because the course of history up to that point could not have been altered. While the passage does mention the war being inevitable, it doesn't discuss the inability to alter history. Therefore, this answer choice is incorrect.

c) This answer choice accurately restates the main point of the passage. It acknowledges that the assassination caused the war but emphasizes that the term "cause" more fundamentally applies to the conditions that made it possible for the event to start the war. This aligns with the passage's discussion of deeper causes and the trivial nature of the assassination as a cause.

d) This answer choice discusses the hypothetical situation where less military force had been amassed. However, the passage doesn't delve into hypothetical situations or discuss the potential outcomes if the conditions were different. As a result, this answer choice is incorrect.

e) This answer choice suggests that if the war had not been triggered by the assassination, it would not have taken the familiar course. The passage, however, does not discuss the specific course of the war or how it might have been different if not for the assassination. Therefore, this answer choice is incorrect.

In conclusion, answer choice C best restates the main point of the passage, as it acknowledges the assassination as a cause of the war while emphasizing the more fundamental causes that made the war possible.