LSAT Explanation PT 26, S2, Q22: Most students are bored by history

LSAT Question Stem

Each of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends EXCEPT: 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Necessary Assumption question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is C. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

Let's first analyze the argument in the passage. The passage states that most students are bored by history courses as they are usually taught because a large amount of time is spent teaching dates and statistics. The conclusion drawn from this is that the best way to teach history is to spend most class time recounting the lives of historical figures and very little on dates and statistics. The conclusion is based on the premise that students are bored by the traditional teaching methods.

To simplify the passage, imagine a cooking class where students are bored because they spend too much time learning about the history of ingredients. The argument suggests that the best way to teach cooking would be to focus on the actual preparation of dishes and spend less time on the history of ingredients.

Now, let's come up with an "Evaluate" question about the argument: "Does focusing on the lives of historical figures and spending less time on dates and statistics actually make history courses less boring for students?"

The question type of this problem is Necessary Assumption, and it asks us to identify the assumption on which the argument depends EXCEPT for one.

a) One should avoid boring one's students when teaching a history course.

This is an assumption the argument depends on because the conclusion is based on the premise that students are bored by the traditional teaching methods. If we negate this, it would weaken the argument.

b) It is not incompatible with the attainable goals of teaching history to spend very little class time on dates and statistics.

This is an assumption the argument depends on because if spending very little class time on dates and statistics is incompatible with the goals of teaching history, then the conclusion would not be valid.

c) It is possible to recount the lives of historical figures without referring to dates and statistics.

This is the correct answer because the argument doesn't necessarily depend on this assumption. Even if we negate it, the argument can still hold. The passage doesn't say that there should be no reference to dates and statistics, only that very little class time should be spent on them. The argument would still work if teachers refer to dates and statistics minimally while recounting the lives of historical figures.

d) It is compatible with the attainable goals of teaching history to spend most class time recounting the lives of historical figures.

This is an assumption the argument depends on because if spending most class time recounting the lives of historical figures is not compatible with the goals of teaching history, then the conclusion would not be valid.

e) Students are more bored by history courses as they are usually taught than they would be by courses that spend most class time recounting the lives of historical figures.

This is an assumption the argument depends on because it supports the conclusion that focusing on the lives of historical figures is a better way of teaching history. If we negate this, it would weaken the argument.

In conclusion, the correct answer is C, as it is the only assumption that the argument doesn't necessarily depend on.