LSAT Explanation PT 26, S2, Q9: Early pencil leads were made of

LSAT Question Stem

The information above most strongly supports which one of the following? 

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

The passage tells us that early pencil leads were made of solid graphite from Cumberland, Britain. During the 1790s, France was at war with Britain and had no access to Cumberland graphite. As a result, the French government sponsored research that led to modern methods of manufacturing pencil leads from powdered graphite.

The question type is MSS (Most Strongly Supported), and we are asked to identify the answer choice that is most strongly supported by the information provided in the passage.

Let's analyze each answer choice:

a) This answer choice claims that Cumberland, Britain, is the world's only deposit of graphite suitable for manufacturing pencils. The passage only informs us that early pencil leads were made from Cumberland graphite, but it does not mention that it is the only suitable source. Thus, this choice is not well-supported.

b) This answer choice suggests that in the 1790s, France's government did not know of any accessible source of solid graphite that could meet their need for pencils. The passage states that France had no access to Cumberland graphite due to the war, and this lack of access led them to sponsor research for alternative methods. This implies that France was not aware of any other suitable sources at the time, making this choice the most strongly supported by the passage.

c) This answer choice speculates that one cause of the war between France and Britain was the British government's attempt to limit Cumberland graphite exports to France. The passage does not provide any information about the causes of the war, so we cannot support this claim.

d) This answer choice generalizes that government-sponsored research frequently results in inventions that greatly benefit society. While the passage provides one example of beneficial government-sponsored research, it does not provide enough evidence to support the claim that this "frequently" happens. The word "frequently" is too strong for the information provided.

e) This answer choice states that even today, all pencil leads contain Cumberland graphite. The passage tells us that modern pencil leads are made from powdered graphite, but it does not specify that all of them contain Cumberland graphite. Therefore, this choice is not well-supported.

Based on our analysis, answer choice B is the most strongly supported by the information in the passage.