LSAT Explanation PT 28, S1, Q11: Sharks have a higher ratio of
LSAT Question Stem
If the claims made above are true, then each of the following could be true EXCEPT:
Logical Reasoning Question Type
This is a Must Be False question.
Correct Answer
The correct answer to this question is A.
LSAT Question Complete Explanation
This LSAT problem is a "Cannot Be True" question type, which means we are looking for the answer choice that directly contradicts the information given in the passage.
Let's briefly review the statements in the passage:
1. Sharks have the highest ratio of cartilage mass to body mass among all organisms.
2. Sharks have the greatest resistance to cancer among all organisms.
3. Shark cartilage contains a substance that inhibits tumor growth.
4. In the past 20 years, terminal cancer patients who consumed shark cartilage have had the most positive response compared to other therapeutic measures.
Now let's analyze each answer choice:
Answer choice (A): "No organism resists cancer better than sharks do, but some resist cancer as well as sharks." This answer choice contradicts statement 2, which claims that sharks have the greatest resistance to cancer among all organisms. Therefore, no other organism can resist cancer as well as sharks. This is the correct answer.
Answer choice (B): "The organism most susceptible to cancer has a higher percentage of cartilage than some organisms that are less susceptible to cancer." We don't have enough information about the susceptibility of other organisms to cancer, so this answer choice could be true.
Answer choice (C): "The substance in shark cartilage that inhibits tumor growth is found in most organisms." The passage only mentions that the substance is found in shark cartilage, not that it is exclusive to sharks. Thus, this answer choice could also be true.
Answer choice (D): "In the past 20 years many terminal cancer patients have improved dramatically following many sorts of therapy." The passage states that shark cartilage has had the most positive response among terminal cancer patients, but it doesn't mean that other therapies were unsuccessful. This answer choice could be true as well.
Answer choice (E): "Some organisms have immune systems more efficient than a shark's immune system." The passage only discusses cancer resistance in relation to sharks, not overall immune system efficiency. It is possible for other organisms to have more efficient immune systems, so this answer choice could be true.
In conclusion, answer choice (A) is the correct answer because it directly contradicts statement 2 in the passage. All other answer choices could potentially be true based on the information provided.