LSAT Explanation PT 29, S4, Q3: Physical education should teach people to

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the statements above, if they are true? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Most Strongly supported question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is A. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

Let's first analyze the passage. The passage states that physical education should teach people to pursue healthy, active lifestyles as they grow older. However, the focus on competitive sports in most schools causes the less competitive students to turn away from sports, leading them to think of themselves as unathletic and not exercise enough to stay healthy.

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

Now let's analyze each answer choice:

a) Physical education should include noncompetitive activities.

This choice is supported by the passage because it suggests a solution to the problem identified: less competitive students turning away from sports. By including noncompetitive activities, physical education could better serve its purpose of teaching people to pursue healthy, active lifestyles.

b) Competition causes most students to turn away from sports.

This choice is not supported by the passage. The passage only states that most of the less competitive students turn away from sports due to the focus on competitive sports. It doesn't say that competition causes most students in general to turn away from sports.

c) People who are talented at competitive physical endeavors exercise regularly.

This choice is not supported by the passage. The passage focuses on less competitive students and their lack of exercise, but it doesn't provide any information about the exercise habits of people who are talented at competitive physical endeavors.

d) The mental aspects of exercise are as important as the physical ones.

This choice is not supported by the passage. While the passage does mention the mental aspect of thinking of oneself as unathletic, it does not claim that mental aspects of exercise are as important as physical ones.

e) Children should be taught the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle.

While this choice may seem reasonable, it is not directly supported by the passage. The passage focuses on the issue of less competitive students not exercising enough due to the focus on competitive sports in physical education, but it doesn't specifically say that children should be taught about the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle.

Based on our analysis, the correct answer is A, as it is the most strongly supported by the information in the passage.