LSAT Explanation PT 34, S3, Q24: Ringtail opossums are an Australian wildlife

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the conservationists' argument? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Strengthen question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is E. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

First, let's analyze the argument in the passage. The argument presents the following information:

Premise: A number of orphaned ringtail opossums raised in captivity were monitored after being returned to the wild. Seventy-five percent of these opossums were killed by foxes, a non-native predator species.

Conclusion: The native ringtail opossum population is endangered not by a scarcity of food, as previously thought, but by non-native predator species against which the opossum had not developed natural defenses.

Now, let's consider an "Evaluate" question for this argument: "Are the ringtail opossums raised in captivity representative of the entire ringtail opossum population in terms of their ability to defend themselves against non-native predators?"

This is a Strengthen question, which means we're looking for the answer choice that most strongly supports the conservationists' argument.

a) This answer choice doesn't support the argument because it only compares the number of non-native predator species to native species. It doesn't provide any information about the impact of non-native predators on the ringtail opossum population.

b) This answer choice weakens the argument by suggesting that foxes, a non-native predator species, adapted less successfully to the Australian climate than other foreign species. It implies that foxes might not be the primary cause of the endangerment of the ringtail opossum population.

c) This answer choice doesn't strengthen the argument because it only addresses the diet of the opossums raised in captivity. It doesn't provide any information about the impact of non-native predators on the ringtail opossum population or rule out the possibility of food scarcity in the wild.

d) This answer choice doesn't strengthen the argument because it focuses on species that compete with the ringtail opossum for food sources. It doesn't provide any information about the impact of non-native predators on the ringtail opossum population.

e) Correct. This answer choice strengthens the argument by eliminating the possibility that the sample of opossums raised in captivity is unrepresentative of the entire population. If ringtail opossums that grow to adulthood in the wild defend themselves against foxes no more successfully than those raised in captivity, it supports the conclusion that non-native predators are the primary cause of the endangerment of the ringtail opossum population.

In conclusion, answer choice E is the correct answer because it most strongly supports the conservationists' argument by eliminating the possibility that the opossums raised in captivity are unrepresentative of the entire population in terms of their ability to defend themselves against non-native predators.