LSAT Explanation PT 39, S4, Q22: Drama critic: Audiences will enjoy Warner's

LSAT Question Stem

Each of the following, if true, weakens the argument EXCEPT: 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Weaken question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is D. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

In this Weaken Except question, we are asked to identify the answer choice that does NOT weaken the argument presented in the passage. The argument in the passage goes as follows:

Premise: The play has superb acting, intense chemistry between the actors, and convincingly captures the guilt and despair experienced by the family members.

Conclusion: Audiences will enjoy Warner's latest play.

Now, let's discuss the answer choices:

a) Generally, audiences enjoy romantic comedies but find tragedies upsetting.

This weakens the argument by suggesting that the play's topic might not be enjoyable for the audience, even if the acting is superb. If audiences prefer romantic comedies and find tragedies upsetting, then they might not enjoy the play despite the excellent acting.

b) The company staging the play has an unbroken history of dull performances.

This weakens the argument by implying that the company staging the play has a history of dull performances, which could make it less likely that the audience will enjoy the play, even if the acting is superb.

c) Insiders with the company staging the play have condemned Ziegler's performance as unexciting.

This weakens the argument by questioning the quality of Ziegler's performance, which was mentioned as a reason for the audience to enjoy the play. If insiders find the performance unexciting, then the audience might not enjoy the play as much as the drama critic thinks.

d) The plot of the play is similar in some respects to plots of Warner's other works.

This answer choice neither strengthens nor weakens the argument. It simply states that the plot is similar to Warner's other works, but it doesn't provide any information about whether audiences enjoyed or disliked those works. Therefore, this answer choice does not weaken the argument, making it the correct answer.

e) Audiences usually find drama critics' reviews unreliable.

This weakens the argument by undermining the credibility of the drama critic's review. If audiences generally find drama critics' reviews unreliable, they might not agree with the critic's assessment of the play's superb acting, intense chemistry, and convincing portrayal of guilt and despair. This could lead them to not enjoy the play as much as the critic assumes.

An "Evaluate" question for this argument could be: "Do audiences typically enjoy plays with superb acting, intense chemistry between actors, and convincingly portrayed emotions, regardless of the play's topic or genre?"

In conclusion, the correct answer is D, as it does not weaken the argument. All other answer choices introduce doubt or undermine the credibility of the argument, thus weakening it.