LSAT Explanation PT 41, S1, Q11: In the recent election, a country's

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the information above? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Most Strongly supported question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is C. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

Let's first analyze the passage. It tells us that in a recent election, Adler was chosen over Burke by the country's voters. Although Burke had more effective strategies for dealing with most of the country's problems and a long public record of successful government service, his environmental policy aligned with the interests of the country's most dangerous polluter. On the other hand, Adler proposed a policy of strict environmental regulation.

To simplify this, imagine two job candidates: Jack, who has a great resume and experience but a questionable stance on a specific issue, and Jill, who has a strong stance on that specific issue. The company ends up choosing Jill over Jack.

Now, let's identify the question type and analyze the answer choices. The question type is "Most Strongly Supported" (MSS), which means we need to find the answer choice that is best supported by the information given in the passage.

a) This answer choice talks about the commitment of Adler and Burke throughout their political careers. However, the passage only provides information about their stance in the recent election. We cannot infer anything about their entire political careers from this information.

b) The passage does not mention anything about the country's natural resources being rapidly depleted. This answer choice is not supported by the information given.

c) This answer choice suggests that the environment played an important role in Adler's election. Since the passage tells us that Adler proposed strict environmental regulation and Burke's environmental policy aligned with a dangerous polluter, we can infer that the environment was a significant factor for voters. Although it's not 100% provable, it is the most strongly supported by the information given.

d) This answer choice compares the importance of offering effective strategies and having a long record of successful government service in winning an election. The passage does not provide enough information to make this comparison. We only know that Adler won the election despite Burke having these qualities.

e) This answer choice claims that Burke would have served the country better than Adler in every respect other than environmental policy. The passage does not provide enough information to make such a comparison or prediction about their future performance.

Based on our analysis, answer choice (C) is the most strongly supported by the information given in the passage. Although it's not 100% provable, it is the best answer among the choices provided.