#25 -Specific Reference, Must Be True, Purpose

[Administrator]

Please post below with any questions!

[vlad]

Why C is the right answer?

[nicholaspavic]

Hi vlad,

It's always interesting seeing an unusual question on RC like this one and I really enjoyed the concept being tested. They want me to basically define "crucible" (basically, a severe test or process leading to something new) but they want me to find a term in the passage that most resembles that "crucible" term in the passage. So it's a word hunt with contextual reading? This is definitely a situation where I want to sort contenders and losers to make sure that I get the right answer, so let's look at them:

(A) Temptation? I am already suspicious. But even if you don't know what a crucible is, you should know what temptation is, if you are going to sit for the LSAT. And you should know that while temptation can be tested from time-to-time, it's not something that happens between two adversaries. Cross it off.

(B) Credibility? Well, a crucible is not about believing in someone like credibility. But again, that contextual reading of crucible tells me it's a process of the adversarial system. And I don't see much process happening in the term credibility as it is used in the passage. Cross this one off too.

(C) Engine? Well, there is a process to an engine. And it seems like they are really talking about "legal process" in the passage. Hey! This looks pretty good. Especially since it seems like both terms could be replaced with a "test or process" and still read correctly. Contextually, this looks good and if I know the word "crucible," this answer is really cake. Circle this one as a strong contender and check those other two answers quickly.

Function and medium are both so specific here in the other answers. The term "function" as it's used in the passage is really synonymous with "role" and role really does not work when replacing the word crucible. Medium is even worse as it's referring to books or the internet, etc. That's just flat out wrong.

That's why Answer Choice (C) is correct.

Thanks for the great question! As an LSAT nerd, this was fun!

[mjb514]

Can you please explain why D is wrong. I feel like engine and function are quite similar to each other, so I could no decided between the two.

[Robert Carroll]

mjb,

The dictionary definitions of the words are no use here - we need to find the same reference in the specific context of the passage. "Function" and "engine" could have the same meaning, but not in this passage - and I can only discover that by looking at the context in which each is used.

We're looking for something with the same reference as "crucible". So we want something that refers to the same thing as "crucible of the adversarial system" - roughly speaking, the tough, fact-finding sifting process that's supposed to be particularly useful at testing evidence and coming up with a good determination of what's true.

When I look at the context of answer choice (D), I find "the trial court's factfinding function." This is referring to a division of responsibility among courts - the trial court has the function of factfinding, and it's not right for appellate courts to take this function to themselves. The reference here isn't to factfinding as a crucible for determining truth - it's instead referring to factfinding as a power properly held by the trial court that shouldn't be taken over by another court. The reference just doesn't match.

Robert Carroll

[valentina07]

Can you describe the thought process behind the process of elimination for this question if you were going into the test not knowing what "crucible" means? I didn't know what it meant and I was stuck between "engine" and "medium." (Both of these terms were used in the passage to describe the legal system. I understood "medium" not as a book or the internet but rather when the appellate court goes outside of the court record.)

Also, is there a resource where I can find rare words that may show up on the LSAT to study beforehand?

[Jeff Wren]

Hi valentina,

This question is really testing one's understanding of words based on context.

In Passage B, the second paragraph explains that appellate courts "lack some of the critical tools available at the trial level for arriving at the determination of facts" (lines 34-36). The paragraph then describes these tools, mainly how "adverse parties can test the credibility and reliability of proffered literature" (my emphasis)(lines 40-41) by subjecting expert witnesses to cross-examination.

The third paragraph then contrasts how the appellate court, unlike the trial court, cannot test the credibility the same way (i.e. by cross-examining expert witnesses). So when the first sentence of the third paragraph states that literature examined at the appellate level "cannot be tested in the crucible of the adversarial system" (my emphasis)(lines 49-50), this is referring back to the testing of literature in the prior paragraph at the trial court through cross-examination. (I emphasized the words "test" (40) and "tested" (line 49) to clearly show the connection.)

So even if you are unfamiliar with the word "crucible," you should be able to understand in context that it is referring to the way that the adversarial system tests literature at the trial level, which is by cross-examination of expert witnesses.

At that point, you are looking for a word from the passage that is describing that process of cross-examination, which the word "engine" does in line 42.

Regarding Answer E, the word "medium" is being used here to describe the form of the communication (Internet, books, etc.) in which the texts and treatises are found, not the legal system.

While there are definitely certain words that you need to know for the LSAT (such as lists of conditional and causal indicators, premise and conclusion indicators, etc.), which are discussed in the relevant chapters of "The Logical Reasoning Bible" and "The Reading Comprehension Bible," there's no list of rare words on the LSAT as far as specific topics that I would recommend. The LSAT only assumes a general college level vocabulary, so highly technical or specialized words that most test takers wouldn't know will be explained in the context of the passage or LR stimulus.