- PowerScore Staff
- Posts: 8950
- Joined: Feb 02, 2011
- Sat Jul 01, 2017 7:59 am
#36661
Complete Question Explanation
Strengthen—Principle. The correct answer choice is (B)
Many people become self-conscious or anxious when they are being observed. If someone was watching
test takers attempting the LSAT, those test takers might be understandably uncomfortable and their
performance would likely suffer. However, if the test takers were assured that they were only being
observed to determine how well their pencils worked, they would probably feel less pressure and, quite
possibly, would exhibit a stronger performance.
Similarly, the group of tennis players who believed their talent was being measured performed worse
than the group of players who believed their rackets were being assessed. All five answer choices seem
to be reasonable assertions, but only answer choice (B) explains how the differing beliefs of each group
may have influenced their performances.
Answer choice (A): This answer choice could account for the different performance of the two groups
only if the second group had been told they would be closely watched and the first group had not been
told this. Otherwise, this answer choice offers no explanation or support for the observed phenomenon in
the stimulus, as it cannot be known whether either group was told that they would be closely watched.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. This answer choice helps to explain why the
first group, who believed that their abilities were not being evaluated, would outperform the second
group, who believed that their abilities were being judged.
Also, notice that this statement does not mention tennis. This is because a principle is a generalized
conclusion which should be broadly applicable. Such a conclusion could apply equally to tennis players
or LSAT takers.
Answer choice (C): Common sense and real world experience would suggest that this answer choice is
true, but that does not mean that it is correct. Since the stimulus gives no indication about the relative
confidence of either group of tennis players, it cannot be concluded that the situation conforms to this
proposition.
Answer choice (D): The stimulus gives no indication as to whether the tennis players judged their own
talents, therefore the stimulus cannot conform to any statement about people who assess their talents
accurately.
Answer choice (E): Once again, there is no evidence that either group thought a superior performance
would please those who were testing them. Also, trying harder cannot logically be equated with
performing better. For both reasons, answer choice (E) cannot be correct.
Strengthen—Principle. The correct answer choice is (B)
Many people become self-conscious or anxious when they are being observed. If someone was watching
test takers attempting the LSAT, those test takers might be understandably uncomfortable and their
performance would likely suffer. However, if the test takers were assured that they were only being
observed to determine how well their pencils worked, they would probably feel less pressure and, quite
possibly, would exhibit a stronger performance.
Similarly, the group of tennis players who believed their talent was being measured performed worse
than the group of players who believed their rackets were being assessed. All five answer choices seem
to be reasonable assertions, but only answer choice (B) explains how the differing beliefs of each group
may have influenced their performances.
Answer choice (A): This answer choice could account for the different performance of the two groups
only if the second group had been told they would be closely watched and the first group had not been
told this. Otherwise, this answer choice offers no explanation or support for the observed phenomenon in
the stimulus, as it cannot be known whether either group was told that they would be closely watched.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. This answer choice helps to explain why the
first group, who believed that their abilities were not being evaluated, would outperform the second
group, who believed that their abilities were being judged.
Also, notice that this statement does not mention tennis. This is because a principle is a generalized
conclusion which should be broadly applicable. Such a conclusion could apply equally to tennis players
or LSAT takers.
Answer choice (C): Common sense and real world experience would suggest that this answer choice is
true, but that does not mean that it is correct. Since the stimulus gives no indication about the relative
confidence of either group of tennis players, it cannot be concluded that the situation conforms to this
proposition.
Answer choice (D): The stimulus gives no indication as to whether the tennis players judged their own
talents, therefore the stimulus cannot conform to any statement about people who assess their talents
accurately.
Answer choice (E): Once again, there is no evidence that either group thought a superior performance
would please those who were testing them. Also, trying harder cannot logically be equated with
performing better. For both reasons, answer choice (E) cannot be correct.