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- Posts: 8950
- Joined: Feb 02, 2011
- Fri Jun 02, 2017 6:44 pm
#35635
Complete Question Explanation
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=14281)
The correct answer choice is (E)
This question asks us to examine the primary purpose for referring to the Fur Seal Treaty in line
22. Recall that the Fur Seal Treaty was mentioned in the beginning of the third paragraph, which
provides the legal background for the cases described later.
Specific Reference/Purpose questions test your ability to describe not only the purpose of the
element referenced in the question itself, but also its overall function in the passage. It would be a
mistake to focus only on line 22 when answering this question—make sure you understand how it
relates to the rest of the passage.
Answer choice (A): Whereas the Fur Seal Treaty does establish the earliest point in time at which the
hunting of sea otters was prohibited, there is no evidence to indicate that fur seals were considered to
be on the brink of extinction. This answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (B): There is no indication that animals other than sea otters were covered by various
regulatory exemptions over the years. Also, as far as we know, the Fur Seal Treaty did not contain
any exemptions. This answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (C): There is no evidence suggesting that the Fur Seal Treaty is a well-known legal
precedent. Even if it were, the author is not particularly interested in using a precedent to defend the
prohibition against hunting of protected animals. This answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (D): The author never compared the threat to the sea otter population posed by
Russian seal hunters vs. Alaska Natives. This answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (E): This is the correct answer choice. The third paragraph serves to outline
the major statutory developments relevant to Alaska Natives’ legal rights to engage in certain
“traditional” practices, and prefigures the judicial decisions rendered in 1986 and 1991. Because
the author refers to the Fur Seal Treaty in the same paragraph, it is reasonable to conclude that its
purpose would be consistent with the purpose of the third paragraph as a whole.
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=14281)
The correct answer choice is (E)
This question asks us to examine the primary purpose for referring to the Fur Seal Treaty in line
22. Recall that the Fur Seal Treaty was mentioned in the beginning of the third paragraph, which
provides the legal background for the cases described later.
Specific Reference/Purpose questions test your ability to describe not only the purpose of the
element referenced in the question itself, but also its overall function in the passage. It would be a
mistake to focus only on line 22 when answering this question—make sure you understand how it
relates to the rest of the passage.
Answer choice (A): Whereas the Fur Seal Treaty does establish the earliest point in time at which the
hunting of sea otters was prohibited, there is no evidence to indicate that fur seals were considered to
be on the brink of extinction. This answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (B): There is no indication that animals other than sea otters were covered by various
regulatory exemptions over the years. Also, as far as we know, the Fur Seal Treaty did not contain
any exemptions. This answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (C): There is no evidence suggesting that the Fur Seal Treaty is a well-known legal
precedent. Even if it were, the author is not particularly interested in using a precedent to defend the
prohibition against hunting of protected animals. This answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (D): The author never compared the threat to the sea otter population posed by
Russian seal hunters vs. Alaska Natives. This answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (E): This is the correct answer choice. The third paragraph serves to outline
the major statutory developments relevant to Alaska Natives’ legal rights to engage in certain
“traditional” practices, and prefigures the judicial decisions rendered in 1986 and 1991. Because
the author refers to the Fur Seal Treaty in the same paragraph, it is reasonable to conclude that its
purpose would be consistent with the purpose of the third paragraph as a whole.