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#26348
Complete Question Explanation
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=10960)

The correct answer choice is (C)

To answer this question, you need to understand the purpose behind each passage, and identify a goal they have in common. As discussed in Passage Similarities and Differences above, both authors describe scientific studies conducted on the topic of animal communication. This is a broad prephrase, but it helps eliminate every answer choice except for answer choice (C), which is correct.

Answer choice (A): Neither author claims that nonhuman animals possess human-like intelligence.

Answer choice (B): Passage A is not concerned with primates at all, while Passage B only mentions them in the first paragraph.

Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice, as it reflects a commonality of purpose shared by both passages.

Answer choice (D): This answer choice may seem attractive, because it captures well enough the purpose of Passage A. However, Passage B is not concerned with detailing the controversy over why honeybees dance. The author of Passage B mentions the function of the honeybee’s dance in the second paragraph (to find food sources), but does not regard it as particularly controversial.

Answer choice (E): Neither passage analyzes the conditions under which a symbolic system can be considered a language. In fact, only Passage B describes some instances of animal communication as symbolic (line 38).
 alee
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#5819
Hi guys,

Regarding PT 60 Section 4 Question 8 which asks which aim the 2 passages have in common, how do we choose between the following:

C: Describing certain scientific studies concerned with animal communication
D: Airing a scientific controversy over the function of the honeybee's dance

Why is D incorrect? At the very least, both passages do 'air the controversy over the function of the honeybee's dance', and I do not see why it cannot be counted as an aim of both passages to do this.

Is the reasoning that D, whilst applying somewhat to passage A, does not apply to passage B since the function of the honeybee's dance is not an aim in itself but is mentioned as a *means to achieve the aim* of discussing scientific studies concerned with animal communication in general?

Thanks! :-D
 Steve Stein
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#5846
Since the author of passage B doesn't really discuss or make reference to any controversy, answer choice D can be safely ruled out.

I hope that's helpful! Let me know--thanks!

~Steve
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 PresidentLSAT
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#86737
Hi,

I need some help.

I'm still unclear on this. I googled primates and it basically means animals. A discusses bees (an animal) plus different theories on how they communicate, weaving between odors and smell.

The LSAT is notorious on relying on vague answers.

Eg. My neighbor has a dog is the same as my neighbor has a mammal. A bee is a primate. Or it's not?
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 Ryan Twomey
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#86748
Hey President LSAT,

A bee is not a primate.

My google search yielded: "A primate is a eutherian mammal constituting the taxonomic order."

Primates are like monkeys or lemurs and humans I believe. It is required, based on reading the passage and general knowledge, that a bee is not a primate to help eliminate answer choice B.

I hope this helps.

Best,
Ryan
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 PresidentLSAT
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#86854
Ryan Twomey wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 3:35 pm
Primates are like monkeys or lemurs and humans I believe. It is required, based on reading the passage and general
Hey President LSAT,

A bee is not a primate.

My google search yielded: "A primate is a eutherian mammal constituting the taxonomic order."knowledge, that a bee is not a primate to help eliminate answer choice B.

I hope this helps.

Best,
Ryan

I see it, thank you

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