#12 - Must Be True, Subject Perspective

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=50)

The correct answer choice is (B)

The question stem asks for the beliefs of the third group of scientists regarding the LHB—this is discussed at the end of the second paragraph. From the passage, it is known that these scientists believe that the LHB was a sharply defined relatively brief cataclysmic event, and the debris was swept up quickly.

Answer choice (A): This assertion is false according to the information found in the passage. The event affected the Moon, the Earth and the object that was within the Earth-Moon system that produced the debris.

Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. The scientists subscribing to this theory of LHB believe that it was confined to the Earth-Moon system and was of relatively short duration.

Answer choice (C): The scientists subscribing to the second theory of LHB do not believe its effects extended beyond the Earth-Moon system, so therefore there was nothing to be absorbed by the other planets of the inner solar system.

Answer choice (D): In the initial paragraph, the author states that the LHB occurred approximately four billion years ago. There is nothing in the subsequent discussion of the third theory that would indicate disagreement with this dating of the LHB.

Answer choice (E): Since proponents of the third theory assert that the LHB was relatively brief, they would be unlikely to agree that it “may have lasted a long time,” so this answer choice is incorrect.

[Sdaoud17]

I am having a hard time understating the Question with the Answer ? I mean how is brief ?
also can you explain why the others are incorrect !

Thank you

[Nikki Siclunov]

The question stems asks for the beliefs of the third group of scientists (lines 31-39). Clearly, they believe that the LHB was a sharply defined cataclysmic event of relatively brief duration (lines 34-35). Answer choice (B) is consistent with that position, as the extent of the event was localized to the Earth-Moon system.

(A) is false, because the Earth was affected as well. That's the whole point.

(C) - there is no evidence the scientists believed there was very little debris. They also hold that the event did not extend throughout the inner solar system, so the debris couldn't have been "absorbed" by it.

(D) - the initial paragraph shows that the LHV occurred about 4B years ago. There is nothing in the subsequent discussion of the third theory to indicate disagreement with this dating.

(E) is half-right, half-wrong. Although its effects are localized to the Earth-Moon system, this group of scientists clearly believe that the event was relatively brief.