Strategies on How to Tackle Tricky AC Language in the new LSATs (PT85+)

[KG!]

I've been studying the PT80s recently and trying to prepare for the October test. I have noticed an increased difficulty with the test often due to the answer choices. I typically can understand my task and what I'm looking for prior to diving into the answer choices (e.g.prephrase) but it doesn't always direct me to the correct answer and my prephrases are typically correct according to the forum!

Any tips on how to prepare for tricky answer choices? For example, in PT91 Q11 and Q23, I got both of these questions wrong despite having a correct/solid prephrase. For question Q11 I understood that my task was to strengthen the conclusion that the society was still a hunter-gather society despite the evidence provided for an alternative theory. Specifically, I had to strengthen this argument by thinking about other explanations for why they used fire to clear land and how that explanation connects to this society being a hunter and gatherer one.

For Q23, I totally understood that an expected inference was that the sociologists thought the rational choice theory's explanation for popular support of political parties (greatest economic advantage) was a SIMPLE theory. Yet when I got to the correct answer choice, I crossed it out.

With two weeks left before the test and my LR score dropping primarily because of this tricky new language, what can I do to stay vigilant and not become confused or lost in the answer choices?

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi KG!

Hopefully, this answer is no longer relevant for you because the October test is over and done with. So congrats on finishing that test!

Regarding the specific questions you noted, it's hard for me to tell without knowing what answer choices tempted you away from the correct answer choice. Often, when students are pulled from a correct answer choice it's because they haven't created a clear enough prephrase. So yes, in Q11 there you want to connect hunter-gatherers to clearing land with fire. The only answer choice that combines those two concepts in any way is answer choice (D), the correct answer choice. Answer choice (B) combines hunter-gathers and fire, but not fire that would clear land.

So, in general, better prephrases, and strong focus on those prephrases, will help avoid incorrect answers.