#26 - Must Be True, Author’s Perspective

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=13653)

The correct answer choice is (B)

This is another question whose answer can be difficult to prephrase, since it is a Global Reference question. As always, it will be important to have a good grasp on the author’s tone to confidently attack a Must Be True, Author’s Perspective question.

Answer choice (A): The author says that the proper policy is to try to save as many lives as possible given the resources available.

Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. In lines 23-25, the author states that most environmental (and other) risks are a matter of degree.

Answer choice (C): The author does not compare these two groups’ judgements regarding voluntariness, so there is no way that this can be the right answer to this Must Be True, Author’s Perspective question.

Answer choice (D): The author makes no statements about increasing the funds available, but rather asserts that the proper risk prevention policy is to save as many lives as possible, given the resources devoted.

Answer choice (E): The author does not assert that every risk reduction policy must comport with most people’s beliefs, but instead says that divergences from the general policy (of maximizing the number of lives saved) should be based on an understanding of people’s judgments regarding specific risk prevention measures.

[reop6780]

The correct answer is B.

Was the correct answer fully inferred from line 23-25 only?

Was I supposed to pick up inference from such narrow lines?

[KelseyWoods]

Hi reop6780!

Yes, answer choice (B) is supported by lines 23-25. In those lines, the author states that most environmental risks are a matter of degree. That is plenty to prove that some environmental risks are voluntary to a greater degree than others are. The whole notion of characterizing something as a matter of degree as opposed to an all-or-nothing situation means that there are greater and lesser degrees of characterization.

Hope this helps!

Best,
Kelsey

[PamelaO]

Hello,

I am having trouble seeing the issue in choice A. It seems to me like Choice A is saying the government should intervene in situations where human lives may be in danger? Isn't that what the passage is saying? Or is the passage saying that government should not necessarily control the degree of risk, but actually help to save lives?

I am just a little confused and fail to see how A is not supported by the passage.

Thanks!

[AthenaDalton]

Hi Pamela,

The passage stops short of saying that the government should intervene every time there is an opportunity to reduce risk -- the conclusion is that the government should "attempt to save as many lives as possible subject to the limited public and private resources devoted to risk reduction."

The passage is conceding that in light of the government's limited resources, not every risk may be worth spending money to reduce. Perhaps the author would agree with the general public sentiment that government spending to reduce the risk of skydiving is a poor idea, for example.

I hope this helps clear things up. Good luck studying!

Athena Dalton