- PowerScore Staff
- Posts: 8950
- Joined: Feb 02, 2011
- Tue May 30, 2017 3:23 pm
#35510
Complete Question Explanation
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=14300)
The correct answer choice is (C)
Despite the relatively vague nature of this Passage Commonality question, the correct answer choice
must state a relationship discussed in both passages. Use the Fact Test to identify a statement that
appears in both.
Answer choice (A): Although the reliability of fingerprint identification is likely to impact the ability
of a criminal defendant to expose weaknesses in the prosecution’s case, neither author raises this
issue.
Answer choice (B): Neither author regards the personal integrity of individual fingerprint examiners
to have any bearing on the reliability of fingerprint identification. It is the proficiency of these
examiners, not their integrity, that both of them raise as a relevant issue (lines 30-31 and 62-65).
Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice. The author of passage A observes that
different agencies require different degrees of correlation to permit a positive identification (lines
24-26), but insists that such differences do not impact the reliability of the practice. By contrast, the
author of the second passage laments the lack of generally agreed-upon standards as problematic
(lines 36-46). Clearly, each passage evaluates the degree to which differences in the identification
practices used by various fingerprint examiners affect the reliability of the practice as a whole.
Answer choice (D): Only the author of passage B views the likelihood of smudged prints as a reason
to doubt the reliability of fingerprint identification (lines 52-53). Passage A makes no mention of
this.
Answer choice (E): Like incorrect answer choice (D) above, only passage B discusses the holistic
approach to fingerprint identification (lines 43-44).
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=14300)
The correct answer choice is (C)
Despite the relatively vague nature of this Passage Commonality question, the correct answer choice
must state a relationship discussed in both passages. Use the Fact Test to identify a statement that
appears in both.
Answer choice (A): Although the reliability of fingerprint identification is likely to impact the ability
of a criminal defendant to expose weaknesses in the prosecution’s case, neither author raises this
issue.
Answer choice (B): Neither author regards the personal integrity of individual fingerprint examiners
to have any bearing on the reliability of fingerprint identification. It is the proficiency of these
examiners, not their integrity, that both of them raise as a relevant issue (lines 30-31 and 62-65).
Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice. The author of passage A observes that
different agencies require different degrees of correlation to permit a positive identification (lines
24-26), but insists that such differences do not impact the reliability of the practice. By contrast, the
author of the second passage laments the lack of generally agreed-upon standards as problematic
(lines 36-46). Clearly, each passage evaluates the degree to which differences in the identification
practices used by various fingerprint examiners affect the reliability of the practice as a whole.
Answer choice (D): Only the author of passage B views the likelihood of smudged prints as a reason
to doubt the reliability of fingerprint identification (lines 52-53). Passage A makes no mention of
this.
Answer choice (E): Like incorrect answer choice (D) above, only passage B discusses the holistic
approach to fingerprint identification (lines 43-44).
