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- Sat Jun 24, 2017 11:14 am
#36326
Complete Question Explanation
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=7945)
The correct answer choice is (D)
Since there is considerable agreement on the frequency and causes of dental caries between the two
authors, the most efficient way to approach this question would be to review each answer choice and
quickly eliminate those that contain information extraneous to either passage.
Answer choice (A): If you found this answer choice attractive, you may have assumed that
populations are bound to become increasingly dependent on agriculture over time. This may have
been true for prehistoric societies, but there is no evidence that the trend would continue indefinitely.
Furthermore, since caries frequency among the Ban Chiang populations actually decreased over
time, we can easily eliminate answer choice (A).
Answer choice (B): The difficulty of detecting dental caries in prehistoric human teeth is not
discussed in either passage, making this answer choice incorrect.
Answer choice (C): This is an Opposite answer. Both authors generally agree with the prevailing
view that dental caries tend to be more prevalent in agricultural societies. Although there are clear
exceptions to this correlation, neither author is arguing that the exceptions disprove the correlation.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer. The last paragraph of Passage A asserts that some
nonagricultural populations exhibit high caries rates, suggesting that the frequency of dental caries
does not necessarily correspond directly to the population’s degree of dependence on agriculture.
Likewise, Passage B describes comparisons of caries frequency in the Early and Late Ban Chiang
Groups, indicating that overall caries frequency is slightly greater in the Early Group (line 59-60),
despite the increased dependence on agriculture in the Late period.
Answer choice (E): We can quickly eliminate this answer choice from consideration, since Passage A
never discussed the link between dental caries and tooth wear. Likewise, Passage B never compared
the relative impact of tooth wear and carbohydrate consumption on caries formation.
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=7945)
The correct answer choice is (D)
Since there is considerable agreement on the frequency and causes of dental caries between the two
authors, the most efficient way to approach this question would be to review each answer choice and
quickly eliminate those that contain information extraneous to either passage.
Answer choice (A): If you found this answer choice attractive, you may have assumed that
populations are bound to become increasingly dependent on agriculture over time. This may have
been true for prehistoric societies, but there is no evidence that the trend would continue indefinitely.
Furthermore, since caries frequency among the Ban Chiang populations actually decreased over
time, we can easily eliminate answer choice (A).
Answer choice (B): The difficulty of detecting dental caries in prehistoric human teeth is not
discussed in either passage, making this answer choice incorrect.
Answer choice (C): This is an Opposite answer. Both authors generally agree with the prevailing
view that dental caries tend to be more prevalent in agricultural societies. Although there are clear
exceptions to this correlation, neither author is arguing that the exceptions disprove the correlation.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer. The last paragraph of Passage A asserts that some
nonagricultural populations exhibit high caries rates, suggesting that the frequency of dental caries
does not necessarily correspond directly to the population’s degree of dependence on agriculture.
Likewise, Passage B describes comparisons of caries frequency in the Early and Late Ban Chiang
Groups, indicating that overall caries frequency is slightly greater in the Early Group (line 59-60),
despite the increased dependence on agriculture in the Late period.
Answer choice (E): We can quickly eliminate this answer choice from consideration, since Passage A
never discussed the link between dental caries and tooth wear. Likewise, Passage B never compared
the relative impact of tooth wear and carbohydrate consumption on caries formation.