LR Main Point Question #1 - Mining the Moon

[Jon Denning]

Taken from: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=6250&p=15770

Let's take a look at how the argument is structured:

Argument 1

• Premise: Helium-3 can be used for fuel in fusion reactors
  
  Conclusion: We can solve our energy problems by mining the Moon for helium-3

Counterargument:

• Premise 1: Even if it's possible to mine the Moon, the technology to build the reactors is at least 50 years away.
  
  Premise 2: By then, it's gonna be too late to solve our problems.
  
  Conclusion: "...this is nonsense," i.e. we can't solve our energy problems by mining the Moon for helium-3

The very last sentence supports the author's belief that the proposed solution is a silly one, which makes that sentence a premise, and not a conclusion. Typically, when you have a stimulus begin with an argument held by "some people," we can expect that the author's argument will be the direct opposite of theirs. And indeed, this is the case here: the conclusion ("this is nonsense") is in reference to the proposed solution. Answer choice (D) captures this idea, and is therefore correct.

Don't expect the conclusion to be given at the end of the stimulus: this is a rookie mistake. Especially in Main Point question, they will almost never put it there (that would be just too obvious).

Hope this helps!