#4 - Specific Reference, Passage Organization

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (E).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E): This is the correct answer choice.

This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[Overthinker99]

Answer choice E seems to mischaracterize the passage with a plural that is not substantiated in the passage. E says "some actions for avoiding the consequences are mentioned," when the passage only mentions one: "if the school is too large, they'll join other groups.

[Jeff Wren]

Hi Overthinker,

Two important points to note here.

Certain words that appear on the LSAT are used differently than the way that we often use them in everyday life. The word "some" is one of these words.

First, on the LSAT, you should interpret the word "some" as "at least one." Literally "some" means any possibility other than none (zero), so technically fractions/decimals would also count, but for general purposes on the test, thinking of the word "some" as "at least one" will be adequate. So even though "some actions" sounds plural, it includes the possibility of just one action. It would be equivalent to saying "one or more actions."

Second, the passage actually mentions two actions for avoiding the adverse consequences, although one of them is easy to miss. One action is the one that you point out, joining other groups when the school gets too large. The other one is easy to miss.

It's important to be clear when reading Answer E what the behavior mentioned is referring to and what the disadvantages are. The behavior is schooling and one of the disadvantages is increased competition for food (lines 51-52). One action for avoiding the adverse consequences of this increased competition for food appears in the next sentence. Some mysids swim to the back of the school to eat surreptitiously (lines 52-54). In other words, they are eating secretively so that they don't have to share the food with the rest of the school. (Sort of like if a student in the back row of class sneaks a quick bite of food hidden in their desk while the teacher's back is turned.) This is other/second action mentioned in the passage (although it appears first in the passage).

While mysids aren't mentioned anywhere else in the passage, it should be clear from the context that mysids are a type of invertebrate that school. The test makers don't expect everyone to know what mysids are, as that is not common/general knowledge, but they do expect test takers to understand that they are discussed in this paragraph as an example of invertebrates in schools who face food competition and one way how they deal with it.

[Overthinker99]

Ah, thank you for the informative, thorough, and helpful response! I knew “some” was indeterminate, but the way you broke it down to its core elements to show how it can be pared with “actions” and still be singular was really helpful!

Also, the remedial action of scourging at the back of the line was something I definitely missed and automatically sorted into the negative consequences (such as a reduced clutch and eating the young).

Thanks again!