Dec 2003 supplemental section, question 19

[rachue]

Hi,

I got this LG set from the supplements of the virtual course. I think there might be a mistake in question 19. The correct answer is listed as A but I believe the correct answer is really C.

I can diagram it the following way

-------U U
S T T T T
J K L M O

This shows that J can review only sunset as well. Otherwise, perhaps I have made an error in one of the rules, but I have gone over it a few times and can't seem to find anything.

Let me know! Thanks.

[Nikki Siclunov]

You need to read the question stem carefully: Which one of the following could be an accurate and complete list of the students who review only Sunset? By this they mean: in one possible solution of the game, which of the following 5 answers represents an accurate and complete list of the students who review only Sunset. Differentiate this question from the following:

Which one of the following could be an accurate and complete list of the students, any one of whom could review only Sunset?

You are correct that either Jiang or Lopez could review only Sunset - but these would be two different solutions of the game. They cannot review Sunset together, because Lopez does not review any plays Jiang reviews (rule 2). This is why (C) cannot be a complete and accurate list of the students who review only Sunset. Of course, J and L would be a complete and accurate list of the students, any one of whom can review only Sunset (i.e. in two different solutions of the game).

[rachue]

Ah ok, I had a feeling that's why I was wrong. I'll have to pay better attention to the stimulus. Still, the way I interpreted the question stem is not necessarily wrong. It could be easily interpreted either of the ways... does this happen a lot in the LSAT?

[Nikki Siclunov]

The question stem can only be interpreted in one possible way: note the usage of the verb "could" in both of the examples below:

Which one of the following could be an accurate and complete list of the students who review only Sunset?

vs.

Which one of the following is an accurate and complete list of the students, any one of whom can review only Sunset?

In the first instance, you are being asked to produce one possible list of students (a complete and accurate list of such students) who review only Sunset. In other words, for any given solution of the game, which one of the following could be all and only those students who review only Sunset?

In the second question, you are being asked to identify all the students who can potentially review only Sunset.

The two question stems do look similar, but a careful look at the language reveals an important distinction between them.

[rachue]

Ah I see. So if we have to give ALL the possibilities, will it always be phrased with "any of whom can review..." somewhere in the question stem?

[Nikki Siclunov]

Exactly