Necessary AssumptionDiff: Hard
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: Some science classes are made extra difficult to weed out everyone except the most dedicated students, but since some bored students still pass, the professor thinks the plan is a failure.
Conclusion: Using introductory science courses as 'proving grounds' has failed to achieve its intended goal.
Reasoning: The courses were designed to ensure only the most committed students pass, yet some students who are not enthusiastic about science are still passing.
Analysis: The professor is making a significant leap by assuming that 'least enthusiastic' students are not among the 'most committed' students. In the world of the LSAT, enthusiasm and commitment are not synonyms. To make this argument work, the professor must assume that these unenthusiastic students do not actually belong to the group of highly committed science majors the course was meant to filter for. If a student can be unenthusiastic but still 100% committed to their career path, the 'proving ground' might actually be working exactly as intended.
Conclusion: Using introductory science courses as 'proving grounds' has failed to achieve its intended goal.
Reasoning: The courses were designed to ensure only the most committed students pass, yet some students who are not enthusiastic about science are still passing.
Analysis: The professor is making a significant leap by assuming that 'least enthusiastic' students are not among the 'most committed' students. In the world of the LSAT, enthusiasm and commitment are not synonyms. To make this argument work, the professor must assume that these unenthusiastic students do not actually belong to the group of highly committed science majors the course was meant to filter for. If a student can be unenthusiastic but still 100% committed to their career path, the 'proving ground' might actually be working exactly as intended.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage24.Which one of the following is an assumption that the professor's argument requires?
Correct Answer
D
D supplies the needed bridge: none of the least enthusiastic are among the most committed. Negation test: If some least enthusiastic students are among the most committed, then their passing is consistent with the intended purpose (Pass → Most committed), and the professor’s conclusion no longer follows. Therefore, D is necessary.
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