Disparity Between Solutions and Tips

[RachelW623]

Page 373 tells us that in order to make an Overlap Inference, the Overlap Type has to be Most + Most, in addition to All + any qualifier. It says if the overlap is between Some + Some, or Some + Most, then we cannot make an inference. I moved on to the Drill It for Some and Most on page 374, and only made inferences when the stimulus matched the Overlap Type offered by the reading in the preceding pages.

When I went to the solution page, some of the solutions were not in accordance with the patterns addressed in the reading. For example, Solution #1 made inferences from some + some, even though i was just told that I cannot make an inference from this Overlap Type! As you can imagine, this is very frustrating. I thought I had gotten the questions correct, since I followed exactly what the text said on the previous page. Either I am misinterpreting the textbook, or there appears to be an Errata for the Some and Most Drill It.

Thanks in advance,
Rachel

[Laura Damone]

Hi Rachel!

Sorry for the enormous delay here - this one slipped through the cracks somehow.

I definitely here your frustration about the overlap drill. It is true that you can't make overlap inferences from two "some" statements. However, the answer to question 1 doesn't require that you make an overlap inference. It just requires that you recognize the reversibility of a "some" statement. The instructions are to check the answer that must be true from the information given. Some of those answers will be true because of forced overlap. Others will be true because you can do things like downgrade from "most" to "some" and reverse "some" statements. Like the LSAT itself, it's trying to test more than just one concept.

I hope this helps you feel better about the drill!