Q1

[T.J.]

I'm not sure as to why (B) is incorrect. Thanks guys.

[T.J.]

Asked and answered. The problem is that "the two court decisions" mentioned actually stand in contrast against each other, as they reached polarizing decisions in terms of whether to allow people to hunt sea otters. They don't challenge the notion together. It's more like that they challenge each other's stance.

[maryadkins]

Exactly. Well corrected!

The answer to this question can be found at the end of paragraph 2, lines 17-20. There it is.

[nnn2108]

maryadkins...


How exactly do you know to mark that while reading? I have so much trouble pointing out those obvious places where the author tells you the main point.

[tommywallach]

Hey Nnn,

I would say it may help if you don't think of it as "looking" for the main idea as you read, as if you would spot it on location. Instead, always be THINKING about what the passage is really about as you read. The main idea needs to encapsulate everything you read. So you shouldn't need to "find" a given sentence that gives it to you; you should be able to work it out from the general context. Hope that helps a bit!

-t

[obobob]

Exactly. Well corrected!

The answer to this question can be found at the end of paragraph 2, lines 17-20. There it is.

Hi, I rather got the answer (A) by thinking that lines 10-11 are stating something similar to (A). Are lines 17-20 better indicator than is with lines 10-11?

[ohthatpatrick]

Yeah, lines 17-20 are much closer of a match to (A) than are lines 10-12, which don't mention Alaska or sea otter pelts at all.

You're still correct in thinking that when we hit lines 10-12, we've essentially discovered the author's main point / purpose. We can tell her big point is about the problem created by having an ambiguous definition of tradition.

But what is her purpose ...
TO OFFER A SOLUTION TO THAT PROBLEM?
TO EXPLAIN THE BACKGROUND OF THAT PROBLEM?
TO ILLUSTRATE THAT PROBLEM WITH AN EXAMPLE?

We don't realize that her plan is to illustrate the problem with an example until we hit lines 17-20.

BIGGEST IDEA: having no rigid definition of 'tradition' creates problems
NEXT BIGGEST: two cases involving sea otter pelts illustrate that
EVERYTHING ELSE: is supporting ^ this idea.

[GabyO741]

I was also torn between A and B and went with B. In reviewing my answer I felt that B was "too broad" and A was more detailed as an answer. How can I see the answer by zooming in on lines 17-20 rather than relying on the method I used which doesn't guarantee much?

[ohthatpatrick]

Remember, your job in reading the passage is to find 1-3 sentences that you count as the Main Point, and to categorize the passage's purpose (which is almost always just picking from one or more of those 8 or so common RC passage purposes).

When you're doing Main Point / Purpose questions, those 1-3 sentences are your "Proof Window".
And you're looking for an answer choice that aligns with what you thought was the Purpose of the passage

Are you performing those two steps?

Every time you read a passage, your goal on the first read is PMS:

Purpose - (Clarify misconception? Problem/Solution? Old/New? Illustrate by Example? Highlight a Distinction/Deficiency? Defend from Criticism? Present a Debate?)

Main Point - Pick 1 to 3 sentences that to you best encapsulate the main point

Structure - You should be able to describe the function/content of each paragraph in 5-10 words, in relation to the passage's overall purpose and main point


So if you read the passage and correctly categorized it as "Illustrate by means of example" with lines 10-12 and 17-20 as your two Main Point sentences, you're better set up to like (A).

If you categorized the Purpose / Main Point sentences differently, then your job in reviewing the passage is to "read it again the way you WISH you had" in order to practice what you would have needed to see/think in order to align your Purpose / Main Point assessment with LSAT's.

If you just read the passage but never articulated to yourself what the author's Purpose or Main Point sentences were, then you're not practicing RC right.

I think you had good instincts that Alaska is enough of a "main character" in this passage that it should be in our Main Point answer, so your rationale for (B) as being too broad makes sense.

The other four answers all bring up the main topic character of Alaska / Alaska's sense of 'tradition'.