Q18

[daytimeowl17]

I was confused between A and D cuz I thought I could also read it as the author "advocating a new theory" that other hormones, in addition to their recognized influence on bio function, can also affect beh. Can anyone please explain why A is better than D? Thank you in advance!

[ohthatpatrick]

Yeah, I see what you're saying.

"PRESENTING new information"
sounds a lot like
"ADVOCATING FOR an innovative theory"

The only way to figure out which is better supported is to focus on the differences there and find textual support one way or the other.

Of those three (mis)matches, I think "new" and "innovative" are pretty close to synonyms. So I wouldn't focus on that.

What's the difference between "presenting" and "advocating"?

'Presenting' is a more neutral verb.
'Advocating' is a more opinionated verb.

Opinions, on LSAT, demand more explicit textual support than neutral descriptions. So that already makes (D) more dangerous unless I can find support.

What's the difference between "information" and "theory"?

'Information' sounds like established fact.
'Theory' sounds like opinionated guess (if by theory we mean, "I have a theory about that ....") or like descriptive model of the world (if by theory we mean, "Quantum theory holds that ...")

I would go back to Big Author Idea sentences (the primary thing I read for, so it's easy for me to find them again).

Most Big Author Idea sentences come after but/yet/however/recently. LSAT authors love to start with other people's ideas or background facts and then pivot using one of these words into the AUTHOR's idea or the AUTHOR's focus.

This passage starts with a classic LSAT setup, "Discussions of ____ have GENERALLY BEEN LIMITED to ____". Authors who begin that way almost always take us in another direction.

Sure enough lines 6-9 seem to give me the big idea of this passage.

"It has now become clear however that other hormones can affect behavior."

So is this main sentence presenting or advocating?

It's a little hard to decide conclusively, but it has the ring of presenting established facts. "It has now become clear" doesn't sound like "I'm trying to convince you" (advocating). It sounds like "I'm trying to inform you" (presenting).

Does this main sentence sound like new information or an innovative theory?

Again, from the ring of "it has now become clear", I feel safer calling this established information than speculative theory.

I can see how someone would stretch (D) by saying, "The innovative theory is that HORMONES CAUSE OTHER TYPES OF BEHAVIOR" and the author is advocating it because he discusses it at length.

But the research is presented as though this is knowledge the scientific community already possesses and believes, not as some speculation that the author is trying to convince us of.

Hope this convinces you.

[daytimeowl17]

That was awesome- thank you so much! I definitely see how the author is more likely presenting what is already established, instead of suggesting a new theory. I'll try to look for more textual support before picking an opinionated verb- thank you again for the great tip! Seriously I wish I could give you guys multiple thanks, instead of just one...

[FaridL797]

Any clarification on why E is incorrect ?