Q1 - Researchers put two electrodes in a pool

[Laura Damone]

Question Type:
Most Strongly Supported

Stimulus Breakdown:
No argument here, so we just need to get the facts straight: the dolphins would swim away from the activated electrodes in experiment 1, but not in experiment 2. The difference? In experiment 2, researchers covered the dolphin's vibrissal crypts.

Answer Anticipation:
The LSAT loves explanations, so anticipate an answer that will explain why the dolphins behaved differently in experiment 2: namely, that their vibrissal crypts have something to do with their perception of the activated electrodes.

Correct answer:
B

Answer choice analysis:
(A) This is pure conjecture. There's no evidence that this is the case. Now, some might think about evolutionary biology here and say "why would dolphins have organs that perceive electric fields if they don't sometimes encounter fields in the wild?" But, anyone tempted by this line of reasoning can still rule this answer out because of the degree mismatch: this answer deals with strong fields whereas the stimulus dealt with weak ones.

(B) Is this definitely true? Not necessarily. Maybe the vibrissal crypts control threat perception or even the dolphins' ability to swim in the direction they want to go. But is this well-supported by the argument? Definitely. And a match for our prediction at that.

(C) This is closer to being contradicted than it is to being supported, because the dolphins' behavior in experiment 1 showed them avoiding the electric fields. Now, whether they did so instinctually or made a rational decision to do so we can't say, so this isn't 100% contradicted, but certainly it doesn't align with our stimulus, and the introduction of the new concept of dolphin training is a final nail in the coffin.

(D) This one might be tempting because it links up the two concepts from our prephrase. But in order for this to be supported by the argument, we would have to assume that the dolphins avoided the fields in experiment 1 because the fields were messing with their crypts, but didn't mind the fields in experiment 2 because the plastic shields prevented the fields from messing with their crypts. That's too much assuming for this answer to be strongly supported.

(E) Normal circumstances? Not in this pool! Our stimulus only gives evidence about the decidedly abnormal circumstance of wild animals in captivity. Furthermore, this answer says that dolphins are normally unable to sense electric fields, but the unencumbered dolphins from experiment 1 seem to have been sensing them just fine. That puts this answer closer to the contradicted end of the spectrum.

Takeaway/Pattern:
When a Most Strongly Supported question presents you with a circumstance where things change, a good prediction is that the correct answer will explain that change.

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