Q12

[jpchris3]

Hello,

I can see why the answer is A, but I still don't feel 100% about it. I initially chose B, since I thought this could be directly inferred from the text, starting with line 24 "the surviving daughters ..."

Thanks!

[bbirdwell]

(A) is a tricky inference, but totally true. It's a common tactic on the LSAT to infer in the "negative space" of a fact.

For example, if I tell you all about a crunchy, small, sweet treat and say, "in Mexico, they call this a galleta," I am suggesting that these treats exist in other places, where they might even be called by other names ("...whereas in the US, they call it a cookie"). Otherwise, I wouldn't need to say "in Mexico." I'd just say "They call this a galleta."

You're correct that (B) is supported in the passage, but here it simply doesn't answer the question, which is about the phrase "in England."

(B) more correctly answers the question, "What does the word 'dower' do?"

[jpchris3]

Thanks- this was a really, really nuanced question

[nflamel69]

Hy Brian,

Can you elaborate more on what you mean by infer from negative space of a fact? Thanks!

[niohelang]

Thanks for the nice explanation. I guess it is language thing that people who are not native speaker like me really need to drill it.

Well I just want to comment on the usage of the word Dower. For B, it is incorrect because dower refers to the woman getting the property from he late husband, not her parents.