Q23 - An advertisement states:

[b91302310]

Not quite sure why answer (B) is not correct and why (C) is a better answer.

Could anyone explain it?

Thanks.

[ManhattanPrepLSAT1]

Let's think about the implications of answer choice (B). If it were true that Evelyn's headache pain will be relieved more quickly than Jane's, then it must also be true that Evelyn's headache pain will be relieved at least as quickly as Jane's. So answer choice (B) implies the truth of answer choice (C). It's not possible to have two correct answers, and so answer choice (B) can be eliminated.

The reasoning behind this is that we know that no headache pain pill relieves pain more quickly than Danaxil. But that doesn't actually mean that Danaxil is faster than all other pain relievers. It's possible that every pain pill relieves pain at the exact same rate and yet the advertisement would not be lying (deceptive, but not lying).

The takeaway you should get from this question, is that weaker statements are better than stronger statements on inference questions. Answer choices (B) and (C) say something very similar, but answer choice (C) says it in a weaker form - and is therefore correct.

Does that answer your question?

[magnusgan]

Hi Matt,

Answer choice (C) has a scope shift from headache pain (Danaxil claim) vs headache (choice C). From the ad we do not know anything about relief of headaches, only headache pains. So why is (C) right

It could be that Danaxil relieves the pain at least as quickly as any other pill, but it may be slower than every other pill in relieving the other symptoms. Therefore (C) could be wrong?

Thanks,
Magnus

[ManhattanPrepLSAT1]

Good questions magnusgan.

The scope shift you see represents a really frustrating part of getting familiar with the LSAT. Sometimes it feels like subtle words "burn" you and so you start to become very careful about slight deviations in language. However, headache and headache pain are similar enough. There's no real difference. Be on the look out for other kinds of subtle language shifts that maybe deal with quantity, certainty, frequency, subjectivity, degree, etc that will do more to change logical meaning!

I'm not sure I'd be chasing down other symptoms on this one, as everything in the answer choices is about the rate that Danaxil works. I think its fair that relieving one's headache pain equates to relieving one's headache.

[nthakka]

The word "CAN" really threw me off with this question. If the pills "can" relieve your headache, you can't infer that it necessarily will. Yet looking at answer choices B and C, both seem to assume that the pills will, in fact, relieve the headache. The earliest LSATs do not seem to be as tight in their language as the modern ones.

[ying_yingjj]

If the last sentence of the stimulus states as "no headache pill stops pain as quickly as Danaxil", then B will the correct answer.

Am I right?

[gaheexlee]

If the last sentence of the stimulus states as "no headache pill stops pain as quickly as Danaxil", then B will the correct answer.

Am I right?

Yes