Q8 - Studies suggest that, for the

[bbirdwell]

Conclusion:
ONLY ppl with
1) high blood press.
and
2)incapable of processing excess sodium
need to limit sodium intake

Premise:
for those w/normal blood pressure, excess sodium is excreted.

The all-important LSAT word "only" plays a factor here. What is the author assuming by concluding that ONLY people with those two traits need to limit their sodium intake?

With that in mind, let's proceed to the choices, knowing that we want to weaken the conclusion, in other words, we want to suggest that there are OTHER people who should also limit their sodium intake.

(A) this does nothing to affect the conclusion.

(B) Tempting choice. If anything, though, this would support the conclusion, by suggesting that some people with high blood pressure should limit their intake.

(C) ah-ha! If excess sodium has a harmful effect over time, then even people with LOW blood pressure should limit their sodium intake, in order to preserve the ability to process excess sodium! This weakens the conclusion by showing that another group of people could also benefit, and not ONLY the group described.

(D) so what?

(E) If anything, this strengthens!

[Djjustin818]

Is (B) wrong because it is referring to people who already have high blood pressure? I chose B because I thought it was saying that anyone could get high blood pressure by intake of more sodium than the body requires. I basically applied the thought process mentioned here earlier for C, to B. Could you explain to me why B is wrong please??

[ManhattanPrepLSAT1]

Answer choice (B) is a classic incorrect answer on Weaken questions. Notice how weak the frequency "sometimes" is? It's perfectly consistent with the given information that for the vast majority of those with normal blood pressure any excess sodium would not exacerbate high blood pressure. That possibility that for some people it would be exacerbated is then already consistent with the stated argument.

[aradunakhor]

Hi, I initially was tempted by B as well. This is because the author's conclusion is that only people with both high blood pressure and whose bodies can't safely process excess sodium need to restrict their sodium intake.

This implies that people with high blood pressure but whose bodies can process excess sodium do not need to restrict their sodium intake (I'll refer to these people as X people).

But then if B were true, that would suggest that some* X people can exacerbate their high blood pressure by consuming more sodium than required, even if their bodies can safely process excess sodium. This would then mean that they too ought to restrict their sodium intake, right?

* I guess this part isn't strictly guaranteed, since D could be true in that high blood pressure is exacerbated by excess sodium intake in some people, but those people include no X people.

[amil91]

Hi, I initially was tempted by B as well. This is because the author's conclusion is that only people with both high blood pressure and whose bodies can't safely process excess sodium need to restrict their sodium intake.

This implies that people with high blood pressure but whose bodies can process excess sodium do not need to restrict their sodium intake (I'll refer to these people as X people).

But then if B were true, that would suggest that some* X people can exacerbate their high blood pressure by consuming more sodium than required, even if their bodies can safely process excess sodium. This would then mean that they too ought to restrict their sodium intake, right?

* I guess this part isn't strictly guaranteed, since D could be true in that high blood pressure is exacerbated by excess sodium intake in some people, but those people include no X people.

I think ultimately you are thinking about this too much. The stimulus does not say all people , it says a vast majority of people. Thus, some can still exist even if a vast majority is the opposite. So even if B were true, and even if that does affect some of the people that don't fall into the conditional conclusion, it fits in with the argument because the word sometimes is so weak, sometimes could mean once. For weaken questions, the answer should make it impossible for the conclusion to be arrived at.