LSAT Q..weaken

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LSAT Q..weaken

by vaivish » Wed Feb 10, 2010 7:39 am
Two paleontologists, Dr Tyson and Dr. Rees, disagree over the interpretation of certain footprints that were left among other footprints in hardened volcanic ash at site G. Dr. Tyson claims they are clearly early hominid footprints since they show human characteristics: a squarish heel and a big toe immediately adjacent to the next toe. However, since the footprints indicate that if hominids made those prints they would have had to walk in an unexpected cross-stepping manner, by placing the left foot to the right of the right foot. Dr. Rees rejects Dr. Tyson's conclusion.


8. Which one of the following, if true, most seriously undermines Dr. Tyson's conclusion?
(A) The foot prints showing human characteristics were clearly those of at least two distinct individuals.
(B) Certain species of bears had feet very like human feet, except that the outside toe on each foot was the biggest toe and the innermost toe was the smallest toe.
(C) Footprints shaped like a human's that do not show a cross-stepping pattern exist at site M, which is a mile away from site G, and the two sets of footprints are contemporaneous.
(D) When the moist volcanic ash became sealed under additional layers of ash before hardening, some details of some of the footprints were erased.
(E) Most of the other footprints at site G were of animals with hooves.


OA is b.

Please help
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

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by komal » Wed Feb 10, 2010 7:50 am
vaivish wrote:Two paleontologists, Dr Tyson and Dr. Rees, disagree over the interpretation of certain footprints that were left among other footprints in hardened volcanic ash at site G. Dr. Tyson claims they are clearly early hominid footprints since they show human characteristics: a squarish heel and a big toe immediately adjacent to the next toe. However, since the footprints indicate that if hominids made those prints they would have had to walk in an unexpected cross-stepping manner, by placing the left foot to the right of the right foot. Dr. Rees rejects Dr. Tyson's conclusion.


8. Which one of the following, if true, most seriously undermines Dr. Tyson's conclusion?
(A) The foot prints showing human characteristics were clearly those of at least two distinct individuals.
(B) Certain species of bears had feet very like human feet, except that the outside toe on each foot was the biggest toe and the innermost toe was the smallest toe.
(C) Footprints shaped like a human's that do not show a cross-stepping pattern exist at site M, which is a mile away from site G, and the two sets of footprints are contemporaneous.
(D) When the moist volcanic ash became sealed under additional layers of ash before hardening, some details of some of the footprints were erased.
(E) Most of the other footprints at site G were of animals with hooves.


OA is b.

Please help
my pick is B

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by Osirus@VeritasPrep » Wed Feb 10, 2010 7:53 am
A- This wouldn't weaken the conclusion, it does not address whether or not the individuals were homo sapiens

B- Correct. This introduces the possibility that the footprints could have been from a different source.

C- This doesn't weaken it, it would simply imply that people walked in different ways

D- This wouldn't weaken it, because the most vital characteristics remained in tact

E- The other footprints don't matter
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by thephoenix » Wed Feb 10, 2010 8:04 am
conclusion of dr. tyson : footprints are of human's bcoz they show human characteristics: a squarish heel and a big toe immediately adjacent to the next toe.
to weaken this we need to disprove it , one way of doing so is to show that there were some speices having similar feet

B exactly does it

(A) The foot prints showing human characteristics were clearly those of at least two distinct individuals.
this if is an evidence then it strengthens dr tyson's claim

(B) Certain species of bears had feet very like human feet, except that the outside toe on each foot was the biggest toe
and the innermost toe was the smallest toe.
correct: close to our ans


(C) Footprints shaped like a human's that do not show a cross-stepping pattern exist at site M, which is a mile away from site G, and the two sets of footprints are contemporaneous.
scope shift type ans


(D) When the moist volcanic ash became sealed under additional layers of ash before hardening, some details of some of the footprints were erased.
this one is very trouble creator , on exam day i wud have gone with it but here the word some of the foot prints is the catch it creates ambiguity whether the foot prints observed by dr. tyson is same as mentioned by this option or not
so incorrect



(E) Most of the other footprints at site G were of animals with hooves.
irreslevant information