Identify The Question Stem Drill
The typical student misses about half of the questions in this drill. Do not worry about how many you
miss; the point of this drill is to acquaint you with the different question stems. As you see more
examples of each type of question, your ability to correctly identify each stem will improve.
1. Question Type: Resolve the Paradox
Stem drawn from the June 2003 LSAT. The presence of the phrase “Which one of the following, if true,”
indicates that this question stem must be from either the second or third question family. Because the
third family is Weaken, and the question stem asks you to “explain,” the question cannot be from the
third family. Thus, the question must be from the second family and can only be an Assumption, Justify,
Strengthen, or Resolve question. The idea of explaining is most closely aligned with Resolving the
Paradox.
2. Question Type: Must Be True
Stem drawn from the June 2002 LSAT. The word “inferred” means “must be true,” hence that is the
classification of this question.
3. Question Type: Weaken
Stem drawn from the October 2002 LSAT. The presence of the phrase “Which one of the following, if
true,” indicates that this question stem must be from either the second or third question family. The
presence of the word “weakens” indicates that this is a Weaken question.
4. Question Type: Assumption
Stem drawn from the December 2003 LSAT. The key words in this stem are “required” and
“assumption,” making this an Assumption question. You must be careful when you see the word
“assumption” because that word can also be used in Justify the Conclusion questions. That usage will be
discussed in more detail in Chapter Nine.
5. Question Type: Parallel
Stem drawn from the October 2003 LSAT. The key phrases in this stem are “most similar” and “to the
argument above.” Because the argument in the stimulus is used as a model for one of the answers, this is
a Parallel Reasoning question.
6. Question Type: Main Point
Stem drawn from the December 2001 LSAT. Because the stem asks you to find the main point, this
question is categorized as Main Point.
7. Question Type: Strengthen
Stem drawn from the December 2003 LSAT. The presence of the phrase “Which one of the following, if
true,” indicates that this question stem must be from either the second or third question family. Because
the third family is Weaken, and the question stem asks you to “support,” the question cannot be from the
third family. Thus, the question must be from the second family and can only be an Assumption, Justify,
Strengthen, or Resolve question. The idea of supporting is the same as Strengthening.
8. Question Type: Flaw
Stem drawn from the June 2002 LSAT. The presence of the word “flawed” could indicate either a
Weaken question or a Flaw in the Reasoning question. In this case, the stem requests you to identify the
flaw in the argument (or reasoning), hence this question is a Flaw in the Reasoning question.
9. Question Type: Point at Issue
Stem drawn from the October 2002 LSAT. The presence of two speakers—Tony and Raoul—and the
phrase “disagree about” indicates that this is a Point at Issue question.
10. Question Type: Cannot Be True
Stem drawn from the December 2003 LSAT. The phrase “must be false” is equivalent to “cannot be
true.” Thus, this question is properly classified as Cannot Be True. Note that the phrase “If the statements
above are true” indicates that this question stem must come from either the first or fourth question
family.
11. Question Type: Method
Stem drawn from the June 2003 LSAT. By asking how the advertisement “proceeds,” the test makers
wish to know the way in which the argument is made, in other words, the method of the reasoning.
12. Question Type: Justify
Stem drawn from the October 2003 LSAT. In some ways, this is an unfair question to ask so early in the
book (sorry!). On the surface this appears to be an Assumption question, so if you listed that as your
answer, do not feel badly. As we will discuss in Chapter Nine, the presence of the words “if” and
“properly drawn” along with “assumed” normally indicate a Justify question, as they do here.
13. Question Type: Evaluate
Stem drawn from the December 2001 LSAT. The key phrase is “evaluating the columnists’s argument,”
which indicates that the test makers require you to find the question that would best help in evaluating
the author’s argument. Thus, the question is classified as Evaluate the Argument.
14. Question Type: Method
Stem drawn from the June 2003 LSAT. Although the question stem uses the word “challenges,” this is
not a Weaken question because the stem asks for a description of the way Anne’s reasoning was
challenged. Thus, you are asked to identify Sue’s method of reasoning.
15. Question Type: Must Be True
Stem drawn from the October 2003 LSAT. The phrase “The statements above, if true,” indicates that this
question must come from either the first or fourth question family. In this case, the “most strongly
support” is used with the intent of proving one of the answers as correct. Hence, this is a Must Be True
question. Note how the use of the word “support” in this question stem differs from the usage in problem
#7.
The typical student misses about half of the questions in this drill. Do not worry about how many you
miss; the point of this drill is to acquaint you with the different question stems. As you see more
examples of each type of question, your ability to correctly identify each stem will improve.
1. Question Type: Resolve the Paradox
Stem drawn from the June 2003 LSAT. The presence of the phrase “Which one of the following, if true,”
indicates that this question stem must be from either the second or third question family. Because the
third family is Weaken, and the question stem asks you to “explain,” the question cannot be from the
third family. Thus, the question must be from the second family and can only be an Assumption, Justify,
Strengthen, or Resolve question. The idea of explaining is most closely aligned with Resolving the
Paradox.
2. Question Type: Must Be True
Stem drawn from the June 2002 LSAT. The word “inferred” means “must be true,” hence that is the
classification of this question.
3. Question Type: Weaken
Stem drawn from the October 2002 LSAT. The presence of the phrase “Which one of the following, if
true,” indicates that this question stem must be from either the second or third question family. The
presence of the word “weakens” indicates that this is a Weaken question.
4. Question Type: Assumption
Stem drawn from the December 2003 LSAT. The key words in this stem are “required” and
“assumption,” making this an Assumption question. You must be careful when you see the word
“assumption” because that word can also be used in Justify the Conclusion questions. That usage will be
discussed in more detail in Chapter Nine.
5. Question Type: Parallel
Stem drawn from the October 2003 LSAT. The key phrases in this stem are “most similar” and “to the
argument above.” Because the argument in the stimulus is used as a model for one of the answers, this is
a Parallel Reasoning question.
6. Question Type: Main Point
Stem drawn from the December 2001 LSAT. Because the stem asks you to find the main point, this
question is categorized as Main Point.
7. Question Type: Strengthen
Stem drawn from the December 2003 LSAT. The presence of the phrase “Which one of the following, if
true,” indicates that this question stem must be from either the second or third question family. Because
the third family is Weaken, and the question stem asks you to “support,” the question cannot be from the
third family. Thus, the question must be from the second family and can only be an Assumption, Justify,
Strengthen, or Resolve question. The idea of supporting is the same as Strengthening.
8. Question Type: Flaw
Stem drawn from the June 2002 LSAT. The presence of the word “flawed” could indicate either a
Weaken question or a Flaw in the Reasoning question. In this case, the stem requests you to identify the
flaw in the argument (or reasoning), hence this question is a Flaw in the Reasoning question.
9. Question Type: Point at Issue
Stem drawn from the October 2002 LSAT. The presence of two speakers—Tony and Raoul—and the
phrase “disagree about” indicates that this is a Point at Issue question.
10. Question Type: Cannot Be True
Stem drawn from the December 2003 LSAT. The phrase “must be false” is equivalent to “cannot be
true.” Thus, this question is properly classified as Cannot Be True. Note that the phrase “If the statements
above are true” indicates that this question stem must come from either the first or fourth question
family.
11. Question Type: Method
Stem drawn from the June 2003 LSAT. By asking how the advertisement “proceeds,” the test makers
wish to know the way in which the argument is made, in other words, the method of the reasoning.
12. Question Type: Justify
Stem drawn from the October 2003 LSAT. In some ways, this is an unfair question to ask so early in the
book (sorry!). On the surface this appears to be an Assumption question, so if you listed that as your
answer, do not feel badly. As we will discuss in Chapter Nine, the presence of the words “if” and
“properly drawn” along with “assumed” normally indicate a Justify question, as they do here.
13. Question Type: Evaluate
Stem drawn from the December 2001 LSAT. The key phrase is “evaluating the columnists’s argument,”
which indicates that the test makers require you to find the question that would best help in evaluating
the author’s argument. Thus, the question is classified as Evaluate the Argument.
14. Question Type: Method
Stem drawn from the June 2003 LSAT. Although the question stem uses the word “challenges,” this is
not a Weaken question because the stem asks for a description of the way Anne’s reasoning was
challenged. Thus, you are asked to identify Sue’s method of reasoning.
15. Question Type: Must Be True
Stem drawn from the October 2003 LSAT. The phrase “The statements above, if true,” indicates that this
question must come from either the first or fourth question family. In this case, the “most strongly
support” is used with the intent of proving one of the answers as correct. Hence, this is a Must Be True
question. Note how the use of the word “support” in this question stem differs from the usage in problem
#7.
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