LSAT Explanation PT 36, S1, Q6: It is widely believed that eating
LSAT Question Stem
Of the following, which one most accurately expresses the main point of the argument?
Logical Reasoning Question Type
This is a Main Conclusion question.
Correct Answer
The correct answer to this question is D.
LSAT Question Complete Explanation
This LSAT problem presents an argument that challenges the widely held belief that eating chocolate can cause acne. The question type for this problem is Main Conclusion, which means we need to identify the main point or conclusion of the argument in the answer choices.
Let's go through each answer choice and evaluate them:
Answer choice (A): This choice states that people who claim that eating large amounts of chocolate causes acne are mistaken. While the author does challenge the belief that chocolate causes acne, they do not outright dismiss the correlation between the two. The author simply offers an alternate explanation for this correlation. This answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (B): This choice suggests that the more chocolate a person eats, the more likely they are to experience hormonal changes associated with stress. However, the stimulus does not provide evidence to support this claim. The correlation between chocolate and stress is used to support the conclusion that eating chocolate does not cause acne, but it doesn't establish a direct relationship between the amount of chocolate consumed and the likelihood of experiencing stress. This answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (C): This choice claims that eating large amounts of chocolate is more likely to cause stress than acne outbreaks. However, the argument does not say that eating chocolate causes stress. Instead, it says that stress causes people to crave more chocolate. This answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (D): This choice states that it is less likely that eating large amounts of chocolate causes acne than that both the chocolate eating and the acne are caused by stress. This accurately paraphrases the conclusion of the argument, which is that common wisdom has mistaken an effect for a cause. Therefore, this is the correct answer choice.
Answer choice (E): This choice says that the more stress a person experiences, the more likely they are to crave chocolate. While the recent studies in the stimulus do indicate that stress can cause people to crave more chocolate, this is a premise used in support of the conclusion that stress is the real cause for both eating chocolate and having acne. It does not represent the main point of the argument. This answer choice is incorrect.
In summary, the correct answer choice is (D) because it accurately expresses the main point of the argument, which is that it is less likely that eating large amounts of chocolate causes acne than that both the chocolate eating and the acne are caused by stress.