LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following statements, if true, most weakens the argument? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Weaken question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is B. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

In this Weaken question, we're asked to find the statement that, if true, most weakens the argument presented in the passage. The passage claims that compared to us, people who lived a century ago had very few diversions to amuse them, and therefore, they likely read much more than we do today. The argument's structure is as follows:

Premise: People a century ago had fewer diversions than we do today.

Conclusion: People a century ago likely read much more than we do today.

An "Evaluate" question for this argument could be: "Did people a century ago have enough leisure time to read more than we do today?"

Now, let's discuss each answer choice:

a) Many of the books published a century ago were of low literary quality.

This answer choice doesn't directly impact the argument, as the quality of the books published a century ago is not relevant to the conclusion that people read more back then. The argument is about the amount of reading, not the quality of the literature.

b) On average, people who lived a century ago had considerably less leisure time than we do today. (Correct Answer)

This answer choice weakens the argument by suggesting that people a century ago may not have had enough leisure time to read more than we do today. If they had less leisure time, they might have spent more time working or doing other necessary tasks, leaving them with less time for reading, even if they had fewer diversions.

c) The number of books sold today is larger than it was a century ago.

While this statement might seem relevant at first glance, it doesn't necessarily mean that people today read more than those a century ago. The increase in book sales could be due to various reasons, such as a larger population or different trends in book purchasing. This answer choice doesn't directly address the relationship between diversions and reading habits.

d) On average, books today cost slightly less in relation to other goods than they did a century ago.

This answer choice is not directly relevant to the argument. The cost of books in relation to other goods doesn't necessarily impact the conclusion that people a century ago read more than we do today.

e) One of the popular diversions of a century ago was horse racing.

This answer choice doesn't weaken the argument because it doesn't contradict the premise that people a century ago had fewer diversions than we do today. The existence of a popular diversion like horse racing doesn't necessarily mean that people read less.

In conclusion, the correct answer is (B), as it most directly weakens the argument by suggesting that people a century ago may not have had enough leisure time to read more than we do today, despite having fewer diversions.