LSAT and Law School Admissions Forum

Get expert LSAT preparation and law school admissions advice from PowerScore Test Preparation.

 rl3
  • Posts: 1
  • Joined: May 22, 2018
|
#45848
Hello,

On page 381 of the LRB, in the Assumption Questions section there is a stimulus with a conditional conclusion that states: "Therefore, the only effective way to reduce such emissions is to replace the conventional diesel fuel and gasoline used in automobiles with cleaner-burning fuels, such as methanol, that create fewer emissions."

In this case, doesn't the necessary indicator "only" modify "reduce such emissions", turning it into the necessary condition?

I diagrammed the conditional statement as: "replace conventional diesel fuels..."→ "reduce such emissions" but in the book it is the other way around: "reduce..."→"replace..."

If anyone could shed some light on this it would be greatly appreciated!
User avatar
 Dave Killoran
PowerScore Staff
  • PowerScore Staff
  • Posts: 5852
  • Joined: Mar 25, 2011
|
#45851
Hi RL3,

Thanks for the question! In this case, "only" actually modifies "way" (which refers to replacement) so that is what's tripping you up. But, this is also a question that has come up a lot, so we've talked about it extensively here on this forum:

lsat/viewtopic.php?t=2479&p=6393 — a discussion of this problem specifically; check out Nikki's reply two below mine there as well, as it talks about "the only" which is also in play here.

Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!

Get the most out of your LSAT Prep Plus subscription.

Analyze and track your performance with our Testing and Analytics Package.