LSAT Discussion Forum

Complete Question Explanation

Strengthen. The correct answer choice is (D)

This stimulus concerns plans for a controlled volume headphone, recommended to reduce hearing loss
among teenagers. The author concludes that the plan will not work, based on the premise that teenagers
are the ones who purchase the headphones. The apparent assumption in this case is that teenagers prefer
not to have the volume of their music controlled in this way, despite the risks involved.

Answer choice (A): Even if stereo headphones pose the greatest threat, that does not strengthen the case
that teenagers will refuse to buy the safer headphones.

Answer choice (B): Even if no other cause is as damaging as loud music through stereo headphones, this
does not help to demonstrate that teenagers will continue to buy the unsafe headphones. This choice is
irrelevant to the argument and therefore incorrect.

Answer choice (C): The fact that parents do not tend to listen to loud music through headphones does
not strengthen the argument that teenagers would avoid volume control, so this choice is incorrect.

Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. If teenagers choose the louder levels despite the
risk, they would not be likely to purchase the new, volume-controlled headphones.

Answer choice (E): This choice offers a different type of headphone than the one already being planned.
This is irrelevant to the argument in the stimulus.

Hello, this question was a little confusing for me so could you kindly tell me why D is the correct answer? Thank you

Hi,

That's a good question. It deals with volume controlled headphones intended to reduce hearing loss; the author does not believe they will be successful, since teenagers choose their own headphones. The implication is that teenagers will not be interested in limiting their headphones' volume, and the correct answer choice must strengthen this argument.

If, as correct answer choice (D) provides, teenagers would choose to listen to loud music despite awareness of the risks involved, that would strengthen the argument that the teenagers would, as the author suggests, not be likely to purchase the volume-limiting headphones.

I hope that's helpful! Please let me know whether this is clear--thanks!

-Steve