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Powerscore: LSAT reading Comprehension (2020)

Ace your certification with Powerscore: LSAT reading Comprehension (2020), packed with essential study resources.

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    Downloaded from StudyXY.com [= Ww + StudyXY oi as . Za \ Rr ' BE \ Stu dy Anything This ContentHas been Posted On StudyXY.com as supplementary learning material. StudyXY does not endrose any university, college or publisher. Allmaterials posted are under the liability of the contributors. | 8) www.studyxy.com

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    Copyright © 2008-2019 by PowerScore Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored

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    in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Parts of this book have been previously published in other PowerScore publications and on the powerscore.com website. All actual LSAT® content reproduced within this work is used with the permission of Law School Admission Council, Inc., (LSAC) Box 40, Newtown, PA 18940, the copyright owner. LSAC does not review or endorse specific test-preparation materials, companies, or services, and inclusion of licensed LSAT content within this work does not imply the review or endorsement of LSAC. LSAT is a registered trademark of LSAC. PowerScore® is a registered trademark. The Reading Comprehension Bible™, The Logic Games Bible™, The Games Bible™, The Logical Reasoning Bible™, VIEWSTAMP™, The Conclusion Identification Method™, The Fact Test™, Traps of Similarities and Distinctions™, Trap of Separation™, Trap of Proximity™, Trap of Inserted Alternate Viewpoint ™, Traps of Chronology™, Passage Topic Traps™, The Location Element™, The Uniqueness Rule of Answer Choices™, The Agree/Disagree Test™, Passage Commonality™, Passage Exclusivity ™, Passage Aggregate™, and Plus 2 Timing Formula™ are the exclusive service marked property of PowerScore. Any use of these terms without the express written consent of PowerScore is prohibited. Published by PowerScore Publishing 57 Hasell Street Charleston, SC 29401

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    Authors: David M. Killoran and Jon M. Denning Special thanks to: Steven G. Stein Manufactured in Canada 0827 20 19 ISBN: 978-0-9887586-1-2

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    Contents + Studyxy

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    Chapter One: Introduction Introduction How LSAT Studying is Different Than “Regular” Studying A Note About Timing Additional Resources A Brief Overview of the LSAT The Logical Reasoning Section The Analytical Reasoning Section The Reading Comprehension Section The Experimental Section LSAT Writing The LSAT Scoring Scale The LSAT Percentile Table The Digital LSAT Chapter Two: The Basics of Reading Comprehension The Reading Comprehension Section Why Reading Comprehension? The Section Directions

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    What’s Really Being Tested? The Two Passage Types Passage Topics Passage Sources and Creation Approaching the Passages Basic Passage Strategy Your Focus While Reading Your Attitude While Reading Understand the Type of Difficulty in the Reading Comprehension Section Reading Speed and Returning to the Passage Unknowns and Uncertainty Active Reading and Anticipation Active Reading Drill Active Reading Drill Answer Key Decoding Text Killer Sentences Uncovering Meaning: Context, Simplification, and Rephrasing

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    Chapter Three: What to Read For-VIEWSTAMP What to Read For Reading The Tablet Screen What is VIEWSTAMP? Analyzing the Passage Using VIEWSTAMP When To Apply VIEWSTAMP How To Apply VIEWSTAMP Read Directly VIEWSTAMP Examined 1. Viewpoint Identification and Analysis 2. Tone/Attitude Viewpoint and Attitude Identification Drill Viewpoint and Attitude Identification Drill Answer Key 3. Passage Argumentation Identifying Premises and Conclusions One Confusing Sentence Form Additional Premise Indicators Counter-argument Indicators

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    Recognizing Conclusions Without Indicators Inferences and Assumptions Complex Argumentation Relationship Indicators A Word About Indicator Words 4. The Main Point 5. Passage Structure Basic Summary and Purpose Drill Basic Summary and Purpose Drill Answer Key A Sample Passage Analyzed Chapter Four: Passage Elements and Formations Chapter Preview Sources of Difficulty: The Test Makers” Arsenal Passage Elements That Generate Questions Viewpoint-specific Elements Text-based Questions Two Broad Reasoning Structures Pitfalls to Avoid

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    Final Chapter Note Passage Elements and Formations Recognition Drill Chapter Five: Tracking Information Tracking Passage Information What You Can Use to Diagram How To Read and Notate Marking the Passage Text Passage Notes What to Diagram—Reviewed by Diagram Element Passage Diagramming and Summarization Examples Passage Diagramming and Summarization: Heavy Underlining Example Passage Diagramming and Summarization: Minimal Diagramming Example Final Chapter Note Chapter Six: The Questions and Answers The Questions Analyzing the Question Stem The Location Element™

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    Location Designation Drill Main Reading Comprehension Question Types Rephrasing Question Stems Question Classification (Up to this point) Identify the Question Stem Drill Reading Comprehension Question Types Examined in Detail Must Be True/Most Supported Questions Attacking Must Be True Questions Must Be True Question Subtypes Correct Answers in Must Be True Questions Incorrect Answers in Must Be True Questions Non-Must Be True Question Types Strengthen Questions How to Strengthen an Argument Three Incorrect Answer Traps Weaken Questions Parallel Reasoning Questions Cannot Be True Questions

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    Question Modifiers and Overlays “Most” and “Best” in Question Stems “Except” and “Least” in Question Stems Except and Least Identify the Question Stem Mini-Drill Principle Questions Question Type Variety Location, Type, and Sub-type Drill Prephrasing Answers The Answer Choices Analyzing The Answer Choices Tricks of the Trade The Digital LSAT: Problem Flagging and Answer Marking Flagging Questions vs Dwelling on Problems Practicing with Time Final Chapter Note Chapter Seven: Putting It All Together Chapter Preview Reading Approach Review

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    Chapter Three Review Chapter Four Review Mini-Passage Drill: The Elements of VIEWSTAMP Mini-Passage Drill: The Elements of VIEWSTAMP Answer Key Two Passages Analyzed Practice Passage I—June 2006 Passage #1 Practice Passage II—December 2005 Passage #1 Chapter Eight: Comparative Reading Passages Dual Passages Similarities between Comparative Reading Passage Sets and Single Passages Differences between Comparative Reading Passage Sets and Single Passages Passage Diagramming Where Comparative Reading Appears One Special Dual Passage Strategy Two Comparative Reading Question Types Point at Issue Questions Incorrect Answers in Point at Issue Questions

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    The Agree/Disagree TestI™ Point of Agreement Questions The Agree/Agree Test™ A Final Tip: Explicit versus Implicit Beliefs A Comparative Reading Passage Analyzed Passage Analysis—December 2007 Passage #3 Two Comparative Reading Practice Passages Practice Passage I—October 2008 Passage #2 Practice Passage II—September 2007 Passage #2 Chapter Nine: Common Passage Themes Recurrent Themes Diversity Passages How Does Test Bias Play a Role in Test Content? 1. Affirming Underrepresented Groups 2. Undermining Overrepresented Groups 3. Mixed Group Passages Common Diversity Passage Themes 1. The Blending of the Old and New

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    2. Defiance of Classification Final Note Two Diversity Practice Passages Diversity Practice Passage I—December 2007 Passage #1 Diversity Practice Passage II—October 2004 Passage #2 Law-Related Passages Two Special Topics A Law-Related Passage Analyzed Law-Related Passage Analysis—October 2005 Passage #3 Two Law-Related Practice Passages Law-Related Practice Passage I—September 2006 Passage #2 Law-Related Practice Passage II—December 2006 Passage #4 Science Passages Types of Science Passages Why You Should Not Fear Science Passages Handling Scientific Elements A Science Passage Analyzed Science Passage Analysis-December 2007 Passage #4

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    Two Science Practice Passages Science Practice Passage I—June 2005 Passage #3 Science Practice Passage II—October 2004 Passage #3 Chapter Ten: Section Strategy and Management Approaching the Section Strategically Section Structure Time Management: The Nexus of Speed and Accuracy Doing Fewer Passages The “Plus 2” Timing Formula Using a Timer Pacing Guidelines A Final Note on Speed: Comfort versus the Clock Limited Time Strategies The Answer Choices Four in a row? Guessing Strategy Problem Diagnostics Score Reports and Problem Logs

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    Skill Tests Broad vs Detail Reading Test Diagramming Test Comprehension Test Speed Test Prediction Test Prephrasing Test Practice and Skill Building Solutions The Teaching Test Section Triage Strategies Test Readiness The day before the test The morning of the test At the test center After the test Afterword Reading Comprehension Passage ReChallenge Reading Comprehension Passage ReChallenge Set #1

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    Reading Comprehension Passage ReChallenge Set #2 Reading Comprehension Passage ReChallenge Set #3 Appendix Consolidated Answer Key Chapter-by-Chapter Answer Key Test-by-Test Passage Use Tracker Glossary Glossary and Index About PowerScore PowerScore is one of the nation’s fastest growing test preparation companies. Founded in 1997, PowerScore offers LSAT, GMAT, GRE, SAT, and ACT preparation classes in over 150 locations in the U.S. and abroad. Preparation options include In Person courses, Accelerated courses, Live Online courses, On Demand courses, as well as both In Person and Live Online private tutoring. For more information, please visit our website at powerscore.com or call us at (800) 545-1750. For supplemental information about this book, please visit the Reading Comprehension Bible website at powerscore.com/rcbible. About the Authors Dave Killoran, a graduate of Duke University, is an expert in test preparation with over 25 years of teaching experience and a 99th percentile score on an LSAC-administered LSAT. In addition to having written

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    PowerScore’s legendary LSAT Bible Series, and many other popular publications, Dave has overseen the preparation of thousands of students and founded two national LSAT preparation companies. Jon Denning, a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, oversees product creation and instructor training for all of the exam services PowerScore offers. He is also a Senior Instructor with 99th percentile scores on the LSAT, GMAT, GRE, SAT, and ACT, and for the past 15 years has assisted thousands of students in the college, graduate, and law school admissions processes. Chapter One: Introduction Introduction How LSAT Studying is Different Than “Regular” Studying A Note About Timing Additional Resources A Brief Overview of the LSAT The Logical Reasoning Section The Analytical Reasoning Section The Reading Comprehension Section The Experimental Section LSAT Writing The LSAT Scoring Scale The LSAT Percentile Table + StudyXy

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    The Digital LSAT Introduction Welcome to the PowerScore LSAT Reading Comprehension Bible! We congratulate you on your savvy purchase—you now own the most advanced book ever published for LSAT Reading Comprehension. The purpose of this book is to provide you with a powerful and comprehensive system for attacking the Reading Comprehension section of the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). By carefully studying and correctly applying the techniques we employ, we are certain that you will increase your Reading Comprehension score. If you are looking to further improve your LSAT score, we also recommend that you pick up a copy of the renowned PowerScore LSAT Logical Reasoning Bible and LSAT Logic Games Bible. The Logical Reasoning Bible contains our system for attacking the Logical Reasoning section of the LSAT, and the Logic Games Bible explains our methodology for attacking the Analytical Reasoning section. Both books are available through our website at powerscore.com. In an effort to clearly explain the fundamental principles of the Reading Comprehension section, this book contains substantial discussions of how to deconstruct the passages as you read, how to identify and attack the questions, and how to successfully avoid the traps set by the test makers. In doing so, we recommend techniques and approaches that have been tested in our live LSAT preparation classes, through individual tutoring, and on the LSAT itself. We feel the use of real Reading Comprehension passages is essential to your success on the LSAT, and no LSAT passage in this book has been modified from its original form. In order to effectively and efficiently apply our methods, we strongly recommend that you:

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    e Carefully read and re-read each of the concept discussions; e Look at the explanation for the correct answer choice as well as the explanations for the incorrect answer choices once you have finished each question or example; e Closely examine each problem and determine which elements led to the correct answer, and then study the analyses provided in the book and check them against your own work; e Track every question that you miss or that you struggle with, and record each instance of difficulty in a performance tracker (see the Study Plans referenced on page 6 for more information). By doing so, you will greatly increase your chances of quickly recognizing and reacting to key RC elements and ultimately maximizing your score. This book also contains a variety of drills and exercises that supplement the discussion of techniques and question analysis. The drills help strengthen specific skills that are critical for LSAT excellence; for this reason they are as important as the LSAT questions. In the answer keys to these drills we will often introduce and discuss important LSAT points, so we strongly advise you to read through all of the explanations. The last chapter of this book is an extensive analysis of overall section strategy and time management. The preceding chapters also address timing and how to go faster, but if you struggle with time management you can read the final chapter at any point in your studies (and if you cannot finish the entire book prior to your test, be sure to at least read the last chapter before the LSAT). That chapter also contains a number of targeted exercises to help you identify and remedy any specific issues still giving you trouble, so again feel free to refer to it as needed if difficulties arise. + StudyXY

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    At the end of this book there is also a complete quick-reference answer key for all of the questions, including a unique reverse lookup that lists all passages and passage sets used in this book sorted by the LSAT administration date and Prep Test number. This is helpful if you are trying to schedule practice tests and wish to avoid any overlap. How LSAT Studying is Different Than “Regular” Studying Studying for the LSAT is different than studying for a history or chemistry test. In those disciplines, when you learn a fact or formula there is often a direct and immediate increase in your score on the exam. However, the LSAT is not a fact-based test; it is a test of reasoning processes, so the correlation between learning an idea and seeing an instantaneous score improvement is not as strong. In a sense, it is like learning to drive a car: even after you learn the rules of the road and the mechanics of the vehicle, the first several times you attempt to drive you are probably not a good driver at all. Nothing feels familiar or comes easily, and you are more likely a menace on the road than anything else (we certainly were!). But with time and proper practice—and a healthy dose of patience—you eventually reach a state of comfort, possibly even expertise, so that now getting behind the wheel is entirely natural and intuitive. Learning to routinely beat the LSAT is no different! Many of the tools we talk about in this book are fundamental to the LSAT, but they take time to integrate into how you approach the test, so at first they may seem slow and unwieldy. It will get better! For the time being, focus more on learning the ideas, and less on how they impact your practice tests results. Once you have completed most of the book, you should shift into a practice testing mode that will allow you to work with the techniques and to make them second nature. This practice will cement the ideas and

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    provide the greatest scoring impact. A Note About Timing As will be discussed in more detail later, time pressure is one of the defining challenges of taking the LSAT. Thus, when studying LSAT questions, there can be an overwhelming urge to focus on the clock. But for now you must resist that impulse. When you are first learning new concepts, take your time to understand what is being said and focus on the mechanics of how to apply the techniques presented. Don’t worry about your pace! Once you have internalized the concepts and methodology, then you can start slowly working on timing as an element of your approach. The old adage about learning to walk before you can run applies perfectly to LSAT preparation, so concentrate more on how key strategies and ideas work than on your initial speed. Additional Resources Because new LSAT: are administered regularly, and access to accurate and up-to-date information and assistance is critical, there are also several other free PowerScore LSAT preparation resources available to Reading Comprehension Bible students: 1. The Reading Comprehension Bible book site. This free online resource area offers: e Written supplements to the book e LSAT Bible study plans e Updates to the material e A book evaluation and comments form

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    The exclusive LSAT Reading Comprehension Bible online area can be accessed at: powerscore.com/rcbible 2. Our comprehensive Self-Study site for students using our LSAT Bibles as the basis of their preparation. The site includes: e LSAT Bible study plans based on how much time you have available to prepare, and in conjunction with the other LSAT Bibles e Free test scoring analytics, including a breakdown of each LSAT by question type performance, areas of strength and weakness, and historical performance e Free online test proctoring The PowerScore LSAT Self-Study Site can be found here: studentcenter.powerscore.com/self-study Forum users ask about all aspects of the LSAT, including test mentality, the best study plans, how to solve certain types of questions, and how to go faster on the LSAT. 3. The PowerScore LSAT Discussion Forum, where you can talk to the authors of the book and ask questions about the material: forum.powerscore.com/Isat

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    Staffed regularly by our LSAT instructors, the Forum offers thousands of searchable answers to student inquiries, including many detailed explanations of individual LSAT questions, and additional concept and strategy discussions. 4. And please connect with us directly via Twitter and our PodCast: @DaveKilloran @JonMDenning powerscore.com/lsat/podcast We frequently post about the LSAT and developments with the test, and provide breaking news on test days and score releases. We are happy to assist you in your LSAT preparation in any way, and we look forward to hearing from you! A Brief Overview of the LSAT The Law School Admission Test is administered multiple times each year. This standardized test is often required for admission to American Bar Association-approved law schools. According to LSAC, the producers of the test, the LSAT is designed “to measure skills that are considered essential for success in law school: the reading and comprehension of complex texts with accuracy and insight; the organization and management of information and the ability to draw reasonable inferences from it; the ability to think critically; and the analysis and evaluation of the reasoning and arguments of others.” The LSAT consists of the following five sections:

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    2 Sections of Logical short arguments, 24-26 total questions per section Reasoning 1 Section of Reading 3 long reading passages, 2 short comparative Comprehension reading passages, 26-28 total questions 1 Section of Analytical 4 logic games, 22-24 total questions Reasoning 1 Experimental one of the above three section types Section You are given 35 minutes to complete each section. The experimental section is unscored and is not returned to the test taker. A break of 10 to 15 minutes is given between the 3rd and 4th sections. The Logical Reasoning Section Each Logical Reasoning Section is composed of approximately 24 to 26 short prompts. Every short argument is followed by a question such as: “Which one of the following weakens the argument?” “Which one of the following parallels the argument?” or “Which one of the following must be true according to the argument?” The key to this section is time management and an understanding of the reasoning types and question types that frequently appear. Since there are two scored Logical Reasoning sections on every LSAT, this section accounts for approximately 50% of your score. The Analytical Reasoning Section This section, also known as Logic Games, is probably the most difficult for students taking the LSAT for the first time. The section consists of four games or puzzles, each followed by a series of five to eight questions. The questions are designed to test your ability to evaluate a set of relationships

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    and to make inferences about those relationships. To perform well on this section you must understand the types of games that frequently appear and develop the ability to properly diagram the rules and make inferences. The Reading Comprehension Section This section is composed of three long reading passages, each approximately 450 words in length, and two shorter comparative reading passages. The passage topics are drawn from a variety of subjects, and each passage is followed by a series of five to eight questions that ask you to determine viewpoints in the passage, analyze organizational traits, evaluate specific sections of the passage, or compare facets of two different passages. The Experimental Section Each LSAT contains one undesignated experimental section which does not count towards your score. The experimental can be any of the three section types previously described, and the purpose of the section is to test and evaluate questions that will be used on future LSATSs. By pretesting questions before their use in a scored section, the experimental section helps the makers of the test determine the test scale. LSAT Writing A 35-minute writing section is administered separately from the LSAT, using secure online proctoring software. LSAT Writing is not scored, but law schools will have access to a candidate’s three most recent samples. For many years the Writing Sample was administered before the LSAT, and then later after the LSAT. Now know as “LSAT Writing,” the section is administered separately from the test. In LSAT Writing, you are asked to write a short essay that defends one of + StudyXY

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