Easy LSAT Evaluate Questions With Answers Practice Questions

Concept Explanation

LSAT evaluate questions require you to identify the specific piece of information that would best help determine the validity or strength of an argument's conclusion.

These questions function as a hybrid between Strengthen and Weaken question types. When you encounter easy LSAT evaluate questions with answers, your goal is to find a "crucial question" that, depending on how it is answered, either supports or undermines the reasoning. A common technique used by high-scoring students on the LSAT Prep journey is the Variance Test. This involves taking an answer choice and testing two opposite polarities (e.g., "Yes" and "No"). If one extreme strengthens the argument and the other extreme weakens it, you have found the correct answer. This process is essential for building the analytical foundation required for logical reasoning across various standardized tests. Most of these questions focus on identifying a missing link or a potential flaw in the author's logic.

Solved Examples

1. Example: A local gym claims that its new high-intensity program is the most effective way to lose weight because 80% of participants lost at least five pounds in the first month. Therefore, anyone looking to lose weight should join this program.
   Question: Which of the following would be most useful to know in evaluating the argument?
   1. Identify the Conclusion: People looking to lose weight should join the gym's program.
   2. Identify the Premise: 80% of participants lost 5+ pounds in a month.
   3. Apply the Variance Test: What if 80% of people who don't exercise also lose 5 pounds? If yes, the program isn't special. If no, the program is effective.
   4. Answer: Whether people not enrolled in the program experienced similar weight loss during the same period.
2. Example: The city council plans to reduce traffic congestion by building a new bridge. Since the bridge will provide an alternative route across the river, the council concludes that total commute times for residents will decrease.
   Question: Which of the following must be studied to evaluate the council's plan?
   1. Identify the Gap: Does an alternative route always lead to lower total commute times?
   2. Consider the "Yes/No": If the new bridge attracts so many new drivers that the approach roads become blocked (Yes), commute times might increase. If it doesn't (No), commute times likely decrease.
   3. Answer: Whether the new bridge will significantly increase the total number of cars on the road.
3. Example: A tech company recently switched to a four-day workweek. They noticed that total productivity remained the same as the previous five-day schedule. The CEO concludes that the employees are now working more efficiently during their hours on the job.
   Question: Which of the following is most important to determine?
   1. Premise: Output is the same despite fewer days.
   2. Conclusion: Employees are more efficient per hour.
   3. Variance: Did employees work longer hours on those four days? If they worked 10-hour days instead of 8-hour days (Yes), efficiency per hour stayed the same. If they worked the same 8 hours (No), efficiency must have increased.
   4. Answer: Whether the total number of hours worked per week remained constant after the schedule change.

Practice Questions

1. A nutritionist claims that switching from white bread to whole-grain bread improves heart health. This claim is based on a study showing that people who eat whole-grain bread have 20% fewer heart attacks than those who eat white bread. To evaluate this claim, it would be most helpful to know:

2. The mayor of Oakport argues that increasing the number of police officers on foot patrol will reduce the city's crime rate. Last year, when foot patrols were increased in the downtown district, reported crimes in that district dropped by 10%. To evaluate the mayor's argument, it would be most useful to determine:

3. A smartphone manufacturer decided to lower the price of its flagship phone by $100. The company predicts that this move will increase its total quarterly profit because the lower price will attract many new customers who previously found the phone too expensive. Which of the following is most important to investigate?

4. Scientists observed that a certain species of bird in the Amazon rainforest has begun laying eggs earlier in the year. They conclude that this shift is a direct response to rising global temperatures. To evaluate this conclusion, it would be most helpful to know:

5. An investment firm claims that its "Aggressive Growth" fund is the best choice for retirement savings because it has averaged a 12% annual return over the last five years, which is higher than the average savings account interest rate. Which of the following should be considered to evaluate the firm's claim?

6. A study found that students who listen to classical music while studying score higher on math exams than students who study in silence. The researchers conclude that classical music enhances mathematical reasoning. To evaluate this, it is most important to know:

7. A bookstore owner noticed that sales of physical books increased by 15% after she installed a small coffee shop inside the store. She concludes that the presence of the coffee shop caused the increase in book sales. Which of the following is most useful to determine?

8. A government agency claims that a new tax on sugary drinks will reduce obesity rates by discouraging consumption. They point to a similar tax in a neighboring country that resulted in a 20% drop in soda sales. To evaluate the agency's claim, it would be most helpful to know:

Answers & Explanations

1. Answer: Whether people who choose whole-grain bread also engage in other heart-healthy behaviors, such as regular exercise.
   Explanation: If whole-grain eaters are also marathon runners, the bread might not be the cause of the heart health improvement. If their other habits are the same as white-bread eaters, the claim is strengthened.
2. Answer: Whether the crime rate decreased in other districts of Oakport where foot patrols were not increased.
   Explanation: If crime dropped everywhere in the city, the foot patrols weren't necessarily the cause of the drop in the downtown district.
3. Answer: Whether the profit margin per phone sold will remain high enough to offset the $100 price reduction.
   Explanation: If the company loses more money per unit than they gain from new customers, total profit will decrease despite higher sales volume.
4. Answer: Whether other factors, such as changes in food availability or rainfall patterns, also shifted earlier in the year.
   Explanation: This identifies potential alternative causes for the birds' behavior other than temperature.
5. Answer: The level of financial risk associated with the "Aggressive Growth" fund compared to a standard savings account.
   Explanation: A high return is only "better" for retirement if the risk of losing the principal is acceptable; if the fund is highly volatile, it may be a poor choice for retirement.
6. Answer: Whether students who already have high math ability are more likely to prefer listening to classical music while studying.
   Explanation: This checks for reverse causation or a common third factor (pre-existing ability) rather than the music causing the performance.
7. Answer: Whether other bookstores in the same area also saw a 15% increase in sales during the same period.
   Explanation: If all bookstores saw an increase, the coffee shop likely wasn't the primary driver of the owner's sales boost.
8. Answer: Whether consumers in the neighboring country replaced sugary drinks with other high-calorie beverages or snacks.
   Explanation: If people stop drinking soda but start eating more candy, the tax won't necessarily reduce obesity rates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Evaluate and Strengthen questions?

Strengthen questions ask for a fact that makes the conclusion more likely to be true, whereas Evaluate questions ask for a question whose answer could either strengthen or weaken the conclusion depending on what that answer is. You can use tools like the AI Question Generator to practice the subtle differences between these two types.

How do I use the Variance Test effectively?

To use the Variance Test, take an answer choice and supply two extreme opposite responses, such as "Yes" and "No" or "All" and "None." If one response makes the argument much stronger and the other makes it much weaker, that choice is the correct answer.

Are Evaluate questions common on the LSAT?

Evaluate questions are less frequent than Must Be True or Flaw questions, but they appear regularly enough that you should be prepared for one or two per section. They test the same underlying logic as Strengthen and Weaken questions, making them a good gauge of your overall reasoning skills.

Can an Evaluate answer choice be a new piece of information?

Yes, the correct answer in an Evaluate question almost always introduces a new consideration or variable that was not explicitly mentioned in the original stimulus. This new information helps bridge or expose the gap between the premises and the conclusion.

Should I look for flaws in the argument first?

Identifying the logical flaw or "gap" in the argument is the best first step for Evaluate questions. Once you know what is missing or assumed, you can look for the answer choice that asks about that specific missing link. For more practice on identifying these gaps, you can try the Retrieval Challenge for daily logic drills.