LSAT Reading Function Questions Practice Questions with Answers

Concept Explanation

LSAT Reading Function Questions ask you to identify the specific purpose a word, phrase, or sentence serves within the context of a larger passage.

Unlike detail questions that ask what the author said, function questions focus on why the author said it. These questions are frequently signaled by phrases such as "the author mentions [X] primarily in order to," "the role of the second paragraph is to," or "the phrase [Y] serves to." To answer these correctly, you must look beyond the literal meaning of the text and analyze the logical structure of the argument. Often, a sentence might be used to provide evidence for a claim, acknowledge a counterargument, clarify a technical term, or transition between two distinct ideas. Success on these questions requires a strong grasp of the LSAT Prep fundamentals, particularly the ability to distinguish between a conclusion and the premises supporting it. According to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), these questions test your ability to understand the structure of a text and the relationships between its parts.

Solved Examples

The following examples demonstrate how to break down the author's intent by looking at the surrounding context.

1. Example 1: Identifying Evidence
   Passage Snippet: "While many historians argue that the Industrial Revolution was a sudden explosion of innovation, recent data suggests a more gradual shift. For instance, patent records from the early 1700s show a steady increase in mechanical refinements long before the 1760s."
   Question: The author mentions "patent records" primarily in order to:
   Solution:
   1. Identify the claim being supported: The author is arguing for a "gradual shift" rather than a "sudden explosion."
   2. Analyze the role of the example: The patent records are concrete data points showing early activity.
   3. Formulate the function: The records serve as evidence to support the claim of a gradual transition.
2. Example 2: Acknowledging a Counterargument
   Passage Snippet: "Some critics maintain that the new environmental regulations will cripple the local economy. Admittedly, small businesses may face higher initial compliance costs; however, the long-term health benefits will reduce public spending on healthcare."
   Question: The author refers to "higher initial compliance costs" primarily to:
   Solution:
   1. Look at the transition word "Admittedly." This suggests a concession.
   2. Identify the surrounding structure: The author acknowledges a negative point from the opposition before pivoting to a positive outcome with "however."
   3. Formulate the function: The mention serves to concede a potential drawback of the regulations while maintaining the overall argument.
3. Example 3: Defining a Term
   Passage Snippet: "The concept of 'biophilia'—the innate human tendency to seek connections with nature—has gained traction in modern urban planning. By incorporating green spaces, architects hope to improve resident well-being."
   Question: The phrase "the innate human tendency to seek connections with nature" serves to:
   Solution:
   1. Observe the punctuation: The phrase is set off by em-dashes immediately following a specialized term.
   2. Analyze the content: It explains what "biophilia" means.
   3. Formulate the function: It provides a definition for a technical term introduced in the sentence.

Practice Questions

Test your skills with these LSAT Reading Function Questions. Focus on the relationship between the highlighted text and the author's main point.

1. In a passage discussing the decline of honeybee populations, the author mentions "pesticide runoff from industrial farms" in the second paragraph. The mention of this runoff serves primarily to:
2. A legal scholar writes: "The strict constructionist view of the Constitution, though popular among certain judicial circles, often fails to account for the evolving social landscape of the 21st century." The author's reference to the popularity of the view serves to:
3. In an essay about modernist poetry, the author quotes a line from T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land. The author most likely included this quote to:

4. The author of a passage on dark matter describes the "anomalous rotation curves of distant galaxies." This description functions to:
5. In a discussion on the ethics of AI, the author notes that "current algorithms are essentially black boxes." The phrase "black boxes" is used to:
6. A passage on the history of jazz mentions that "early New Orleans ensembles often lacked formal musical training." This statement serves to:
7. The author concludes a paragraph with the sentence: "This discovery, however, was not without its detractors." This sentence functions as:
8. In an analysis of a new tax law, the author provides a hypothetical example of a family earning $50,000 a year. The purpose of this example is to:
9. A literary critic describes a novelist’s prose as "stark and unadorned, reminiscent of Hemingway." The reference to Hemingway serves to:
10. In a passage about deep-sea exploration, the author mentions "the crushing pressure of the Hadal zone." This detail is provided to:

Answers & Explanations

1. Answer: Provide a potential cause for a phenomenon. The author is likely listing factors contributing to the decline of bees; the runoff is one such factor.
2. Answer: Acknowledge the prevalence of a position before critiquing it. By noting its popularity, the author shows they are aware of the mainstream view but still find it lacking.
3. Answer: Illustrate a specific stylistic characteristic of the genre. Quotes in literary analysis often serve as concrete examples of the abstract concepts being discussed.
4. Answer: Introduce the empirical evidence that necessitates a new theory. Anomalous data usually serves as the reason why scientists had to propose something like dark matter.
5. Answer: Characterize the opaque nature of AI decision-making. The term is a metaphor for a system where the input and output are known, but the internal process is hidden. Similar metaphors are often analyzed in reading passage questions across different standardized tests.
6. Answer: Contrast the origins of the genre with its later, more academic iterations. This detail helps establish the grassroots, improvisational nature of early jazz.
7. Answer: A transition to a discussion of opposing viewpoints. The use of "however" and "detractors" signals that the next section will cover criticism of the discovery.
8. Answer: Demonstrate the practical application of the law's provisions. Hypothetical examples make abstract policy changes easier to understand for the reader.
9. Answer: Provide a familiar point of comparison for the reader. Comparing a new author to a famous one helps the reader quickly grasp the style being described.
10. Answer: Emphasize the technological challenges faced by researchers. The physical conditions of the environment explain why exploration is difficult and expensive.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I distinguish between a 'Main Point' and a 'Function' question?

Main point questions ask for the overall thesis of the entire passage, whereas function questions focus on why a specific piece of the passage exists. Function questions are usually localized to a single sentence or paragraph and ask about its relationship to the surrounding text.

What are common 'function' keywords I should look for?

Look for verbs like "illustrate," "support," "refute," "concede," "define," and "transition." These words describe the logical action the author is taking with that specific part of the text.

Can a function question ask about the purpose of a whole paragraph?

Yes, these are common on the LSAT and require you to understand how a paragraph fits into the overall flow of the argument. For example, a paragraph might function to introduce a second theory that the author prefers over the first one mentioned.

Should I re-read the whole passage for a function question?

No, you should focus on the specific lines mentioned and the sentences immediately preceding and following them. This context usually provides the necessary clues to determine the author's intent without wasting time on unrelated sections.

Why are transition words so important for function questions?

Transition words like "however," "furthermore," and "consequently" act as logical signposts. They tell you exactly how the next thought relates to the previous one, which is the essence of identifying function.