Q2 - Leatherbacks, the largest of the sea

[mymansupa]

Can someone explain this one to me please... It's a question early on in the exam... but the correct answer is confusing me as to why it is correct... Thank you

[ManhattanPrepLSAT1]

Thanks for posting this question! It's a good example of the need to properly identify your task.

The question stem asks us to resolve an apparent discrepancy. So let's start by making clear the two statements we are being asked to reconcile.

1. Leatherbacks are subjected to a wide variety of fatal diseases when they are subject to captivity that they would not be exposed to in the wild.

2. Leatherbacks are no more likely to reach the theoretical maximum life expectancy in the wild than in captivity.

This is strange because if the leatherbacks are subjected to those fatal diseases in captivity but would not be in the wild, shouldn't the leatherbacks be more likely to live longer in the wild? To resolve this apparent discrepancy two things would work. Something positive associated with living in captivity (like the leatherbacks receive medical attention) or something negative about living in the wild (like being eaten by predators).

Answer choice (C) gives us something negative about living in the wild, which in a sense evens out the score. So, while leatherbacks are exposed to those fatal diseases in captivity, they are also not being eaten by predators.

Let's take a quick look at some of the other answer choices.

(A) is out of scope. We need a distinction between leatherbacks in captivity and those in the wild. This simply differentiates leatherbacks from other aquatic reptiles.
(B) does not explain a difference between captive and wild leatherbacks. Having a long life expectancy, doesn't tell us why captivity does not have the negative affects one would expect.
(D) is a negative association with living in captivity. We're looking for a positive association.
(E) is irrelevant. No one said anything in the stimulus about using the size of the leatherback to determine its age.

Does that answer your question?

[mymansupa]

Perfect... thank you... it's crazy because I have been studying for at least 6 hours a day and sometimes the questions and answers become jumbled in my mind... I just have to take a step back and recoup... Thanks