Day 41 / 168 Week 7 of 28 Phase 2: Logical Reasoning Deep Dive

Resolve / Explain the Paradox

🕑 ~75 min · Archetype A — LR Deep Dive

Resolve / Explain the Paradox

Paradox stimuli present two facts that seem to be in tension. The correct answer supplies a third fact that lets both original facts be true at once — it explains, it doesn't argue.

1. Isolate Both Halves

Name the two facts precisely before looking at answers. The correct answer must address both, not just one.

2. It's Not a Strengthen Question

There's no conclusion to strengthen here — both facts are just true. The task is explanation, not persuasion. Answers that "take a side" are usually wrong.

3. Common Resolution Shapes

A hidden third variable affecting one side but not the other; a difference in how the two facts were measured; a time-lag between cause and effect.

Practice items on this page are curriculum-authored in LSAT style; they are not official LSAC questions. Real drilling happens on LawHub — see the assignment below.

Q1. Paradox: "Despite a new citywide speed limit reduction, traffic fatalities rose the following year." Which best resolves this?

A. The speed limit reduction was unpopular

B. The same year saw a large increase in the number of registered vehicles and total miles driven citywide

C. Speed limits are hard to enforce

D. Fatalities had been falling for a decade before the change

Correct answer: B. A large increase in vehicles/miles driven explains how fatalities could rise in absolute terms even if the speed reduction made each individual trip safer — resolving the apparent tension.

LawHub drill-tier LR section, untimed. Scan for Paradox / "explain the discrepancy" stems.

Saturday closes Week 7: Strengthen, Weaken, Evaluate, and Paradox side by side.

← Day 40: RC Maintenance: Function & "Why Does the Author Mention…" Questions Day 42: Week 7 Synthesis: Strengthen vs Weaken vs Evaluate vs Paradox →