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LSAT Syntax Questions 5.4 - Coggle Diagram
LSAT Syntax Questions 5.4
Introduction to Syntax Questions
Purpose: Test ability to interpret word meanings, phrases, and author intent through context, focusing on precise language use in Reading Comprehension.
Focus: Questions assess understanding of vocabulary, synonyms, and textual implications in two passages.
Passage 1: Ancient Egyptian Religion
Context: Discusses the historical significance of Egyptian religion, its belief in an afterlife, and the misconception that death dominated Egyptian life due to preserved funerary monuments.
Key Points
Egypt is among the most ancient civilizations with known lifestyles, tracing back to 4500 BCE (lines 15-17).
Religion included a prominent belief in a spirit preserving personality after death, influencing Christian immortality doctrines (lines 17-35).
Misconception
Death overshadowed life due to well-preserved desert cemeteries and funerary inscriptions, while fertile Nile land was used for crops, not burials (lines 40-55).
Desert tombs endure due to dry soil, unlike structures on fertile land eroded by Nile inundations (lines 55-75).
Sample Questions
Author’s Attitude Toward Egyptian Religion:
Question
Which word/phrase indicates the author’s attitude?
Correct Answer
(A) "great" (line 19).
Explanation
"Great" reflects a positive view of Egyptian religion’s significance.
Incorrect options
(B) "minor importance" (misrepresents Egypt’s role)
(C) "intentionally destroyed" (irrelevant)
(D) "overshadowed" (negative context)
(E) "mistaken belief" (critical, not reflective of attitude).
Meaning of “Civilized Paganism” (line 25)
Question
What does the phrase refer to?
Correct Answer
(D) Any religion believing in many gods dominating an advanced past civilization.
Explanation
Context suggests polytheistic religions of advanced societies like Egypt. Incorrect
(A) Misinterprets faith in a spirit
(B) Too broad
(C) Excludes Christianity
(E) No government support mentioned.
Meaning of “Inscriptional” (line 8)
Question
Best explanation of “inscriptional”?
Correct Answer
(C) Consisting of written words.
Explanation
Refers to written funerary inscriptions (line 40).
Incorrect
(A) No recent discovery
(B) Contradicts preservation
(D) No authenticity issue
(E) Not limited to later texts
Substitute for “Overshadowed” (line 45)
Question
Best synonym without changing meaning?
Correct Answer
(E) Took precedence over.
Explanation
Context implies death seemed more important than life (lines 40-45).
Incorrect
(A) Confusion
(B) Positive tone
(C) Negates role
(D) Emotional mismatch.
Egyptian Tombs as “Living Testaments” (line 75)
Question
Why are tombs called “living testaments”?
Correct Answer
(Not provided in text, but implied: Enduring evidence of Egyptian culture).
Explanation
Tombs preserve cultural/religious practices, unlike eroded fertile land structures (lines 55-75)
Incorrect options likely misalign with preservation theme.
Passage 2: Oceanic Exploration
Context
Describes advancements in oceanic exploration, particularly the discovery of the global midocean ridge system, correcting earlier assumptions of a flat ocean floor.
Key Points
Pre-17th century, ocean floor was thought flat; 19th-20th century exploration revealed geological complexity (lines 1-19).
1905 surveys identified the midocean ridge, a 50,000 km-long, 800 km-wide submarine mountain chain, rising 4,500 meters (lines 65-76).
Ridge is the planet’s most prominent topographic feature if oceans were drained (line 76).
Sample Questions
Summary of First Paragraph
Question
Which excerpt best summarizes the paragraph?
Correct Answer
(E) Oceanic exploration in 19th-20th centuries improved knowledge of ocean floor.
Explanation
Captures shift from speculative to advanced understanding (lines 1-19).
Incorrect
(A, D) Details only, (B, C) Address one idea.
Meaning of “Modern” (line 19)
Question
Why are 19th-century bathymetric measurements called “modern”?
Correct Answer
(A) First of many advances in bathymetric science.
Explanation
Marks start of significant progress (lines 19-20)
Incorrect
(B) Not the only advances
(C) Contradicts accuracy
(D) Methods outdated
(E) No echo-sounding mention
Author’s Interest in Bathymetry
Question
Which word pair indicates interest?
Correct Answer
(E) Dramatically and vital.
Explanation
Reflects enthusiasm for exploration’s impact (lines 19-20).
Incorrect
(A, B, C, D) Describe features/methods, not interest.
Meaning of “Virtually” (line 63)
Question
Best synonym for “virtually”?
Correct Answer
(C) Nearly.
Explanation
Ridge “nearly” encircles Earth (line 63).
Incorrect: (A, B, D, E) Misfit context.
Meaning of “Rugged” (line 38)
Question
Best word pair explaining “rugged”?
Correct Answer
(B) Precipitation and craggy.
Explanation
Implies rough, mountainous terrain (lines 38-65).
Incorrect
(A, C, D, E) Contradict mountainous description.
Substitute for “Prominent” (line 76)
Question
Best synonym without changing meaning?
Correct Answer
(C) Conspicuous.
Explanation
Matches “most prominent topographic feature” (line 76).
Incorrect
(A) Relevance
(B) Precision
(D) Attractiveness
(E) Complexity misalign.
IV. Strategies for Syntax Questions
Contextual Analysis
Use surrounding text to infer word/phrase meanings (e.g., “inscriptional” as written words from funerary context).
Synonym Precision
Choose synonyms matching tone and intent (e.g., “overshadowed” as “took precedence over”).
Author Intent
Identify words reflecting attitude (e.g., “great” for positive view) or interest (e.g., “dramatically” for enthusiasm).
Eliminate Mismatches
Rule out options contradicting passage details or context (e.g., “flat and featureless” for “rugged”).
Textual Evidence
Anchor answers in specific lines (e.g., lines 55-75 for tomb preservation).