Consumer advocate: A recent study concluded that top-loading washing

EXPLANATION FROM Fox LSAT

Wait, what? Yet again: the arguments on the LSAT usually don’t make any sense. This one is no exception. My default mode is always going to be, “The argument doesn’t make sense because _______________.” Here, the argument concludes that front-loading washing machines are superior for “some consumers” on the basis that wheelchair users find their access and controls more convenient. This argument doesn’t make sense because it ignores the possibility that top-loading machines might be superior in every other way: they might be cheaper, they might clean clothes much better, they might use far less water, they might use far less electricity, they might make far less noise, they might break down far less often, etcetera. So even though wheelchair users find front-loaders more convenient, they might still prefer a top-loader for all their other advantages.

The question asks us to find “an assumption upon which the consumer advocate’s argument depends.” This is asking for a Necessary Assumption. On Necessary Assumption questions, we’re looking for the answer that must be true in order for the argument to hold water. We’re looking for the answer that, if untrue, would cause the argument to fail. I think the answer would be something like, “At least one wheelchair user finds that the convenience of front-loading washing machines outweighs whatever other advantages top-loaders might have.” Because if that’s not true, if zero wheelchair users find that the convenience of front-loading washing machines outweighs whatever other advantages top-loaders might have, then the argument would fail. Let’s see what we can find.

A) If you substitute “wheelchair users” for “some consumers” in this answer choice, then it almost exactly matches our prediction. I love this answer.

B) Nope. The argument doesn’t take a position on this issue, neither explicitly nor implicitly. Plus I already loved A, which makes me even more skeptical than usual when I’m scanning the rest of the answer choices.

C) No, this doesn’t have to be true for the argument to make sense. Even if there are other factors besides convenience, it’s possible that some wheelchair users think the convenience factor outweighs those other factors. I still like A best.

D) No way. It’s possible that retrieving clothes from top-loaders sucks for everyone. Especially, you know, very short people or people with no arms or whatever. The argument does not rely on this answer choice in order to make sense. The argument does rely on A though, that’s why A is still the best answer by far.

E) Nah. It’s possible that retrieving clothes from front-loaders is easy for everyone, not just those in wheelchairs.

Answer A was the only answer that provides necessary support for the argument. So A is our answer.