Function & Attitude Questions

Function: "The author mentions X primarily in order to..."

This asks WHY, not WHAT. Don't describe what X is — explain what role it plays.

Common functions:

Provide evidence for a claim

Illustrate a concept with an example

Introduce a counterargument

Qualify or limit a previous statement

Transition to a new topic

Attitude questions: "The author's attitude toward X can best be described as..."

Look for opinion words throughout the passage. "Surprisingly" = the author finds it noteworthy. "Regrettably" = negative. "Importantly" = the author thinks this matters.

LSAT authors rarely have extreme opinions. "Cautious optimism," "qualified agreement," "measured skepticism" are more likely than "enthusiastic support" or "total rejection."

Reference:

Wikipedia: Rhetoric

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetoric