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Prep test 17, section 2, question 10 presents a large black question mark to me.

The argument is as follows:

The apples sold in this cafeteria are greasy. The cashier told me that the apples are in that condition when they are delivered to the cafeteria and that the cafeteria does not wash the apples it sells. Most fruit is sprayed with dangerous pesticides before it is harvested, and is dangerous until it is washed. Clearly, the Cafeteria is selling Pesticide covered fruit.

Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
1)The apples that the cafeteria sells are not thoroughly washed after harvest but before reaching the cafeteria.
2)Most pesticides that are sprayed on fruit before harvest leave a greasy residue on the fruit.

Here is my question. Question 1 jumped off the page at me at first. But then I analyzed the language and the use of the conjunction "but" would state that the proceeding clause of the sentence contradicts the antecedent clause; ergo the apples are washed before reaching the cafeteria, which would be an assumption that contradicts the conclusion. I have to imagine that my understanding of "but" is wrong with regards to the LSAT. Is this assertion of mine correct?

2) seemed the next best choice, so i selected it and moved on; got it wrong, then stabbed my hand with a pencil.

Yeah I stabbed my hand with my pencil on this questions too! Dan from Manhattan Lsat described it really well. Here is the link: http://www.manhattanlsat.com/forums/q10 ... fa3e55894d

Your assertion is pretty much right.

Thanks, nice explanation, but the question makes me want to steal the test makers lunch money and shove them in a locker, all together and all at once, after labor day but before Black Monday (MLK day).

Dan is right about the timeframe. Just read but as and. The timeframe is the time after the harvest and before the cafeteria. Keep this separate from the washing event. Washed is only used once, and it's negated. So, you have an apple that's not washed in the time between the harvest and the cafeteria.