Many state jobs require skill in analyzing, understanding, and interpreting written material of varying levels of difficulty. The reading comprehension questions on our tests are designed to measure applicants' abilities to understand and interpret written material. These questions require an employee to read and understand a paragraph, and then, to choose an answer based on their understanding of the main concept put forth in the written passage. The correct answer will usually restate this main concept, using different wording. In some cases, the correct answer will be a conclusion that is drawn from the content of the paragraph. After reading the passage, choose as your answer the statement that is best supported by the contents of the passage.
1. A viable affirmative action program must contain specific procedures designed to achieve equal employment opportunities for specified groups. Appropriate procedures, without necessary determination to carry them out, are useless. Determination, without well defined procedures, will achieve only partial success.
The paragraph best supports the statement that:
1. Well defined procedures will assure the success of an affirmative action program.
2. A high degree of determination is necessary and sufficient for a highly successful affirmative action program.
3. It is impossible for an agency to develop a viable affirmative action program.
4. An agency may guarantee success of its affirmative action program by developing and implementing well defined procedures.
5. Two important ingredients of a successful affirmative action program are well defined procedures and a sincere resolve to implement those procedures.
2. Claimants who have become unemployed by voluntarily leaving the job, by refusing to accept suitable work, or due to misconduct should be temporarily disqualified from receiving benefits. However, the disqualification period should never be longer than the average period required for a worker to find employment. Unemployment insurance is designed to alleviate hardship due to unemployment. Benefits should definitely be paid if unemployment continues beyond a certain point and the claimant can show that he has made an honest effort to find employment.
The paragraph best supports the statement that:
1. If a claimant cannot find work after a certain period of time, he/she should no longer receive benefits.
2. In cases of willful misconduct, disqualification should continue indefinitely.
3. The reasons for unemployment change as the period of unemployment gets longer.
4. If a claimant cannot find employment after a certain period of time, he/she should be allowed to receive unemployment insurance benefits.
5. If a claimant chooses voluntary unemployment, he/she should receive unemployment insurance benefits immediately.
3. Education in the United States is a state responsibility, a local function and a federal concern. Unlike other social service programs, this arrangement also places state governments between the federal government and local governing bodies.
The paragraph best supports the statement that:
. Enforcement of federal education policies is left to state discretion.
2. The federal government plays an advisory role only in matters concerning education.
3. Federal educational policies are generally implemented by local governments under the direction of the state.
4. No federal funds are used to support local educational programs.
5. Federal aid is often used to induce local school systems to implement federal policies.
4.Technological and psychological conditions are changing so rapidly that most agencies and organizations must continually adapt to new situations in order to remain viable.
The paragraph best supports the statement that:
1. Changes in general conditions determine the effectiveness of an organization.
2. The effectiveness of an organization depends more on technological advances than on psychological changes.
3. Organizations must be able to adapt to technological and psychological changes in order to maintain effectiveness.
4. The effectiveness of an organization is equally dependent upon technological advances and psychological changes.
5. The effectiveness of an organization is dependent upon its technological and psychological advances.
1. The correct alternative, 5, restates the idea presented in the paragraph. Statements 1 and 2 each contain only one of the ingredients. Alternative 4 overstates the implications of the paragraph.
2. The correct alternative, 4, summarizes the meaning of the passage as a whole. Alternative 1 concerns the length of time the claimant should receive benefits. Alternatives 2 and 5 contradict parts of the passage and the idea expressed in 3 is not addressed in the paragraph.
3. Correct alternative, 3, is supported by the paragraph. The ideas expressed in alternatives 1, 2, and 4 are not addressed in the paragraph. Although alternative 5 is probably true, it is not mentioned in the paragraph.
4. Correct alternative, 3, effectively restates the essence of the paragraph. In contrast to alternatives 1 and 2, the paragraph states that organizations must adapt to changes. Alternatives 4 and 5 imply that effectiveness of an organization depends on change; however, the paragraph states that effectiveness depends on an organization's ability to adapt to change.