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ADF YOU Session practice questions

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Question 1Verbal Reasoning

Choose the word closest in meaning to 'reluctant'.

  1. hostile
  2. eager
  3. careless
  4. hesitant Correct answer.

Explanation

'Reluctant' describes someone unwilling or slow to act, which is exactly what 'hesitant' conveys. The remaining words describe different attitudes rather than an unwillingness to proceed.

Question 2Verbal Reasoning

Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to 'scarce'.

  1. hidden
  2. rare
  3. plentiful Correct answer.
  4. valuable

Explanation

'Scarce' means in short supply, so its opposite is a word meaning abundant, which is 'plentiful'. 'Rare' is close in meaning to scarce and so cannot be the opposite.

Question 3Verbal Reasoning

Three of the following belong to the same class. Which one does not belong?

  1. banana
  2. apple
  3. orange
  4. carrot Correct answer.

Explanation

An apple, a banana and an orange are all fruits, whereas a carrot is a root vegetable. The shared class is fruit, so the carrot is the odd one out.

Question 4Verbal Reasoning

Complete the sentence: 'The soldier remained ______ despite the heavy rain, finishing the march without a single complaint.'

  1. apprehensive
  2. defiant
  3. weary
  4. steadfast Correct answer.

Explanation

The clause about finishing without complaint signals steady persistence, which 'steadfast' expresses. The blank must describe someone who keeps going under difficulty.

Question 5Verbal Reasoning

Bird is to nest as bee is to ______.

  1. sting
  2. honey
  3. hive Correct answer.
  4. flower

Explanation

A nest is the structure in which a bird lives, and a hive is the structure in which a bee lives. The relationship is animal to dwelling.

Question 6Verbal Reasoning

In the sentence 'The sergeant gave a terse order', the word 'terse' most nearly means:

  1. unclear
  2. abrupt Correct answer.
  3. polite
  4. lengthy

Explanation

'Terse' means using very few words, often so few that the manner seems brusque, which 'abrupt' captures. It says nothing about clarity or courtesy.

Question 7Verbal Reasoning

Which word means 'a person who is new to a task or activity'?

  1. mentor
  2. veteran
  3. novice Correct answer.
  4. rival

Explanation

A novice is a beginner, someone new to an activity. The other words describe people with experience, people who guide others, or people in competition.

Question 8Verbal Reasoning

All cadets must pass a fitness test. Priya is a cadet. Which statement follows?

  1. Priya must pass the fitness test Correct answer.
  2. Priya has already passed the fitness test
  3. Priya enjoys fitness tests
  4. Priya is fitter than the other cadets

Explanation

The first sentence states a rule that applies to every cadet without exception. Because Priya falls within that group, the requirement applies to her.

Question 9Verbal Reasoning

Pen is to writer as scalpel is to ______.

  1. patient
  2. surgeon Correct answer.
  3. steel
  4. hospital

Explanation

A pen is the tool a writer works with, and a scalpel is the tool a surgeon works with. The link is tool to the person who uses it professionally.

Question 10Verbal Reasoning

Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to 'candid'?

  1. honest
  2. generous
  3. cheerful
  4. evasive Correct answer.

Explanation

'Candid' means frank and open in speech, so its opposite is a word for avoiding or hiding the truth, which is 'evasive'. 'Honest' is a near synonym and cannot be the antonym.

Question 11Verbal Reasoning

Complete the sentence: 'The report was so ______ that even the experts struggled to identify its main conclusion.'

  1. lucid
  2. straightforward
  3. convoluted Correct answer.
  4. concise

Explanation

The result clause tells us the writing was hard to follow, so the blank needs a word meaning complicated or tangled. 'Convoluted' carries exactly that sense.

Question 12Verbal Reasoning

Every vehicle entering the base must display a valid pass. Corporal Nguyen's vehicle displayed a pass that expired last month. Which statement is supported by the rule?

  1. The pass was reported stolen
  2. The entry was not permitted Correct answer.
  3. Nguyen was stopped at the gate
  4. Nguyen forgot to renew the pass

Explanation

An expired pass is not a valid pass, and the rule makes a valid pass a condition of entry. So entry with that pass breaches the stated rule. The rule tells us nothing about Nguyen's intentions or about what happened at the gate.

Question 13Verbal Reasoning

No aircraft in the squadron is unserviceable. Some aircraft in the squadron are jets. Which conclusion follows?

  1. Every jet there is serviceable Correct answer.
  2. Some jets are unserviceable
  3. No jet is serviceable
  4. All serviceable aircraft are jets

Explanation

If no squadron aircraft is unserviceable, then every squadron aircraft is serviceable. Since some squadron aircraft are jets, those jets fall under the same statement and must be serviceable.

Question 14Verbal Reasoning

Thermometer is to temperature as barometer is to ______.

  1. pressure Correct answer.
  2. wind
  3. rainfall
  4. humidity

Explanation

A thermometer is an instrument for measuring temperature, so the second pair must name what a barometer measures, which is atmospheric pressure. The link is instrument to measured quantity.

Question 15Verbal Reasoning

In the sentence 'The commander's remarks were intended to galvanise the troops', the word 'galvanise' most nearly means:

  1. energise Correct answer.
  2. criticise
  3. delay
  4. confuse

Explanation

To galvanise people is to spur them into action, so 'energise' is the closest match. The word implies stirring people up rather than holding them back.

Question 16Verbal Reasoning

The briefing was scheduled for 0800. By 0815 only half the squadron had arrived, and the officer began speaking to those present. Which statement is best supported?

  1. The briefing was cancelled
  2. The briefing began later than scheduled Correct answer.
  3. The officer waited for everyone to arrive
  4. Half the squadron was absent without leave

Explanation

The briefing was due at 0800, yet at 0815 it had not begun and the officer was only then addressing those present. That means it started after the planned time.

Question 17Verbal Reasoning

The order of ranks from junior to senior is Private, Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant. Who outranks a Sergeant but is outranked by no one in this list?

  1. Lieutenant Correct answer.
  2. Private
  3. Sergeant
  4. Corporal

Explanation

Seniority increases along the listed order, so the only rank above Sergeant is Lieutenant. Lieutenant is therefore the highest rank shown and is outranked by none of the others.

Question 18Verbal Reasoning

If the alarm sounds, all personnel must evacuate. The alarm did not sound. Which conclusion is valid?

  1. Some may have evacuated for other reasons Correct answer.
  2. Personnel ignored the alarm and stayed
  3. The alarm system must have been faulty
  4. No personnel left their posts at any time

Explanation

The statement gives a condition under which evacuation is required; it does not say evacuation happens only in that case. So an evacuation could still have occurred for a different reason.

Question 19Verbal Reasoning

Complete the sentence: 'The evidence was ______; it neither proved nor disproved the claim.'

  1. decisive
  2. inconclusive Correct answer.
  3. overwhelming
  4. fabricated

Explanation

The second clause defines the missing word: evidence that settles nothing either way is inconclusive. The blank must match that neutral outcome.

Question 20Verbal Reasoning

Three sailors, A, B and C, hold different ranks. A outranks B, and C does not outrank B. Who holds the lowest rank?

  1. It cannot be determined
  2. Sailor A
  3. Sailor B
  4. Sailor C Correct answer.

Explanation

A outranks B, so B is below A. C does not outrank B, and because all three ranks differ, C must fall below B. The order from highest to lowest is therefore A, B, C.

Question 21Verbal Reasoning

If two explanations are described as 'not mutually exclusive', this means:

  1. Both cannot be true at the same time
  2. Both could be true at the same time Correct answer.
  3. Exactly one of them must be true
  4. Neither can be true

Explanation

Things that are mutually exclusive cannot coexist, so denying that description means the two explanations are able to coexist. Both may therefore hold at once.

Question 22Verbal Reasoning

Meticulous is to carelessness as frugal is to ______.

  1. extravagance Correct answer.
  2. poverty
  3. conservation
  4. self-restraint

Explanation

The first pair links a quality to its opposite: meticulous people are careful, the reverse of carelessness. Likewise a frugal person is sparing with money, the reverse of extravagance.

Question 23Verbal Reasoning

Read this statement: 'The new procedure reduced errors but slowed processing, so the team adopted it only for high-risk cases.' Which option best expresses the team's reasoning?

  1. Speed was valued more highly than accuracy in every situation
  2. The benefit outweighed the cost only in high-risk cases Correct answer.
  3. The procedure was adopted for every case, regardless of risk
  4. The team decided to reject the procedure after the trial

Explanation

The team weighed fewer errors against slower processing and restricted use to cases where errors matter most. That means the trade-off favoured the procedure only where the risk was high.

Question 24Verbal Reasoning

No cadet who missed more than three drills was eligible for the award. Cadet Rowe received the award. Which conclusion must be true?

  1. Cadet Rowe attended every drill
  2. Cadet Rowe missed three or fewer drills Correct answer.
  3. Cadet Rowe missed exactly three drills
  4. Cadet Rowe missed no drills at all

Explanation

Anyone with more than three absences was ineligible, so an eligible cadet cannot have exceeded three. The only remaining possibility is three or fewer, though the exact number is not fixed.

Question 25Verbal Reasoning

Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to 'scarce'?

  1. Difficult to replace
  2. Easily broken
  3. Abundant Correct answer.
  4. Expensive

Explanation

'Scarce' means available only in small quantities, so its antonym must mean available in large quantities. 'Abundant' is the only option expressing plenty. The remaining options describe price, fragility or effort of replacement, none of which concerns supply.

Question 26Verbal Reasoning

In the sentence 'The clerk's reply was brusque', the word 'brusque' most nearly means:

  1. Rehearsed
  2. Lengthy
  3. Confidential
  4. Abrupt Correct answer.

Explanation

'Brusque' describes speech that is blunt and short to the point of rudeness, so 'abrupt' captures the intended manner. The context of a single reply being described tells us about tone, not duration or secrecy.

Question 27Verbal Reasoning

Coach is to team as conductor is to ______.

  1. Orchestra Correct answer.
  2. Audience
  3. Batons
  4. Rehearsals

Explanation

A coach directs and coordinates a team, so the missing term must be the group that a conductor directs. An orchestra is precisely the body of performers a conductor leads, matching the relationship of guide to guided group.

Question 28Verbal Reasoning

Which word means 'a short period of relief from something difficult or tiring'?

  1. Residue
  2. Reparation
  3. Respite Correct answer.
  4. Recourse

Explanation

'Respite' is the noun for a brief interval of rest or relief from something burdensome, which matches the definition exactly. The other options name a source of help, what is left over, and the making of amends.

Question 29Verbal Reasoning

In a unit, four posts rank, from junior to senior: Sentinel, Warden, Steward, Marshal. Which post is immediately junior to the Steward?

  1. Warden Correct answer.
  2. Sentinel
  3. Provost
  4. Marshal

Explanation

The list places Warden directly below Steward, so the post immediately junior to Steward is Warden. Working one step down the given sequence is the only rule needed.

Question 30Verbal Reasoning

Complete the sentence: 'Although the instructions appeared ______, they were in fact straightforward.'

  1. Redundant
  2. Obvious
  3. Complex Correct answer.
  4. Concise

Explanation

The contrast word 'although' signals that the appearance must oppose 'straightforward', so the blank needs a word meaning difficult or complicated. 'Complex' supplies that contrast. The other choices describe clarity, repetition or brevity and would not create the required opposition.

Question 31Verbal Reasoning

Which word most nearly means 'lasting only a very short time'?

  1. Tedious
  2. Tranquil
  3. Tenacious
  4. Fleeting Correct answer.

Explanation

'Fleeting' describes something that passes quickly and lasts only briefly, which matches the definition. The others describe boredom, persistence and calmness rather than duration.

Question 32Verbal Reasoning

Anyone wishing to use the range must first book it. Corporal Adeyemi used the range. Which statement must be true?

  1. She holds a range instructor qualification.
  2. She will book the range after using it.
  3. She had booked the range beforehand. Correct answer.
  4. She was the only person on the range.

Explanation

The rule makes prior booking a condition of using the range, so anyone who used it must have booked it before arriving. That is the only conclusion the premise supports.

Question 33Verbal Reasoning

All members of the band are trained musicians. No trained musician is a beginner. Which conclusion follows?

  1. No member of the band is a beginner. Correct answer.
  2. Some members of the band are beginners.
  3. All beginners are members of the band.
  4. Some beginners are trained musicians.

Explanation

Band membership places a person inside the group of trained musicians, and that group is stated to exclude beginners entirely. It follows that no band member can be a beginner. The middle term links the two premises and must be preserved in the conclusion.

Question 34Verbal Reasoning

Only personnel holding a valid pass may open the archive door. Sergeant Cole opened the archive door. Which conclusion follows?

  1. Cole held a valid pass. Correct answer.
  2. Anyone holding a valid pass may open the door.
  3. A guard checked Cole's pass at the door.
  4. Cole is the only person who holds a valid pass.

Explanation

A valid pass is stated as a necessary condition for opening the door, so anyone who opened it must have satisfied that condition. The conclusion is that Cole held a valid pass, not that every passholder may enter.

Question 35Verbal Reasoning

Passage: 'The unit's new scheduling system cut overtime by a fifth in its first quarter. However, the same period saw a rise in the number of shifts left unfilled, and supervisors reported spending more hours each week adjusting rosters.' Which statement is best supported by the passage?

  1. The system was abandoned after the first quarter.
  2. Unfilled shifts were caused by staff shortages.
  3. The savings came with extra paperwork. Correct answer.
  4. Overtime was the unit's largest single cost.

Explanation

The passage sets a gain, reduced overtime, against a cost, more supervisor time spent adjusting rosters, which is administrative work. That pairing is the only conclusion the text directly supports. The other claims add causes, comparisons or outcomes the passage never states.

Question 36Verbal Reasoning

Argument: 'The depot should replace its paper logs with a digital system, because digital records are easier to search.' Which assumption does the argument rely on?

  1. Depot staff have never used digital records.
  2. Digital systems are cheaper to run than paper logs.
  3. Ease of searching matters to the depot. Correct answer.
  4. Paper logs are never searched by depot staff.

Explanation

An argument that recommends a change on the strength of a benefit assumes that the benefit is one the decision-maker cares about. If ease of searching were irrelevant to the depot, the stated reason would not support the recommendation.

Question 37Verbal Reasoning

A report notes that units doing more fitness training also report fewer injuries. Which conclusion is most reasonable?

  1. The two measures are entirely unrelated.
  2. Injuries cause units to train less.
  3. It shows association, not causation. Correct answer.
  4. Training prevents every kind of injury.

Explanation

Two measures moving together establish a statistical association only; nothing in the report rules out other explanations such as unit size or reporting habits. The cautious reading is that a link exists without proof of cause.

Question 38Verbal Reasoning

Author is to manuscript as composer is to ______.

  1. Podium
  2. Score Correct answer.
  3. Orchestra
  4. Audience

Explanation

An author produces a manuscript, so the missing term must be the work a composer produces. A score is the written composition itself, which parallels the manuscript exactly.

Question 39Verbal Reasoning

Complete the sentence: 'The witness's account was so ______ that investigators could not establish a timeline of events.'

  1. Lengthy
  2. Detailed
  3. Consistent
  4. Imprecise Correct answer.

Explanation

The result clause explains why the account failed to support a timeline, so the blank must mean lacking clarity or exactness. 'Imprecise' supplies that defect. The other options would either help investigators or be neutral.

Question 40Verbal Reasoning

In the sentence 'The quartermaster's records were kept with scrupulous accuracy', the word 'scrupulous' most nearly means:

  1. Reluctant
  2. Painstaking Correct answer.
  3. Suspicious of others
  4. Occasional

Explanation

Applied to accuracy, 'scrupulous' describes great care and attention to detail, so 'painstaking' is the closest match. The word qualifies how the records were kept, not how the quartermaster felt about people.

Question 41Verbal Reasoning

Every officer who completed the survey praised the new rota. Lieutenant Marsh works at headquarters and did not complete the survey. Which statement is supported?

  1. Marsh did not complete the survey because he disagreed.
  2. Marsh disapproves of the new rota.
  3. Marsh approves because all officers do.
  4. Marsh's view is not established. Correct answer.

Explanation

The premise covers only officers who completed the survey, and Marsh is explicitly outside that group. Nothing therefore follows about his opinion in either direction.

Question 42Verbal Reasoning

Complete the sentence: 'The two accounts were not identical but ______, agreeing on every material point.'

  1. Lengthy
  2. Consistent Correct answer.
  3. Identical
  4. Contradictory

Explanation

The clause after the blank explains that the accounts agreed on every important point, so the blank must mean compatible rather than identical. 'Consistent' captures agreement without exact sameness, which the contrast with 'not identical' requires.

Question 43Verbal Reasoning

Three of the following words share a similar meaning. Which word is the odd one out?

  1. Tedious Correct answer.
  2. Brief
  3. Concise
  4. Succinct

Explanation

Brief, concise and succinct all describe something expressed in few words. Tedious describes something boring or drawn out, which belongs to a different family of meaning.

Question 44Verbal Reasoning

In the sentence 'The review was, at best, a perfunctory exercise', the writer implies that the review was:

  1. Kept strictly confidential
  2. Done without much care Correct answer.
  3. Extremely thorough
  4. Put off until later

Explanation

'Perfunctory' describes something carried out as a routine duty with minimal attention, and the qualifying phrase 'at best' reinforces the dismissal. The sentence therefore implies a careless, box-ticking exercise.

Question 45Verbal Reasoning

In a training unit, some cadets are marksmen. All marksmen in the unit are qualified on the rifle. Which conclusion must be true?

  1. All qualified rifle users are cadets.
  2. All cadets are qualified on the rifle.
  3. Some cadets are rifle-qualified. Correct answer.
  4. Some qualified rifle users are not cadets.

Explanation

The cadets who are marksmen fall inside the group of marksmen, and every marksman in the unit is rifle-qualified. So at least some cadets must be rifle-qualified. The quantifier 'some' must be preserved rather than widened to 'all'.

Question 46Verbal Reasoning

Unless the generator is serviced, the backup power will fail. The backup power did not fail. Which conclusion follows?

  1. The generator was serviced. Correct answer.
  2. The generator was serviced twice.
  3. Servicing the generator guarantees power.
  4. The generator did not need servicing.

Explanation

'Unless P, Q' means that if P does not happen then Q will happen; since Q did not happen, the failure condition was avoided, so P must have occurred. The statement licenses the conclusion that servicing took place.

Question 47Verbal Reasoning

All three units that adopted the new radio reported better communication. Therefore every unit in the brigade should adopt it. Which criticism most directly attacks the reasoning?

  1. Better communication is hard to measure.
  2. Some units may already own radios.
  3. Three units may not represent the whole brigade. Correct answer.
  4. The radio may be more expensive than older models.

Explanation

The argument generalises from a sample of three to the entire brigade, so its central weakness is the size and representativeness of that sample. If the three units differ systematically from the rest, the recommendation does not follow.

Question 48Verbal Reasoning

No plan that ignores cost will be approved. Every plan submitted by the logistics team ignores cost. Which conclusion follows?

  1. Every logistics plan will be rejected before review.
  2. No logistics plan will be approved. Correct answer.
  3. Some logistics plans will be approved.
  4. All approved plans come from the logistics team.

Explanation

Every logistics plan falls into the category that is barred from approval, so none of them can be approved. The two premises combine to exclude the whole set.

Question 49Verbal Reasoning

In the sentence 'Her objection was less a criticism of the plan than a caveat about its timing', the word 'caveat' means:

  1. An enthusiastic endorsement
  2. A summary of the main points
  3. A formal written rejection
  4. A limiting condition Correct answer.

Explanation

A caveat is a warning or proviso that marks a limit to a claim, which fits an objection qualified as being about timing rather than the plan itself. The comparative structure sets the caveat apart from outright criticism.

Question 50Verbal Reasoning

In the sentence 'The evidence was too tenuous to support a charge', the word 'tenuous' most nearly means:

  1. Contradictory
  2. Abundant
  3. Flimsy Correct answer.
  4. Conclusive

Explanation

Context clues matter here: evidence described as 'too tenuous to support a charge' must be weak or insubstantial rather than strong. 'Tenuous' means slight, unsubstantial or lacking firm basis, which matches 'flimsy'. The word 'too' signals insufficiency, confirming a negative judgement about the strength of the evidence.