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CA POST PELLETB study materials
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CA POST PELLETB practice questions

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Question 1Reading Comprehension

Last spring the town of Rio Vista replaced 1,200 sodium streetlights with LED fixtures. Officials expected a modest savings, but the first year's utility bills came in 42 percent lower than the previous year. Maintenance crews also report fewer burned-out bulbs, since LEDs last roughly three times as long. Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage?

  1. Maintenance crews say the new lights are easier to install.
  2. Rio Vista replaced 1,200 streetlights last spring.
  3. The LED switch saved Rio Vista more than expected. Correct answer.
  4. LED fixtures are more expensive to purchase than sodium bulbs were.

Explanation

A main-idea statement must account for the whole passage rather than a single detail. Here the passage's point is that the savings exceeded what officials predicted, and the lower bills and reduced maintenance are the evidence for that point. The other choices either repeat one detail or introduce information the passage never gives.

Question 2Reading Comprehension

Officer Ruiz and his partner, a three-year-old German shepherd named Dash, train four hours each week. Dash is trained to detect three specific odors and to hold a position until Ruiz arrives. In 2023 the team conducted 61 searches. According to the passage, which task is Dash trained to perform?

  1. Guarding evidence at crime scenes
  2. Patrolling the county jail perimeter
  3. Detecting the presence of three specific odors Correct answer.
  4. Tracking missing persons across open ground

Explanation

Detail questions are answered only from information stated in the passage. The passage explicitly says Dash is trained to detect three specific odors and to hold position. Any task not named in the passage cannot be selected, even if it sounds typical of police dogs.

Question 3Reading Comprehension

The department's new records system was intended to streamline report writing, but officers say the added drop-down menus have made routine entries more cumbersome than the paper forms they replaced. As used in the passage, the word "cumbersome" most nearly means

  1. expensive
  2. incomplete
  3. outdated
  4. burdensome Correct answer.

Explanation

Vocabulary-in-context questions are answered by substituting each choice into the sentence and checking the fit. The sentence contrasts an intended improvement with a complaint that routine entries became harder than before, so the word must describe something unwieldy or hard to manage. "Burdensome" preserves that meaning.

Question 4Reading Comprehension

When a call comes in, the dispatcher first assigns a priority code. A patrol unit is then sent to the location. Only after the responding officer clears the scene does the dispatcher close the call in the system. According to the passage, which action happens last?

  1. The responding officer clears the scene
  2. The dispatcher closes the call in the system Correct answer.
  3. A patrol unit is then sent to the location
  4. The dispatcher assigns a priority code

Explanation

Sequence questions require ordering the events exactly as the passage presents them. The passage uses "first," "then," and "only after" to establish the order, placing the closing of the call after the officer clears the scene. No later step is described.

Question 5Reading Comprehension

The county's 911 center handled 214,000 calls last year, a 6 percent increase over the previous year. Staffing remained flat at 38 dispatchers. The center's director has argued that the workload is now unreasonable and that the county must hire additional staff. Which statement from the passage is an opinion rather than a fact?

  1. Calls increased 6 percent over the previous year.
  2. Staffing remained flat at 38 dispatchers.
  3. The workload is now unreasonable. Correct answer.
  4. The center handled 214,000 calls last year.

Explanation

A fact can be verified by measurement or records, while an opinion expresses a judgment that reasonable people could dispute. The call count, staffing level, and percentage increase are all verifiable figures. Calling the workload "unreasonable" is an evaluation, not a measurement.

Question 6Reading Comprehension

Effective March 1, all patrol officers will wear the new navy external vest carrier instead of the concealed vest. The carrier distributes weight across the shoulders and is cooler in summer months. Officers may continue to wear the concealed vest until their current one is due for replacement. What is the primary purpose of this notice?

  1. To persuade officers that the new vest carrier looks more professional
  2. To criticize officers who wear nonstandard uniforms
  3. To inform officers of a change in uniform requirements Correct answer.
  4. To describe the history of the department's uniform

Explanation

Purpose questions ask what the writer is trying to accomplish with the text as a whole. The notice gives an effective date, describes the new item, and explains the transition rule, which together serve to inform readers of a policy change. It offers no argument and no history.

Question 7Reading Comprehension

Dispatchers must log every call before transferring it to a supervisor. Supervisors review these logs weekly, and they forward any irregularities to the watch commander. In the second sentence, the word "they" refers to

  1. calls
  2. supervisors Correct answer.
  3. logs
  4. dispatchers

Explanation

A pronoun refers to the nearest preceding noun that agrees with it in number and makes sense in the sentence. "They" is plural and performs the action of forwarding irregularities, an action that fits the supervisors who review the logs. Dispatchers and calls are too distant and produce a different meaning.

Question 8Reading Comprehension

Because the intersection of Fifth and Main had no left-turn signal, collisions there averaged nine per year. After the city installed a protected left-turn phase, collisions at the intersection fell to two per year. According to the passage, what caused collisions at Fifth and Main to decrease?

  1. A protected left-turn signal was installed Correct answer.
  2. Officers increased traffic enforcement at the corner
  3. Fewer vehicles began using the intersection
  4. The speed limit on Main Street was lowered

Explanation

Cause-and-effect questions require identifying the change the passage credits with the result. The passage ties the drop in collisions directly to the installation of a protected left-turn phase. Other explanations may sound plausible but are not supported by the text.

Question 9Reading Comprehension

When Sergeant Lin took over the night shift, overtime costs were the highest in the division. She shortened the shift briefing from thirty minutes to ten and moved it from the end of the shift to the start. Within a quarter, overtime hours on the night shift had dropped by a third, and no officer filed a complaint about the new schedule. Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

  1. Sergeant Lin was promoted for her cost-cutting success.
  2. The shorter briefing reduced the time officers spent on duty. Correct answer.
  3. Officers on the night shift disliked the old briefing.
  4. Overtime costs were highest in the department overall.

Explanation

A supported conclusion must follow from stated facts without adding assumptions. The passage reports the briefer meeting and a one-third drop in overtime hours, which together point to time saved on duty. The remaining choices either go beyond the passage or misstate what it says.

Question 10Reading Comprehension

The audit found that the property room had not been inventoried since 2019. Weapons, cash, and narcotics were stored in unlabeled boxes. Access logs were incomplete or missing entirely. It is difficult to describe these conditions as anything other than a serious failure of supervision. What is the author's tone toward the property room's condition?

  1. Indifferent
  2. Critical Correct answer.
  3. Cautious
  4. Amused

Explanation

Tone is revealed through word choice and the writer's final judgment. The list of failures, capped by the phrase "serious failure of supervision," shows strong disapproval. A cautious writer would hedge rather than deliver that conclusion.

Question 11Reading Comprehension

The department's bicycle patrol unit costs far less to operate than a patrol car, moves quietly through crowded events, and gives officers frequent face-to-face contact with residents. The unit is limited, however: bicycles cannot carry the equipment a car does, and in winter the unit is often idle for weeks. Which sentence best summarizes the passage?

  1. Bicycle patrols offer advantages but have practical limits. Correct answer.
  2. Bicycle patrols are the most cost-effective option available to any agency.
  3. Bicycle patrols are popular with officers who dislike driving cars.
  4. Bicycle patrols are replacing automobile patrols in most police departments.

Explanation

A summary must capture both halves of a balanced passage without exaggerating either. This passage lists benefits and then signals a turning point with "however" to introduce drawbacks. The correct choice reflects that two-sided structure.

Question 12Reading Comprehension

The chief's remarks were carefully hedged: he acknowledged the report's findings but declined to endorse its central recommendation, noting that the data had not yet been independently verified. As used in the passage, the word "hedged" most nearly means

  1. expressed with qualifications Correct answer.
  2. supported with evidence
  3. stated briefly
  4. spoken angrily

Explanation

The colon after "hedged" restates its meaning in the words that follow. The chief acknowledges findings while refusing to endorse a recommendation, and he cites unverified data, which is behavior that avoids commitment. That is the essence of expressing something with qualifications.

Question 13Reading Comprehension

Every year the department receives more applications than it can process. Since 2021 it has required applicants to complete a practice physical fitness test before submitting paperwork. The number of applicants who fail the academy's fitness test has fallen sharply. Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

  1. The practice test screened out applicants unlikely to pass. Correct answer.
  2. The department now receives fewer applications than it can process.
  3. The academy lowered its fitness standards in 2021.
  4. Physical fitness is the only requirement that the academy considers for admission.

Explanation

The conclusion must connect the stated facts without contradicting any of them. A practice test added before paperwork, followed by a sharp drop in failures at the academy, supports the idea that weak candidates were filtered out early. Nothing in the passage supports a change in standards or a drop in applications.

Question 14Reading Comprehension

Which sentence would best begin a paragraph that continues as follows? "Second, the cameras have reduced the number of complaints filed against officers during traffic stops. Finally, they have shortened the time required to review use-of-force incidents."

  1. Officers initially resisted wearing the cameras.
  2. The department purchased 240 cameras last year.
  3. Body cameras are expensive to maintain and store.
  4. Body cameras have produced several benefits for the department. Correct answer.

Explanation

A topic sentence must announce the list that the supporting sentences develop. The paragraph uses "Second" and "Finally" to present a series of advantages, so the opening sentence must signal multiple benefits. The price of cameras, officer resistance, and a purchase figure all introduce topics the paragraph does not continue.

Question 15Reading Comprehension

Both of the county's two bomb squads use the same remote-controlled robot, but only Squad A maintains a full-time hazardous-devices technician. Squad B relies on technicians who rotate in from patrol duties. According to the passage, how do the two squads differ?

  1. Squad B does not use a robot at all.
  2. They use different models of remote-controlled robots.
  3. Only Squad A has a full-time hazardous-devices technician. Correct answer.
  4. Squad B responds to fewer hazardous-device calls.

Explanation

Comparison questions require separating shared traits from distinguishing ones. The passage states that both squads use the same robot and then uses "but" to mark the difference in staffing. The contrast is between a dedicated technician and rotating technicians.

Question 16Reading Comprehension

The department's online reporting portal has grown steadily since it launched; residents now file 30 percent of minor crime reports through the portal rather than calling the non-emergency line. Call volume to the non-emergency line has dropped each month. If the trend continues, which outcome is most likely?

  1. Non-emergency call volume will rise again next year.
  2. An increasing share of minor reports will come through the portal. Correct answer.
  3. The portal will be discontinued for lack of use.
  4. Residents will begin filing serious felony reports online.

Explanation

A prediction question asks what follows from the direction of the stated trend. The passage reports steady growth in portal use and a monthly decline in calls, so continued growth in the portal's share is the consistent projection. The other choices either reverse the trend or extend it to conduct the passage never mentions.

Question 17Reading Comprehension

The grant provides $180,000 over three years: $90,000 in the first year for equipment, $60,000 in the second year for training, and $30,000 in the third year for evaluation. According to the passage, in which year is the grant money for training allocated?

  1. The first year
  2. The second year Correct answer.
  3. The third year
  4. It is divided equally among the three years.

Explanation

This item tests careful matching of a category to its assigned figure. The passage pairs each year with one purpose, and training is paired with the $60,000 allocated in year two. The other years are assigned to equipment and evaluation.

Question 18Reading Comprehension

The report's recommendation to merge the two records divisions deserves serious consideration. Critics who dismiss it as a cost-cutting gimmick have offered no data, and the pilot study in two other counties found measurable improvements in response time. What is the author's attitude toward the merger recommendation?

  1. Dismissive
  2. Undecided
  3. Alarmed
  4. Supportive Correct answer.

Explanation

Attitude is shown by how the writer treats opposing views. The author says the idea deserves consideration, faults critics for lacking data, and cites a favorable pilot study. That combination leans clearly in favor of the recommendation rather than remaining neutral.

Question 19Reading Comprehension

In the six months after the department added a second detective to its fraud unit, the average time to close a fraud case fell from 94 days to 61 days. The unit's caseload did not change during that period. Which statement is supported by the passage?

  1. Fraud in the jurisdiction declined during the six-month period.
  2. Case closure times improved while the workload stayed the same. Correct answer.
  3. The new detective had more experience than the existing one.
  4. The fraud unit is now the most efficient unit in the department.

Explanation

A supported statement restates what the passage gives without adding unstated claims. The passage provides both facts: closure time dropped and caseload held steady. Statements about crime rates, experience, or comparisons with other units require information the passage does not supply.

Question 20Reading Comprehension

Which sentence would best begin a paragraph that continues as follows? "A caller who reports a burglary in progress must be asked for an address before anything else, because deputies cannot respond to an unknown location. Throughout the call, the dispatcher must also keep the caller calm and on the line until units arrive."

  1. Dispatchers receive extensive training in the operation of specialized radio and computer equipment before assignment.
  2. A growing majority of emergency calls for service are now placed from cellular telephones.
  3. Call-taking requires both a set order of questions and control of the caller. Correct answer.
  4. Dispatchers in the county work rotating shifts that include nights, weekends, and holidays.

Explanation

A topic sentence must forecast the two ideas the paragraph develops. The body covers a required sequence of questions and the need to manage the caller's behavior. Only one option names both of those elements.

Question 21Reading Comprehension

Each of the department's 14 patrol cars is equipped with an automatic vehicle locator. Supervisors use the locators to send the nearest unit to a call. Before the locators were installed, dispatchers chose units based on radio traffic and memory. Response times to priority-one calls have fallen 18 percent since installation, even though the number of patrol cars on duty has not changed. Which conclusion do the facts in the passage best support?

  1. Automatic vehicle locators have eliminated radio traffic entirely.
  2. The department plans to add more patrol cars next year.
  3. Faster response times came from better dispatching, not more staffing. Correct answer.
  4. Supervisors now answer priority-one calls without dispatchers.

Explanation

Inference questions reward linking two facts the author deliberately places side by side. The passage pairs the 18 percent improvement with the detail that the number of cars on duty did not change, which rules out added staffing as the cause. The remaining explanation is more accurate unit selection through the locators.

Question 22Reading Comprehension

The review board's findings were equivocal: it found that the officer had followed policy in some respects and had fallen short in others, and it declined to recommend either discipline or exoneration. As used in the passage, the word "equivocal" most nearly means

  1. based on incomplete records
  2. favorable to the officer
  3. deliberately deceptive
  4. not clearly one way or the other Correct answer.

Explanation

The colon signals that the rest of the sentence defines the term. The board finds fault in some areas and compliance in others and refuses to recommend either discipline or exoneration, which is a result that points in both directions. That ambiguity is the meaning of "equivocal."

Question 23Reading Comprehension

The department should stop requiring applicants to hold a four-year degree. Since the requirement took effect in 2018, applications have fallen by 45 percent, and a college degree has never been shown to predict how well an officer performs on patrol. Which unstated assumption does this argument rely on?

  1. A larger pool of applicants will produce better officers. Correct answer.
  2. Patrol performance is easy to measure accurately.
  3. Applicants without degrees are more likely to remain with the department.
  4. Other agencies have already dropped similar requirements.

Explanation

An argument assumes a bridge between its evidence and its recommendation. The evidence here is a shrinking applicant pool and the irrelevance of the degree; the recommendation is to drop the requirement. For that to follow, the author must believe that drawing more applicants improves the quality of those hired.

Question 24Reading Comprehension

A council member argues: "Crime fell 12 percent in the year after we installed cameras downtown. Clearly the cameras caused the drop." Which fact, if true, would most weaken the argument?

  1. Crime fell similarly in areas that had no cameras. Correct answer.
  2. The cameras are monitored around the clock by trained operators.
  3. Downtown business owners supported the camera program.
  4. The cameras were purchased with a federal grant.

Explanation

The argument treats a drop after the cameras were installed as proof that the cameras caused it, which mistakes sequence for cause. Evidence that comparable areas without cameras saw the same decline supplies a competing explanation for the drop. That directly undermines the causal claim.

Question 25Reading Comprehension

Captain Reyes argues that the reserve officer program should be expanded because reserves cost less per hour than full-time officers. The budget analyst notes that reserves require paid training and supervision, and that any savings disappear once more than a third of a reserve officer's hours are spent in training. Which statement best reconciles the two views?

  1. Training is unnecessary for reserve officers.
  2. Full-time officers are less expensive than reserve officers in every case.
  3. Reserves save money only when training stays limited. Correct answer.
  4. The reserve program should be eliminated entirely.

Explanation

Reconciling two positions requires finding the condition under which both are accurate. The analyst accepts the lower hourly rate but identifies a threshold at which training costs erase the savings, which means the captain's claim holds only below that threshold. The correct choice states that qualifying condition.

Question 26Reading Comprehension

In January the department launched a voluntary text-alert program that sends residents brief notices about road closures, scheduled training exercises, and major incidents in their neighborhoods. More than 4,000 residents signed up in the first month. The department now plans to add a Spanish-language version and to let users choose which categories of alerts they receive. Which statement best expresses the main idea?

  1. Spanish-speaking residents were unable to sign up for the first version of the alert program.
  2. The department will eventually replace all of its existing public communication methods with text alerts.
  3. Road closures are the most common type of message sent through the alert system.
  4. A new community alert program has drawn strong interest and is being expanded. Correct answer.

Explanation

The main idea is the central point that the details support. The passage tells how many residents signed up and describes planned additions, so its main idea is that the program is popular and growing. Details about road closures or language versions are supporting points, not the overall point.

Question 27Reading Comprehension

Before entering a building on a welfare check, officers are advised to check for hazards that are not immediately apparent, such as a loose step or a dog in the yard. The manual calls this precaution prudent rather than mandatory. In this context, the word "prudent" most nearly means:

  1. Extremely time-consuming for officers
  2. Required by written policy
  3. Discouraged in most situations
  4. Wise and sensible to take Correct answer.

Explanation

Context clues show that the precaution is not mandatory but is still advised, so the word describes something wise or sensible rather than required. The contrast with "mandatory" is the key signal.

Question 28Reading Comprehension

The department's K-9 teams train on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 0600 to 0900. On the first Saturday of each month, handlers bring their dogs to the regional certification course, which lasts four hours. Annual recertification is held in October. According to the passage, how long does the Saturday certification course last?

  1. Two hours
  2. Four hours Correct answer.
  3. Three hours
  4. Six hours

Explanation

This is a detail question, so the answer must be stated directly in the passage. The passage says the regional certification course lasts four hours. The other times are not mentioned.

Question 29Reading Comprehension

When the department opened a small storefront office on Grand Avenue, it staffed the office with one officer from 1000 to 1800 each weekday. Within three months, walk-in reports of vandalism and theft in that district rose by 40 percent, and the officer had made more than 60 community contacts. Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

  1. Residents reported crimes they might otherwise not have reported. Correct answer.
  2. The storefront officer was assigned to investigate all thefts in the city.
  3. Vandalism and theft in the district had been eliminated before the office opened.
  4. Residents preferred to report crimes by telephone rather than in person.

Explanation

An inference must follow from the stated facts without going beyond them. The rise in walk-in reports after the office opened most reasonably suggests that the office made reporting easier or more convenient. The passage does not support the idea that crime was eliminated or that the officer handled all city thefts.

Question 30Reading Comprehension

The department's new body-worn camera policy is a reasonable first step, but it leaves several important questions unanswered. It does not say how long footage will be kept, who may review it, or what happens when a camera fails during a critical incident. The department should resolve these issues before the policy takes effect in July. The author's attitude toward the policy is best described as:

  1. Strongly opposed and dismissive
  2. Supportive but concerned about gaps Correct answer.
  3. Indifferent, since the policy affects few officers
  4. Completely satisfied that the policy addresses every issue

Explanation

Tone is revealed by word choice and by what the author emphasizes. Calling the policy a "reasonable first step" shows support, while listing unanswered questions shows concern. The author recommends fixing the policy, not rejecting it outright.

Question 31Reading Comprehension

Because officers were submitting reports with missing victim contact information, the records unit returned nearly one in five reports in March. After a one-hour refresher class and a checklist attached to each report form, the return rate fell to one in twenty by May. What was the effect of the refresher class and checklist?

  1. Officers began submitting fewer reports each month.
  2. The department removed the victim contact field from all of its report forms.
  3. The share of reports returned for missing information dropped sharply. Correct answer.
  4. The records unit stopped reviewing reports for accuracy.

Explanation

A cause-and-effect question asks what changed as a result of a specific action. The passage states that the return rate fell from one in five to one in twenty after the class and checklist, so the effect was a sharp drop in returned reports.

Question 32Reading Comprehension

When a firearm is taken into evidence, the officer first unloads it and records the serial number. Next, the officer places the weapon in a sealed envelope and writes the case number on the outside. The envelope goes to the property room, where a technician logs it into the database. Only after logging does the technician store the item in the secure vault. According to the passage, which step happens immediately after the officer records the serial number?

  1. A technician logs the weapon into the database.
  2. The technician stores the weapon in the vault.
  3. The officer seals the weapon in an envelope. Correct answer.
  4. The officer unloads the weapon.

Explanation

Sequence questions require tracking the order of steps in the passage. The passage states that the officer first unloads the weapon and records the serial number, and next places the weapon in a sealed envelope.

Question 33Reading Comprehension

The department's anonymous tip line received 212 calls last year. Of these, 14 led to arrests, and 9 of those arrests involved cases that had been stalled for more than six months. The department credits the line with reviving several cold cases. Which inference is best supported by the passage?

  1. A small share of tips produced results in otherwise stalled cases. Correct answer.
  2. The department has announced that it will expand the tip line next year.
  3. The tip line has replaced traditional detective work.
  4. Most tip-line calls result in an arrest.

Explanation

The correct inference must be proportional to the numbers given. Only 14 of 212 calls led to arrests, and 9 of those involved stalled cases, so a small fraction of tips produced results in cold cases. The passage does not support claims about most calls or about replacing detectives.

Question 34Reading Comprehension

The department's weekend traffic detail stopped 340 vehicles over the summer. Officers issued 210 citations, most for speeding in school zones. They also made 12 arrests for driving under the influence. The detail cost $48,000 in overtime and was funded by a state grant that expires in December. Which sentence best concludes the paragraph?

  1. The state grant program was created many years ago.
  2. Speeding in school zones is a serious problem in every city across the state.
  3. Whether to continue the detail will depend on finding new funding. Correct answer.
  4. Officers should stop issuing citations for speeding.

Explanation

A good concluding sentence follows logically from the details already given. The paragraph ends by noting that the grant expires in December, so the natural conclusion concerns how the detail will be funded in the future. The other choices introduce unrelated claims or opinions.

Question 35Reading Comprehension

The department tested a four-day, ten-hour patrol schedule in two districts for six months. Officers reported higher morale and fewer sick days, but response times to calls in the final two hours of each shift rose slightly. Supervisors also found it harder to schedule training. The department has not decided whether to expand the schedule. Which statement best summarizes the passage?

  1. The department will expand the four-day schedule to every district next year.
  2. The four-day schedule was a failure and was ended immediately.
  3. Officers strongly opposed the four-day schedule.
  4. The four-day schedule produced both benefits and drawbacks. Correct answer.

Explanation

A summary must capture the passage as a whole rather than one detail. The passage reports higher morale and fewer sick days alongside slower late-shift response and scheduling problems, so it presents a mix of advantages and disadvantages.

Question 36Reading Comprehension

The committee reached a consensus on the new use-of-force policy after three meetings. Although two members had initially favored stricter language, they agreed to support the final draft. In this context, the word "consensus" most nearly means:

  1. General agreement among the members Correct answer.
  2. A decision made by the committee chair alone
  3. A formal vote that was decided by a narrow margin
  4. A delay in reaching any decision at all

Explanation

The context shows that members with different initial views agreed to support the final draft, which indicates general agreement. A consensus is not necessarily a formal vote, and it is not a decision imposed by one person.

Question 37Reading Comprehension

Under the department's records schedule, traffic citations are kept for three years, incident reports for five years, and homicide case files permanently. Internal affairs files are kept for ten years after the case is closed. According to the passage, which type of record is kept the longest?

  1. Internal affairs files
  2. Traffic citations
  3. Incident reports
  4. Homicide case files Correct answer.

Explanation

This question asks you to compare stated retention periods. Traffic citations are kept three years, incident reports five years, and internal affairs files ten years. Homicide case files are kept permanently, which is longer than any fixed period.

Question 38Reading Comprehension

The department's revised body-camera policy permits officers to review their footage before writing a report only when the incident involved a use of force. For all other incidents, officers must complete the report first and may review the footage afterward. The union had requested review in every case, but the department said that would slow report writing. Which inference is best supported by the passage?

  1. Officers are never allowed to review their footage before writing a report.
  2. The department values timely reports more than review in routine cases. Correct answer.
  3. The union agreed with the department's final policy.
  4. Use-of-force incidents no longer require written reports.

Explanation

An inference must follow from the stated reasons. The department limited pre-report review and explained that broader review would slow report writing, which implies that timely reports were given priority in routine cases.

Question 39Reading Comprehension

The department requires all new dispatchers to complete a 12-week academy. Last year, 18 of 40 recruits failed the final exam. The department says the academy is working well because it identifies weak candidates before they handle real calls. The department's claim assumes that:

  1. Most recruits who pass the exam will eventually leave the department.
  2. The final exam is the only test given during the academy.
  3. The academy should be shortened to save money.
  4. Recruits who fail the exam would perform poorly on real calls. Correct answer.

Explanation

An assumption is an unstated belief the conclusion depends on. The department concludes that the academy works because it screens out weak candidates, which only makes sense if failing the exam predicts poor performance on real calls.

Question 40Reading Comprehension

Department policy requires that any officer who uses force resulting in injury file a written report before the end of the shift. If the injured person is taken to a hospital, the supervising sergeant must also respond to the scene and complete a separate review within 48 hours. Officer Tan used force on a suspect, who suffered a cut and was taken to the hospital. Tan's shift ends in three hours. Under the policy, which action is required?

  1. Tan files a written report within 48 hours, and the sergeant responds within three hours.
  2. Only the sergeant must file a report, because the suspect was taken to a hospital.
  3. Tan must wait until the suspect is released from the hospital before writing a report.
  4. Tan files a report before shift end; a sergeant reviews within 48 hours. Correct answer.

Explanation

Applying a rule requires matching each condition in the scenario to the policy. Force caused injury, so Tan must file a report before the shift ends. The injured person went to the hospital, so the sergeant must respond and complete a review within 48 hours.

Question 41Writing - Clarity

Which sentence is written in the active voice?

  1. Before the shift change, the report was reviewed by the sergeant.
  2. The sergeant reviewed the report before the shift change. Correct answer.
  3. The report had been reviewed by the sergeant before the shift change.
  4. The report was reviewed by the sergeant before the shift change.

Explanation

Active voice makes the doer the subject and puts the action in a direct verb. In this option the sergeant performs the action and appears at the front of the sentence, so the reader learns who acted immediately.

Question 42Writing - Clarity

Which word is unnecessary in this sentence? "The officer returned back to the station after the call."

  1. station
  2. returned
  3. back Correct answer.
  4. after

Explanation

The verb 'returned' already means 'went back,' so adding 'back' repeats the same idea and adds nothing. Redundant pairs like this slow the reader without adding meaning.

Question 43Writing - Clarity

Which version of this sentence is the most concise? "At this point in time, the officer was in the process of conducting a search of the vehicle."

  1. The officer was in the process of searching the vehicle.
  2. The officer searched the vehicle. Correct answer.
  3. A search of the vehicle was being conducted by the officer.
  4. At this point in time, the officer was searching the vehicle.

Explanation

Concise writing replaces multi-word fillers such as 'at this point in time' and 'in the process of' with a single direct verb. The shortest version keeps every bit of meaning while removing padding.

Question 44Writing - Clarity

Which sentence uses the plainest, clearest wording?

  1. The officer made use of a flashlight for illumination purposes.
  2. The officer employed a flashlight to illuminate the interior.
  3. The officer used a flashlight to light the interior. Correct answer.
  4. The officer utilized a flashlight to illuminate the interior.

Explanation

Plain language calls for the shortest common word that carries the meaning. 'Used' and 'light' are everyday words, while 'utilized,' 'employed,' and 'made use of' dress up the same idea.

Question 45Writing - Clarity

Which revision states the meaning most directly? "The officer did not fail to notice the broken lock."

  1. The officer noticed the broken lock. Correct answer.
  2. The officer did not notice the broken lock.
  3. The officer hardly noticed the broken lock.
  4. The officer failed to notice the broken lock.

Explanation

Two negatives in one clause cancel each other, so 'did not fail to notice' means 'noticed.' Stating the positive idea directly is clearer than making the reader undo a double negative.

Question 46Writing - Clarity

Which sentence best combines these three ideas into one clear sentence? "The suspect ran. He ran toward the alley. Officers followed him."

  1. The suspect ran, and he ran toward the alley, and officers followed him.
  2. The suspect ran toward the alley, officers followed him.
  3. The suspect ran toward the alley, and officers followed him. Correct answer.
  4. Running toward the alley; officers followed the suspect.

Explanation

Combining related short sentences with one coordinating conjunction removes repetition while keeping the ideas connected. Repeating the subject and adding extra conjunctions creates a stringy sentence rather than a smooth one.

Question 47Writing - Clarity

Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

  1. The officer stopped the car he smelled alcohol.
  2. The officer stopped the car, he smelled alcohol.
  3. The officer stopped the car, and he smelled alcohol. Correct answer.
  4. The officer stopped the car; and he smelled alcohol.

Explanation

Two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction need a comma before the conjunction. Without that conjunction, a comma alone cannot join them, and no punctuation at all creates a run-on.

Question 48Writing - Clarity

Which sentence states the information most directly?

  1. It should be noted that the door was in an open condition.
  2. It is important to note that the door was open.
  3. There is a fact that the door was open.
  4. The door was open. Correct answer.

Explanation

Openers such as 'it is important to note' and 'there is' push the real subject and verb to the end of the sentence. Naming the subject first gives the reader the fact immediately.

Question 49Writing - Clarity

Which sentence avoids a dangling modifier?

  1. Conducting the search, a weapon was discovered by the deputy.
  2. While conducting the search, the deputy found a weapon. Correct answer.
  3. While conducting the search, a weapon was found.
  4. While conducting the search, a weapon was found by the deputy.

Explanation

An introductory modifier must describe the subject of the main clause. Here the deputy is the subject, and the deputy is the one who conducted the search, so the modifier attaches correctly.

Question 50Writing - Clarity

Which sentence is ambiguous because a modifier could attach to either of two elements?

  1. The officer observed the suspect with binoculars. Correct answer.
  2. The officer used binoculars to observe the suspect.
  3. Using binoculars, the officer observed the suspect.
  4. The officer observed the suspect through binoculars.

Explanation

The phrase 'with binoculars' can describe how the officer observed or can describe the suspect as carrying binoculars. Moving the phrase into an introductory participle or using 'through' attaches it to the observer only.