Traffic Signs, Signals, and Road Markings
Sign recognition questions reward shape and color as much as wording. Red means stop or prohibit; yellow warns; orange marks construction and work zones; green guides and gives direction; blue indicates services; brown marks recreation and points of interest. Shape carries meaning too: an octagon is always stop, an inverted triangle is always yield, a diamond warns, a pennant marks no-passing zones, and a round sign warns of a railroad crossing ahead.
Traffic signals: a steady red means stop and remain stopped until green; a red arrow means no turn in that direction. A flashing red is treated like a stop sign, while a flashing yellow means proceed with caution. A solid yellow light warns that red is coming - stop if you can do so safely rather than accelerating. Green arrows give a protected turn; a green circle allows a turn after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
Pavement markings are heavily tested. A solid yellow line separates traffic moving in opposite directions and generally may not be crossed; a broken yellow line permits passing when safe. White lines separate lanes moving the same direction, with a solid white edge line marking the roadway edge. Crosswalks and stop lines are solid white. Chevron or diagonal markings may indicate a gore area you should not drive through.
Trap to watch: confusing a warning sign (yellow diamond) with a regulatory sign (white rectangle with black text). Also remember that a flashing red at a railroad crossing or intersection still requires a full stop.
Rule of thumb: color first, shape second, words third - that ordering answers most sign questions even when the symbol is unfamiliar.