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AJA Officer Academies Entrance Examination study materials
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AJA Officer Academies Entrance Examination practice questions

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Question 1Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Choose the word closest in meaning to 'candid'.

  1. cautious
  2. guarded
  3. cheerful
  4. frank Correct answer.

Explanation

'Candid' describes someone who speaks openly and honestly, so 'frank' is the nearest synonym. The remaining options name qualities that have nothing to do with honesty of speech.

Question 2Verbal Reasoning and English Language

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

  1. modest
  2. wasteful Correct answer.
  3. generous
  4. thrifty

Explanation

A frugal person is economical and avoids unnecessary spending, so the antonym must describe careless spending. 'Wasteful' supplies exactly that opposing sense.

Question 3Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Select the correct verb: 'The bunch of ripe bananas ___ on the kitchen table.'

  1. sit
  2. sits Correct answer.
  3. are sitting
  4. were

Explanation

The subject is 'bunch', a singular collective noun; 'of ripe bananas' is only a modifying phrase, so the verb must be singular. 'Sits' agrees with the head noun, while plural verbs wrongly agree with 'bananas'.

Question 4Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Which word is spelled correctly?

  1. begining
  2. occurred Correct answer.
  3. adress
  4. accomodate

Explanation

'Occurred' doubles the final consonant before '-ed' because the stress falls on the last syllable of 'occur'. The other three words each contain a standard misspelling.

Question 5Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Which sentence is written in the passive voice?

  1. She is writing the report now.
  2. She has written many reports.
  3. She wrote the report carefully.
  4. The report was written by her. Correct answer.

Explanation

In a passive construction the object of the action becomes the subject and the verb uses a form of 'be' plus a past participle; 'was written' fits that pattern. The other sentences keep the doer as the subject and are therefore active.

Question 6Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Which prefix added to 'possible' forms a word meaning 'not able to be done'?

  1. un-
  2. dis-
  3. in-
  4. im- Correct answer.

Explanation

Before the letter 'p', the negative prefix takes the form 'im-', giving 'impossible'. The other prefixes are used with different stems and do not combine correctly with 'possible'.

Question 7Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Which word does not belong with the others?

  1. iron
  2. zinc
  3. copper
  4. slate Correct answer.

Explanation

Copper, iron and zinc are all metals, whereas slate is a rock used for roofing and flooring. The odd word must be the one outside the shared category.

Question 8Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Choose the correct word: 'She has been unwell ___ Monday.'

  1. from
  2. during
  3. since Correct answer.
  4. for

Explanation

'Since' marks the starting point of a state that continues to the present and is used with perfect tenses. 'For' would require a length of time rather than a named day.

Question 9Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Sculptor is to chisel as surgeon is to ___

  1. patient
  2. scalpel Correct answer.
  3. hospital
  4. bandage

Explanation

A chisel is the characteristic tool a sculptor works with, so the missing word must be the characteristic tool of a surgeon. A scalpel fills that tool-to-user slot.

Question 10Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Complete the sentence: 'The committee's ruling was ___; nobody could foresee what it would do next.'

  1. arbitrary Correct answer.
  2. predictable
  3. generous
  4. deliberate

Explanation

The second clause says the committee's behaviour could not be foreseen, so the missing word must mean acting without a fixed rule. 'Arbitrary' conveys exactly that unpredictability.

Question 11Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Complete correctly: 'Between you and ___, the plan seems risky.'

  1. me Correct answer.
  2. myself
  3. we
  4. I

Explanation

A preposition such as 'between' takes the object form of a pronoun, so 'me' is required. 'I' and 'we' are subject forms and cannot follow a preposition.

Question 12Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

  1. The results were clear; however, the method was flawed. Correct answer.
  2. The results were clear however; the method was flawed.
  3. The results were clear, however the method, was flawed and slow.
  4. The results were clear, however, the method was flawed.

Explanation

'However' is a conjunctive adverb joining two independent clauses, so a semicolon precedes it and a comma follows it. A comma before 'however' creates a comma splice.

Question 13Verbal Reasoning and English Language

All clerks in the office are trained. Some trained staff are auditors. Which conclusion follows necessarily?

  1. No clerk is an auditor.
  2. All auditors are clerks.
  3. Some clerks may be auditors. Correct answer.
  4. All trained staff are clerks.

Explanation

The premises tell us that clerks form part of the trained group and that some of that trained group are auditors; the possible overlap cannot be ruled out. The other options convert a possibility into a certainty or reverse a stated relationship.

Question 14Verbal Reasoning and English Language

What comes next in the series? AZ, BY, CX, DW, ___

  1. DV
  2. EU
  3. FW
  4. EV Correct answer.

Explanation

The first letter moves one step forward through the alphabet (A, B, C, D) while the second moves one step backward (Z, Y, X, W). Continuing the pattern gives E and V.

Question 15Verbal Reasoning and English Language

If CAT is written as DBU, how is DOG written?

  1. FQI
  2. EPH Correct answer.
  3. EPG
  4. DPH

Explanation

Each letter of CAT is shifted one place forward in the alphabet to give DBU, so the same rule applied to DOG gives EPH. Consistency of the shift across every letter is the test.

Question 16Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Choose the correct word: 'The new policy will ___ everyone in the department.'

  1. affect Correct answer.
  2. effects
  3. effect
  4. affects

Explanation

'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence, and it must follow the modal 'will' in its base form. 'Effect' is normally a noun meaning a result.

Question 17Verbal Reasoning and English Language

To 'beat about the bush' is to ___

  1. act dishonestly
  2. speak indirectly Correct answer.
  3. lose one's temper
  4. work very hard

Explanation

The idiom describes approaching a subject in a roundabout way instead of stating it plainly. Its meaning is figurative, so it cannot be worked out from the literal words alone.

Question 18Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Read the passage: 'Although the bridge was repaired last year, engineers now report fresh cracks in its supports.' Which statement is best supported?

  1. The cracks in the supports are harmless.
  2. Engineers who inspected the bridge also built it.
  3. The bridge has never been repaired at any point in its history.
  4. The repairs did not fully solve the problem. Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage sets last year's repairs against newly reported cracks, implying that the work did not permanently fix the structure. Anything beyond that contrast is not stated.

Question 19Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Change to indirect speech: He said, 'I am tired.'

  1. He said that he is tired.
  2. He said that he was tired. Correct answer.
  3. He said that he were tired.
  4. He says that he was tired.

Explanation

When the reporting verb is in the past, the present tense inside the quotation is normally shifted back one step, so 'am' becomes 'was'. The pronoun also changes from 'I' to 'he'.

Question 20Verbal Reasoning and English Language

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

  1. vague
  2. unclear
  3. hidden
  4. obvious Correct answer.

Explanation

'Obscure' means unclear or hard to perceive, so the antonym must mean easy to see or understand. 'Obvious' is the only option with that opposite sense.

Question 21Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Which order makes the best paragraph? (i) Heavy rain followed. (ii) The match began on a sunny afternoon. (iii) Play was suspended for an hour. (iv) The ground quickly flooded.

  1. ii - i - iv - iii Correct answer.
  2. ii - iv - i - iii
  3. ii - i - iii - iv
  4. i - ii - iv - iii

Explanation

The paragraph should open with the sunny start, then the rain, then the flooding caused by the rain, and finally the suspension caused by the flooding. Each event must follow from the one before it.

Question 22Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Mendacious is to truthfulness as ___

  1. ardent is to passion
  2. timid is to fear
  3. verbose is to words
  4. frugal is to waste Correct answer.

Explanation

A mendacious person lacks truthfulness, so the pair expresses a quality and the thing it lacks. 'Frugal' relates to waste in the same negative way, since a frugal person avoids waste.

Question 23Verbal Reasoning and English Language

In a race, Bola finished ahead of Kemi, Kemi ahead of Ada, and Ada ahead of Chidi. Who finished last?

  1. Bola
  2. Chidi Correct answer.
  3. Kemi
  4. Ada

Explanation

The statements give a strict chain: Bola, then Kemi, then Ada, then Chidi. The person at the end of the chain finished last.

Question 24Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Which part of the sentence contains the error? 'Neither of the two candidates have submitted their nomination forms.'

  1. have submitted Correct answer.
  2. nomination forms
  3. Neither of the two candidates
  4. their nomination forms

Explanation

'Neither' is singular, and the phrase 'of the two candidates' does not change that, so the verb should be 'has submitted'. The plural pronoun 'their' is acceptable in modern usage, but the verb agreement is not.

Question 25Verbal Reasoning and English Language

In 'The senator's speech was a masterpiece of equivocation', 'equivocation' most nearly means ___

  1. forceful argument
  2. honest disclosure
  3. evasion Correct answer.
  4. emotional appeal

Explanation

Equivocation is the use of ambiguous language to avoid committing to a clear position, which is a form of evasion. The word carries the sense of hedging rather than persuading or revealing.

Question 26Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Choose the word most nearly similar in meaning to 'frugal'.

  1. reckless
  2. thrifty Correct answer.
  3. generous
  4. lavish

Explanation

Frugal describes a person who is economical and avoids unnecessary spending, so 'thrifty' is the closest synonym. The other choices suggest extravagance, carelessness, or free giving rather than careful saving.

Question 27Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Choose the correct word: 'Each of the students ___ a locker.'

  1. has Correct answer.
  2. are having
  3. have had
  4. have

Explanation

The subject is 'each', which is singular, so it requires the singular verb 'has'. The phrase 'of the students' does not change the number of the subject.

Question 28Verbal Reasoning and English Language

In the sentence 'The manager's remarks were terse', 'terse' most nearly means ___.

  1. polite
  2. confusing
  3. brief Correct answer.
  4. lengthy

Explanation

'Terse' means expressed in very few words, often in a way that seems abrupt, so 'brief' is the closest meaning. It does not mean long, unclear, or courteous.

Question 29Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Thermometer is to temperature as barometer is to ___.

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

Explanation

A thermometer measures temperature, just as a barometer measures atmospheric pressure. The other quantities are measured by different instruments, such as a rain gauge, an anemometer, and a hygrometer.

Question 30Verbal Reasoning and English Language

All members of the club pay dues. No one who pays dues is exempt from the levy. Which conclusion follows necessarily?

  1. Only club members pay dues.
  2. Some club members are exempt from the levy.
  3. Every club member is exempt from the levy.
  4. No club member is exempt from the levy. Correct answer.

Explanation

Every club member pays dues, and every person who pays dues is subject to the levy, so no club member can be exempt. The other choices either contradict the premises or add information that was not given.

Question 31Verbal Reasoning and English Language

The witness's account was so ___ that the jury found it impossible to determine what had actually happened.

  1. candid
  2. vague Correct answer.
  3. meticulous
  4. clear

Explanation

The result clause shows that the jury could not determine what happened, so the account must have been unclear; 'vague' fits that meaning. 'Clear' and 'meticulous' would make the result illogical, and 'candid' means honest rather than unclear.

Question 32Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Read the passage: 'The new bridge reduced travel time, but its narrow lanes caused frequent congestion.' Which statement is best supported by the passage?

  1. Travel time remained unchanged.
  2. All congestion on the route was eliminated.
  3. The bridge is wider than the old one.
  4. Travel was faster but newly congested. Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage gives two linked facts: travel time fell and the narrow lanes produced frequent congestion. The best answer captures both the benefit and the drawback.

Question 33Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Oasis is to desert as ___ is to ocean.

  1. island Correct answer.
  2. seabed
  3. current
  4. breaker

Explanation

An oasis is a small distinct area within a desert, just as an island is a piece of land within an ocean. The relationship is that of a smaller feature surrounded by a larger region.

Question 34Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Change to active voice: 'The proposal was approved by the board.'

  1. The board was approved by the proposal.
  2. The proposal approved the board.
  3. The proposal has approved the board.
  4. The board approved the proposal. Correct answer.

Explanation

In active voice the doer becomes the subject: the board approved the proposal. The original subject becomes the object, and the passive auxiliary 'was' is dropped.

Question 35Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Choose the word that best completes the sentence: 'Her ___ approach to budgeting saved the company money.'

  1. erratic
  2. pragmatic Correct answer.
  3. theoretical
  4. lavish

Explanation

The result 'saved the company money' calls for a practical, sensible approach, and 'pragmatic' means practical. Erratic and lavish spending would not reliably save money, and a theoretical approach is not tied to practical saving.

Question 36Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Which sentence uses the semicolon correctly?

  1. I wanted to go; however, it rained. Correct answer.
  2. I wanted to go; but it rained heavily.
  3. I wanted to go; and it rained heavily.
  4. I wanted to go, it rained heavily.

Explanation

A semicolon can join two independent clauses, especially when it is followed by a conjunctive adverb such as 'however' and a comma. Coordinating conjunctions like 'but' and 'and' should not be preceded by a semicolon in this pattern, and a comma alone creates a comma splice.

Question 37Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Read the passage: 'Despite the committee's unanimous vote, several members privately expressed doubts about the plan.' What can be inferred?

  1. Some members had unspoken reservations. Correct answer.
  2. The vote was delayed by disagreement.
  3. The committee rejected the plan.
  4. All members supported the plan without question.

Explanation

The contrast between a unanimous public vote and private doubts implies that some members did not voice their concerns at the meeting. The passage does not say the plan was rejected, that everyone supported it, or that the vote was delayed.

Question 38Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Only people who have paid the fee may enter the hall. Ada entered the hall. Which conclusion follows necessarily?

  1. Ada had paid the fee. Correct answer.
  2. Ada paid the fee after entering.
  3. Everyone who paid the fee entered.
  4. Ada is a member of the club.

Explanation

'Only people who have paid the fee may enter' makes payment a necessary condition for entry. Since Ada entered, she must have paid the fee.

Question 39Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Choose the correct word: 'The chairperson insisted that the motion ___ withdrawn.'

  1. will be
  2. is
  3. be Correct answer.
  4. was

Explanation

Verbs such as 'insist', 'demand', and 'request' take the subjunctive in a that-clause, using the base form 'be' regardless of the tense of the main verb. 'Was' would report a fact rather than a demand, and 'is' or 'will be' do not fit the subjunctive pattern.

Question 40Verbal Reasoning and English Language

Choose the sentence that is grammatically correct and free of ambiguity.

  1. Walking to the station, my umbrella was left at home.
  2. My umbrella was left at home walking to the station.
  3. Walking to the station, the umbrella was left at home by me.
  4. Walking to the station, I left my umbrella at home. Correct answer.

Explanation

An introductory participial phrase modifies the subject of the main clause, so that subject must be the doer of the action named in the phrase. Only in the correct option does the subject 'I' perform the walking. In the other options the phrase is left dangling because the stated subject (the umbrella) cannot walk.

Question 41Numerical Reasoning and Mathematics

The average of five numbers is 18. What is the sum of the five numbers?

  1. 96
  2. 90 Correct answer.
  3. 85
  4. 72

Explanation

The average of a set of values equals the total divided by the count, so the total equals the average multiplied by the count. Here that is 18 × 5 = 90. Checking in reverse, 90 split into five equal parts gives 18 each, which confirms the result.

Question 42Numerical Reasoning and Mathematics

A jacket priced at 80 is reduced by 25%. What is the new price?

  1. 60 Correct answer.
  2. 70
  3. 55
  4. 65

Explanation

A 25% reduction on 80 removes 0.25 × 80 = 20 from the original price. Subtracting gives 80 − 20 = 60. Equivalently, the new price is 75% of the original, and 0.75 × 80 = 60.

Question 43Numerical Reasoning and Mathematics

Which decimal is equal to the fraction 3/8?

  1. 0.26
  2. 0.375 Correct answer.
  3. 0.38
  4. 0.34

Explanation

To convert a fraction to a decimal, divide the numerator by the denominator: 3 ÷ 8 = 0.375. This can be checked by multiplying back, since 0.375 × 8 = 3. The exact value terminates after three decimal places.

Question 44Numerical Reasoning and Mathematics

What is the highest common factor of 24 and 36?

  1. 4
  2. 8
  3. 12 Correct answer.
  4. 6

Explanation

Writing each number as a product of primes gives 24 = 2³ × 3 and 36 = 2² × 3². The highest common factor uses the lower power of each shared prime, so it is 2² × 3 = 12. Both 24 and 36 divide exactly by 12, and no larger number does.

Question 45Numerical Reasoning and Mathematics

A car covers 150 kilometres in 2.5 hours. What is its average speed in kilometres per hour?

  1. 60 Correct answer.
  2. 75
  3. 80
  4. 65

Explanation

Average speed is distance divided by time, so divide 150 by 2.5. Doubling both numbers to clear the decimal gives 300 ÷ 5 = 60. Thus the car averages 60 kilometres per hour over the trip.

Question 46Numerical Reasoning and Mathematics

An amount of 120 is divided between two people in the ratio 2:3. What is the larger share?

  1. 48
  2. 72 Correct answer.
  3. 84
  4. 80

Explanation

The ratio 2:3 creates 2 + 3 = 5 equal parts, so each part is 120 ÷ 5 = 24. The larger share is 3 parts, that is 3 × 24 = 72. Adding the smaller share of 48 confirms the total of 120.

Question 47Numerical Reasoning and Mathematics

A recipe uses 3 cups of flour to make 12 cookies. At the same rate, how many cups of flour are needed for 20 cookies?

  1. 5 Correct answer.
  2. 6
  3. 4.5
  4. 4

Explanation

The rate is 12 cookies per 3 cups, which simplifies to 4 cookies per cup of flour. Dividing 20 cookies by 4 cookies per cup gives 5 cups. Checking in reverse, 5 cups at 4 cookies per cup yields the required 20 cookies.

Question 48Numerical Reasoning and Mathematics

What number continues the sequence 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ...?

  1. 36
  2. 40
  3. 42 Correct answer.
  4. 38

Explanation

Look at the gaps between consecutive terms: 4, 6, 8 and 10, which increase by 2 each time. The next gap must therefore be 12, and 30 + 12 = 42. Each term also equals n(n + 1) for n = 1, 2, 3, ..., and the sixth term is 6 × 7 = 42.

Question 49Numerical Reasoning and Mathematics

An item bought for 400 is sold for 460. What is the profit as a percentage of the cost price?

  1. 13%
  2. 16%
  3. 20%
  4. 15% Correct answer.

Explanation

Profit percentage is calculated on the cost price, so first find the profit: 460 − 400 = 60. Dividing by the cost price gives 60 ÷ 400 = 0.15, which is 15%. The selling price is 1.15 times the cost price, confirming the answer.

Question 50Numerical Reasoning and Mathematics

Worker A can complete a job in 12 days and worker B can complete the same job in 18 days. Working together, how long will they take?

  1. 6 days
  2. 7.2 days Correct answer.
  3. 8 days
  4. 7.5 days

Explanation

In one day A completes 1/12 of the job and B completes 1/18, so together they complete 3/36 + 2/36 = 5/36 of the job daily. The total time is the reciprocal, 36/5 = 7.2 days. This is less than either worker alone, as expected when effort is combined.