FDNY Firefighter cheat sheet

Main idea = what the whole passage is about; a detail supports it but cannot replace it. Test: would the passage still make sense if this sentence were removed?

Scope words decide correctness: all, always, never, only, must, primarily. An answer choice that strengthens a hedge (may, often, some) into an absolute is wrong unless the passage states it absolutely.

Sequence markers (before, after, until, once, then, during) set order of operations. Re-read the sentence containing them twice; most order questions hinge on one marker.

Pronoun tracking: when a passage says 'the company' then 'it', or 'the officer' then 'she', confirm the antecedent before answering a detail question.

Cause vs. correlation: language such as 'because', 'therefore', 'as a result' signals causation; 'following', 'along with', 'coincided' does not. Do not upgrade one to the other.

Exception/negative questions: locate the word NOT or EXCEPT, then verify each choice against the passage; the correct answer is the only one unsupported.

Inference limits: a valid inference must be forced by the text. If a choice requires outside knowledge or a plausible guess, it is out of scope.

Passage structure: problem-solution, chronological, and compare-contrast passages place the key claim in predictable spots (end of intro, after the turn word 'but' or 'however').

Subject-verb agreement: ignore prepositional phrases between subject and verb. 'A list of names is' not 'are'; 'the box of tools sits' not 'sit'.

Compound subjects joined by 'and' take a plural verb; joined by 'or'/'nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject.

Dangling modifier test: the phrase before the comma must describe the subject right after the comma. 'Running to the truck, the helmet was grabbed' is wrong because the helmet was not running.

Parallel structure: items in a list or after 'and' must share grammatical form. 'Inspecting, testing, and to repair' fails; 'inspecting, testing, and repairing' passes.

Pronoun case: after prepositions and as objects use me/him/her/them; as subjects use I/he/she/they. 'Between you and me' is correct.

Placement rule: keep modifiers next to the word they modify. 'Only' moves meaning - 'only the captain signed' differs from 'the captain only signed'.

Comma rules: no comma between two independent clauses without a conjunction (comma splice); use a semicolon or period instead.

Redundancy and wordiness: delete pairs like 'each and every', 'advance planning', 'return back'; the shortest version that keeps meaning is usually correct.

Chunking: group long sequences (radio codes, addresses, unit numbers) into blocks of 3-4 items; working memory holds roughly 4 chunks at once, not 4 individual items.

Spacing effect: reviewing material across several short sessions produces stronger recall than one long session of equal total time.

Serial position effect: first and last items in a list are remembered best; rehearse the middle items deliberately.

Interference: learning similar items back-to-back (two similar codes, two similar street names) causes confusion; separate them with a different item.

Self-testing (retrieval practice) beats re-reading: recalling an item without looking strengthens memory more than a second read.

Meaningful association: linking a number or term to a known fact, image, or location improves retention versus rote repetition of digits.

Proactive interference: old, well-learned material blocks new similar material. When a new procedure replaces an old one, study the differences explicitly.

Recall vs. recognition: multiple-choice tests recognition; fill-in and spoken recitation test recall. Train with recall because the job demands it.

Identify the problem before solving: state what is wrong, who is affected, and what happens if nothing is done. Many wrong answers solve a different problem than the one described.

Separate fact from assumption: a statement is a fact only if the scenario states it. Details that 'seem likely' but are not given are not usable.

Prioritize by consequence: life safety first, then preventing escalation (fire spread, structural collapse, hazardous exposure), then property, then documentation.

Recognize unsafe conditions vs. unsafe acts: a frayed cord is a condition; bypassing a lockout is an act. Responses differ - correct the condition, address the act.

Look for the single point of failure: one blocked exit, one missing radio, one unmarked hazard. The best answer removes or reports that point.

Escalation triggers: smoke where there should be none, water where it should not be, heat, odor of gas, or a person unaccounted for all justify immediate notification.

Avoid overreaction and underreaction: the best choice matches response size to the described hazard; evacuating a whole building for a burnt toast is as wrong as ignoring smoke.

Report chain: when a problem exceeds your authority, the correct action is to notify the person who owns it, with specific facts, not to fix it silently.

Clock-face method: 12 o'clock is straight ahead; 3 o'clock is directly right; 6 o'clock is behind; 9 o'clock is directly left. Convert every direction to this frame before answering.

Turn rule: facing north, a right turn points east, a second right turn points south, a third right turn points west. Each 90-degree right turn adds 90 degrees clockwise.

Compass bearings: north 000/360, east 090, south 180, west 270. A right (clockwise) turn adds to the bearing; a left turn subtracts.

Left/right reversal: when a description says 'turn left', the new heading is 90 degrees counterclockwise from the current heading, regardless of the page orientation.

Reverse route: to return along a path, reverse the order of moves and invert each turn (left becomes right); distances stay the same.

Map scale: distance on the ground = measured map distance times the scale factor. 2 cm at 1:10,000 equals 200 m.

Relative position: 'A is north of B' also means B is south of A; use the inverse whenever the question asks from the other person's viewpoint.

Elevation and floors: floor numbers count levels, not stair flights. Moving from floor 2 to floor 5 is 3 levels up even if the stairwell has switchbacks.