TSA TSO CBT flashcards
TSA TSO CBT · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Organic material X-ray color
- In standard X-ray color coding, organic substances such as food, plastic, fabric, and wood render orange to brown because they are low in density and atomic number.
- Inorganic and metal color
- Inorganic materials and metals render blue to green on standard X-ray images, while the densest metals appear darkest blue and can block the beam.
- Density and image darkness
- The denser and thicker an object, the darker it appears on an X-ray image; dense items can mask lighter objects behind or in front of them.
- Wire recognition rule
- A continuous thin dark line that crosses other objects without breaking usually indicates a wire or a component of an assembled device rather than a random artifact.
- Gun silhouette features
- A firearm is recognized by the combined outline of barrel, grip, and trigger guard, often appearing as a dense metal shape with a right-angle profile.
- Knife recognition cues
- A knife typically shows a thin straight high-density line for the blade meeting a distinct handle; rotating the view confirms the pointed profile.
- Detonator component cluster
- A detonator or initiator often appears as a cluster of a dense cylinder, a battery, and connecting wiring, which together warrant secondary inspection.
- Quadrant scanning method
- Divide the X-ray image into quadrants, clear each quadrant systematically, then re-scan the whole image to catch objects that cross quadrant boundaries.
- Shape before color
- Color on an X-ray indicates material composition only, so identify an object by its outline and proportions first, then use color to confirm.
- Change detection order
- Comparing two images in the same fixed order each time, such as top-left to bottom-right, reduces missed swapped, added, or removed items.
- Working memory capacity
- Working memory holds roughly four to seven items at once, so grouping items into chunks improves accuracy when scanning a dense scene.
- Inattentional blindness
- Knowing what you are looking for speeds detection of that target but increases the chance of missing unexpected items that do not match the search set.
- Rotation-invariant matching
- A rotated or mirrored item counts as a match only when the task specifies rotation-invariant matching; otherwise orientation difference is a real difference.
- Peripheral detail limits
- Fine detail discrimination drops outside central vision, so the eyes must move to each item rather than relying on a single wide glance.
- Double-count prevention
- Counting items by physically pointing at or marking each one exactly once prevents double-counting in dense arrays of similar objects.
- Attribute-by-attribute comparison
- Comparing exact attributes such as shape, count, orientation, color, and position is more reliable than judging overall visual impression.
- Safety priority order
- In checkpoint decisions, safety of people comes first, then security of the checkpoint, then throughput; safety is never traded for speed.
- Escalation threshold
- When a possible threat exceeds your authority or training, stop the process and notify a supervisor or law enforcement rather than acting alone.
- Unattended bag rule
- Any unattended bag is treated as suspicious: do not open or move it yourself; secure the area and report it through proper channels.
- Consistent screening standard
- The same screening standard applies to every passenger regardless of appearance, age, or demeanor, which prevents bias and maintains security integrity.
- Contemporaneous documentation
- Record facts such as time, location, description, and action taken at the time of the event, because later recall is less reliable.
- Ambiguity decision rule
- When evidence is ambiguous, choose the option that preserves safety and options, such as secondary screening, rather than waiving the concern.
- Main idea versus detail
- The correct main-idea answer restates the passage's central point; supporting details and extreme restatements are typical wrong-answer traps.
- Valid inference standard
- A valid inference must be supported by the passage itself; an answer requiring outside knowledge or assumptions is out of scope.
- Except and not questions
- In except or not questions, three options are supported by the passage and one is not; eliminate the three supported options to find the answer.
- Word-in-context meaning
- For word-in-context items, choose the meaning that fits the surrounding sentence rather than the most common dictionary sense of the word.
- Author tone indicators
- Attitude words such as unfortunately or commendably signal whether the author is neutral, critical, or approving, which guides tone questions.
- Procedural sequence signals
- In procedural text, order steps using explicit signal words such as first, after, before, and finally rather than guessing the sequence.
- Subject-verb agreement rule
- A verb agrees with its subject, not with a phrase between them, so a singular subject keeps a singular verb regardless of intervening plural nouns.
- Complaint handling sequence
- Listen fully, restate the concern, state what you can do within policy, and escalate to a supervisor if the request exceeds your authority.
- Uniform policy application
- Rules are applied uniformly to all passengers; exceptions require supervisor authorization rather than personal discretion at the checkpoint.
- Need-to-know privacy rule
- Passenger information is shared only with authorized personnel who need it to perform a task, never for casual or unrelated purposes.