Verbal Reasoning Test 1

Mike Bryon - Psychometric Tests Your free practice psychometric test with answers explanations and an interpretation of your score

Test 1: Verbal Reasoning This test is typical of those used by major employers’ at the intermediate and advance level. You are bound to come across this sort of question in your search for work so use it to establish the amount and level of practice you should undertake. Take the test under realistic exam type conditions and then score it. Next read the interpretation of your score and follow the recommended further reading. You will find many hundreds of further practice questions, full length realistic practice tests, answers and explanations in the best selling books by Mike Bryon. Buy them through this website and save 20% of the cover price. There are 20 questions in this test which you should complete in 10 minutes. There are two sorts of question. In the first you must identify the correct version of a sentence it must be correct in terms of the English usage. In the second sort you must read a short passages and answer the questions that follow it. Record your answer in the answer box provided. Do not turn the page until you are ready to begin and stick to the time limit!

Copyright Mike Bryon 2007 This free download may only be used for private study it may not be used for any other purpose nor may it be sold, altered, reproduced or transmitted. Please turn the page...

Mike Bryon - Psychometric Tests Q1

He didn’t ride his bike since we lived here.

A B C D E

He didn’t ride his bike since we lived here. He hasn’t ridden his bike since we’ve lived here. He hasn’t rode his bike since we’ve lived here. He has not rode his bike since we lived here. He didn’t ride his bike since we’ve lived here.

Answer: Passage followed by 3 questions There is much talk of a hydrogen economy and one version of that future is described as based on dissociating water into hydrogen and oxygen with sunlight in photo-catalyst cells or films. If the roof tops of every house in the U.S.A were covered in these cells then every household would have at its disposal the hydrogen equivalent of over 10 litres of petrol (gasoline) a day. The cells used would have to achieve the US Department if Energy’s standard of 10% water-splitting efficiency before the investment would be worthwhile and the output would approach the 10 litres level. But this kind of efficiency has only been achieved under careful laboratory conditions using ultra-violet light. Sunlight comprises only 4% ultra-violet light and so the search is still on for a photo-catalyst that reach the same level of efficiency using the whole sunlight spectrum. Another technological approach to the dissociation of water relies on micro organisms. Biologists have long known of the existence of single celled plants that can break water molecules apart and release hydrogen and oxygen gas and the hope is that a micro organism can be found capable of generating hydrogen gas in sufficient quantities. So far the search has been disappointing and the levels of gas produced falling a long way short of the amount necessary to satisfy the US Department’s of Energy’s standard of efficiency.

Q2

Which of the following sentences best expresses the general theme made in the passage.

A

The passage optimistically predicts that the hydrogen economy is just around the corner.

B The passage is pessimistic regarding the likelihood of a hydrogen economy based on the dissociation of water. C The passage identifies a number of technological challenges that remain before a hydrogen economy is feasible. D The passage describes a number of challenges that must still be solved on the path to a hydrogen economy based on the dissociation of water. E The passage is downbeat regarding the prospects of finding an organic solution to the challenge of efficient dissociation of water. Answer:

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Mike Bryon - Psychometric Tests Q3

Which of the following subjects is not raised in the passage:

A B C D E

Solar panels that split water for hydrogen. The dissociation of water with sunlight. Hydrogen production using ultraviolet light. Photo-catalysis’s that generate hydrogen from water. Bugs or organisms capable of generating hydrogen gas.

Answer: Q2

Which of the following sentences best expresses the general theme made in the passage.

A

The passage optimistically predicts that the hydrogen economy is just around the corner.

B The passage is pessimistic regarding the likelihood of a hydrogen economy based on the dissociation of water. C The passage identifies a number of technological challenges that remain before a hydrogen economy is feasible. D The passage describes a number of challenges that must still be solved on the path to a hydrogen economy based on the dissociation of water. E The passage is downbeat regarding the prospects of finding an organic solution to the challenge of efficient dissociation of water. Answer: Q4

Which of the following is the best description of the main conclusion of the passage?

A B C D E

Deductive Inductive Presumptuous Hypothetical Theoretical

Answer: Q5

We has to get to some serious work in order to sort out the untidy office.

A B C D E

We has to get to some serious work in order to sort out the untidy office. We had to get down to a serious work out in order to sort out the untidy office. We had to get to some serious work down in order to sort the untidy office. We had to get down to some serious work in order to sort out the untidy office. We had to get to some serious work in order to sort the untidy office out.

Answer:

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Mike Bryon - Psychometric Tests Passage It is natural to believe that the world’s leading cities would be found to be in a constant state of change, evolving to accommodate new waves of emigrant, work/life balance, modes of transport and architectural style. With such a process of reinvention and renewal and often sprawl, these places must become almost unrecognisable over long period of time say, for example, one hundred years. However, when you get down to it and have a careful look at how these cites has changed over such a period, you are immediately stuck not by the way they have changed but in the ways they haven’t. In particular most of the broad patters of social economic class remain the same as do many local social economic characteristics. Most of the poorest areas will still be found to be poor. The architectural style of slum may have changed, low rise, multi-occupied hovels may well have been knocked down to be replaced with high rise flats on sprawling heartless estates, but the social malaise caused by poverty and unemployment remains. A road that was notorious 100 years ago as a place frequented by drunks and members of the criminal class may well be found to suffer the same challenges only the language used to describe the nature of the problem will have changed and perhaps the problems will be attributed to drugs rather than alcohol and gangs of alienated youth rather than a criminal class.

Q6

Which of the suggested answers best expresses the key point of the passage:

A The social geography of the worlds leading cities change over long periods less than you might expect. B In the last 100 years the worlds leading cities have changed beyond recognition architecturally but socially they have hardly changed at all. C The world’s leading cities are in a constant state of change, evolving to accommodate new waves of emigrant, work/life balance, modes of transport and architectural style. D When you get down to it and have a careful look at these cites you are stuck not by the way they have changed but in the way’s they haven’t. E

The world’s great cities are just that because they are in a constant state of flux.

Answer: Q7

Which of the following statements would the author of the passage be most likely to disagree with:

A B C D E

The architecture of the worlds great cities is being constantly revamped. The language with which we describe the social geography of our great cities is constantly evolving. The social geography of our great cities is in a constant state of transformation. The social geography of our great cities appears invariable. Tomorrow’s archaeologists will find novel our architectural styles and modes of transport.

Answer:

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Mike Bryon - Psychometric Tests Q8

In the context of the passage the word ‘sprawl’ means:

A B C D E

Spread out ones limbs. Disorganized expansion. An ungainly movement. An industrial area. A mix of residential and industrial developments.

Answer: Q9

The new compound was comprise from two very common elements.

A B C D E

comprise from is comprised by comprised from was comprised in comprised of

Answer: Q10

He travelled all day first by boat then by plane and finally by foot.

A B C D E

by boat then by plane and finally by foot. in boat then in plane and finally by foot. on boat then on plane and finally on foot. by boat then by plane and finally on foot. in boat then in plane and finally in foot.

Answer: Passage Colorectal cancer occurs in the colon or rectum. It is more common amongst men than women and the majority of cases occur in the over 50s. Triggers are thought to be little or no exercise and excessive weight. A propensity for the disease is also known to be inherited. Diet is believed to play an important role in both the risk of developing the disease and in its prevention. It used to be thought that a diet high in fibre greatly reduced the risk of colorectal cancer, however it is now thought that eating too much red meat and milk products has a much stronger, unfortunately, negative association and increases the risk of the disease notably. It so happens that people with high fibre diets eat less red meat and milk products than people with low fibre diets. People who eat lots of fibre also tend to enjoy a lifestyle with many other factors that may confer a lower risk of contracting colorectal cancer. If there is any accepted truism regarding diet, lifestyle and the risk of contacting colorectal cancer then it is no longer the view that eating lots of fibre has an inverse association. Today dieticians are likely to stress the factors that give rise to greater risk and top of the list of factor will be the consumption of too much alcohol.

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Mike Bryon - Psychometric Tests Q11 The author would agree that there is no adverse association between colorectal cancer and a diet rich in fibre. True False Cannot tell Answer: Q12

A diet of cereals, vegetables and fruit does protect against diseases such as heart disease.

True False Cannot tell Answer: Q13 It is not coincidental that people who eat a diet rich in fibre such as whole grains, fruit and vegetables, are less likely to get colorectal cancer then people with a diet poor in fibre. True False Cannot tell Answer: Q14

When cancer of the colon occurs a family history of the disease maybe found.

True False Cannot tell Answer: Q15 The author would agree that an inverse association exists between eating lots of fibre and rates of colon cancer. True False Cannot tell Answer:

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Mike Bryon - Psychometric Tests Passage Nuclear power generation is being reconsidered because so many industrialised countries are failing to reduce the level of their carbon omissions through energy efficiencies or renewable power. Some advisors therefore feel that the industrialised world has no alternative but to return to nuclear power, at least until renewable alternatives become available. Nuclear power, which can generate electricity without emitting CO2, is seen as a necessary evil that can help governments meet future and seemingly ever increasing demand for more power without increasing the level of carbon omissions. Proposals to look to nuclear power as a means to address global warming have not been welcomed by all environmental scientists and campaigners. Many argue that nuclear power is far from clean and at some stages of its life-cycle, for example when the uranium is mined and refined, is not carbon free. They raise the well known objections to nuclear power of waste storage, the risk of radioactive leaks, the threat of terrorism, the cost of decommissioning and the risk of the spread of nuclear weapons.

Q16 The statement that nuclear power is far from clean and at some stages of its life-cycle, for example when the uranium is mined and refined, is not carbon free is made in support of the main theme of the passage? True False Cannot tell Answer: Q17 If viable renewable sources of energy were available now then the case made in the passage for nuclear would be greatly weakened. True False Cannot tell Answer: Q18 The claims that nuclear power can generate electricity without emitting CO2 and nuclear power is far from clean at some stages of its life-cycle are contradictory. True False Cannot tell Answer:

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Mike Bryon - Psychometric Tests Q19 The long term answer to global warming lies not in nuclear but greater efforts and investment in renewable wind, wave and tidal power sources and in more energy efficiency. True False Cannot tell Answer: Q20

It is stated in the passage that nuclear power can help to reduce greenhouse emissions.

True False Cannot tell Answer: End of test

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Mike Bryon - Psychometric Tests Answers and explanations Q1 Answer B Explanation the period of time (since we lived here) is continuing and he might yet still ride his bike so we use ‘hasn’t’ rather than ‘didn’t’, we need’ we’ve’ not just ‘we’ lived here. Q2 Answer D Explanation The passage addresses the theme of a hydrogen economy based on the splitting of water into oxygen and hydrogen. Answers A, B and C are concerned with challenges facing the hydrogen economy in general so do not best express the general theme of the passage. E is true but does not express the general theme of the passage. Q3 Answer A Explanation no mention of solar panels is made in the passage. Be prepared for small nuances in language to make the difference in the answers in the GMAT reading comprehension questions. Q4 Answer B Explanation Inductive means to become acquainted with or conversant in or proceeding from particular facts to a general or wider conclusion. Deductive means a logical inference from particular facts or premises which contains no more information than the information which is contained in those premises. The passage including its main conclusion is informative rather than deductive. Q5 Answer D Explanation you can separate ‘sort’ and ‘out’ without losing the meaning but the meaning is lost if we separate ‘get down’, note a work out refers to exercise not tidying. Q6 Answer A Explanation the passage does not use the term social geography but it still best expresses the key point of the passage. Suggested answer D is phrased in a similar manner to the passage and reflects its main point but lacks reference to the aspect of these cities that has not changed. B is not correct because the passage does not limit itself to the period of the last 100 years but is concerned with the lack of social change over a long period such as 100 years. E is a description of an assumption that the author commences the article with, not the main point. Q7 Answer C Explanation Transformation means change and the author would hold the opposite view. Q8 Answer B Explanation Sprawl means in this context the disorganized expansion of an urban area. Q9 Answer E Explanation Comprised means formed by putting together separate elements so we use the preposition ‘of’ not ‘from’. Q10 Answer D Explanation we say by boat and plane but on foot not by foot. Q11 Answer True Explanation No adverse association means no harm and the author would agree that a diet of fibre does not bring an increase in risk Page 9

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Mike Bryon - Psychometric Tests Answers and explanations Q12 Answer cannot tell Explanation The passage provides not information on the relationship between a diet high in fibre and other diseases such as heart disease. Q13 Answer False Explanation It is stated in the passage that ‘it so happens that people with high fibre diets eat less red meat and milk products than people with low fibre diets. People who eat lots of fibre also tend to enjoy a lifestyle with many other factors that may confer a lower risk of contracting colorectal cancer’. Q14 Answer true Explanation it is stated in the passage that ‘a propensity for the disease is also known to be inherited.’ Q15 Answer False Explanation In this case an inverse association means that as the amount of fibre consumed increases the occurrence of colon cancer should decrease and the author would not agree that such an inverse association exists. Q16 Answer False Explanation It is clear that the statement does not support the main theme of the passage which is that a return to nuclear power being considered because so many countries are failing to reduce their co emissions. Q17 Answer True Explanation if renewable sources already existed the case for a temporary return to nuclear power would be greatly weakened. Q18 Answer False Explanation They are not contradictory as the electricity generating stage of nuclear power’s life many not be when it is far from clean. Q19 Answer Cannot tell Explanation the passage makes the case that in the longer term alternatives hold the answer to global warming but it does not state which alternative these might be. So it is not possible to tell if wind, wave and tidal power hold the answer. Q20 Answer False Explanation This is not explicitly stated in the passage.

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Mike Bryon - Psychometric Tests Interpretation of your score A score of 15 or higher This is the only score that you should be content with if you face an advance verbal test. you have the potential to do very well so press home your advantage and attend fully prepared by continuing your revision with the practice questions found in: ‘The Graduate Psychometric Workbook’ published 2005 ‘How to Pass Advance Verbal Reasoning Tests to be published in 2007 A score between 10 and 14 This is a very wide category of score and will include the near miss candidate as well as someone who did only moderately well. So decide where you believe you are on this scale and set about a systematic programme of practice in order to improve you score. Be prepared to undertake a lot of practice if your score was at the lower end of the scale. You will find hundreds of suitable questions in: ‘The Ultimate Psychometric Test Book published 2006’ ‘How to Pass Graduate Psychometric Tests’ third Edition Published 2007’ Once you have worked on these books then move onto the one recommended for a score of 15 or higher. A score below 9 Reflect on the reason for your score. Did you spend too long on questions and so run out of time before you could attempt sufficient questions? Do you need to improve your accuracy when working quickly under the pressure of an exam? Once you have settled on the cause then set about a programme of revision under realistic practice conditions. Above all else do not give up. Keep working and you will witness a marked improvement in your performance in these very common tests. Start your program of revision with: ‘How to Pass Selection Tests third edition published 2005’ And the forthcoming: ‘Verbal Reasoning workbook to be published 2008’ Once you have completed this material in these titles then move onto the books recommended for scores between 10 and 14.

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