Paragraph reasoning questions

1. Reading 1. A training calendar and schedule for Fire Agency Specialties Team (F.A.S.T.)
membership is available in this office to all applicants for F.A.S.T. membership. Training will take
place the third week of each month. Classes will be taught on Monday afternoons, Wednesday
evenings, and Saturday afternoons.
So that the F.A.S.T. can maintain a high level of efficiency and preparedness for emergency response
situations, its members must meet certain requirements.
First, in order for you to be considered for membership on F.A.S.T.,your department must be a
member of the F.A.S.T. organization, and you must have written permission from your fire chief or
your department’s highest-ranking administrator.
Once active, you must meet further requirements to maintain active status. These include completion
of technician-level training and certification in hazardous material (hazmat) operations. In addition,
after becoming a member, you must also attend a minimum of 50% of all drills conducted by F.A.S.T.
and go to at least one F.A.S.T. conference. You may qualify for alternative credit for drills by proving
previous experience in actual hazmat emergency response.
If you fail to meet minimum requirements, you will be considered inactive, and the director of your
team will be notified. You will be placed back on active status only after you complete the training
necessary to meet the minimum requirements.
Potential F.A.S.T. members can attend less than half of F.A.S.T. drills if they
A. Complete technician-level training requirements.
B. Indicate prior real emergency experience.
C. Receive permission from their fire chief.
D. Enroll in three weekly training sessions.
Which of the following is the main subject of the passage?
A. preparing for hazmat certification.
B. The main goal of F.A.S.T.
C. Completing F.A.S.T. membership requirements
D. Learning about your department’s F.A.S.T. membership
Applicants must be available for training
A. Three days each month.
B. Three days each week.
C. Every third month.
D. For 50% of classes.

2. Reading 2. During the next ten months, all bus operators with two or more years of service will be
required to have completed 20 hours of refresher training on one of the Vehicle Maneuvering Training
Buses.
Instructors who have used this new technology report that trainees develop skills more quickly than
with traditional training methods. In refresher training, this new system reinforces defensive driving
skills and safe driving habits. Drivers can also check their reaction times and hand-eye coordination.
As an added benefit, the city expects to save money with the simulators, because the new system
reduces the amount of training time in an actual bus—saving on parts, fuel, and other operating
expenses.
All bus operators are required to do which of the following?
A. Receive training in defensive driving and operating a computer.
B. Complete ten months of refresher driver training.
C. Train new drivers on how to operate a simulator.
D. Complete 20 hours oftraining on a simulator.
The main purpose of the refresher training course on the simulator is to
A. make sure that all bus operators are maintaining proper driving habits.
B. give experienced bus operators an opportunity to learn new driving techniques.
C. help all bus operators to develop hand-eye coordination.
D. reduce the city’s operating budget
Reading 3. Beginning on July 1, the company will institute some changes to our policies and
procedures (P&P). Please take time before that date to familiarize yourself with both the existing P&P
and the planned changes. The P&P can be found on the company website under the “P/P” link.
Certain changes may affect your job description, vacation time, medical benefits, or other aspects of
employment. These changes will become effective beginning July 31 but will not be considered
retroactive. Some areas that will change include the following:
 Overtime cap for hourly employees
 Sick time for salaried employees
 Safety requirements for yard workers
 Dress code for office employees
If you have any questions concerning these changes, please contact the Human Resources office at
ext. 412. All employees will be expected to understand and abide by the new P&P statement,as
defined on our website and in our employee handbook.
The purpose of this passage is to
A. Warn employees that things are about to get worse.
B. Intimidate employees into following correct procedures.
C. Inform employees ofupcoming policy changes.
D. Instruct employees on how to contact Human Resources.

3. When will the policies and procedures change?
A. Not stated
B. June 30
C. July 31
D. July 1
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an effect of the upcoming changes?
A. Medical benefits
B. Dress code
C. Salary caps
D. Vacation time
How will sick time benefits be affected by the new policies?
A. Employees will have less sick time.
B. Salaried employees will have more sick time.
C. They will stay the same.
D. Not stated.
Where are the policies and procedures found?
A. www.companysite.com
B. in the Human Resources office
C. employee handbook
D. extension 412
Reading 4. Mark Rothko, one of the greatest painters of the twentieth century, was born in
Daugavpils, Latvia in 1903. His father emigrated to the United States,afraid that his sons would be
drafted into the Czarist army. Mark stayed in Russia with his mother and older sister; they joined the
family later, arriving in the winter of 1913, after a 12-day voyage.
Mark moved to New York in the autumn of 1923 and found employment in the garment trade and
took up residence on the Upper West Side. It was while he was visiting someone at the Art Students
League that he saw students sketching a nude model. According to him, this was the start of his life as
an artist. He was twenty years old and had taken some art lessons at school, so his initial experience
was far from an immediate calling.
In 1936, Mark Rothko began writing a book, which he never completed, about the similarities in the
children's art and the work of modern painters. The work of modernists, which was influenced by
primitive art, could, according to him, be compared to that of children in that "child art transforms
itself into primitivism, which is only the child producing a mimicry of himself." In this same work, he
said that "the fact that one usually begins with drawing is already academic. We start with color."
It was not long before his multiform developed into the style he is remembered for; in 1949 Rothko
exhibited these new works at the Betty Parsons Gallery. For critic Harold Rosenberg, the paintings

4. were a revelation. Rothko had, after painting his first multiform, secluded himself to his home in East
Hampton on Long Island, only inviting a very few people, including Rosenberg, to view the new
paintings. The discovery of his definitive form came at a period of great grief; his mother Kate died in
October 1948 and it was at some point during that winter that Rothko chanced upon the striking
symmetrical rectangular blocks of two to three opposing or contrasting, yet complementary colors. As
part of this new uniformity of artistic vision, his paintings and drawings no longer had individual
titles; from this point on they were simply untitled, numbered or dated. However,to assist in
distinguishing one work from another, dealers would sometimes add the primary colors to the name.
Additionally, for the next few years,Rothko painted in oil only on large vertical canvasses. This was
done to overwhelm the viewer, or, in his words, to make the viewer feel enveloped within the picture.
On February 25, 1970, Oliver Steindecker, Rothko’s assistant, found him in his kitchen, lying on the
floor in front of the sink, covered in blood. His arms had been cut open with a razor. The emergency
doctor arrived on the scene minutes later to pronounce him dead as the result of suicide; it was
discovered during the autopsy that he had also overdosed on anti-depressants. He was just 66 years
old.
Mark Rothko emigrated to the United States
A. with his father and elder sister.
B. with his mother and brothers.
C. with his mother and elder sister.
D. with all his family.
Rothko wanted to be an artist
A. from his early childhood.
B. when he joined the Art Students League.
C. when he watched students drawing.
D. when he moved to the Upper West Side.
Rothko thought that modern art
A. was primitive.
B. could be compared to children's pictures.
C. was already academic.
D. was childish.
Rothko's distinctive style
A. was inspired by Rosenberg.
B. resulted from moving to Long Island.
C. resulted from his grief.
D. evolved in 1948.

5. Who named paintings by their colors?
A. Rosenberg
B. Rothko
C. Dealers
D. Steindecker
Reading 5. The coconut is an unusual food for many reasons. It is technically a seed,produced by the
coconut palm tree,and as such is one of the largest edible seeds produced by any plant. Its unusual
contents also make it unique in the seed world—the interior consists of both “meat” and “water.” The
meat is the white pith with which we are all familiar, as it is used extensively for cooking and
flavorings; the coconut water is a white liquid that is very sweet and thirst-quenching.
Portuguese explorers gave the nut its name in the 15th century, referring to it as coco, meaning
“ghost” in their language. The three dimples and the hairy texture reminded them of a ghost’s face,
and the tree has retained that name ever since.
The coconut has many varied uses. It is used to make margarine, as well as various cooking oils, and
these cooking oils are used by fast-food restaurants around the world to make such diet staples as
French fries. The coconut fluid is a favorite drink in hot climates, providing a cool and refreshing
beverage right off the tree. This water is also used by manufacturers of various sports drinks because
of its isotonic electrolyte properties. Even the shell itself has many uses, including cattle food and
fertilizer.
Yet the coconut is also useful in many ways that have nothing to do with food. Coconut oil is used for
cosmetics, medicines, and can even be used in place of diesel fuel. Dried coconut shells are used in
many countries as a tool, such as a buffer for shining wood floors. The shells are also used for shirt
buttons, and are commonly found on Hawaiian clothing. They are even used for musical instruments
and bird houses!
And all these are only some of the uses found for the coconut fruit. The coconut palm tree,which
produces the nut, also produces countless useful items. It’s no wonder that the coconut palm has been
called “the tree of life.”
The underlined word pith, as used in the passage,most nearly means
A. helmet.
B. hairy material.
C. black.
D. meaty substance.
The coconut earned the nick name “ghost” because
A. of its pale color.
B. it resembles a face.
C. it is round.
D. of its smell.

6. What is the main focus of this passage?
A. the history of coconuts
B. coconut trees have many uses
C. how cooking oil is made
D. Portuguese discoveries
The passage implies that
A. coconut palms are a valuable plant.
B. coconut oil is the best way to cook.
C. Portuguese explorers loved coconuts.
D. coconut palms are good shade trees.
Which of the following is NOT a use for the coconut palm?
A. Margarine
B. Buttons
C. helium balloons
D. diesel fuel
The underlined word staples, as used in the passage,most nearly means
A. fasteners.
B. plans.
C. paperwork.
D. foods. 216.
The coconut palm is sometimes called “the tree of life” because
A. the Portuguese thought it cured disease.
B. nearly every part of the tree is useful to mankind.
C. it grows near the Equator.
D. of its green color
Reading 6. There are severalthings that every defensive driver should learn. To begin with, the
defensive driver should learn to drive courteously. That is, he should always let the other person have
the right-of-way if there is any doubt. Also, the defensive driver should learn to anticipate, or guess,
what the other driver is going to do next. This gives him time to get his car into a safer position, if
necessary. Furthermore,every defensive driver should learn to give the proper signal before changing
directions, allowing enough time for other drivers to react to it. Lastly, every defensive driver should
learn to keep a safe distance between his car and the car ahead.
A defensive driver is
A. courteous
B. an aggressive driver
C. a slow driver

7. D. a night driver
The motto of the defensive driver should be:
A. If you drink, don’t drive.
B. A safe driver is a relaxed driver.
C. Safe driving does not just happen; you have to work at it.
D. When in doubt, give the other person the right-of-way.
A defensive driver
A. should learn to anticipate the actions ofothers
B. should maintain a steady speed at all times
C. never stops to pick up hitchhikers
D. always checks the tires for air pressure
Reading 7. It seems that everyone you meet these days knows something about astrology. Go to a
party nowadays and chances are that the first stranger you meet will ask you, “What’s your sign?”
This question comes even before,“What is your name?” The stranger means, of course, “What sign of
the zodiac are you born under?” You would answer “Virgo” or “Pisces” or whatever your sign is. But
astrology is nothing new. It has been around for thousands of years. In the Orient, it has long been a
part of religion and daily life.
Which sentence expresses the main idea of the paragraph?
A. Go to a party nowadays and chances are that the first stranger you meet will ask you, “What’s
your sign?”
B. It has been around for thousands of years.
C. C. It seems that everyone you meet these days knows something about astrology.
D. In the Orient, it has long been a part of religion and daily life.
The author is most interested in
A. the newness of astrology
B. the widespread interest in astrology
C. the ancient forms of astrology
D. the magic of astrology
This paragraph could be titled
A. What’s in a Star?
B. Magic in its Many Forms
C. Parties
D. Religion of the Orient

8. Reading 8. A diary is a daily personal record. In it the writer is free to record anything at all. This
may include events, comments, ideas, reading notes, or any subject on one’s mind. Diaries may be
kept for various purposes – to record the experiences of one’s life so as not to forget them, to record
ideas that might prove useful, or simply to express oneself through the medium of the printed word.
In past centuries people in public life often kept diaries. These have become valuable sources of fact
and interpretation for later historians. The private candid observations set down in these personal
journals often provide truer pictures of an age than do records or other books, which may have been
censored during that time. For the most part, these diaries were never intended to be read by others.
The entries were made simply as aids to memory or as a form of relaxation.
In modern times, however,politicians and other people realize that their diaries will likely be read by
historians or, in published form, by the public. Thus, they may make entries with these readers in
mind. As a result, their diaries may lose the confidential, intimate nature of the older ones. On the
other hand, their entries may tend to be completer and more self-explanatory.
The most famous diary ever written in English was that kept by Samuel Pepys. A civilian official of
the British army, Pepys made regular entries between 1660 and 1669. His diary starts at the beginning
of the Restoration period in English history and describes many of the court intrigues and scandals of
his day. The diary reveals Pepys as a man with many human weaknesses but one who was honest with
himself. He wrote his entries in a combined code and shorthand that was not solved until more than
100 years after his death. The most famous diary of the 20th century was published with the simple
title Diary of a Young Girl. It was more commonly known as The Diary of Anne Frank. Anne was a
young Jewish girl whose diary records the two years her family spent in hiding, mostly in the
Netherlands, trying to escape the Nazi persecutors of the Jews. She and her family were finally caught
in August 1944. She was imprisoned and died at a concentration camp in Germany in March 1945.
A diary is
A. a report on world events
B. a daily personal record
C. a documentary
The most famous diary ever written in English was kept by
A. Samuel Johnson
B. Samuel Pepys
C. Anne Frank
Diary of a Young Girl was written
A. during the civil war
B. in the 1940s
C. during the 19th century

9. Anne Frank’s diary describes
A. the years her family spent hiding from the Nazis
B. a German concentration camps
C. the life of an average young girl
Diaries of the past may give a truer picture of an age than published books because
A. diaries are uncensored
B. published books give only one point of view
C. amateur writers were more thorough than professional writers
Today’s diarists may not be as confidential as those in the past because
A. they expectthat their diaries will be read by others
B. they have more secrets to hide
C. people today are harsher critics
You may conclude from the article that Samuel Pepys wrote his diary in code and shorthand because
A. he was fond of mysteries
B. he did not want his diary to be read by the wrong people
C. he could not write in proper English
It is probable that most people keep diaries in order to
A. become famous
B. keep personal records
C. practice their writing skills
Reading 9. Students are responsible for familiarising themselves with the University Code of Student
Conduct, as on enrollment with the University the student has placed themselves under the policies
and regulations of the University and all of its duly constituted bodies. Disciplinary authority is
exercised through the Student Conduct Committee. The Committee has procedures in place for
hearing allegations of misconduct. Copies of the student conduct code are available at the Student
Services Office.
Academic dishonesty is never condoned by the University. This includes cheating and plagiarism,
which violate the Student Conduct Code and could result in expulsion or failing the course.
Cheating includes but is not limited to obtaining or giving unauthorized help during an examination,
getting unauthorized information about the contents of an examination before it is administered, using
unauthorised sources of information during an examination, altering or falsifying the record of any
grades, altering or supplying answers after an examination has been handed in, falsifying any official
University record,and misrepresenting the facts to get exemptions from or extensions to course
requirements.

10. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to submitting any paper or other document, to satisfy an
academic requirement, which has been copied either in whole or in part from someone else’s work
without identifying that person; failing to identify as a quotation a documented idea that has not been
thoroughly assimilated into the student's language and style, or paraphrasing a passage so closely that
the reader could be misled as to the source; submitting the same written or oral material in different
courses without obtaining authorization from the lecturers involved; or 'dry-labbing', which includes
obtaining and using experimental data from fellow students without the express consent of the
lecturer, utilizing experimental data and laboratory write-ups from other parts of the course or from
previous terms during which the course was conducted, and fabricating data to fit the expected results.
The Student Services Office familiarizes students with the student code.
A. True
B. False
C. Not Given
Cheats will automatically be expelled because their behavior cannot be condoned.
A. True
B. False
C. Not Given
The text lists all activities that are considered to be cheating.
A. True
B. False
C. Not Given
According to the text, cheating is a more serious offence than plagiarism.
A. True
B. False
C. Not Given
It is never acceptable to paraphrase closely.
A. True
B. False
C. Not Given
Students can submit the same work in different courses as long as they ask their lecturer and it is not
their own
A. True
B. False
C. Not Given

11. If students want to use other students' laboratory data, they must ask them and the lecturer first.
A. True
B. False
C. Not Given
Data must fit the expected results.
A. True
B. False
C. Not Given