Tutor sample tests_eu

SAMPLE TESTS
FOR EUROPEAN UNION
RECRUITMENT COMPETITIONS

2 /3
TABLE OF CONTENS
SAMPLE TESTS
FOR EUROPEAN UNION
RECRUITMENT COMPETITIONS
PROJECT SUPERVISOR: BC. RADEK STAVINOHA
AUTHORS:
NUMERICAL REASONING: ING. MICHAL KRUPÍK
VERBAL REASONING: GUY BORG
EUROPEAN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION: ING. JOSEF ABRHÁM, ING. MARTIN BAKULE, ING. RADKA BICANOVÁ,
ING.ADÉLA KROUŽKOVÁ, ING. ZUZANA NOVOTNÁ
TRANSLATION:
NUMERICAL REASONING: MGR.TOMÁŠ JACKO
PROOFREADING: GUY BORG
©TUTOR, S.R.O. 2003
COVER DESIGN: MARTIN VÁCHA - STUDIO DETAIL
COVER PHOTO: ČTK
GRAFIC DESIGN: SEL@
TABLE OF CONTENS
NUMERICAL REASONING 5
TEST N1 6
TEST N1 - KEY: 14
TEST N2 18
TEST N2 - KEY: 26
TEST N3 30
TEST N3 - KEY: 38
TEST N4 42
TEST N4 - KEY: 50
VERBAL REASONING 55
TEST V1 56
TEST V1 - ANSWER KEY: 66
TEST V2 72
TEST V2 - ANSWER KEY: 82
EUROPEAN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 89
TEST A1 90
TEST A1 - KEY: 100
TEST A2 108
TEST A2 - KEY: 118
TEST A3 126
TEST A3 - KEY: 136
TEST A4 146
TEST A4 - KEY: 156
TEST A5 BASICS 164
TEST A5 BASICS - KEY: 172

4 /5
NUMERICAL REASONING
N1 - N4 TESTS

NUMERICAL REASONING
6
TEST N1
/7
TEST N1
1. In which year did the proportion of households with access to the Internet out
of all the households with home computer increase the most in relative terms
as against the previous year the statistics were taken?
a) 1995
b) 1998
c) 2000
d) in 1996 and 1998 by the same rate
2. Assuming the TV license was €6 and the radio license €3 in years 1994-2000,
which year brought the highest sum collected for TV and radio licences in
households if the change in number of households is negligible? N.B.: If there
are more than 1 television or 1 radio in a household, TV or radio license is paid
just for one piece.
a) 1994
b) 1996
c) 1998
d) 2000
3. Assuming there are 10 million households in country X and 2% of households
that own a registered radio did not pay radio license in 1998, how much
money did the government fail to collect? N.B.: the statistics above is based on
numbers of registered radios.
a) €510,000
b) €540,000
c) €570,000
d) €600,000
4. In which year did the percentage of households owning a particular consumer
durable rise the most in absolute terms with respect to the previous year the
statistics were taken?
a) 1996
b) 1998
c) 2000
d) in 1996 and 1998 by the same rate
5. Assuming 40% of all households have both a CD player and a home computer
in 2000, how many per cent of households in total have only a computer or only
a CD player in 2000?
a) 50%
b) 62%
c) 78%
d) 90%
radio 98 97 95 98 0 9
CD player 50 60 70 80
home comp 24 36 40 50
access to in 4 12 30 40
16,67% 33,33% 75,00% 80,00% 200,00% 225,00%
Selected consumer durables in households, country X
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
percent
television 97 98 99 98
radio 98 97 95 98
CD player 50 60 70 80
home computer 24 36 40 50
access to internet
at home
4 12 30 40
1994 1996 1998 2000

NUMERICAL REASONING
8
TEST N1
/9
6. Extraction of which mineral shows the widest profit margin? (The profit
margin is profit as a percentage of turnover)
a) iron ore
b) copper
c) silver
d) tin
7. How much profit in Euros is made from iron ore in country X in 2000? (Profit
is the difference between turnover and production costs)
a) €8 million
b) €80 million
c) €12 million
d) €120 million
8. Assuming that the income from copper and tin goes down by 10%, what will
be the total decrease in the profit made on copper and tin?
a) €18 million
b) €36 million
c) €44 million
d) €144 million
9. If the profit margin for iron ore extraction falls to a half, with costs and the
volume of production remaining the same, how much is the profit?
a) €12 million
b) €24million
c) €40 million
d) €160 million
Drug Consumption: percentage of young people who had used
selected drug at least once in the year 2000, country X
Age Group 16-19 20-24
Cannabis 28 26
Amphetamine 9 10
Ecstasy 4 6
Poppers 4 5
Magic mushrooms 4 3
Cocaine 3 5
LSD 2 3
Any drug 31 28
10. If there are 2 million people at the age of 16-19, and 2.5 million people at the age
of 20-24, how many people at the age of 16-24 took a drug in 2000 altogether?
a) 1,205,000
b) 1,370,000
c) 12,050,000
d) 13,200,000
11. Use of which drug changes the most in relative terms when the two age groups
are compared?
a) cannabis
b) ecstasy
c) cocaine
d) LSD
12. What percentage of people aged 16-19 used a drug but did not use ecstasy in
2000?
a) less than 5%
b) 27%
c) 50%
d) 96%
Extraction of selected minerals in country X, 2000
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
Extraction in thousands of
tonnes
400 300 200 300
Production costs per tonne in
euro
300 200 500 400
Turnover per tonne in euro 500 300 1500 900
Iron ore Copper Silver Tin

NUMERICAL REASONING
10
TEST N1
/11
13. What percentage of people work in the secondary sector in Geelkite and
Leegenfort?
a) 20%
b) 25%
c) 33%
d) 42%
14. The unemployment rate in Roezengine in 2001 was 10%.The government
launched a programme that helped 40,000 people from this region to find
a job. How many people stayed jobless?
a) 220,000
b) 260,000
c) 300,000
d) 340,000
15. Assuming Korwatoo and Roezengine became administratively united in
2001, what is the difference between the percentage of people employed
in the tertiary sector in this new region and in the former region of
Korwaltoo?
a) 5%
b) 10%
c) 15%
d) 20%
16. How many more people work in the secondary sector than in the primary
sector, in Volkish and Leegenfort combined?
a) 600,000
b) 650,000
c) 1,050,000
d) 1,700,000
17. Supposing the average percentage of workforce in the tertiary sector in
country X is 60%, which region(s) is/are below this average?
a) Geelkite and Korwatoo
b) Geelkite and Leegenfor
c) Korwatoo and Leegenfor
d) Korwato only
Leegenfort 2050 1300 250 0,569444
Roezengine 1900 600 200 0,703704
Volkish 2100 800 150 0,688525
Workforce by sectors in selected regions of country X in
thousands, 2001
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
primary 300 400 250 200 150
secondary 1400 1000 1300 600 800
tertiary 2800 1400 2050 1900 2100
Geelkite Korwatoo Leegenfort Roezengine Volkish

NUMERICAL REASONING
12
TEST N1
/13
18. Approximately how many more semi-detached and terraced houses with
residents are there in all the three regions altogether than in detached houses
with residents?
a) 700,000
b) 900,000
c) 950,000
d) 2,300,000
Terraced 23
Flat maisonette o 22
Other 5
All household spaces by types in country X, 2001
20%
30%
23%
22%
5%
Detached
semi-detached
Terraced
Flat maisonette or
apartment
Other
Household spaces in selected regions of country X, 2001
10
500
20
45
1 000
30
50
15
1 200
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
second
residence/holiday
accommodation
vacant
withnoresidents
with
residents
thousands
Boltstad
Sternwald
Walterbern
All household spaces in country X in 2001
Detached 20
semi-detached 30
Terraced 23
Flat maisonette o 22
Other 5
All household spaces with residents by types in these
regions, 2001
20%
30%
23%
22%
5%
Detached
semi-detached
Terraced
Flat maisonette or
apartment
Other
Household spaces in selected regions of country X, 2001
10
500
20
45
1 000
30
50
15
1 200
0 200 400 600 800 100
0
120
0
140
0
second
residence/holiday
accommodation
vacant
withnoresidents
with
residents
thousands
Boltstad
Sternwald
Walterbern
19. In which region is the proportion of household spaces with no residents less
than 1:20?
a) Boltstad
b) Sternwald
c) Walterbern
d) nowhere
20. How many household places are there in total in all the three regions?
a) 2,530,000
b) 2,700,000
c) 2,870,000
d) 3,000,000

NUMERICAL REASONING
14 /15
TEST N1 - KEY
Test N1 - KEY:
1. b)
In 1994, 30% of households owned a home computer, 5% had access to the Internet at
home. We can say that 4/24 = 1/6 of households owing a home computer also had access
to the Internet at home. In 1996 (and 1998 and 2000) 1/3 (3/4 and 4/5 respectively) of
households owing a home computer had also access to the Internet at home.
Compared to the previous year, the proportion of households with a home computer and
households with access to the Internet doubled in 1996 (from 1/6 to 1/3 = 2/6). In 1998,
the proportion more than doubled (from 1/3 to 3/4), and in 2000, it did not double (from
3/4 to 4/5). Therefore, the biggest increase compared to the previous year occurred in
the year 1998.
2. d)
The years 1994 and 1996 can be excluded straight away, because the sum collected for TV
and radio licences was definitely the highest in 2000 as the number of households owning
both television and radio was higher there than in 1994 and 1996.
In 1998, 1% more households than in 2000 paid for TV licence, but 3% fewer
households than in 2000 paid for radio licence.
Generally, the sum of money collected for TV and radio licences was lower in 1998
than in 2000.
If the method described above seems difficult to the reader, he/she can follow a clearer
but more difficult way of multiplying the percentage from the table, for both years that
are being compared, by €3 for radio and by €6 for television. In this way, we get the
sum in Euros collected from 100 households for radio and television, respectively. Then
we compare the results.
1998: €6 × 99 + €3 × 95 = €594 + €285 = €879
2000: €6 × 98 + €3 × 98 = €9 × 98 = 980 - 98 = €882
3. c)
In 1998, 9.5 million households (95% out of 10 million) owned a registered radio
and 28.5 million of Euros were to be collected from them. However, 2 % of these
households did not pay, so the state lost 2% out of €28.5 million, which is €570
thousand ( 2×285,000 Euro).
4. b)
We can see that the greatest changes occured in the number of households with access
to the Internet. Between 1996 and 1998, 18% of population got access to the Internet
at home, which is the biggest noticeable change in the table.
5. a)
If 80% of households own a CD player and 40% of households own both a CD player
and a home computer, then 40% of households own only a CD player.
If 50% of households own a home computer and 40% of households own both a CD
player and a home computer, then 10% of households own only a home computer.
Altogether 50% of households own only a home computer or only a CD player.
6. c)
We calculate the profit for each mineral as turnover minus production costs, then we
get the marginal profit as the quotient of this number and the overall profit. The highest
quotient appears with silver, where the marginal cost is 1,000 : 1,500 = 2 : 3.
7. b)
We calculate the profit for iron ore in thousands of Euros as (turnover per tonne
– production cost per tonne) × extraction in thousand tonnes.
(500 – 300) × 400 = €80,000 thousand = €80 million
8. b)
We calculate the profit for copper and tin as in the previous exercise:
Copper: (300 – 200) × 300 = €30,000 thousand
Tin: (900 – 400) × 300 = €150,000 thousand
Tin + copper: €180,000 = €180 million
If the income goes down by 10%, the total decrease in the profit will be €18 million.
9. b)
The profit margin for iron ore is 2/5. In 2001, the profit margin is to fall to a half, which
means to 1/5. In 2001, unaltered costs (€300 per tonne) represent 4/5 of the turnover.
Therefore, the turnover must amount to €360 (300 × 5/4). From this we calculate the profit
€60 per tonne (360 - 300), which is €24,000 thousand (60 × 400) in total production.
10. b)
31% out of 2 million people at the age of 16–19 who took a drug in 2000 represent
exactly 620 thousand people (2 million × 0.31= 200,000 × 3.1 = 620,000). 28% out of
2.5 million people at the age of 20–24 who took a drug in the previous year represent
a little fewer than 750 thousand people (2.5 million × 0.28 is a little fewer than 2.5
million × 0.3 = 250,000 × 3 = 750,000). Therefore, the sum is almost 1,370,000, the
correct answer is b).

NUMERICAL REASONING
16 /17
TEST N1 - KEY
11. c)
In order to be able to compare effectively the relative change in the numbers of given
drug users in these two groups, we will always take “the bigger number over the lower
number”, which means that the values of the fractions always be higher than 1. Of
course, we could compare the inverse rate as well. From the given fractions the highest
one obviously relatest to cocaine: 5/3. The second biggest proportions are shown by
ecstasy and LSD, 2/3. The others are clearly lower.
12. b)
In 2000, 4% of people took ecstasy and 31% of people at the age of 16 –19 took some
drug in general. Therefore, another drug was taken by 31% – 4% = 27% of people.
13. c)
Altogether 8.1 million people work in these two regions, from which 2.7 million people
work in the secondary sector, which is 1/3; ie approximately 33%.
14. b)
If the unemployment rate reaches 10%, then 2.7 million people employed in Rozengine
in all three sectors represent altogether 90% of all working population. Therefore, there
are 9 times more employed people than unemployed ones (because 90% is 9 times more
than 10%). Thus there are 300,000 unemployed people (2.7 million : 9).
If 40,000 people found work, there would stay 260,000 people without work in Rozengine.
15. b)
There were 1.4 million people employed in the tertiary sector in Korwatoo out of total
2.8 million, which is 50%.
In the newly formed region, 3.3 million people work in the tertiary sector out of total 5.5
million, which is 60% of population (3.3/5.5 = 3/5, ie 60%). Thus, the difference is 10%.
16. d)
In these two regions, 2.1 million people work in the secondary sector and 0.4 million
people work in the primary sector; therefore the difference is 1.7 million people.
17. c)
By dividing the number of workers in the tertiary sector by the total number of workers
in each sector, we find out that less than 60% of workforce are employed in this sector
only in Korwatoo (50%) and Leegenfort (57%).
18. b)
There are 2.7 million households with residents altogether in the three regions.
53% represent households in semi-detached or detached houses, 20% represent
housholds in detached houses. Thus, the difference is 33%, which is approximately
1/3 of all households. The difference expressed in the number of households is 1/3 ×
2,700,000 = 900,000 households.
19. c)
The number of household spaces with no residents is 80, 75 and 25 thousand in
Boltstad, Sternwald and Walternbern, respectively. If these numbers were to represent
1/20 or less from the total number of household spaces, then there should be altogether
at least 20 times more household spaces, which is 1,600,000; 1,500,000; 500,000.
There are altogether 525,000 of these in Walterbern, in other regions there are fewer
household spaces than it is required by the theoretical minimum.
20. c)
By adding the number of all households, either with or without residents, we get the
result 2,870,000.

NUMERICAL REASONING
18
TEST N2
/19
TEST N2
Population Statistics - 2000
Country
Area
(sq km)
Population
(thousand)
Annual
births
(per 1,000
population)
Annual
deaths
(per 1,000
population)
Eligible to
vote
(per cent)
A 64,000 6,000 11.4 10.0 71
B 220,000 17,000 12.4 11.8 69
C 125,000 13,000 11.7 10.7 68
D 235,000 20,000 12.8 12.6 73
1. Which country has the lowest population per square km?
a) country A
b) country B
c) country C
d) country D
2. Approximately how many people were born in country D in 2000?
a) 2,560
b) 256,000
c) 512,000
d) 2,560,000
3. Approximately how many people in country A are eligible to vote?
a) 420,000
b) 560,000
c) 4,200,000
d) 5,600,000
4. Which country was growing in population by the largest number of people in
2000, ignoring immigration/emigration?
a) country A
b) country B
c) country C
d) country D
5. Assuming that only 53% of people eligible to vote turned out in country C,
approximately how many voters participated in voting?
a) 3,500,000
b) 4,500,000
c) 5,500,000
d) 6,500,000
6. Which of the selected commodity groups underwent the greatest relative
change between 1998 and 2002 as concerns the proportion of average
consumer spending?
a) food
b) alcoholic drinks
c) tobacco
d) transport
7. Assuming average expenditure on alcoholic drinks and tobacco per year was
€890, €730 and €500 in 1998, 2000 and 2002 respectively, how high was the
lowest spending on alcoholic drinks in these years?
a) €30
b) €300
c) €333
d) €470
Tobacco 7 5 4
Housing 10 11 13
Transport 8 10 12
Consumer spending on selected commodities in country X
in per cent, 1998-2002
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
percent
Food 17 18 15
Alcoholic drinks 8 9 6
Tobacco 7 5 4
Housing 10 11 13
Transport 8 10 12
1998 2000 2002

NUMERICAL REASONING
20
TEST N2
/21
8. Given an average salary went down by 15% and the average price of
commodities necessary for transport and vehicles stayed at a steady level in
1998-2002, consumers’ demand for these commodities
a) went up
b) went down
c) stayed unchanged
d) cannot be determined
Supply of milk in countries A and B, 2001
(million litres)
domestic
production
of which
exported
imported
Country A 14.5 0.8 1.3
Country B 9.2 0.4 1.2
9. What is the ratio between the amount of milk supplied to domestic markets in
country A and in country B?
a) 2:3
b) 3:2
c) 1:4
d) 4:1
10. How much milk is utilised for manufacture of condensed milk, butter and
cheese in country B?
a) 1.8 m litres
b) 3.5 m litres
c) 3.8 m litres
d) 5.7 m litres
11. Which of the two countries exports more than 5% of its milk production?
a) country A
b) country B
c) both
d) none
12. How much more milk is used for manufacture than for liquid consumption in
country A?
a) 1.45 million litres
b) 1.5 million litres
c) 2.9 million litres
d) 3 million litres
Domestic use
Manufacture
Liquid consumptiCondensed milButter Milk powdeCheese Other use
Country A 40 4 6 20 25 5
Country B 45 1 4 13 33 4
Milk use in country A
40%
4%6%20%
25%
5%
Liquid consumption Condensed milk
Butter Milk powder
Cheese Other use
Milk use in country B
45%
1%4%13%
33%
4%
Butter Milk powder
Cheese Other use
Domestic use
Manufacture
Liquid consumptiCondensed milButter Milk powdeCheese Other use
Country A 40 4 6 20 25 5
Country B 45 1 4 13 33 4
Milk use in country A
40%
4%6%20%
25%
5%
Butter Milk powder
Cheese Other use
Milk use in country B
45%
1%4%13%
33%
4%
Butter Milk powder
Cheese Other use

NUMERICAL REASONING
22
TEST N2
/23
13. How much profit did Moltavan make on arable farming, cattle farming and
horticulture?
a) €8 million
b) €14 million
c) €72 million
d) €86 million
14. All figures remain the same for the year 2002, except that the profit per
kilogram of horticultural production in Luthenstad doubles and the
production increases by 25%. How much will the turnover (costs plus profits)
from arable farming, cattle farming and horticulture in Luthenstad increase?
a) €48 million
b) €78 million
c) €108 million
d) €138 million
15. Which of the three regions achieved the largest turnover from arable farming
in 2001? Two regions may reach the same profit.
a) Kolvia
b) Luthenstad
c) Moltavan
d) Kolvia and Moltavan
Profit in country X, 2001
0
1
2
3
4
5
eurosper10kilograms
Kolvia 2 1 1
Luthenstad 1 1 4
Moltavan 2 2 4
Arable
farming
Cattle farming Horticulture
Production costs in country X,2001
0
1
2
3
4
5
eurosper10kilograms
Kolvia 2 2 4
Luthenstad 4 2 2
Moltavan 2 1 2
Arable
farming
Production
0
50
100
150
200
250
thousandtonnes
Kolvia 240 120 200
Luthenstad 80 60 120
Moltavan 160 40 800
Arable
farming
0
1
2
3
4
5
eurosper10kilograms
Kolvia 2 1 1
Luthenstad 1 1 4
Moltavan 2 2 4
Arable
farming
0
1
2
3
4
5
eurosper10kilograms
Kolvia 2 2 4
Luthenstad 4 2 2
Moltavan 2 1 2
Arable
farming
Production
0
50
100
150
200
250
thousandtonnes
Kolvia 240 120 200
Moltavan 160 40 800
Arable
farming
0
1
2
3
4
5
eurosper10kilograms
Kolvia 2 1 1
Luthenstad 1 1 4
Moltavan 2 2 4
Arable
farming
0
1
2
3
4
5
eurosper10kilograms
Kolvia 2 2 4
Luthenstad 4 2 2
Moltavan 2 1 2
Arable
farming
Production
0
50
100
150
200
250
thousandtonnes
Kolvia 240 120 200
Moltavan 160 40 800
Arable
farming

NUMERICAL REASONING
24
TEST N2
/25
Production and export of wheat, 2002
tonnes
production of which exported
Lavagne 130 80
Laroix 40 30
Tolonie 150 120
Bolondie 70 40
16. Which region is the greatest producer of cereals?
a) Lavagne
b) Laroix
c) Tolonie
d) Bolondie
17. How much barley in tonnes was reaped in Bolondie?
a) 8
b) 14
c) 35
d) 140
18. Which region exports the greatest part of its wheat production?
a) Lavagne
b) Laroix
c) Tolonie
d) Bolondie
19. What percentage of cereal production would corn have taken in Laroix in
2003 in case that its production had doubled? Production of all other cereals
remained unchanged.
a) 30%
b) 40%
c) 50%
d) 60%
20. What ratio of wheat produced in all 4 regions is grown for domestic markets?
a) 1:3
b) 4:13
c) 9:13
d) 9:22
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Production of cereals in country X, 2002
wheat 60% 33% 75% 40%
barley 13% 35% 12% 20%
corn 18% 25% 10% 35%
other 9% 7% 3% 5%
Lavagne Laroix Tolonie Bolondie

NUMERICAL REASONING
26 /27
TEST N2 - KEY
Test N2 - KEY:
1. b)
Country A, country C and country D reach values from 1/12 to 1/9 in the number of
inhabitants per sq kilometre.
Note: If we multiply the number of inhabitants by 9, we get the area that would be in
accordance with the density of population 1/9 inhabitants per sq km. Taking into consi-
deration that the real area of the given state is larger, the density has to be smaller. If we
then multiply the number of inhabitants by 12, we get the area that would correspond to
the density 1/12 of inhabitants per sq km. Taking into consideration that the real area of
the given state is smaller, the density has to be greater.
Only in country B, the density of population is smaller than 1/12. We calculate this
using the same method: multiplying the number of inhabitants by 12 we get the area
204 thousand sq km, which is less than the real 220 thousand sq km; therefore the real
density is definitely smaller.
2. b)
The population of country D is “20 thousand thousand” people, and there are 12.8
newborn babies in each thousand; thus the total number of newborn babies is
20.000 × 12.8 = 256.000.
3. c)
71% (rounded to 70%) out of the total population of 6 million is
0.7 × 6,000,000 = 7 × 600,000 = 4,200,000 people.
4. c)
We calculate the growth of population in each state as (annual births per 1,000 persons
– annual deaths per 1,000 persons) × population in thousands. The fastest growth of
population occured in country C (13,000 persons).
5. b)
53% of participating voters out of all 68% eligible to vote represent approximately
35% of total population (0.53 x 68%), which is, by a very rough estimation, 0.35 × 125
million = 3.5 × 12,500,000 = 4,550,000 voters.
6. d)
Spendings on transport underwent the greatest relative change. In 2002, an average
consumer spent on transport about a half bigger amount of money than in 1998. With
the others the change was not so striking. E.g. the second biggest change occured with
tobacco, which sank by about 3/7.
7. b)
If we use as a starting point the amount of money that was spent on alcoholic drinks
and tobacco by an average consumer in a given year, we can calculate the spending on
alcoholic drinks using the proportion of percentages of alcoholic drinks to alcoholic
drinks + tobacco.
In 1998, the spendings on alcoholic drinks represented 8/15 of spendings on both
alcoholic drinks and tobacco, factually €890 × 8/15, which is a little less than
€900 × 8/15 = €60 × 8 = €480.
In 1999, people spent a little more than €450 on alcoholic drinks (€730 × 9/14 is a little
more than €700 × 9/14 = €50 × 9 = €450) and in 2000, they spent €300 (€500 × 6/10).
Therefore the lowest amount of money spent is €300.
8. a)
Considering that the basis from which the consumer spendings were derived, ie an
average salary, went down by only about 15% while the spendings on transport went
up by about 50% between years 1998 and 2002, we can conclude that the spendings on
transport expressed in Euros went up.
9. b)
We calculate the amount of milk supplied to domestic markets in each country as
Domestic production – Export + Import. Thus it is 15 million litres in country A and 10
million litres in country B. Then the ratio is 3 : 2.
10. c)
The proportional portion of milk utilised for manufacture of condensed milk, cheese
and butter is 38% in country B, which is 3,800,000 litres out of total 10 million litres.
11. a)
5% of domestic production in country A is 14.5/20, which is definitely less than 0.8
million litres, and in country B it is 9.2/20, which is more than 0.4 million litres. Export
comprises more than 5% only in country A.
Another, perhaps a simpler solution, is to multiply the amount of export by 20 and thust
to find out the maximum limit of the overall production for which the export would
exceed 5%. It is 16 million litres for country A and 8 million litres for country B. Thus
only country A meets the requirements of the task.

NUMERICAL REASONING
28 /29
TEST N2 - KEY
12. d)
40% is intended for liquid consumption and remaining 60% is for other usage.
Therefore about 20% more milk is intended for liquid consumption, which is, in other
words, 0.2 × 15,000,000 = 3,000,000 litres
13. c)
We multiply the profit from the individual branches (in Euros per 10 kg) by the volume
of production (thousands tonnes) and add the results.
Reducing orders of magnitude: We divide the numbers from the table “Production” by
10 (the resulting values will not be thousands of tonnes = millions of kg, but millions of
“decakilograms”) so that the result of multiplying and adding the profits of individual
branches of agriculture will be in millions of Euros.
2 × 16 + 2 × 4 + 4 × 8 = €72 million
14. c)
The production of horticulture farming in Luthenstad increases by about 25%; thus the
result is 120 + 120/4 = 150 thousand tonnes, the profit doubles to 8 Euros per 10 kg,
the costs do not change. As we are interested only in the increase in the overall turnover
from the three branches of agriculture and as the profit in the other two branches does
not change, it is sufficient to calculate the increase in profit only in horticulture
farming.
Reducing orders of magnitude: similar as above: (8 + 2) × 15 – (4 + 2) × 12 = 150 – 72 =
= €72 million
15. a)
We get the turnover from arable farming in individual regions by multiplying the
turnover from 10 kg (profit + costs) by the volume of production.
Reducing orders of magnitude: similar as above. Because the resulting values of the
profit from arable farming in individual countries come out in the same orders of
magnitude (millions of Euros), it is not necessary to be concerned about the orders
(“zeros”); it is enough to compare the individual results.
Kolvia: (2 + 2) × 24 = 96
Luthenstad: (1 + 4) × 8 = 40
Moltavan: (2 + 2) × 16 = 64
16. a)
To solve this question we have to use the values of the production of wheat in tonnes
in each region, and also the proportional portion of the production of cereals that
is comprised by wheat in the given region. 130 tonnes of wheat, which is 60% of
the overall production, were produced in Lavagne. The overall production can be
determined by the following calculation: 130/0.6 = 10 × 130/6 ≅ 210 tonnes
The overall production of cereals is lower in the other regions (Laroix approximately
3 × 40 = 120 tonnes; Tolonie 150 × 4/3 = 200 tonnes; Bolondie 70 × 5/2 = 175 tonnes)
17. c)
The amount of barley reaped in Bolondie is 20% or 1/5 of the overall production of
cereals. If we use the overall production calculated in the previous exercise, then the
solution is as follows: 0.2 × 175 = 2 × 17.5 = 35 tonnes
We can also draw on the amount of produced wheat (70 tonnes) and on the fact that
barley represents 20% and wheat 40% of the production; therefore there is twice less
barley, ie 35 tonnes.
18. c)
Tolonie exports 120/150 = 4/5 of its production, which is more than 3/4 in Laroix, 8/13
in Lavagne and 4/7 in Bolondie.
19. b)
To solve this problem it is neither necessary to calculate the specific amount of produced
corn nor the total weight of produced cereals; we can solve this task generally. After the
double increase in production, corn represents 2 × 25 = 50 parts, the overall production
of cereals represents 125 parts, the proportional part of barley is then calculated as
50/125 = 0.4, ie 40%
20. b)
The overall production of wheat provided for domestic markets can be calculated
by adding up the productions of wheat in the individual regions (390 tonnes), then
we subtract the sum of exported wheat from the result (270 tonnes), and we get the
amount that has been grown for domestic markets (120 tonnes). Thus the desired ratio
is 120 : 390 = 4:13

NUMERICAL REASONING
30
TEST N3
/31
TEST N3
1. When did cows represent the highest proportion of cattle on all agricultural
holdings in Fartenza?
a) 1998
b) 1999
c) 2000
d) 2001
2. If milk yield of an average dairy cow is 8,000 litres per annum, how much more
milk was produced in Fartenza in years 1998-1999 than 2000-2001?
a) 120 thousand litres
b) 120 million litres
c) 200 thousand litres
d) 200 million litres
3. Between which years was the relative decrease in number of dairy cows
greater than the relative decrease of other cattle (i.e. other than dairy and beef
cows)?
a) only between 1998-1999
b) between 1998-1999 and 2000-2001
c) only between 2000-2001
d) never
4. If the net profit from a hectolitre of milk went up from €5 in 2000 to €6 in 2001
and all milk was sold, how did the net profit from entire milk production in
Fartenza change in 2001 compared to 2000?
a) it fell by €160,000
b) it fell by €1,600,000
c) it increased by €7,200,000
d) it fell by €7,200,000
5. Assuming the EU commenced to subsidize cattle farming in Fartenza by €0.5
per head per annum but set maximum subsidy of €200,000 per annum. How
much subsidy did Farentza obtain in years 1998-2001 altogether?
a) €600,000
b) €730,000
c) €745,000
d) €800,000
Cattle on agricultutral holdings in Fartenza,
1998-2001
90 85
40 40
300
235
70
90
30
55
200
350
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
1998 1999 2000 2 001
livestockinthousands
Beef cows Dairy cows Other cattle

NUMERICAL REASONING
32
TEST N3
/33
6. Did the total turnover from industrial gas sale exceed the turnover from
industrial electricity sale in country X in 2001?
a) yes
b) no, it was lower
c) no, it was equivalent
7. If the average cost of production and distribution of electricity to an industrial
consumer is €5 per MWh, which of the sectors brought the lowest profit from
electricity supply?
a) agricultural sector
b) commercial sector
c) transport sector
d) public lighting
8. How much would the turnover from industrial electricity consumed outside
the agricultural and transport sector increase if with the level of consumption
unaltered, the average selling value increased by 20%?
a) €8.4 million
b) €140 million
c) €840 million
d) €14 milliard
9. What is the ratio between electricity consumed by the commercial sector and
by the other industrial consumers altogether?
a) 3:1
b) 1:3
c) 7:15
d) 15:7
Public lighting 5 7
Public admin. and other services 20 7
110
3
75
7 5
20
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
x million MWh
Agricultural
sector
Commercial
sector
Transport
sector
Public
lighting
Public
admin.and
other
services
Gas Electricity
Industrial use of gas and electricity in country X, 2002
10
9
7
6
7 7
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Euros per MWh
Agricultural
sector
Commercial
sector
Transport
sector
Public
lighting
Public
admin.and
other
services
Gas Electricity
Average selling value of electricity and gas for industrial use,
country X, 2002
Public admin. and other services 20 7
110
3
75
7 5
20
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
x million MWh
Agricultural
sector
Commercial
sector
Transport
sector
Public
lighting
Public
admin.and
other
services
Gas Electricity
Industrial use of gas and electricity in country X, 2002
10
9
7
6
7 7
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Euros per MWh
Agricultural
sector
Commercial
sector
Transport
sector
Public
lighting
Public
admin.and
other
services
Gas Electricity
Average selling value of electricity and gas for industrial use,
country X, 2002

NUMERICAL REASONING
34
TEST N3
/35
Marital status of males in country X, 2000
thousands
20-39 40-59 60 and over
Total 8 000 7 000 5 000
Single1
3 800 1 000 400
Married 3 700 5 000 3 500
Widowed 20 100 700
Divorced 480 900 400
1
Single men are those who have never married
10. In which age group is the number of males living in a marriage and outside
a marriage most balanced?
a) 20-39
b) 40-59
c) 60 and over
d) 40-59 and “60 and over” (they are equally balanced)
11. In 1980, the number of married males was 4.3 million and the number of
divorced or widowed males 0.7 million in age group 20-39. A negligible
percentage of them died by the age of 60. Approximately how many single men
from this age group got married in the following 20 years?
a) 0.7 million
b) 1 million
c) 1.7 million
d) impossible to say
12. In which age group(s) is the percentage of widowed or divorced males
combined more than 20%?
a) only in 20-39
b) only in 40-39
c) only in 60 and over
d) in 40-59 and 60 and over
Railway statistics in selected countries, 2000
Country
Length of railway
lines (thousand km)
of which: Electrified
lines (thousand km)
Railway density
(km per 1000 sq km)
A 60 25 30
B 30 9 50
C 15 6 20
D 9 3 18
Railway traffic in selected countries, 2000
Country
Passengers
(thousand)
Freight
(thousand tonnes)
A 900,000 60,000
B 600,000 50,000
C 250,000 25,000
D 180,000 15,000
13. In which country is the proportion of electrified lines highest?
a) country A
b) country B
c) country C
d) country D
14. Supposing the transport of freight in all the four countries rises by 20%, what
will be the increase in the amount of freight conveyed by railway in these
countries?
a) 30 thousand tonnes
b) 28 million tonnes
c) 30 million tonnes
d) 180 million tonnes
15. Supposing an average passenger journey was 50km, if the passenger fare
was €8 per 100km, how much was the approximate income from passenger
transport?
a) €180 million
b) €360 million
c) €720 million
d) €1,440 million

NUMERICAL REASONING
36
TEST N3
/37
16. Which country has the largest area?
a) country A
b) country B
c) country C
d) country D
17. Supposing the number of passengers fell by 10% in country B in 2001 and
length of rails did not alter, by how much did the number of passengers per km
of rail change?
a) rose by 2,000
b) fell by 2,000
c) rose by 20,000
d) fell by 20,000
18. If we consider the level of pollution in the three industrial regions altogether,
which of the selected pollutants contributes by the greatest proportion to its
total emission in country X?
a) particulate matter
b) sulphur dioxide
c) nitrogen oxides
19. Assuming the three regions carry out 30% of the entire volume of mining
and quarrying and 50% of the entire volume of all manufacturing in country
X, which of these two industries releases more nitrogen oxides per unit of
production than the national average?
a) both
b) only mining and quarrying
c) only manufacturing
d) neither
20. If the ecological cost of nitrogen oxides emission is estimated at €1000 per
tonne and of sulphur dioxide at €2000 per tonne, which region brings about
the highest ecological harm by these two gases?
a) Intala
b) Kostarna
c) Piolia
d) Kostarna and Piolia by the same rate
Air pollutants: emission of selected gases in foremost
industrial regions in country X, 2002
0
1000
2000
3000
thousandtonnes
Intala 100 200 700
Kostarna 70 300 800
Piolia 50 250 500
Country X in total 400 2000 3000
particulate matter sulphur dioxide nitrogen oxides
Emission of nitrogen oxides by selected industries
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
thousandtonnes
Intala 30 40 100 420 120
Kostarna 20 40 120 450 150
Piolia 20 30 70 100 160
Country X in total 400 300 600 1200 800
agriculture
mining &
quarrying
manufacturing
electricity
supply
road transport
Air pollutants: emission of selected gases in foremost
industrial regions in country X, 2002
0
1000
2000
3000
thousandtonnes
Intala 100 200 700
Kostarna 70 300 800
Piolia 50 250 500
Country X in total 400 2000 3000
particulate matter sulphur dioxide nitrogen oxides
Emission of nitrogen oxides by selected industries
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
thousandtonnes
Intala 30 40 100 420 120
Kostarna 20 40 120 450 150
Piolia 20 30 70 100 160
Country X in total 400 300 600 1200 800
agriculture
mining &
quarrying
manufacturing
electricity
supply
road transport

NUMERICAL REASONING
38 /39
TEST N3 - KEY
Test N3 - KEY:
1. c)
There were 125 thousand head of cattle in Fartenza in 2000 (beef cows + diary cows =
85,000 + 40,000) out of total amount of 360,000 head of cattle, so the ratio is 125,000
: 360,000 = 12.5 : 36, which is more than 1/3. As concerns the other year, the ratio
reached exactly 1/3 in 2001 and less than 1/3 in 1998 and 1999.
2. d)
There were 180 thousand diary cows in Fartenza between 1998 and 1999 and 155
thousand between 2000 and 2001, which is about 25 thousand fewer. If milk yield of
each diary cow was 8,000 litres per annum, then the production of milk between 1998
and 1999 was about 8,000 × 25,000 = 200 million litres higher than between 2000 and
2001.
3. b)
Between 1998 and 1999, the number of diary cows in Fartenza decreased by about 15/
55 = 3/11, the number of other cattle decreased less (about 1/7). The number of diary
cows did not change between 2000 and 2001, the number of other cattle decreased.
Between 2000 and 2001, the number of diary cows decreased by about 1/4, but the
number of other cattle decreased less. Thus, the number of diary cows decreased less
than the number of other cattle in the years 1998-1999 and 2000-2001.
4. b)
40,000 × 8,000 litres = 40,000 × 80 hectolitres = 3,200,000 hectolitres of milk were
sold in 2000 with the net profit €16,000,000 (5 × 3,200,000). 30,000 × 80 hectolitres
= 2,400,000 hectolitres of milk were sold in 2001 with the net profit €14,400,000
(2,400,000 × 6). Thus the general profit from milk decreased by about €1,600,000.
5. b)
The maximum subsidies €200,000 correspond to 400,000 head of cattle. In 1998 and
1999, more than 400,000 head of cattle were bred, so the subsidies for these two years
were €400,000 altogether. Then in 2000 and 2001, the number of cattle did not exceed
400,000 head so that the maximum subsidies were paid out, ie €180 thousand in 2000
and €150 thousand in 2001, altogether 400,000 + 180,000 + 150,000 = €730,000
thousand.
6. a)
The turnover of gas sale reached €1,100 million. The turnover of electricity sale for the
commercial sector, public lighting and public administrative and other services can be
easily calculated together as (75 + 5 + 20) × 7 million = 700 million.
The agricultural sector (27 million) and public lighting (35 million) bring together the
turnover of €62 million.
Therefore the final turnover of electricity sale is 762 million, which is less than that of
gas sale.
7. c)
It is necessary to compare only the profits from the agricultural sector, transport sector
and public lighting, the profits from the other sectors are obviously greater due to the
volume of supply.
The profit from one MWh is €1, €2 and € 4 in the transport sector, public lighting
and agricultural sector, respectively. If we multiply these values by the corresponding
volume of supply, we easily find out that the transport sector has brought the lowest
profit of €7 million.
8. b)
As the average selling price of electricity supplied to the commercial sector, public
lighting and public administration and other services changes identically (about 20%),
it is easier to multiply the amount of sold electricity (in millions MWh) only by the 0.2nd
multiple of the original selling value (so we find out 20% from this value), by which
we directly calculate the desired increase in turnover (in millions of Euros). What is
more, we can take the advantage of the fact that the selling price of electricity is the
same in all the three branches so that we can add the supplies (in millions of MWh)
before multiplying them by the price. These “intricacies” are shown in the following
mathematical expression as factorization of 0.2 × 75:
0.2 × 7 × 75 + 0.2 × 7 × 5 + 0.2 × 7 × 20 = 0.2 × 7 × (75 + 5 + 20) = 0.2 × 7 × 100 =
= €140 million
9. d)
Electricity consumed by the commercial sector is 75 MWh, while the consumption of
electricity in the other sectors altogether is 35 million MWh. Therefore the ratio desired
is 75 : 35 = 15 : 7

NUMERICAL REASONING
40 /41
TEST N3 - KEY
10. a)
The most balanced number of males living in a marriage and outside a marriage is
clearly in age group 20-39, with the ratio 37 : 43. In the other groups the ratios are 5 : 2
and 35 : 15
11. b)
In 1980 there were altogether 5 million (4.3 + 0.7) married, divorced and widowed men
in age group 20-39. After 20 years, when these men reached the age 40-59, there were
6 million of them. It means that 1 million men must have got married.
Deriving the result from the following reasoning is incorrect: number of men who got
married = number of married men in 2000 – number of married men in 1980 (ie 0.7
million)
This is because the married men from 1980 could get divorced or possibly become
widowers, and those who got married during those 20 years could get divorced or
become widowers before 2000.
12. c)
20% of the total number of men is 1.6 million, 1.5 million and 1 million in the given
age groups, respectively (we divide the total number by 5). The number of divorced or
widowed men exceeds the given 20% limit only in the case of men who are older than 60.
13. a)
The proportion of electrified lines to the length of all lines in country A was 5 : 12,
which is more than 40%. In the other countries the proportion was 3 : 10, 2 : 5 and 1 : 3,
which is obviously less.
14. c)
In 2000, 150,000 thousand tonnes, which is 150 million tonnes, were conveyed in all
the four countries altogether. 30% from this is 30 million tonnes.
15. c)
180 million passengers were transported by the railway and they paid €4 (a half from
€8 per 100 km) for an average journey of 50 km. Thus the turnover from the passenger
service was €720 million (4 × 180 million).
16. a)
If we divide the length of railway lines in thousands of km by the value of railway
density in km of rails per 10 sq km, we get the area of the state in ten thousands sq km.
Country A has obviously the largest area.
17. b)
The 10% decrease in the number of passengers corresponds to the decrease by 60
million (0.1 × 600 million). If the length of the rails remains 30 thousand km, then the
decrease in the number of passengers per 1 km of rail is 2,000 passengers per 1 km
(60 million/30 thousand).
18. c)
Nitrogen oxides represent the greatest proportion to the total emission in country X,
exactly 2/3, which we calculate by adding the emissions of nitrogen oxides in the
individual regions (700 + 800 + 500 = 2,000 thousand tonnes) and by comparing this
with the total emissions in the country (3,000 thousand tonnes).
The other two gases show lower proportionate volume (220 : 400 = 11 : 20 in particulate
matter and 750 : 2,000 in sulphur dioxide, which is apparently less than a half).
19. b
Mining and quarrying release 110 thousand tonnes of nitrogen oxides (40 + 40 + 30) in
the three selected regions, which is definitely more than 30% of the total emission from
this process in the country X, ie the pollution exceeds the national average in relation
to the volume of production.
290 tonnes of nitrogen oxides are produced by manufacture, which is less than 50% of
the total emission from this process in the country X, ie the pollution is lower than the
national average in relation to the volume of production.
20. b
The highest ecological harm expressed in the of its disposal is caused by Costarna (1 ×
8 + 2 × 3 = 14), smaller is caused by Intala (1 × 7 + 2 × 2 =11) and the smallest is caused
by Piolia (1 × 5 + 2 × 2.5 = 10).
Reducing orders of magnitude: As we compare the quantity of the final values of
ecological harm and we do not need to know their exact quantity (“how many zeros
there are”), we can cancel an accurately given number of orders of magnitude, which
means eg to count with the costs for disposal in thousands Euros (as 1 or 2 Euros per
tonne) and to compute the volume of pollution in hundreds of thousands tonnes, as is
shown in the brackets above.

NUMERICAL REASONING
42
TEST N4
/43
TEST N4
*/ hens and pullets kept mainly for producing eggs for eating.
1. On average, how many kilograms of chicken meat were gained per head in the
years 1998-2001?
a) 1,2
b) 1,5
c) 1,7
d) 1,9
2. In which year was the greatest proportion of chickens in country X sent for
slaughter?
a) 1998
b) 1999
c) 2000
d) 2001
3. Assuming the EU took measures at the end of 2001 to cut turkey, duck and
goose farming to 4 million head by the end of 2004, by how many head do
duck, turkey and goose flocks have to be reduced every year if the rate is to
remain constant?
a) 1 million
b) 2 million
c) 3 million
d) 4 million
4. If the average of a bird in the laying flock is 300 eggs a year, approximately
how many more eggs were produced in 2000-2001 than in the previous two
years?
a) 3 milliard
b) 6 milliard
c) 9 milliard
d) 12 milliard
5. The figures in graph 1 show the number of chickens at the close of each year.
Assuming no live chickens were exported, in which year were most of the
chickens born or imported to country X?
a) 1999
b) 2000
c) 2001
Poultry in country X, 1998-2001
0
50 000
100 000
150 000
200 000
250 000
300 000
350 000
'000head
chickens 300 000 250 000 370 000 340 000
of which
slaughtered
200 000 180 000 240 000 230 000
birds in the laying
flock*
10 000 15 000 25 000 30 000
turkeys, ducks and
geese
15 000 18 000 13 000 10 000
1998 1999 2000 2001
Production of chicken meat
330
290
315
340
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
1998 1999 2000 2001
'000tonnesofcarcaseweight
Poultry in country X, 1998-2001
0
50 000
100 000
150 000
200 000
250 000
300 000
350 000
'000head
chickens 300 000 250 000 370 000 340 000
of which
slaughtered
200 000 180 000 240 000 230 000
birds in the laying
flock*
10 000 15 000 25 000 30 000
turkeys, ducks and
geese
15 000 18 000 13 000 10 000
1998 1999 2000 2001
Production of chicken meat
330
290
315
340
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
1998 1999 2000 2001
'000tonnesofcarcassweight

NUMERICAL REASONING
44
TEST N4
/45
Average trip length in country X
Walk Car Bus, Coach or Rail
1990 2 km 20 km 62 km
2000 1.5 km 25 km 70 km
6. How many more trips did an average person take in country X in 2000 than in
1990?
a) 35
b) 65
c) 85
d) 105
7. Assuming an average person travelled 26,000 kilometres in 2000, did the
distance travelled by car, bus, coach or rail make up more than two thirds?
a) yes
b) no, it was less
c) no, it’s exactly two thirds
8. By which mode did an average person travel longer distance in 1990 than an
average person in 2000? “Bus, coach or rail” is treated as one mode of travel
for the sake of this comparison.
a) walk
b) car
c) bus, coach or rail
d) none
9. How many more kilometres did an average person travel in car in 2000 than in
1990?
a) 400 km
b) 1, 400 km
c) 5, 000 km
d) 14, 000 km
Trips per person per year
680
50100
600
400
6590
380
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
Walk Car Bus, Coach or
Rail
Other Mode
1990
2000

NUMERICAL REASONING
46
TEST N4
/47
10. Which of the three minerals took up the greatest share on domestic markets
when total weight is considered?
a) salt
b) graphite
c) phosphate
d) salt and phosphate at the same rate
11. What was the balance of international trade with all these three minerals?
a) € 70,000
b) €270,000
c) €760,000
d) €1,360,000
12. Assuming that, in the following year, exports of phosphate went up by 5%, its
average export selling value went down by €5 per tonne and all other figures
remained unchanged, how did the balance of trade with phosphate change?
a) went down by €20,000
b) went up by €20,000
c) went down by €80,000
d) went up by €80,000
salt graphite phosphate
export 12 120 25
import 10 100 20
Supply of salt, granite and phosphate in country X, 2001
0
50
100
thousand tonnes
extraction 100 20 50
of which exported 80 10 20
imported 20 15 10
Average selling value in country X, 2001
0
50
100
euros per tonne
export 12 120 25
import 10 100 20
export 12 120 25
import 10 100 20
Supply of salt, granite and phosphate in country X, 2001
0
50
100
thousand tonnes
extraction 100 20 50
of which exported 80 10 20
imported 20 15 10
Average selling value in country X, 2001
0
50
100
euros per tonne
export 12 120 25
import 10 100 20

NUMERICAL REASONING
48
TEST N4
/49
Berry harvest in Piesnia, 1996-1999
1000kg per annum
1996 1997 1998 1999
Strawberries 260 200 320 210
Raspberries 200 170 140 280
Blackberries 90 60 80 100
Cranberries 100 70 20 80
13. Between which years did the harvest of any particular berry change the most
in absolute terms?
a) 1997 and 1998
b) 1997 and 1999
c) 1996 and 1997
d) 1998 and 1999
14. Assuming all berries are sold, if the profit from a kilogram of cranberries
is three times as high as that from a kilogram of strawberries, how did the
aggregate profit on these two kinds of berries develop between 1997 and 1998?
a) increases
b) decreases
c) stays the same
15. In which year was the biggest harvest for raspberries and blackberries combined?
a) 1996
b) 1997
c) 1998
d) 1999
16. What is the ratio between the total weight of blackberries and the total weight
of strawberries that were grown between 1996 – 1999?
a) 1:2
b) 1:3
c) 2:1
d) 3:1
17. Raspberries and cranberries are subsidised in Piesnia. For every 10kg
which are harvested, the farmers receive €1 subsidy. In which year did the
government paid out the greatest subsidies?
a) 1996
b) 1997
c) 1998
d) 1999
GDP And Balance of Trade In Country X, 2001
million Euros
Country A Country B Country C Country D
Gross Domestic
Product (GDP)
160,000 420,000 225,000 540,000
Value of Exports 21,000 112,000 68,000 152,000
Value of Imports 18,000 118,000 64,000 138,000
Population (million) 8 30 15 30
18. For country C, by how much do exports exceed imports?
a) €4,000 million
b) €40,000 million
c) €157,000 million
d) €161,000 million
19. Which country has the highest GDP per head of the population?
a) country A
b) country B
c) country C
d) country D
20. Which country is the biggest net exporter, measured as a percentage of GDP?
a) country A
b) country B
c) country C
d) country D

NUMERICAL REASONING
50 /51
TEST N4 - KEY
Test N4 - KEY:
1. b)
850 million chickens (sum of the line “of which slaughtered”) were supplied to the
market in the years 1998-2001, which is, according to the second graph, 1,275 thousand
tonnes (1,275 million kilogrames). Thus the average amount of meat gained from one
chicken is 1,275 : 850 = 1.5 kg/head.
2. b)
We compare the proportion of stanghtered and all chickens in each year. We get the
following fractions: 2/3 in 1998, 18/25 in 1999, 24/37 in 2000, and 23/34 in 2001. 24/
37 is clearly less than 2/3, and 18/25 is more than 2/3. Then we partially divide 18 by
25 and 23 by 34 and we see that 18/25 is ofreater.
3. b)
The numbers of turkeys, ducks and geese are to be cut from 10 million to 4 million
in the following 3 years, which means the difference is 6 million. So, the average
reduction rate per annum is 2 million head (6 million head/3 years).
4. c)
There were about 30 million birds in the laying flock more in the years 2000-2001 than
there were in the years 1998-1999. If each bird in the laying flock laid 300 eggs, then
9 milliard more eggs were laid.
5. b)
The number of chickens left at the close of each year in country X equals the number of
chickens in that year minus the number of the slaughtered ones.
Thus there were 70 million of them at the end of 1999. In 2000 there were altogether
370 million chickens in country X, which means 300 million must have been born or
imported during 2000.
These numbers are smaller in the years 1999 and 2001 (150 million and 210 million).
6. b)
By computing the difference between all trips taken in 2000 and 1990 we get the result
380-400+680-600+90-100+65-50 = -20+80-10+15 = 65
7. a)
The total distance travelled by an average person by bus, coach or rail in 2000 was
90 × 70 = 6,300 km; by travelling by car comprised 680 × 25 = 68,000 : 4 = 17,000 km.
The total 23,300 is definitely more than 2/3 out of 26,000.
8. a)
We can see very easily that the possibility of an average person travelling more km by
car in 1990 than in 2000 need not be considered, because the distance elongated and the
number of trips by car rose in 2000.
We can also see that an average person walked more in 1999 than he/she did in 2000,
because the number of roads lowered as well as the length of one trip.
However, we have to compute the figures concerning travelling by bus, coach or rail.
An average person travelled 100 × 62km = 6,200km by bus, coach or rail in 1990 and
90 × 70 km = 6,300 km in 2000.
9. c)
An average person travelled 17,000km (680 × 25) by car in 2000 and
600 × 20km = 12,000km in 1990. So, the difference is 5,000 km.
10. d)
We get the amount of each mineral designated for domestic markets as
extraction-export+import. 40 thousand tonnes (100-80+20) of salt, 25 thousand tonnes
of graphite and 40 thousand tonnes of phosphate were supplied to domestic markets.
Therefore salt and phosphate took up the greatest share on domestic markets.
11. c)
The balance of international trade with these three minerals is calculated as the value of
export minus the value of import. If we calculate with thousands of tonnes we have to
consider the result in thousands of Euros:
80×12+10×120 +20×25 -20×10-15×100 -10×20 =
= (80+100)×12 +20×25 -(20+150)×10 -10×20 =
= 2,160 +500 -1,700 -200 = €760 thousand

NUMERICAL REASONING
52 /53
TEST N4 - KEY
12. c)
Assuming that the volume and the average selling price per tonne did not change for
the export of phosphate between 2001 and 2002, it is enough to trace the changes in the
turnover from export.
The value of export of phosphate was €500 thousand (25×20,000) in 2001. It went up to
21 thousand tonnes (20+20/20) in 2001 and the average selling price went down to €20
per tonne (25-5). Therefore the value of export was €420 thousand (21×20) in 2002,
which is 80 thousand fall.
13. d)
Raspberries saw the greatest growth of harvest between 1998 and 1999 (about 140
tonnes). The greatest attainable difference between prognoses of production of the
other berries is 120 tonnes within strawberries (1997-1998), 40 tonnes within blackber-
ries (1997-1999) and 80 tonnes within cranberries (1996-1999).
14. b)
The production of cranberries went down by 50 tonnes and the production of straw-
berries went up by 120 tonnes between 1997 and 1998. Assuming the profit from
cranberries is three times as high as that from strawberries, then the 50 tonnes fall of
cranberries would balance the increase in the production of strawberries by 150 tonnes.
It is clear that the aggregate profit decreased on these two kinds of berries.
15. a)
The biggest harvest for raspberries and blackberries combined was in the year 1999
(380 tonnes). We get this result by comparing the sums of harvest values for these two
berries in the individual years.
16. b)
After adding the values from the relevant lines we get the number 330 tonnes for
blackberries and 990 tonnes for strawberries. Their ratio is 330 : 990 = 1 : 3.
17. d)
It is not necessary to compute the exact amount of Euros which the farmers get, it is enough
to find out in which year was the biggest harvest of raspberries and cranberries, because
this was the year the farmers were given the greatest subsidies. After adding the amount of
harvested raspberries and cranberries in the individual years, we easily calculate that the
greatest harvest of raspberries and cranberries combined was in 1999 (360 tonnes).
18. a)
By subtracting the value of export from import in the column “Country C” we get the
result in million Euros.
68,000-64,000 = €4,000 million
19. a)
Dividing the GDP by the value of “Population” (both in millions) for the individual
countries, we get the GDP per head for 2001. By comparing the results we can see that
the country A had the highest GDP per head (€20,000) in 2001 and the country D had
the second highest GDP (€18,000).
Reducing orders of magnitude: As we are comparing the amounts we can cancel zeros
when working with the numbers. Eg when calculating with GDP values we can cancel
3 zeros for all countries and we can compute only with values 160, 420, ...
20. d)
By subtracting the value of imports from the value of exports we get net export for
each country. By subsequent dividing the result by the relevant value of GDP we get
proportional part of the net export in the total GDP. Having compared the results we
can see that country D is the greatest exporter with more than 2% (= 14 : 5.4), because
countries A and B do not even reach 2% (3 : 1.6 for A and 4 : 2.25 for B) and country
C imports more than it exports.
Reducing orders of magnitude: For computing the proportional part we need to divide
the net export by GDP and we can cancel fractions. Eg we can divide the sums (in
million Euros) in country D as 3,000 : 160,000 but also as 3 : 160. To calculate the
result directly in percentage terms, we can divide the numbers as 3 : 1.6, too. Follow
the similar pattern with the other countries.

54 /55
VERBAL REASONING
V1 - V2 TESTS
There are two tests in this section. They are based on the Verbal Reasoning
part of the EU competition, and there are 25 questions in each. In the EU
competition itself, there are 20 questions.
Each question consists of a paragraph of text followed by four statements
(a, b, c, d) about the text. Only one of these statements is correct. Your task
is to identify this statement. At first glance, more than one of the statements
may appear to be true. Often, there are only subtle differences between
them – the addition or omission of a negative, for example, or the use of an
inappropriate conjunction. Sometimes, information is wrongly interpreted.
Be careful to check every word of the answer and double-check that
it corresponds to the information given in the text. If you are stuck on
a question, it may be helpful to work out the answer by a process of
elimination – if a, c, and d are not possible, the answer must be b.
The subject matter of the texts is various. It ranges from scientific and
historical information to the results of surveys, social and political affairs,
and biographical information about historical and cultural figures.

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TEST V1
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TEST V1
1. Most of us are aware that water is of vital importance to a healthy lifestyle and that
we should drink eight glasses a day. But the kind of water we drink should also be
taken into account. A new study shows that all waters are not the same. Bottled
water labelled Natural Mineral Water is said to be better than others, because by law
it must be safe to drink in its natural state. Furthermore, it has undergone a natural
process of filtration and has a consistent mineral composition.
a) Although most of us know the importance of water in our lives, none of us know
what kind of water we are drinking.
b) One of the advantages of Natural Mineral Water is the process of filtration it goes
through.
c) According to a new study, some kinds of mineral water can be bad for us.
d) By law, all bottled water should be labelled.
2. There have been concerns expressed in EU circles about voter apathy in member
states. It is feared that the decline in turnouts for elections that has been seen in
several countries in recent years could be an irreversible trend. The challenge for
EU leaders is to reawaken their people's interest in politics. Politicians are being
encouraged to become more ‘voter-friendly', to make themselves accessible to the
public through television and the internet.
a) Politicians have decided to appear on television more often to increase their
popularity with the voters.
b) EU leaders are faced with a challenge to get their people interested in politics for
the first time.
c) There is concern about the decreasing number of people who vote in elections in
EU countries.
d) Voter apathy is a problem unique to EU member states.
3. Statistics show there has been a marked drop in rainfall in many parts of Britain in
recent decades compared with the figures for the first two-thirds of the twentieth
century. The change hasn't been in the form of a gradual downward trend, but rather
a step-change appears to have taken place in the 1970s. In the twenty-first century,
July and August in Britain are now drier than they were, March has seen an increase
in rainfall, and there is more sunshine in November and December.
a) November and December in Britain are now warmer than they used to be.
b) The drop in rainfall in Britain has been a step-by-step process over the course of
the last century.
c) There is more sunshine in 21st-century Britain in July and August than there was
previously.
d) The drop in rainfall in parts of Britain has been more dramatic in recent decades
than in much of the twentieth century.
4. The sheer scope of New York's Central Park is what surprises the first-time visitor.
It covers 843 acres in all, and boasts 58 miles of pedestrian paths and 150 acres of
water. The park is now a hugely popular oasis in the middle of a fast-paced city. In
the daytime, thousands use it as a ball field. On summer evenings, concerts - with
music ranging from opera to pop - are given on the lawns. Other cities whose parks
are in need of restoration are looking to Central Park as a model.
a) Thousands of people watch baseball matches during the day in Central Park.
b) Other cities would like to replicate Central Park.
c) The park is popular because the pace of life in New York is so fast.
d) People visiting Central Park for the first time don't expect it to be as big as it is.
5. Every week, one to two child deaths are caused by violence or neglect on the part of
parents or carers in the UK. One child, eight-year-old Johnny, was lucky to escape
from his violent father. His father began smacking him when he was four, thinking
that threatening Johnny was a way of controlling his wife, Johnny's mum. But when
he hit Johnny with a closed fist one day, a crisis point was reached. Johnny's mum
left her husband and took the child with her.
a) One to two deaths of children each week are the result of violence.
b) Johnny's father used to smack him because he couldn't control his wife.
c) Johnny's mother left her husband because he started smacking their son.
d) Johnny escaped his violent father after a domestic problem became a crisis.
6. Hypnosis has long been used as a tool of therapy, but its popularity has been on the
increase in the last twenty years. Part of the reason for this is the increased interest
in alternative therapies in general, but it is also partly because hypnosis can seem
less intimidating than an involved discussion with a counsellor. Although there are
some who still worry that their minds will be changed under hypnosis, hypnothera-
pists insist they are simply helping patients to tap into their unconscious mind.
a) Hypnosis can be seen as a preferable alternative to a discussion with a counsellor.
b) Hypnosis is becoming more popular purely because there is more interest in
alternative therapies.
c) Having a discussion with a counsellor can help people overcome their fears
of hypnosis.
d) Despite the fact that hypnotherapy has been around for a long time, it has only
recently become popular.

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7. The writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832) took a degree in law and
practised it for a short time as a young man. However, such work always seemed
unlikely to fulfil him, and his preference had long been for expressing himself in
writing. He achieved international fame in the 1770s with his novel ‘The Sorrows of
Young Werther', and went on to write in a wide variety of literary genres and styles,
even producing poetry in his eighties.
a) J. W. von Goethe even wrote poetry in the 1780s.
b) The writer J. W. von Goethe only practised briefly for his legal exams.
c) Goethe didn't confine himself to a single literary style.
d) By the time Goethe became famous, he was in his eighties.
8. According to a member of the UK Association of Doctors in Sport, exercise is the
key to ageing successfully. We begin to lose suppleness in our 20s, but the real
physical decline starts in our 30s, when we lose up to one per cent of our aerobic
capacity each year. Over the next thirty years, we lose about a tenth of our strength,
and our co-ordination decreases too. Exercise, however, can reverse these ageing
trends, strengthen bones, enlarge muscles, and improve heart function.
a) By exercising, we can combat the physical decline that comes with getting
older.
b) Serious physical deterioration starts when we are in our 20s.
c) Without exercise, we all lose one per cent of our aerobic capacity each year when
we are in our 30s.
d) We can lose weight by exercising.
9. When a pupil was expelled from an exclusive boarding school for being drunk, a lot
of people felt the school had acted too strictly. The boy was brought up on a rough
council estate and it was felt he should have been given another chance. The incident
shows up the discrepancy between the standards imposed in boarding schools and
those encouraged in society. Many feel that boarding schools are too old-fashioned
in their expectations and out of step with modern society. Others, however, feel
that the standards still insisted on in boarding schools simply highlight how far that
society has fallen.
a) There is a similarity between the standards imposed in boarding schools and in
society.
b) Some people felt the boy had been punished because he came from a council estate.
c) A lot of people feel that boarding schools are old-fashioned, but other people
think society itself is old-fashioned.
d) Whereas some people feel the expectations of boarding schools are too high for
modern society, others feel that these standards show us the extent of the decline
in society.
10. The philanthropist George Peabody had an up-and-down business career. Having
established an extremely successful business, including the bank that would later
be known as Morgan Greenfell, Peabody almost went broke. He had borrowed
more than he could pay back. But he bounced back from this perilous situation
by focusing on the simple things he knew he could do well, such as investing and
banking. By the time he retired, he had made a fortune.
a) Peabody attributed his success in life to good fortune.
b) Peabody first established a successful business by focusing on investing and
banking.
c) Having almost lost all his money, Peabody recovered by doing what he was good
at and eventually retired a rich man.
d) Peabody went broke because he borrowed too much money.
11. A criticism often aimed at what used to be called the anti-globalisation movement
was that it knew what it didn't want (corporate capitalism), but couldn't seem
to come up with a coherent alternative to it. The leaderless movement attracted
extensive publicity for its protests in Seattle, Prague, and London, but its devotees
could only agree that capitalism should be replaced by something fairer, without
declaring exactly what. Until now, it has not produced an official manifesto,
although attempts have been made to set out some of the group's ideas in print.
a) Supporters of the anti-globalisation movement can't agree on whether capitalism
should be replaced.
b) Although no official manifesto of the movement exists, some of its beliefs have
appeared in published form.
c) The anti-globalisation movement is often criticised for being incoherent.
d) The anti-globalisation movement has only protested in Seattle, Prague, and London.
12. The philosopher Martin Heidegger once claimed that science ‘does not think,'
and this view expresses a prejudice held by many people with a background in
humanities. Science, so these people claim, is about calculation and technical
knowledge rather than insight and understanding. If we want something more than
hard data and facts, if we really want some kind of revelation of our being, we must
look to philosophy and art. Some scientists, however, beg to differ.
a) Heidegger's claim that science ‘does not think' was prejudiced against people
with a background in humanities.
b) People in humanities argue that, rather than being about reflection and
comprehension, science is concerned with facts and figures.
c) In the face of criticisms of science, some scientists are trying hard to be different.
d) Some scientists have begged critics of science to change their opinions.

VERBAL REASONING
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TEST V1
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13. Most people presume that the chief executive or owner of a company is a man.
Women in these positions are often asked who their boss is - it seems some people
feel more comfortable with the idea of an older man in a smart suit in the role of top
dog. Even when people contemplate the idea of a female chief executive, the image
that comes to mind is of a 50-year-old woman in a ‘power suit.' In reality, though,
some female bosses dress casually for work and do not fit this stereotype.
a) A lot of people expect company bosses to fit a stereotype.
b) People cannot imagine what a female chief executive might look like.
c) The reality is that some female bosses wear different suits to ‘power suits.'
d) Not many women are chief executives or owners of a company.
14. It's not surprising that the Trimmington spa resort has become a favourite
destination for people in need of relaxation. The complex is built from local stone
and timber and combines traditional spa treatments with fitness classes and outdoor
activities like rock-climbing and abseiling. All rooms have a balcony or patio with
breathtaking views of mountain scenery, and there's a quiet restaurant which serves
dishes made from local meat and fish and organic vegetables. All this luxury comes
at a price, though, so be prepared to spend a little extra for your stay.
a) At the Trimmington spa resort you can choose to either have spa treatments and
fitness classes or go rock-climbing and abseiling.
b) The spa is expensive, so not many people go there.
c) The Trimmington spa complex was built entirely from different kinds of local
stone.
d) Whichever room you stay in at the Trimmington spa resort, you have the
opportunity to sit outside.
15. The writer Mary Wesley didn't publish her first novel until she was seventy. The
novel featured several racy storylines which shocked the public at first. Surely
a woman of Wesley's age should be writing about more sedate things? Yet friends
of this ‘little old lady' were not at all surprised at the passion with which she wrote.
When she was in her twenties, her upper-class family forced her to marry an
unsuitable man. Mary later risked it all for love, divorcing the man and running off
with her married lover. This scandal prompted Mary's family to disown her and left
her almost penniless. It changed her life.
a) The public was shocked because Mary Wesley was so old when her first novel
was published.
b) Mary's friends were not surprised that she wrote passionately - they knew she
liked scandal.
c) The public was shocked by Mary Wesley's first novel - but her friends knew
better.
d) After her divorce, Mary Wesley married her lover.
16. According to UN estimates, 1.2 million children are ‘trafficked' every year.
‘Trafficking' is the transportation of children against their will to countries where
they are forced to work for others, often in the sex industry. Many of these children
end up in EU countries. A Unicef campaign called End Child Exploitation is
aiming to raise millions of pounds to fight trafficking and the sexual exploitation
of children. It is also hoping to convince governments to change laws and make
it illegal to traffic children into countries. Poverty is the biggest cause of child
exploitation, and Unicef is working with politicians and communities to provide
children with healthcare and education programmes, to help them achieve their
potential.
a) ‘Trafficking' is a term for the selling of innocent children into the sex
industry.
b) The only reason children are exploited is because of poverty.
c) One of the aims of Unicef's campaign is to effect a change in the legal position
on trafficking.
d) Healthcare and education programmes have been implemented to help children
achieve their potential.
17. Some airlines allow customers to pre-book seats when they buy their tickets, par-
ticularly for long-haul flights. If you have very young children (under two years of
age) or are very tall, you are sometimes allowed to pre-book a ‘bulkhead' seat at
the front of the plane. If you are a vegetarian or have special dietary requirements,
many airlines are prepared to provide you with an appropriate meal, but you should
let them know when you book. Some charter flights offer the option of a low-calo-
rie meal for those who are watching their weight.
a) Suitable meals for people with special dietary needs can be prepared to order
during the flight.
b) It is sometimes possible for seats at the front of the plane to be reserved for very
tall people or those with very young children.
c) You can pre-book seats when you buy your tickets on some airlines, but only for
long-distance flights.
d) People who are concerned about their weight should take charter flights.

VERBAL REASONING
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TEST V1
/63
18. The alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges was a difficult man to shock. During one of
his performances, an audience member was stabbed to death in front of the stage.
Hodges didn't miss a beat. Perhaps the only time he was taken aback was when
a journalist asked him if he had ever played a wrong note. ‘Why on earth should
I?' Hodges replied. For much of his career, he was a member of Duke Ellington's
orchestra, although he also made a number of small group recordings.
a) Hodges was not even distracted from his playing when someone from the
audience was murdered in front of him during a performance.
b) Hodges made some recordings in small groups with Duke Ellington.
c) Hodges was angry when a journalist asked him why he had played a wrong
note.
d) Johnny Hodges was an unshockable saxophone player.
19. It was the most anticipated liberation of a political prisoner since Nelson Mandela
was freed. One May day in 2002, it happened at last. 56-year-old Aung San Suu
Kyi walked out of a villa in Rangoon, the capital of Burma, and was greeted by
cheering crowds. She had been under house arrest almost continually for longer
than a decade, and her release gave hope to thousands of pro-democracy supporters
in the country and beyond.
a) The last time the release of a political prisoner was so much anticipated was
when Nelson Mandela was let out of prison.
b) Aung San Suu Kyi spent ten years under house arrest.
c) When Aung San Suu Kyi was under house arrest, she gave hope to a lot of people
who support democracy.
d) Nelson Mandela greeted Aung San Suu Kyi on her release from house arrest.
20. In the past, children were taught to address their parents and other adults with the
utmost respect. These days, although respect is still considered important, children
are frequently encouraged to see adults not as ‘superiors' but as friends. Research
in the UK shows that the terms ‘uncle' and ‘aunt' are becoming less and less used.
Nephews and nieces instead use first names to address these relatives. The modern
extended family could be one reason for the new informality. A parent or relative's
‘partner' may be part of that family, and this partner is an adult the child has no
direct family connection to. If grandpa's live-in girlfriend is known to them as
Maggie, why shouldn't other grown-ups be called by their first names?
a) Some children don't use the terms ‘uncle' and ‘aunt' because they don't respect
their relatives.
b) One reason why children are less formal with their elders is that they don't know
some of the members of their extended family.
c) If there is a ‘partner' in the family, the child has to be more respectful.
d) If a child calls a family member's partner by a first name, it seems reasonable that
other adults should be called by their first names.
21. The history of cannabis is similar to the substance itself. Both can either be illumi-
nating or simply confusing. The history presents us with a number of contradictions:
today, when cannabis is still illegal in many places, it is used in great numbers. And
yet, when the drug was legally available in Europe and America in the 19th-century,
it was only used by a small ‘elite.' Sometimes the history can give us an insight
into modern arguments over the drug. Contemporary campaigners for the legalisa-
tion of cannabis point to its medicinal properties; in Victorian times, cannabis was
much-used as a patent medicine.
a) Cannabis is widely used at the present time because it is illegal in a lot of
places.
b) Cannabis was made illegal in Europe and America in the 19th-century.
c) The history of cannabis can help us understand present-day debates about it.
d) The history of cannabis tells us facts which are impossible to understand.
22. Teaching unions claim that verbal and physical abuse by parents towards pupils,
teachers and other parents is a growing problem. Not long ago, a father lost his
temper while watching a school play. He got up from his seat and started shouting
at the child ‘actors,' complaining that his son hadn't been given a big enough part.
Such behaviour is perhaps more commonplace at school sports events, where
fathers have been heard urging their boys to ‘break the legs' of an opponent, or
abusing a child for not making the grade at the athletics day. A teaching union
spokeswoman says that the ‘me' culture of the '80s and '90s was to blame. ‘People
are more selfish these days,' she says.
a) According to a teaching union spokeswoman, the problem of abusive parents has
its roots in the recent past.
b) A father recently got angry with children in a school play because his son hadn't
been chosen to act in it.
c) Parents do not often become abusive towards children at school sporting events.
d) At sports events in schools, some fathers have promised their boys that they will
break the legs of an opposition player.

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/65
23. The significance of the poet Pushkin to Russian culture cannot be overstated.
Many Russians, whether cultured or not, can quote entire sections from his poems.
His work greatly influenced the development of Russian literature in terms of
themes and methods of expression. He is even given credit for creating the language
of modern Russian literature. This claim may be exaggerated, but it shows how
much Pushkin has been mythologised in Russia, to the point at which he has the
status of a demi-god.
a) Pushkin's importance to culture in Russia is often exaggerated.
b) Pushkin's work had an impact on the subject matter and style of Russian
literature.
c) Only Russians with a knowledge of culture know parts of Pushkin's poems by
heart.
d) Pushkin has become a mythological figure because he invented modern Russian
literary language.
24. After finishing their studies, most students would be glad to have a holiday.
However, the increasingly tough competition for graduate jobs means that some
job searches have to start almost as soon as studies finish. Ruth Grundle is a trainee
teacher from Manchester in England. ‘When my course finishes,' she says, ‘there
will be fifty people in my year looking for jobs in schools in this area.'The pressure
to find work is increased by the fact that government subsidies paid to students
during their studies are stopped the moment they finish.
a) Students are glad that, after finishing their studies, they can have a holiday.
b) Students are under pressure to find a job immediately after they finish studying
because a lot of students are competing for similar jobs.
c) Government funding for students make it easier for them to find work.
d) Students like Ruth Grundle don't have enough money to have a holiday when
they finish studying.
25. It is estimated that as much as a half of all car crashes are caused by distracted
drivers. Drivers who try to do something else besides steering the car - such as
sending messages on a mobile phone, eating, or applying make-up - are being
targeted in a new safety warning. An insurance company survey has found that
almost a third of drivers talk on hand-held mobile phones while driving; one in ten
sends text messages; one in five reads at the wheel and one in twenty writes at the
wheel. More disturbingly, almost 40 per cent of drivers admit to ‘multi-tasking'
(doing several things at once) on main roads. 24 per cent do so on motorways.
a) Drivers who ‘multi-task' and are not giving their full attention to the road are
responsible for up to fifty per cent of car accidents.
b) According to a survey by an insurance company, more drivers send text messages
while driving than talk on hand-held phones.
c) Only 24 percent of drivers say they don't multi-task on motorways.
d) A new safety measure wants to ban multi-tasking drivers from driving.

VERBAL REASONING
66 /67
TEST V1 - KEY
Test V1 - ANSWER KEY:
1.
a) It is likely that some of us know the kind of water we're drinking, so none is too
strong here.
b) CORRECT.
c) The study only says that all waters are not the same - so some may be better for us
than others, but it does not say that any are actually bad for us.
d) The law is only mentioned in connection with Natural Mineral Water which, because
of its name, must legally be drunk in its natural state.
2.
a) The passive form (are being encouraged) tells us that other people - perhaps
advisors - are encouraging the politicians. The text does not say that the politicians
have made a decision about this themselves.
b) The text says re-awaken interest, implying there was interest in the past.
c) CORRECT.
d) There is concern about this problem is EU member states, but the text does not say
this is the only place suffering from the problem, as the word unique implies.
3.
a) The text says there is more sunshine in these months - that doesn't necessarily mean
it will be warmer.
b) A dramatic change (step-change) happened in the 1970s. Step-by-step implies the
change was gradual during the century.
c) The text says these months will be drier - not necessarily sunnier.
d) CORRECT.
4.
a) Thousands use it as a ball field - the implication is that people play ball games (not
necessarily baseball) in the park
b) To replicate the park would be to make an exactly identical park, which would be
impossible.
c) Although the text says the pace of life is fast, and contrasts it with the oasis of the
park, it doesn't give the pace of life as the reason for the park's popularity. There
could be various reasons for its popularity.
d) CORRECT.
5.
a) Not only violence, but also neglect are given as causes.
b) The violence against Johnny was one way of controlling his wife. It is not implied
that it was the only way, or that he couldn't control her without it.
c) No - she only left him when he progressed from smacking to hitting with a closed
fist.
d) CORRECT.
6.
a) CORRECT.
b) The text says that interest in alternative therapies is part of the reason for the
increased popularity of hypnotherapy. Purely implies it is the only reason.
c) The text only uses the counsellor as a means of comparing two different forms
of therapy.
d) The text says that its popularity has increased, which implies that it was popular in
the past, and is more popular now.
7.
a) The text says Goethe produced poetry in his eighties. This means between the ages
of 80 and 90.
b) to practise law means to work as a lawyer - not to study for exams.
c) CORRECT.
d) The text says he became famous in the 1770s and was born in 1749 - so he was in
his twenties.
8.
a) CORRECT.
b) The text says the real (i.e. serious) decline starts in our 30s.
c) The text says we lose up to one per cent, which implies that some people lose less
than one per cent, and that one per cent is the maximum lost.
d) Although this statement may be generally true, it is not put forward in the text, in
which bone strength, muscle size and heart function are said to benefit from exercise.
9.
a) The text says there is a discrepancy (i.e. a difference) between these standards.
b) The text says that people felt that he should have been given another chance because
of his background - not that he was punished because of it.
c) Other people do not think that society is old-fashioned. They believe in the standards
expected in boarding schools and feel that society has fallen short of those standards.
d) CORRECT.

VERBAL REASONING
68 /69
TEST V1 - KEY
10.
a) In the text, fortune is used to mean a great amount of money - not luck, which good
fortune implies.
b) Peabody had already established a successful business when he almost went broke
because of over-borrowing. He later focused on investment and banking to recover
from his financial difficulties.
c) CORRECT.
d) He didn't actually go broke. The text says he almost went broke.
11.
a) They only disagree on what should replace capitalism.
b) CORRECT.
c) The criticism is that they offer no coherent alternative - not that they are incoherent
in general.
d) The text does not state this. It simply highlights three protests that were
well-publicised.
12.
a) Heidegger's view expressed the prejudice of these people - it was the same as their
view.
b) CORRECT.
c) The expression beg to differ means that the scientists express a different point of
view to those who criticise science.
d) See (c).
13.
a) CORRECT.
b) People do imagine what she might look like, but in a limited way - most of them
imagine a 50-year-old woman in a ‘power suit.'
c) The text says that they dress casually - this implies not in a suit.
d) The text says nothing about the amount of women in these positions.
14.
a) It is not an either/or choice. The text says the spa combines spa treatments with
outdoor activities and exercise, so you can do all of them.
b) The spa is expensive (all this luxury comes at a price), but it is a favourite destination
and so is popular.
c) It was built from local stone and timber (wood).
d) CORRECT.
15.
a) They were not shocked that she had published a novel at 70, but they were shocked
by the content (the storylines) of the novel.
b) Her actions earlier in her life (divorcing her husband and running off with a married
lover) were scandalous, but the text does not suggest that Mary Wesley liked
scandal.
c) CORRECT.
d) The text doesn't tell us this. It says that her lover was married (to someone else).
16.
a) ‘Trafficking'describes the transportation of these children. They are often forced to
work in the sex industry after being trafficked to another country.
b) It is the biggest cause (i.e. there are others), so not the only one.
c) CORRECT.
d) have been implemented suggests the programmes are already in place. But the
text says Unicef is working on the programmes, i.e. work on the programmes is in
progress.
17.
a) The text says you should request such meals when you book.
b) CORRECT.
c) The text says these seats can be booked particularly for long-haul flights, not only
for these flights.
d) This statement is too strong. These flights provide low-calorie meals, but this is not
reason enough to say these people should take these flights.
18.
a) CORRECT.
b) He played with Duke Ellington's Orchestra and also made small group recordings
(the implication is, without Ellington).
c) The journalist asked Hodges if he had ever played a wrong note.
d) Difficult to shock doesn't mean impossible to shock (or unshockable).

VERBAL REASONING
70 /71
TEST V1 - KEY
19.
a) CORRECT.
b) The text says longer than a decade.
c) The text says it was her release from prison that gave them hope - not her
imprisonment itself.
d) The text says cheering crowds greeted her.
20.
a) Respect is still considered important. They use first names because they see these
adults as friends, not superiors.
b) Children may have no direct (i.e. family) connection with ‘partners,'but that doesn't
mean that they don't know them.
c) The presence of a ‘partner' in the family actually encourages greater informality,
because he/she is known to the child by a first name.
d) CORRECT.
21.
a) The illegality is not the reason why it is used. The implication is that it is widely
used despite its illegality.
b) The drug was legally available (could be legally bought and used) at this time.
c) CORRECT.
d) It gives us contradictions (seemingly opposing facts), but the text does not say these
are impossible to understand - although they may be confusing.
22.
a) CORRECT.
b) He complained that his son hadn't been given a big enough part - so the son was
taking part in the play, but in a small role.
c) Abuse at sporting events is more commonplace than at school plays, i.e. it happens
more often, is more usual.
d) The text says they have urged their boys to break an opponent's leg - in other words,
they have strongly suggested that the boys should do this; the fathers haven't offered
to do it themselves.
23.
a) His significance to Russian culture cannot be overstated, i.e. it is impossible to
exaggerate when talking about this significance. Later in the text, a specific claim is
described as being possibly exaggerated, but this specific claim (about language) is
not connected to the idea of Pushkin's general significance, which is beyond doubt.
b) CORRECT.
c) The text says this is true of Russians whether cultured or not - so for both cultured
and uncultured Russians.
d) The other way around - because of his mythological status, people make the
exaggerated claim that Pushkin invented modern Russian literary language.
24.
a) The text says that students would be glad if this were true, but it isn't, because most
of them have to start looking for a job almost as soon as studies finish.
b) CORRECT.
c) It increases the pressure on students to find work - they have to find jobs quickly.
It doesn't make finding a job any easier, though.
d) Government funding (subsidies) stops at the end of the course, but the text does not
say that this means they don't have enough money to have a holiday or some time
off. Tough competition for jobs is given as the reason why some students don't have
a holiday after finishing their studies.
25.
a) CORRECT.
b) The text says almost a third (about 33 per cent) talk on these phones, but one in ten
(or 10 per cent) send text messages.
c) The text says 24 per cent do so (which refers back to multi-tasking in the previous
sentence), so 24 per cent multi-task on motorways. This means about 76 per cent say
they don't.
d) These drivers are only targeted by the warning. In other words, it is a warning aimed
at them - not as strong as a ban.

VERBAL REASONING
72
TEST V2
/73
TEST V2
1. In a survey of reading habits, it was revealed that the most popular author among
women between the ages of 20 and 40 is a man. This will come as a surprise to those
who assumed that younger women were only interested in so-called ‘chick lit'- books
written by women about the private lives of career girls living in the city. The results
of the survey, however, show that women are interested in an extremely broad range
of genres. Not a single ‘chick lit' writer was among the 25 most popular.
a) A survey shows that women have broader tastes in books than some people had
thought.
b) The results of a survey of reading habits were surprising to all.
c) Despite the fact that young women are only interested in ‘chick lit,' no ‘chick lit'
writer was in the top 25.
d) Most women between 20 and 40 read only male authors.
2. It is not surprising that many people see California as an attractive place to live.
It offers not only great natural beauty, but also significant opportunities to make
money. But is California safe? The Los Angeles Basin and the San Francisco Bay
Area are now so heavily-populated that they are the second and fourth largest urban
areas in the United States. They are also in an area at high risk from earthquakes.
In fact, some geologists think it could be just a matter of time before a really serious
quake. Many Californians don't seem overly bothered by the threat.
a) People who live in California make lots of money.
b) Although it lies in an area at risk from earthquakes, California is essentially
a safe place to live.
c) Some geologists believe a really serious earthquake would last a long time.
d) Not many Californians seem concerned about the possibility of earthquakes in
the area.
3. Scientific advisors to the European Union say that the survival of the cod fish is
under threat in the North Sea. They say that last year's levels of cod stock (between
33,000 and 38,000) could drop to 28,000 next year if steps are not taken to stop
illegal fishing. Some scientists are recommending a total ban on cod fishing in the
area. Others have expressed concerns that an agreement stating that vessels should
stop fishing for several days a month is not working.
a) One reason for the threat to cod fish is the drop in cod stocks.
b) It is illegal to fish for cod in the North Sea area.
c) Some scientists are worried about the fact that vessels are not stopping fishing at
certain times each month.
d) Scientific advisors to the EU say that cod stocks could drop by half next year if
illegal fishing is not stopped.
4. James Tilly Matthews was the first man ever to be diagnosed with schizophrenia.
In 1797, he was sent to the only hospital for the insane in England. He spent the
rest of his life in this hospital, which was called Bedlam, in a cell without windows
or heating and with minimal sanitation. His wife was not allowed to visit him and
he spent a great amount of time in handcuffs, chained to his bed. At the time, these
were considered normal conditions for Bedlam patients, and those who failed to
recover from their madness were usually judged incurable and discharged.
a) The conditions suffered by James Tilly Matthews were standard for patients at
Bedlam at that time.
b) James Tilly Matthews' wife couldn't see him because he was chained to his bed.
c) If a Bedlam patient didn't recover from his madness, he was never released from
the hospital.
d) There were no windows in Bedlam hospital.
5. Most people accept that university can be difficult, but few would think of the
holidays as contributing to that difficulty. But holidays can be a miserable time for
students. Some students leave work uncompleted during term-time because they
think they can leave it for the lecture-free weeks. This can result in a build-up of
work and stress that can fill the holiday period and leave the student longing for
more relaxing ways of spending the ‘time off.'
a) Some students choose to complete their work at a time in the term when there are
no lectures.
b) The idea that the holidays could be a difficult time for students doesn't occur to
many people.
c) Sometimes students leave their work uncompleted during the holidays so they
can do more relaxing things in this period.
d) Everybody knows that university is a difficult time.
6. The famous water taxis of Venice, which are also famously expensive, will soon be
affordable to ordinary Venetians as well as wealthy tourists. The city council has
agreed that the taxis will be required to install meters with tariffs that will run up
according to the length of each ride. It has also ordered the police to be vigilant in
enforcing the new law.
a) Venice taxis will soon be affordable to ordinary Venetians rather than wealthy
tourists.
b) Under the new law, the cost of a ride on a water taxi in Venice will depend on
how long the ride is.
c) The police have been ordered to set the price of Venice water taxis.
d) The cost of Venice water taxis is what makes them famous.

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