AON Verbal Reasoning 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which word is closest in meaning to 'PRAGMATIC'?
- Idealistic
- Practical (Correct answer)
- Theoretical
- Indecisive
Correct answer: Practical
Pragmatic means dealing with problems in a sensible, realistic way — synonymous with practical.
Question 2: Passage: 'Studies show that employees who take regular breaks are more productive than those who work continuously without rest.' Which of the following weakens this argument MOST?
- Companies that enforce break policies earn higher profits.
- The studies were conducted only in creative industries, not manufacturing. (Correct answer)
- Productivity is often measured differently across industries.
- Some employees prefer shorter breaks more frequently.
Correct answer: The studies were conducted only in creative industries, not manufacturing.
If the studies only covered creative industries, the argument cannot be generalized to all employees, which directly weakens the claim.
Question 3: Choose the word that best completes the sentence: 'Despite the project being behind schedule, the manager remained ______, assuring the team that targets were still achievable.'
- pessimistic
- composed (Correct answer)
- frantic
- indifferent
Correct answer: composed
Composed means calm and self-controlled, fitting a manager who reassures the team under pressure.
Question 4: Which word is most OPPOSITE in meaning to 'CONCISE'?
- Brief
- Verbose (Correct answer)
- Accurate
- Direct
Correct answer: Verbose
Verbose means using more words than necessary, making it the antonym of concise.
Question 5: Passage: 'Only applicants who hold a current professional certification and have at least five years of relevant experience will be considered for the senior role.' Jane has eight years of experience but her certification lapsed last year. Is Jane eligible?
- Yes, because she has more than five years of experience.
- No, because her certification is not current. (Correct answer)
- Yes, if she renews her certification during the interview process.
- Cannot be determined from the passage.
Correct answer: No, because her certification is not current.
The passage requires both a current certification AND five years of experience; since Jane's certification lapsed, she is not eligible.
Question 6: Which word is closest in meaning to 'AMBIGUOUS'?
- Clear
- Certain
- Unclear (Correct answer)
- Definitive
Correct answer: Unclear
Ambiguous means open to more than one interpretation — synonymous with unclear.
AON Verbal Reasoning 2
Which word is closest in meaning to 'PRAGMATIC'?