California POST Reading Comprehension Strategies Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An officer reads a multi-paragraph directive regarding a new evidence handling protocol. To gain the best overall understanding before focusing on details, which reading strategy should be applied first?
- Memorize the date and issuing authority of the directive.
- Read the entire document slowly and carefully one time through.
- Skim the document, paying attention to headings, subheadings, and the first sentence of each paragraph to identify the main ideas. (Correct answer)
- Focus only on the section that seems most relevant to their specific duties.
Correct answer: Skim the document, paying attention to headings, subheadings, and the first sentence of each paragraph to identify the main ideas.
Skimming for main ideas, headings, and topic sentences provides a mental framework of the document's structure and key points. This allows for better comprehension and context when the officer later reads the document in detail.
Question 2: When answering a reading comprehension question on the POST exam that is based on a provided passage, it is most important for the candidate to:
- Choose the answer that aligns with their prior law enforcement training and knowledge.
- Base their answer solely on the information stated or implied within the passage. (Correct answer)
- Select the longest, most detailed answer choice available.
- Eliminate answers that contain words used in the passage.
Correct answer: Base their answer solely on the information stated or implied within the passage.
POST test reading comprehension questions are designed to assess your ability to read and interpret a specific piece of text. All the information needed to answer the question is provided. Using outside knowledge, even if it's factually correct, can lead to incorrect answers because it may not be supported by the passage itself.
Question 3: A passage describes a sequence of events at a crime scene. A question then asks what *most likely* happened immediately after the suspect fled. To answer this, a candidate must be able to:
- Determine the author's purpose in writing the passage.
- Define the vocabulary used in the passage.
- Identify the main idea of the entire passage.
- Draw a logical inference based on the details provided. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Draw a logical inference based on the details provided.
The phrase 'most likely' indicates that the answer is not explicitly stated in the text. The candidate must use the details and facts given in the passage to make a logical conclusion or educated guess about what occurred next. This skill is known as drawing an inference.
Question 4: Which of the following is the most effective strategy for determining the meaning of an unfamiliar technical term within a police report or legal document?
- Use context clues from the surrounding sentences and the overall topic to infer its meaning. (Correct answer)
- Assume the term is an error and disregard the sentence.
- Substitute the term with a word that sounds similar.
- Skip the paragraph containing the term as it is likely not important.
Correct answer: Use context clues from the surrounding sentences and the overall topic to infer its meaning.
Effective readers use the information surrounding an unknown word—the context—to deduce its meaning. The rest of the sentence and paragraph often provide clues, definitions, or examples that clarify the term's significance without needing a dictionary.
Question 5: An officer is reading a witness statement. The first sentence states a general observation, and the second sentence begins with 'For example...'. What is the relationship between these two sentences?
- The second sentence contradicts the first sentence.
- The second sentence repeats the exact same idea as the first.
- The second sentence provides a specific illustration of the idea in the first. (Correct answer)
- The second sentence states the effect of the cause mentioned in the first.
Correct answer: The second sentence provides a specific illustration of the idea in the first.
Transitional phrases like 'For example,' 'For instance,' or 'Specifically,' signal that the author is about to provide a concrete example or piece of evidence to support the preceding, more general statement. Recognizing these transitions is key to understanding text structure.
Question 6: The primary purpose of identifying the main idea of a passage is to:
- Create a comprehensive list of all the specific facts mentioned.
- Understand the author's central point or overall message. (Correct answer)
- Challenge the validity of the information presented.
- Memorize the passage word-for-word for later recall.
Correct answer: Understand the author's central point or overall message.
Identifying the main idea is a foundational reading comprehension skill. It involves distinguishing the author's primary message from the supporting details, examples, and evidence used to explain or defend that message. It provides the core understanding of the text.
California POST Reading Comprehension Strategies Questions and Answers
An officer reads a multi-paragraph directive regarding a new evidence handling protocol.
To gain the best overall understanding before focusing on details, which reading strategy should be applied first?