California POST Test Vocabulary in Context 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The officer's report described the suspect as 'belligerent.' In this context, belligerent most nearly means:
- cooperative and calm
- hostile and aggressive (Correct answer)
- confused and disoriented
- remorseful and apologetic
Correct answer: hostile and aggressive
Belligerent means inclined to or exhibiting hostility and aggression.
Question 2: The detective noted the witness gave a 'corroborating' statement. Corroborating means:
- contradicting the existing evidence
- confirming or supporting existing evidence (Correct answer)
- challenging the officer's report
- providing a new lead
Correct answer: confirming or supporting existing evidence
Corroborating means confirming or giving support to a statement or theory.
Question 3: The report stated the vehicle was 'stationary' at the time of the collision. Stationary means:
- moving slowly
- reversing
- not moving (Correct answer)
- accelerating
Correct answer: not moving
Stationary means not moving or not intended to be moved.
Question 4: An officer described a crowd as 'dispersing.' In this context, dispersing most nearly means:
- gathering together in one place
- becoming louder and more agitated
- scattering and moving apart (Correct answer)
- marching in formation
Correct answer: scattering and moving apart
Dispersing means spreading or distributing over a wide area, or breaking up a crowd.
Question 5: The supervisor deemed the officer's use of force 'commensurate' with the threat. Commensurate means:
- excessive and unwarranted
- proportionate and corresponding in degree (Correct answer)
- unrelated to the situation
- greater than necessary
Correct answer: proportionate and corresponding in degree
Commensurate means corresponding in size or degree; in proportion.
Question 6: The suspect's alibi was described as 'plausible.' Plausible most nearly means:
- impossible to believe
- proven beyond doubt
- seemingly reasonable or probable (Correct answer)
- completely fabricated
Correct answer: seemingly reasonable or probable
Plausible means seeming reasonable or probable, though not proven.
Question 7: The officer noticed the juvenile was 'apprehensive' during questioning. Apprehensive most nearly means:
- confident and relaxed
- anxious or fearful about the future (Correct answer)
- angry and confrontational
- bored and uninterested
Correct answer: anxious or fearful about the future
Apprehensive means anxious or fearful that something bad might happen.
The officer's report described the suspect as 'belligerent.' In this context, belligerent most nearly means: