CBST Preparation and Study Resources 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of practice question best reflects the CBST's vocabulary section?
- Choosing the correct definition of a word from four options (Correct answer)
- Writing a paragraph using five new vocabulary words
- Matching synonyms to a list of 20 terms
- Alphabetizing a list of words
Correct answer: Choosing the correct definition of a word from four options
The CBST vocabulary section presents a word and asks test-takers to select its correct meaning from four answer choices.
Question 2: How many sections does the CBST typically consist of?
- Two sections: math and reading
- Three sections: reading, vocabulary, and math (Correct answer)
- Four sections: reading, writing, math, and reasoning
- One section covering all skills at once
Correct answer: Three sections: reading, vocabulary, and math
The standard CBST covers three core skill areas: reading comprehension, vocabulary, and math.
Question 3: When creating a CBST study schedule, what is the most effective first step?
- Taking a full-length practice test to identify weak areas (Correct answer)
- Purchasing every available prep book on the market
- Studying vocabulary words for the first two weeks
- Memorizing math formulas before anything else
Correct answer: Taking a full-length practice test to identify weak areas
A diagnostic practice test reveals your current strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to focus study time where it matters most.
Question 4: Which math skill is NOT typically tested on the CBST?
- Fractions and decimals
- Basic algebra
- Calculus and integration (Correct answer)
- Percentages and ratios
Correct answer: Calculus and integration
The CBST covers foundational math such as arithmetic, fractions, and basic algebra — advanced topics like calculus are outside its scope.
Question 5: A candidate scored in the 50th percentile on a CBST practice test. What does this mean?
- They answered 50% of questions correctly
- They scored higher than 50% of test-takers in the norm group (Correct answer)
- They need to answer 50 more questions to pass
- They failed the test
Correct answer: They scored higher than 50% of test-takers in the norm group
A percentile rank of 50 means the candidate outperformed half of the comparison group, not that they got half the answers right.
Question 6: Which study technique is most effective for building CBST reading comprehension skills?
- Skimming newspaper headlines daily
- Reading passages and summarizing the main idea in your own words (Correct answer)
- Highlighting every sentence in a practice passage
- Only re-reading passages you already understand
Correct answer: Reading passages and summarizing the main idea in your own words
Actively summarizing passages in your own words reinforces comprehension and trains the same skill tested by the CBST.
Question 7: Criteria Corp, the publisher of the CBST, describes the test as norm-referenced. What does this mean for score interpretation?
- Scores are compared against a fixed passing standard
- Individual scores are compared to the scores of a representative sample group (Correct answer)
- All candidates either pass or fail with no score scale
- Scores are based purely on the number of questions attempted
Correct answer: Individual scores are compared to the scores of a representative sample group
A norm-referenced test ranks each candidate's performance relative to a standardized comparison group rather than against an absolute cut score.
CBST Preparation and Study Resources 2
Which type of practice question best reflects the CBST's vocabulary section?