Civil Service Verbal Reasoning Test Reading Comprehension 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Passage: 'The government aims to plant 30 million trees by 2030. So far, 8 million have been planted.' Which is TRUE?
- More trees need to be planted to reach the target
- The government has exceeded its tree-planting target
- The 2030 target has been met
- 22 million trees remain to be planted (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 22 million trees remain to be planted
30 million minus 8 million equals 22 million trees remaining. Both options A and D are correct in meaning, but D is the most precise and directly calculable statement.
Question 2: Passage: 'All delegates attending the conference must register in advance. Walk-in registrations are not permitted.' Which is TRUE?
- You cannot attend the conference without registering beforehand (Correct answer)
- Walk-in registrations are accepted on the day
- Advance registration is optional
- Only some delegates must register in advance
Correct answer: You cannot attend the conference without registering beforehand
'Must register in advance' and 'walk-in registrations not permitted' together confirm you cannot attend without prior registration.
Question 3: Passage: 'Unemployment in the region fell to 4.2% in June, down from 5.1% in January.' Which is TRUE?
- Unemployment decreased between January and June (Correct answer)
- Unemployment increased between January and June
- Unemployment stayed the same over the period
- 4.2% of people in the region are employed
Correct answer: Unemployment decreased between January and June
Falling from 5.1% to 4.2% is a decrease. Option A is directly supported by the passage.
Question 4: Passage: 'The building was constructed in 1887 and is Grade II listed.' Which is CANNOT SAY?
- The building has been renovated since 1887 (Correct answer)
- The building is over 100 years old
- The building has protected status
- The building was built in the 19th century
Correct answer: The building has been renovated since 1887
The passage does not mention any renovation. Whether or not it has been renovated cannot be determined from the text.
Question 5: Passage: 'Speed cameras were installed on the road in March. In April, speeding incidents dropped by 40%.' Which is CANNOT SAY?
- The speed cameras caused the drop in speeding (Correct answer)
- Speeding incidents decreased in April
- Speed cameras were installed before April
- There were fewer speeding incidents in April than in March
Correct answer: The speed cameras caused the drop in speeding
Correlation does not imply causation. The passage shows a sequence of events but does not state that cameras caused the drop. This cannot be determined.
Question 6: Passage: 'The department employs 45 staff, of whom 60% work part-time.' Which is TRUE?
- 27 staff members work part-time (Correct answer)
- 45 staff work full-time
- 60 staff work part-time
- The department recently expanded
Correct answer: 27 staff members work part-time
60% of 45 = 27. So 27 staff members work part-time. Option A is correct.
Civil Service Verbal Reasoning Test Reading Comprehension 3
Passage: 'The government aims to plant 30 million trees by 2030.
So far, 8 million have been planted.' Which is TRUE?