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Reading Comprehension Skills Flashcards

7 cards from real IBEW practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Reading Comprehension Skills flashcards as text

  1. A passage reads: 'The IBEW Aptitude Test is designed to assess a candidate's ability to learn electrical trade skills. It consists of two sections: algebra and functions, and reading comprehension. Both sections are timed.' According to this, what does the test measure?

    Answer: Potential to learn electrical skills, not existing knowledge

    The passage states the test assesses the 'ability to learn' electrical trade skills, indicating it measures potential and aptitude rather than existing knowledge.

  2. A job posting reads: 'Applicants must possess a valid state journeyman electrician license. Reciprocal licenses from other states may be accepted at the discretion of the hiring authority.' What does 'reciprocal' mean in this context?

    Answer: A license issued by one state that may be recognized by another

    A reciprocal license is one issued by another state that the hiring state may recognize and accept as equivalent to its own license.

  3. An electrical blueprint note reads: 'ALL DIMENSIONS ARE IN INCHES UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. VERIFY ALL DIMENSIONS IN FIELD BEFORE INSTALLATION.' What should an electrician do FIRST upon receiving these plans?

    Answer: Confirm the actual field measurements before starting work

    The note explicitly instructs workers to 'verify all dimensions in field before installation,' meaning field measurements must be confirmed before starting work.

  4. A passage reads: 'When a conductor is installed in a conduit with other conductors, its ampacity must be derated due to the effects of mutual heating. The more current-carrying conductors present, the greater the derating factor applied.' This means that adding more conductors to a conduit:

    Answer: Requires each conductor to carry less current than its rated capacity

    Derating means reducing the allowable current below the conductor's rated ampacity; more conductors cause more mutual heating, requiring greater derating (lower allowable current).

  5. A union agreement states: 'Overtime shall be defined as any hours worked in excess of eight (8) hours in a single workday or forty (40) hours in a single workweek, whichever results in the greater total overtime pay for the employee.' An electrician works 10 hours Monday and 6 hours each remaining day (Tue–Fri). How many overtime hours are earned by daily calculation?

    Answer: 2 overtime hours

    Only Monday exceeds 8 hours (10 – 8 = 2 overtime hours); all other days are 6 hours, which is below the 8-hour daily threshold.

  6. A technical bulletin reads: 'A ground fault occurs when current flows through an unintended path to ground. Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) detect imbalances as small as 4 to 6 milliamperes between the hot and neutral conductors and trip within 1/40 of a second.' What does a GFCI detect?

    Answer: Current imbalance between hot and neutral conductors

    The passage states GFCIs detect imbalances between the hot and neutral conductors, which indicates current is taking an unintended path (ground fault).

  7. A passage states: 'Electrical drawings use a variety of line types to convey information. A heavy solid line represents walls or structures. A thin solid line represents wiring. A centerline (alternating long and short dashes) indicates the center of a symmetrical object.' Which line type shows wiring on a drawing?

    Answer: Thin solid line

    According to the passage, thin solid lines represent wiring on electrical drawings.