New Jersey Civil Service Exam Reading Comprehension and Analysis 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage states: 'The grievance procedure consists of four steps. Steps one through three must be completed before a grievance may be submitted to arbitration at step four. An employee who skips any step forfeits the right to arbitration.' An employee submits directly to arbitration after step two. What is the result?
- Arbitration proceeds with a reduced award
- The employee forfeits the right to arbitration (Correct answer)
- The arbitrator may waive the missed step
- The grievance is returned to step three
Correct answer: The employee forfeits the right to arbitration
The passage states that skipping any step forfeits arbitration rights, so bypassing step three ends the employee's arbitration option.
Question 2: Read the following: 'The program serves individuals who are at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Eligibility is re-evaluated annually, and participants who exceed the income threshold for two consecutive years are disenrolled.' A participant exceeds the threshold in year one only. What happens?
- She is immediately disenrolled
- She remains enrolled because she has not exceeded the threshold for two consecutive years (Correct answer)
- She is placed on probationary status
- She must reapply during the next enrollment period
Correct answer: She remains enrolled because she has not exceeded the threshold for two consecutive years
Disenrollment requires exceeding the threshold for two consecutive years; one year alone does not trigger removal.
Question 3: A directive states: 'Employees shall not make public statements on behalf of the department without prior written authorization from the communications office, except when responding to emergency situations requiring immediate public safety information.' An officer at an accident scene tells bystanders to move back for safety. Is this a violation?
- Yes, because he did not obtain written authorization
- No, because public safety emergencies are explicitly exempt (Correct answer)
- Yes, because only communications staff may speak publicly
- No, because bystanders are not 'the public' under this directive
Correct answer: No, because public safety emergencies are explicitly exempt
The directive explicitly exempts statements made during emergencies requiring immediate public safety information.
Question 4: A passage reads: 'In formal reports, conclusions must be supported by evidence presented earlier in the document. Recommendations, by contrast, may extend beyond the evidence to propose courses of action aligned with organizational goals.' Which section of a report may go beyond the evidence presented?
- The conclusions section
- The recommendations section (Correct answer)
- The executive summary
- The methodology section
Correct answer: The recommendations section
The passage states recommendations may extend beyond the evidence, while conclusions must be supported by it.
Question 5: An announcement reads: 'The promotional examination is open only to permanent employees who have completed at least two years of continuous service in the title immediately below the promotional title.' An employee has three years total service but transferred to the lower title six months ago. Is she eligible?
- Yes, because she has over two years of total service
- No, because she has not completed two years in the title immediately below (Correct answer)
- Yes, because transfers count toward service time
- No, because promotional exams require five years of service
Correct answer: No, because she has not completed two years in the title immediately below
The two-year requirement applies specifically to service in the title immediately below; her six months in that title does not qualify her.
Question 6: A passage about bias states: 'Confirmation bias occurs when an individual seeks out, recalls, or interprets information in a way that confirms their pre-existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence.' Which scenario BEST illustrates confirmation bias?
- A detective considers all leads equally before drawing a conclusion
- An investigator focuses only on witness statements that support her initial theory (Correct answer)
- A supervisor asks employees for both positive and negative feedback
- A researcher revises her hypothesis after reviewing unexpected data
Correct answer: An investigator focuses only on witness statements that support her initial theory
Selectively focusing on statements that support a pre-existing theory while ignoring contradictory evidence is the definition of confirmation bias.
Question 7: The following appears in a civil service regulation: 'A layoff shall not be considered a disciplinary action. Accordingly, employees who are laid off retain their names on the re-employment list for a period of four years and may not be required to requalify through examination.' What right does a laid-off employee retain?
- The right to appeal the layoff as a disciplinary matter
- The right to be considered for re-employment without retaking an exam for four years (Correct answer)
- The right to return to their position within six months
- The right to transfer to a different department immediately
Correct answer: The right to be considered for re-employment without retaking an exam for four years
The regulation states laid-off employees remain on the re-employment list for four years and need not requalify through examination.
New Jersey Civil Service Exam Reading Comprehension and Analysis 5
A passage states: 'The grievance procedure consists of four steps.
Steps one through three must be completed before a grievance may be submitted to arbitration at step four.
An employee who skips any step forfeits the right to arbitration.' An employee submits directly to arbitration after step two.
What is the result?