NLN PAX Pre-Admission Examination — Questions and Answers

Question 1: The hospital staff listened to the chief of staff's fervent speech regarding proposed changes at the facility. Fervent means:

Enthusiastic
Emotional (Correct answer)
Lengthy
Dispassionate

Correct answer: Emotional

Explanation: Emotional is the only true synonym for fervent, which means "showing great depth of feeling or passionate enthusiasm." Therefore, dispassionate, which means "uninfluenced by emotion or personal feelings," is an antonym. Enthusiastic implies urgency of desire or interest, and this word is synonymous with eager. Lengthy (or long) is unrelated to the term fervent.

Question 2: The accident victim's arm is saturated in blood. Saturated means:

Caked
Steeped
Wet (Correct answer)
Inundated

Correct answer: Wet

Explanation: Wet and saturated are synonyms, both meaning "covered with, containing, or penetrated with liquid." Inundated is a related term in this case meaning, "flooded," but this word can also mean "overwhelmed." Similarly, steeped means, "soaked or immersed in liquid." In this sentence, caked would mean, "forming a crust."

Question 3: What is the primary function of the mitochondria in cells relevant to Pre-Admission Examination?

To store genetic information
To synthesize proteins
To remove waste products
To produce energy (ATP) through cellular respiration (Correct answer)

Correct answer: To produce energy (ATP) through cellular respiration

Mitochondria are the "powerhouses" of the cell, converting nutrients into ATP (adenosine triphosphate) through cellular respiration, providing the energy needed for cellular functions.

Question 4: In Pre-Admission Examination, what does pH measure?

The temperature of a liquid
The viscosity of a solution
The pressure within a container
The acidity or alkalinity of a solution on a scale of 0 to 14 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The acidity or alkalinity of a solution on a scale of 0 to 14

pH measures the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution, indicating its acidity (pH < 7), neutrality (pH = 7), or alkalinity (pH > 7) on a scale from 0 to 14.

Question 5: If a number is increased by 20% and the result is 84, what was the original number?

63
70 (Correct answer)
72
68

Correct answer: 70

Let x be the original: 1.20x = 84, so x = 84 ÷ 1.20 = 70.

Question 6: What term describes the body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes?

Osmosis
Metabolism
Catabolism
Homeostasis (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Homeostasis

Homeostasis is the process by which the body uses regulatory mechanisms to maintain stable internal conditions such as temperature, pH, and blood glucose.

Question 7: Mark's concerned daughter brought him into the emergency room, and it was found that he had feigned a heart attack. Feigned means:

Concealed
Experienced
Undergone
Affected (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Affected

Explanation: Affected is the synonym for feigned because in this instance both words mean, "presenting a false appearance of." Concealed is a somewhat related term signifying that something is "hidden." The other choices fit into the sentence and are synonyms for each other; as verbs, undergone and experienced both mean, "having come to knowledge of something by living through it."

Question 8: In Pre-Admission Examination, what role does continuing education play in arithmetic?

To increase testing frequency for compliance purposes
To keep professionals current with evolving standards, technologies, and best practices (Correct answer)
To prevent professionals from advancing in their careers
To replace initial certification requirements

Correct answer: To keep professionals current with evolving standards, technologies, and best practices

Continuing education ensures professionals stay current with new developments, evolving standards, and emerging best practices in their field, maintaining competence throughout their careers.

Question 9: What is the term for the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another?

Diffraction
Dispersion
Refraction (Correct answer)
Reflection

Correct answer: Refraction

Refraction is the bending of light when it passes between media with different densities.

Question 10: What is the principle that states energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted?

Ohm's Law
Law of Conservation of Energy (Correct answer)
Boyle's Law
Newton's Third Law

Correct answer: Law of Conservation of Energy

The Law of Conservation of Energy states that the total energy in a closed system remains constant.

Question 11: What is the primary objective of critical thinking in Pre-Admission Examination?

To limit access to the profession
To generate revenue for testing organizations
To ensure competence and proficiency in core critical thinking concepts (Correct answer)
To replace practical experience entirely

Correct answer: To ensure competence and proficiency in core critical thinking concepts

The primary objective of critical thinking knowledge is to ensure practitioners have the competence and proficiency needed to perform effectively and safely in their professional roles.

Question 12: In Pre-Admission Examination, what is the difference between literal and inferential comprehension?

There is no meaningful difference between them
Literal comprehension involves stated facts; inferential requires drawing conclusions from clues (Correct answer)
Inferential comprehension only applies to fiction
Literal is more difficult than inferential

Correct answer: Literal comprehension involves stated facts; inferential requires drawing conclusions from clues

Literal comprehension involves understanding explicitly stated information, while inferential comprehension requires readers to draw conclusions, make connections, and interpret meaning beyond what is directly stated.

Question 13: What is the next number in the sequence: 3, 6, 12, 24, ___?

30
42
36
48 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 48

Each term is multiplied by 2, so 24 × 2 = 48.

Question 14: Gas exchange in the lungs — oxygen entering the blood and carbon dioxide leaving — occurs in which structures?

Bronchioles
Bronchi
Alveoli (Correct answer)
Trachea

Correct answer: Alveoli

Alveoli are tiny air sacs where oxygen diffuses into the blood and carbon dioxide diffuses out, making them the primary site of gas exchange.

Question 15: A sequence is: 100, 91, 82, 73, ___. What comes next?

64 (Correct answer)
63
62
66

Correct answer: 64

Each term decreases by 9, so 73 − 9 = 64.

Question 16: What happens to the speed of light as it moves from air into glass?

It decreases (Correct answer)
It stays the same
It doubles
It increases

Correct answer: It decreases

Light slows down when it enters a denser medium like glass.

Question 17: In Pre-Admission Examination, why is critical thinking knowledge important for professional certification?

It demonstrates competence and ensures practitioners meet established standards (Correct answer)
It has no practical relevance to daily work
It is only required for administrative purposes
It is important only for entry-level positions

Correct answer: It demonstrates competence and ensures practitioners meet established standards

Professional certification in specific knowledge areas demonstrates that practitioners have met established competency standards, ensuring quality of service and public protection.

Question 18: Which of the following is NOT a type of cuisine the passage suggests often contains peanuts?

African
Mexican
Vietnamese
Italian (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Italian

Explanation: The last sentence in paragraph five lists the cuisines in which one should watch for peanuts. Italian is not listed.

Question 19: An object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by an external force. This is Newton's:

First Law (Correct answer)
Third Law
Second Law
Fourth Law

Correct answer: First Law

Newton's First Law (law of inertia) states that objects maintain their state of motion unless a net force acts on them.

Question 20: Which text structure organizes information by describing a problem and then presenting solutions?

Chronological order
Problem-solution structure (Correct answer)
Compare and contrast
Description structure

Correct answer: Problem-solution structure

Problem-solution text structure presents an issue or challenge followed by one or more proposed solutions, commonly used in persuasive and informational writing.

Question 21: In Pre-Admission Examination, what is the purpose of the scientific method in biology concepts?

To eliminate the need for observation
To replace professional judgment entirely
To guarantee specific experimental outcomes
To provide a systematic approach for investigating questions and testing hypotheses (Correct answer)

Correct answer: To provide a systematic approach for investigating questions and testing hypotheses

The scientific method provides a structured, systematic approach for asking questions, forming hypotheses, designing experiments, collecting data, and drawing evidence-based conclusions.

Question 22: The adrenal glands are part of the:

Endocrine system (Correct answer)
Respiratory system
Emphatic system
Immune system

Correct answer: Endocrine system

Explanation: The adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system. They sit on the kidneys and produce hormones that regulate salt and water balance and influence blood pressure and heart rate.

Question 23: Which fraction is largest: 2/3, 3/5, 5/8, or 7/12?

5/8
7/12
2/3 (Correct answer)
3/5

Correct answer: 2/3

Converting to decimals: 2/3 ≈ 0.667, 3/5 = 0.600, 5/8 = 0.625, 7/12 ≈ 0.583, so 2/3 is largest.

Question 24: During which phase is the chromosome number reduced from diploid to haploid?

mitosis
S phase
interphase
meiosis I (Correct answer)

Correct answer: meiosis I

Explanation: During meiosis I, the chromosome number is reduced from diploid to haploid. Interphase is the period of the cell cycle that occurs in between divisions of the cell. In meiosis, the homologous chromosomes in a diploid cell separate, reducing the number of chromosomes in each cell by half. Mitosis is the phase of cell division in which the cell nucleus divides. The S phase is the part of the mitotic cycle in which DNA is synthesized.

Question 25: What is a controlled variable in an experiment related to Pre-Admission Examination?

A variable that changes randomly
A factor that is kept constant throughout the experiment (Correct answer)
The outcome that is measured
The variable that is intentionally changed

Correct answer: A factor that is kept constant throughout the experiment

Controlled variables (constants) are factors that are deliberately kept the same throughout an experiment to ensure that any observed changes are due to the independent variable being tested.

Question 26: A medication dose is 0.5 mg/kg. How many mg should be given to a 60 kg patient?

25 mg
35 mg
20 mg
30 mg (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 30 mg

0.5 mg/kg × 60 kg = 30 mg.

Question 27: By what date do Duke University allergy experts expect to offer a treatment for peanut allergies?

2008
2010
2013 (Correct answer)
2009

Correct answer: 2013

Explanation: The second paragraph of the passage notes that in 2008, Duke experts stated that they expected to offer treatment in five years. Five years from 2008 is 2013.

Question 28: If x − 7 = 15, what is x?

8
22 (Correct answer)
18
23

Correct answer: 22

x = 15 + 7 = 22.

Question 29: What is the greatest common factor (GCF) of 36 and 48?

12 (Correct answer)
9
6
18

Correct answer: 12

The factors of 36 include 12 (36 = 12 × 3) and 12 also divides 48 (48 = 12 × 4), making 12 the GCF.

Question 30: Which of the following is the most likely pH of a solution containing many hydroxide ions (OH-) and few hydrogen ions (H+)?

2
6
9 (Correct answer)
7

Correct answer: 9

Explanation: A solution that contains more hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions is a base, and bases have a pH greater than 7, so the only possible answer is choice D, 9.

NLN PAX Pre-Admission Examination

The NLN PAX (Pre-Admission Examination) is a standardized nursing school entrance exam developed by the National League for Nursing, assessing aptitude in verbal ability, mathematics, and science for prospective nursing program applicants.

Questions

30 min

Time Limit

50%

To Pass

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