Wonderlic Personnel Test Reading Comprehension 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: 'Despite being the smallest department in the company, the research team consistently produces the highest number of patent applications per employee. This suggests that team size is not the primary determinant of innovation output.' What conclusion does the passage support?
- Large departments always outperform small ones
- Innovation is more related to individual productivity than department size (Correct answer)
- Patent applications are the only valid measure of innovation
- The research team should be expanded to increase total output
Correct answer: Innovation is more related to individual productivity than department size
The passage uses the small team's high per-employee output to argue that size matters less than individual productivity.
Question 2: 'The safety inspection found that three of the twelve fire extinguishers in the building were past their service date. The building manager was notified and instructed to replace all outdated equipment within 48 hours.' What fraction of fire extinguishers needed replacement?
- One-half
- One-third
- One-quarter (Correct answer)
- Two-thirds
Correct answer: One-quarter
Three out of twelve extinguishers needed replacement, which equals one-quarter (3 ÷ 12 = 1/4).
Question 3: 'The report concluded that absenteeism rates were highest among employees who commuted more than 45 minutes each way. The company is considering subsidizing public transportation passes as a potential solution.' What problem is the company trying to solve?
- Low employee productivity during working hours
- High absenteeism linked to long commutes (Correct answer)
- Insufficient parking facilities near the office
- Rising fuel costs for company vehicles
Correct answer: High absenteeism linked to long commutes
The passage directly connects absenteeism to long commutes, which is the problem the transportation subsidy aims to address.
Question 4: 'Volunteers are needed for the annual fundraising event. Those interested must be available on both Saturday and Sunday of the event weekend and should have prior experience working with large crowds.' Which volunteer would NOT qualify based on the stated requirements?
- A person available all weekend who has worked at concerts
- A person available Saturday only who has event experience (Correct answer)
- A person available both days who managed a store for five years
- A person available all weekend with no stated crowd experience
Correct answer: A person available Saturday only who has event experience
The requirements specify availability on BOTH days; being available Saturday only fails this requirement regardless of experience level.
Question 5: 'The marketing team presented three campaign concepts. Concept A focused on social media, Concept B targeted print advertising, and Concept C combined digital and in-store promotions. After reviewing the data, the director chose the option with the broadest reach potential.' Which concept was most likely chosen?
- Concept A
- Concept B
- Concept C (Correct answer)
- None; the director rejected all concepts
Correct answer: Concept C
Concept C combines two channels (digital and in-store), giving it the broadest potential reach compared to the single-channel Concepts A and B.
Question 6: 'Effective communication is a two-way process. A message is only successful when the receiver understands it as the sender intended. Misunderstandings often arise not from a lack of effort, but from differences in background, experience, or vocabulary.' According to the passage, what is the most common source of miscommunication?
- Lack of effort by the sender
- Differences in background, experience, or vocabulary (Correct answer)
- Messages that are too brief
- Overuse of technical jargon
Correct answer: Differences in background, experience, or vocabulary
The passage directly states that misunderstandings arise from differences in background, experience, or vocabulary — not from lack of effort.
Question 7: 'The new attendance policy states that employees may take up to three personal days per year without prior approval. Any additional personal days require written approval from a direct supervisor at least five business days in advance.' An employee wants to take a fourth personal day. What must she do?
- Submit a request to HR at least three days in advance
- Get written approval from her supervisor at least five business days ahead (Correct answer)
- Take the day without notifying anyone since she is entitled to it
- Get verbal approval from her supervisor the day before
Correct answer: Get written approval from her supervisor at least five business days ahead
The policy states additional personal days beyond three require written supervisor approval at least five business days in advance.
Wonderlic Personnel Test Reading Comprehension 2
'Despite being the smallest department in the company, the research team consistently produces the highest number of patent applications per employee.
This suggests that team size is not the primary determinant of innovation output.' What conclusion does the passage support?