NYC - Civil Service Exam Civil Service Written Comprehension and Expression 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A department bulletin states: 'Personnel requesting leave during a holiday period must submit their request in writing at least 14 calendar days in advance and receive written confirmation from their direct supervisor before the leave may be taken.' An employee submits a written request 10 days before a holiday and receives verbal approval from their supervisor. Which requirement(s) did the employee FAIL to meet?
- The employee met all requirements.
- The employee failed to submit the request in writing.
- The employee failed to meet the 14-day advance notice requirement and did not receive written confirmation. (Correct answer)
- The employee failed only to receive written confirmation from a supervisor.
Correct answer: The employee failed to meet the 14-day advance notice requirement and did not receive written confirmation.
The bulletin requires both a 14-calendar-day advance written request AND written confirmation. The employee submitted only 10 days in advance (missing the timing requirement) and received only verbal approval (missing the written confirmation requirement). Both conditions were violated.
Question 2: Read this passage: 'City employees may use department vehicles only for official business. Personal errands, commuting to or from home, and any use not directly related to assigned duties are strictly prohibited.' Which of the following uses of a department vehicle would be PERMITTED under this policy?
- Driving a department van home after a late shift to avoid public transit.
- Transporting city records from one borough office to another as part of an assigned task. (Correct answer)
- Stopping at a grocery store while returning from an official site visit.
- Giving a colleague a ride to a personal appointment during lunch.
Correct answer: Transporting city records from one borough office to another as part of an assigned task.
Transporting city records between offices is directly related to assigned duties and therefore constitutes official business. All other options involve personal errands, commuting, or use unrelated to official duties, which the policy explicitly prohibits.
Question 3: A notice reads: 'In the event of a building emergency, all staff must evacuate immediately using the nearest stairwell. Elevators must not be used. Staff should proceed to the designated assembly point and await further instructions from a fire safety warden.' Which action by a staff member VIOLATES this notice?
- Taking the nearest stairwell to exit the building.
- Waiting at the designated assembly point for a warden.
- Using the elevator because the stairwell is crowded. (Correct answer)
- Following instructions given by the fire safety warden.
Correct answer: Using the elevator because the stairwell is crowded.
The notice explicitly states that elevators must not be used during a building emergency. Using an elevator — regardless of conditions — directly violates the stated policy.
Question 4: Which sentence is written MOST clearly and appropriately for an official interoffice memorandum?
- FYI the meeting got moved and everyone needs to be there or else.
- Please be advised that the weekly staff meeting has been rescheduled to Thursday, July 30, at 2:00 p.m. in Conference Room B. (Correct answer)
- So the thing is we're doing the meeting a different day now which is Thursday instead.
- The meeting, which was previously scheduled, has now been changed to a different day and time than before.
Correct answer: Please be advised that the weekly staff meeting has been rescheduled to Thursday, July 30, at 2:00 p.m. in Conference Room B.
Option B is precise, professional, and complete — it specifies the day, date, time, and location without informal language or vague references. The other options use slang, incomplete information, or unnecessarily wordy phrasing unsuitable for official communication.
Question 5: A policy directive states: 'Confidential personnel records may only be released to the employee named in the record, to that employee's designated legal representative, or pursuant to a valid court order. No other parties may access these records without written authorization from the Commissioner.' A records clerk receives a phone request from a manager asking to review a subordinate's personnel file for a performance review. What should the clerk do?
- Release the file immediately, since the manager has supervisory authority over the employee.
- Deny the request, because managers are not among the parties authorized to access the records under this policy. (Correct answer)
- Release the file only if the manager agrees to keep it confidential.
- Ask the employee for verbal permission before releasing the file to the manager.
Correct answer: Deny the request, because managers are not among the parties authorized to access the records under this policy.
The policy lists only three authorized parties: the employee, their legal representative, or a court order. It further states that no other party may access records without written Commissioner authorization. A manager making a phone request does not fall into any authorized category.
Question 6: Read the following two sentences and choose the version that BEST communicates the same information clearly and concisely: Original — 'Due to the fact that there was a significant amount of precipitation that occurred during the nighttime hours, it has become necessary for the department to make the determination that the outdoor event that had been planned will need to be cancelled.'
- Because it rained heavily overnight, the department has cancelled the outdoor event. (Correct answer)
- The outdoor event is cancelled on account of rain which fell during the night and was heavy.
- The event outside is not happening because of the rain that came down a lot last night.
- It has been determined that due to rainfall, the event outdoors will not proceed as had been the plan.
Correct answer: Because it rained heavily overnight, the department has cancelled the outdoor event.
Option A conveys the complete meaning in one direct, grammatically correct sentence using plain language. It eliminates redundant phrases like 'due to the fact that,' 'make the determination,' and 'had been planned' that inflate the original without adding meaning.
NYC - Civil Service Exam Civil Service Written Comprehension and Expression 1
A department bulletin states: 'Personnel requesting leave during a holiday period must submit their request in writing at least 14 calendar days in advance and receive written confirmation from their direct supervisor before the leave may be taken.' An employee submits a written request 10 days before a holiday and receives verbal approval from their supervisor.
Which requirement(s) did the employee FAIL to meet?