NYC NYC Civil Service Written Comprehension and Expression Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A supervisor's memo states: 'All overtime requests must be submitted no later than 48 hours before the scheduled shift, using Form OT-7, and approved by a unit chief.' An employee submits Form OT-7 36 hours before a Saturday shift but does not get unit chief approval. Which requirement did the employee fail to meet?
- The 48-hour submission deadline
- The correct form requirement
- Unit chief approval (Correct answer)
- All of the above requirements
Correct answer: Unit chief approval
The employee submitted on time using the correct form but failed to obtain unit chief approval, which is a separate mandatory requirement.
Question 2: Read this sentence: 'The department will not process applications that are incomplete, illegible, or submitted after the deadline.' Which of the following applications WOULD be processed?
- An application with missing contact information
- An application submitted one day after the deadline
- A neatly printed, fully completed application submitted on time (Correct answer)
- An application that is difficult to read due to faint ink
Correct answer: A neatly printed, fully completed application submitted on time
Only a complete, legible, on-time application meets all three stated conditions for processing.
Question 3: A passage reads: 'Officers are required to document all use-of-force incidents within 24 hours. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.' What is the PRIMARY purpose of this policy?
- To punish officers who use force
- To create a record of use-of-force incidents in a timely manner (Correct answer)
- To discourage officers from using force
- To reduce overtime costs associated with report writing
Correct answer: To create a record of use-of-force incidents in a timely manner
The policy requires timely documentation; the disciplinary consequence is secondary and reinforces compliance rather than being the primary purpose.
Question 4: Which sentence is written MOST clearly and concisely for an official government report?
- Due to the fact that there was inclement weather, the situation was one in which a postponement became necessary.
- The event was postponed because of inclement weather. (Correct answer)
- Inclement weather, being the reason, caused the event to be postponed by officials.
- Weather that was inclement in nature did result in a postponement of the event.
Correct answer: The event was postponed because of inclement weather.
Option B conveys the same information in the fewest words with the clearest subject-verb-object structure.
Question 5: A notice reads: 'Residents may appeal a parking violation within 30 days of the issue date. Appeals submitted after this period will not be accepted unless the resident can demonstrate extraordinary circumstances.' A resident submits an appeal 45 days after the issue date, citing a recent hospitalization. Under the policy, what should happen?
- The appeal must be automatically rejected because the 30-day window has passed
- The appeal should be considered because a hospitalization may qualify as an extraordinary circumstance (Correct answer)
- The appeal should be accepted since any reason is sufficient after 30 days
- The appeal should be escalated to a judge
Correct answer: The appeal should be considered because a hospitalization may qualify as an extraordinary circumstance
The policy explicitly allows late appeals when extraordinary circumstances can be demonstrated, and a hospitalization is a plausible example of such a circumstance.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the meaning of the word 'mandatory' as used in civil service regulations?
- Recommended but not required
- Required without exception (Correct answer)
- Optional at the discretion of the supervisor
- Subject to periodic review
Correct answer: Required without exception
'Mandatory' means something is required and must be done, leaving no discretion for non-compliance.
NYC NYC Civil Service Written Comprehension and Expression Questions and Answers 2
A supervisor's memo states: 'All overtime requests must be submitted no later than 48 hours before the scheduled shift, using Form OT-7, and approved by a unit chief.' An employee submits Form OT-7 36 hours before a Saturday shift but does not get unit chief approval.
Which requirement did the employee fail to meet?