NYC Reading Comprehension Skills 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A department memo states: 'All personnel must submit their time sheets by 4:00 PM on the last business day of each pay period. Failure to comply may result in delayed compensation.' What is the primary consequence of not following this directive?
- Termination of employment
- Delayed payment (Correct answer)
- A written reprimand
- Loss of vacation days
Correct answer: Delayed payment
The memo explicitly states that non-compliance 'may result in delayed compensation,' meaning payment could be delayed.
Question 2: Read the following: 'The Bureau of Motor Vehicles will be closed on all federal holidays. Additionally, the office will close early at 2:00 PM on the day preceding each federal holiday.' Which of the following can be concluded from this passage?
- The office is open on weekends
- Staff may leave at 2:00 PM the day before a federal holiday (Correct answer)
- Federal holidays are determined by the Bureau
- The office closes at 2:00 PM every Friday
Correct answer: Staff may leave at 2:00 PM the day before a federal holiday
The passage states the office closes early at 2:00 PM on the day preceding each federal holiday, meaning staff leave at that time.
Question 3: A policy reads: 'Employees who have completed at least five years of continuous service are eligible for enhanced retirement benefits, provided they have not received a disciplinary suspension within the last two years.' An employee with six years of service who received a suspension 18 months ago is:
- Eligible because they have over five years of service
- Ineligible because the suspension was within the last two years (Correct answer)
- Eligible because the suspension was minor
- Ineligible because they need ten years of service
Correct answer: Ineligible because the suspension was within the last two years
The employee meets the service requirement but fails the second condition, as the suspension occurred 18 months ago—within the two-year window.
Question 4: A passage states: 'While experienced officers generally handle complex disputes, supervisors reserve the right to assign any case to any officer based on workload and operational needs.' What does this passage imply?
- Experienced officers always handle complex cases
- Case assignment is entirely at the supervisor's discretion based on need (Correct answer)
- Inexperienced officers never handle complex cases
- Workload is the only factor in case assignment
Correct answer: Case assignment is entirely at the supervisor's discretion based on need
The phrase 'reserve the right to assign any case to any officer' indicates assignment is ultimately the supervisor's discretion.
Question 5: A notice reads: 'Residents may appeal a parking violation within 30 days of the ticket's issuance date. Appeals submitted after this period will not be accepted regardless of the circumstances.' A resident received a ticket on March 1st. What is the last valid day to appeal?
- March 28th
- March 30th
- March 31st (Correct answer)
- April 1st
Correct answer: March 31st
Thirty days from March 1st is March 31st, which is the last valid day to submit an appeal.
Question 6: The following sentence appears in a report: 'Although the initial investigation yielded inconclusive results, subsequent evidence corroborated the complainant's account.' What does the word 'corroborated' most nearly mean as used here?
- Contradicted
- Supported (Correct answer)
- Ignored
- Replaced
Correct answer: Supported
'Corroborated' means to confirm or support with evidence, so the subsequent evidence supported the complainant's account.
Question 7: A regulation states: 'No employee shall engage in outside employment that conflicts with their official duties or that is conducted during scheduled work hours.' An employee works a second job on weekends and has never let it interfere with city work. This employee is:
- In violation because outside employment is always prohibited
- In violation because weekend work affects weekly performance
- Not in violation because the job doesn't conflict with duties or occur during work hours (Correct answer)
- In violation because they need written supervisor approval
Correct answer: Not in violation because the job doesn't conflict with duties or occur during work hours
The regulation only prohibits outside employment that conflicts with duties or occurs during work hours; neither condition applies here.
NYC Reading Comprehension Skills 2
A department memo states: 'All personnel must submit their time sheets by 4:00 PM on the last business day of each pay period.
Failure to comply may result in delayed compensation.' What is the primary consequence of not following this directive?