OAR OAR Reading Comprehension 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Read: 'The watch officer noted the contact on the port bow, bearing 315 degrees, and estimated its speed at 12 knots based on successive radar fixes.' What technique was used to estimate the contact's speed?
- Acoustic signature analysis
- Successive radar fixes over time (Correct answer)
- Visual observation through binoculars
- Communication intercept data
Correct answer: Successive radar fixes over time
Tracking changes in position across multiple radar fixes over time allows speed estimation, as the passage states.
Question 2: A passage reads: 'The treaty obligated signatory nations to share intelligence regarding maritime threats, though participation remained voluntary in practice.' What tension does the passage identify?
- Between naval and air forces within signatory nations
- Between formal obligations and the voluntary nature of actual participation (Correct answer)
- Between classified and unclassified intelligence categories
- Between treaty signatories and non-signatory nations
Correct answer: Between formal obligations and the voluntary nature of actual participation
The passage highlights a contradiction: nations are formally obligated by the treaty but participation is voluntary in practice.
Question 3: Read: 'Submariners must master the ability to interpret passive sonar data — sounds alone, without active pinging — to identify vessel types and estimate ranges.' Why would submarines prefer passive over active sonar?
- Active sonar requires more crew members to operate
- Active sonar reveals the submarine's own position (Correct answer)
- Passive sonar has greater maximum range than active
- Active sonar does not work at depth
Correct answer: Active sonar reveals the submarine's own position
Active sonar emits a ping that can be detected by others, compromising the submarine's stealth — a key reason passive sonar is preferred.
Question 4: A passage states: 'The captain's decision was vindicated when subsequent events confirmed that the risks she had dismissed were indeed negligible.' The word 'vindicated' most nearly means:
- Criticized after the fact
- Shown to be correct or justified (Correct answer)
- Reconsidered due to new evidence
- Overruled by superior officers
Correct answer: Shown to be correct or justified
'Vindicated' means shown to be right or justified, and the context confirms this through subsequent events proving the decision correct.
Question 5: Read: 'Logistical support ships replenish fuel, ammunition, and provisions at sea, allowing strike groups to remain deployed for extended periods without returning to port.' What operational advantage does this provide?
- Faster top speed for the carrier group
- Extended deployment without requiring port visits (Correct answer)
- Reduced crew size aboard combat vessels
- Improved radar and communication range
Correct answer: Extended deployment without requiring port visits
Replenishment at sea directly enables longer deployments without port calls, as the passage explicitly states.
Question 6: Read: 'The after-action review revealed that communication breakdowns between the two task forces, not equipment failure, had caused the coordination problems.' What does the review conclude was the primary cause?
- Outdated or faulty equipment
- Communication failures between the task forces (Correct answer)
- Insufficient training for the mission type
- Adverse weather conditions during the operation
Correct answer: Communication failures between the task forces
The passage explicitly names communication breakdowns as the cause and rules out equipment failure.
Question 7: A passage reads: 'The section on damage control procedures was dense with technical jargon, rendering it inaccessible to newly enlisted personnel unfamiliar with naval terminology.' What would MOST improve the section?
- Adding more detailed technical specifications
- Replacing jargon with plain language accessible to new personnel (Correct answer)
- Reducing the section's overall length
- Including photographs of damage control equipment
Correct answer: Replacing jargon with plain language accessible to new personnel
Since inaccessibility is caused by technical jargon unfamiliar to new personnel, replacing that jargon with plain language directly addresses the problem.
OAR OAR Reading Comprehension 5
Read: 'The watch officer noted the contact on the port bow, bearing 315 degrees, and estimated its speed at 12 knots based on successive radar fixes.' What technique was used to estimate the contact's speed?