California POST Reading Comprehension Strategies Questions and Answers

Question 1

An officer reads a multi-paragraph directive regarding a new evidence handling protocol.
To gain the best overall understanding before focusing on details, which reading strategy should be applied first?

Accepted Answer

Skim the document, paying attention to headings, subheadings, and the first sentence of each paragraph to identify the main ideas.

Answer

Memorize the date and issuing authority of the directive.

Answer

Read the entire document slowly and carefully one time through.

Answer

Focus only on the section that seems most relevant to their specific duties.

Question 2

When answering a reading comprehension question on the POST exam that is based on a provided passage, it is most important for the candidate to:

Accepted Answer

Base their answer solely on the information stated or implied within the passage.

Answer

Choose the answer that aligns with their prior law enforcement training and knowledge.

Answer

Select the longest, most detailed answer choice available.

Answer

Eliminate answers that contain words used in the passage.

Question 3

A passage describes a sequence of events at a crime scene. A question then asks what *most likely* happened immediately after the suspect fled. To answer this, a candidate must be able to:

Accepted Answer

Draw a logical inference based on the details provided.

Answer

Determine the author's purpose in writing the passage.

Answer

Define the vocabulary used in the passage.

Answer

Identify the main idea of the entire passage.

Question 4

Which of the following is the most effective strategy for determining the meaning of an unfamiliar technical term within a police report or legal document?

Accepted Answer

Use context clues from the surrounding sentences and the overall topic to infer its meaning.

Answer

Assume the term is an error and disregard the sentence.

Answer

Substitute the term with a word that sounds similar.

Answer

Skip the paragraph containing the term as it is likely not important.

Question 5

An officer is reading a witness statement. The first sentence states a general observation, and the second sentence begins with 'For example...'. What is the relationship between these two sentences?

Accepted Answer

The second sentence provides a specific illustration of the idea in the first.

Answer

The second sentence contradicts the first sentence.

Answer

The second sentence repeats the exact same idea as the first.

Answer

The second sentence states the effect of the cause mentioned in the first.

Question 6

The primary purpose of identifying the main idea of a passage is to:

Accepted Answer

Understand the author's central point or overall message.

Answer

Create a comprehensive list of all the specific facts mentioned.

Answer

Challenge the validity of the information presented.

Answer

Memorize the passage word-for-word for later recall.

An officer reads a multi-paragraph directive regarding a new evidence handling protocol.To gain the best overall understanding before focusing on details, which reading strategy should be applied first?

An officer reads a multi-paragraph directive regarding a new evidence handling protocol.
To gain the best overall understanding before focusing on details, which reading strategy should be applied first?