Verbal Reasoning Test Practice Course: Inference, main idea and tone

1. Question 1 sur 15

   What is an inference?

   • AA sentence copied word for word from the passage
   • BA summary of every detail in a text
   • CA word that means the same as another
   • DA conclusion you reach from clues in a text
   Voir la réponse

   Réponse: D. A conclusion you reach from clues in a text

   An inference is something a text suggests but does not say directly. You work it out from the clues the writer gives.

2. Question 2 sur 15

   Which pair of words correctly completes this sentence? "A writer ___ a meaning; a reader ___ it."

   • Aimplies ... infers
   • Binfers ... infers
   • Cinfers ... implies
   • Dimplies ... implies
   Voir la réponse

   Réponse: A. implies ... infers

   Imply means to suggest, which a writer or speaker does. Infer means to deduce, which the reader or listener does.

3. Question 3 sur 15

   A store sign says: "Cash only today. Our card machine is being repaired." What can you infer?

   • APrices are higher today
   • BThe store has never accepted cards
   • CThe store is closing soon
   • DThe store usually accepts cards
   Voir la réponse

   Réponse: D. The store usually accepts cards

   If the card machine is being repaired, the store normally uses it. The other options need information the sign does not give.

4. Question 4 sur 15

   What is the main purpose of Priya's message?

   Hi team,

   Thank you for all the extra hours you put in last month. Because of your work, we shipped every order on time during our busiest season. I know it was tiring. Starting next week, we are hiring four temporary workers so that nobody has to work more than one extra shift a week.

   Please let me know if you have questions.

   Priya

   • ATo announce that some staff will be laid off next week
   • BTo complain about orders that were shipped late
   • CTo thank the team and explain a plan to reduce extra shifts
   • DTo ask staff to keep working extra hours during the busy season
   Voir la réponse

   Réponse: C. To thank the team and explain a plan to reduce extra shifts

   Priya thanks the team for the extra hours and explains that temporary workers will be hired so extra shifts are limited.

5. Question 5 sur 15

   Which word best describes the tone of Priya's message?

   Hi team,

   Thank you for all the extra hours you put in last month. Because of your work, we shipped every order on time during our busiest season. I know it was tiring. Starting next week, we are hiring four temporary workers so that nobody has to work more than one extra shift a week.

   Please let me know if you have questions.

   Priya

   • Aimpatient
   • Bangry
   • Cgrateful
   • Dworried
   Voir la réponse

   Réponse: C. grateful

   Phrases such as "Thank you for all the extra hours" and "Because of your work" show a grateful tone.

6. Question 6 sur 15

   What can you infer from Priya's message about last month?

   Hi team,

   Thank you for all the extra hours you put in last month. Because of your work, we shipped every order on time during our busiest season. I know it was tiring. Starting next week, we are hiring four temporary workers so that nobody has to work more than one extra shift a week.

   Please let me know if you have questions.

   Priya

   • AMany orders were shipped later than customers expected
   • BPriya plans to cut staff pay
   • CSome staff worked more than one extra shift in a week
   • DThe temporary workers started work last month
   Voir la réponse

   Réponse: C. Some staff worked more than one extra shift in a week

   The new plan is "so that nobody has to work more than one extra shift a week", which suggests some people did more than that. Orders were shipped on time, so late orders is wrong.

7. Question 7 sur 15

   Which is the best title for this notice?

   Notice to tenants: The water will be shut off on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. so that plumbers can replace the main valve. Please fill a jug of water before 9 a.m. if you will need it. We apologize for the short notice; the valve began leaking yesterday.

   • AHow to fix a leaking valve
   • BWater shut-off on Thursday morning
   • CNew plumbing rules for all tenants in the building
   • DRent changes next month
   Voir la réponse

   Réponse: B. Water shut-off on Thursday morning

   A good title covers the main idea of the whole notice: the water will be off on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

8. Question 8 sur 15

   What can you infer from the notice?

   Notice to tenants: The water will be shut off on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. so that plumbers can replace the main valve. Please fill a jug of water before 9 a.m. if you will need it. We apologize for the short notice; the valve began leaking yesterday.

   • AThe repair will take two days
   • BThe whole building will be closed to tenants on Thursday
   • CTenants will not have tap water on Thursday morning
   • DTenants must pay for the repair
   Voir la réponse

   Réponse: C. Tenants will not have tap water on Thursday morning

   If the water is shut off from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., taps will not work then. That is why tenants are asked to fill a jug first.

9. Question 9 sur 15

   Why does the notice give short warning?

   Notice to tenants: The water will be shut off on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. so that plumbers can replace the main valve. Please fill a jug of water before 9 a.m. if you will need it. We apologize for the short notice; the valve began leaking yesterday.

   • ATenants asked for a quick repair
   • BThe plumbers asked for it
   • CThe leak started only recently
   • DThe owner forgot to post it earlier
   Voir la réponse

   Réponse: C. The leak started only recently

   The notice apologizes for the short notice and explains that the valve began leaking yesterday.

10. Question 10 sur 15

    What is the main idea of the passage?

    Our customer survey shows that people who wait more than ten minutes at the counter are much less likely to come back. Last year, the average wait at our downtown store at lunchtime was twelve minutes. Adding a second cashier from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. would cost about $9,000 a year. The store manager believes the extra sales would more than cover this cost.

    • AThe store should add a second cashier at lunchtime
    • BCashiers should work only during the lunchtime rush
    • CCustomer surveys are too expensive for small stores to run
    • DThe downtown store has higher sales than the other stores
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: A. The store should add a second cashier at lunchtime

    The facts about waiting, the cost and the manager's belief all support one point: adding a lunchtime cashier is worth it.

11. Question 11 sur 15

    Which statement is best supported by the passage?

    Our customer survey shows that people who wait more than ten minutes at the counter are much less likely to come back. Last year, the average wait at our downtown store at lunchtime was twelve minutes. Adding a second cashier from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. would cost about $9,000 a year. The store manager believes the extra sales would more than cover this cost.

    • AMost of the store's customers visit at lunchtime rather than in the evening
    • BLast year the average lunchtime wait downtown was longer than ten minutes
    • CThe store loses $9,000 a year
    • DThe survey was done at the downtown store only
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: B. Last year the average lunchtime wait downtown was longer than ten minutes

    The average lunchtime wait was twelve minutes, which is more than ten. The other statements are not given in the passage.

12. Question 12 sur 15

    What does the store manager assume, without saying it directly?

    Our customer survey shows that people who wait more than ten minutes at the counter are much less likely to come back. Last year, the average wait at our downtown store at lunchtime was twelve minutes. Adding a second cashier from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. would cost about $9,000 a year. The store manager believes the extra sales would more than cover this cost.

    • AMost customers would rather shop in the evening than at lunchtime anyway
    • BShorter waits would bring in enough extra sales to pay for the cashier
    • CThe survey results are out of date and no longer useful
    • DThe second cashier would need to work all day, every day
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: B. Shorter waits would bring in enough extra sales to pay for the cashier

    The manager believes the extra sales would cover the $9,000 cost. That only works if shorter waits lead to enough extra sales.

13. Question 13 sur 15

    Which new fact would most weaken the manager's argument?

    Our customer survey shows that people who wait more than ten minutes at the counter are much less likely to come back. Last year, the average wait at our downtown store at lunchtime was twelve minutes. Adding a second cashier from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. would cost about $9,000 a year. The store manager believes the extra sales would more than cover this cost.

    • AThe survey asked customers how long they had waited at the counter
    • BA second cashier would cut the average wait to about five minutes
    • CMost lost customers say they left because of prices, not waits
    • DThe downtown store is busier at lunchtime than at other times
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: C. Most lost customers say they left because of prices, not waits

    The argument assumes long waits drive customers away. If customers left because of prices, a second cashier would not bring them back.

14. Question 14 sur 15

    By December, an employee has used only one personal day. What happens to the two unused days on January 1?

    Employees may take up to three paid personal days each year. Unused personal days do not carry over to the next year. Requests should be made at least two days ahead, except in emergencies.

    • AThey cannot be used in the new year
    • BThey can be used until the end of January
    • CThey become vacation days
    • DThey are added to next year's three days
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: A. They cannot be used in the new year

    The passage says unused personal days do not carry over to the next year, so the employee cannot use them after December.

15. Question 15 sur 15

    What can you infer from the passage about personal days?

    Employees may take up to three paid personal days each year. Unused personal days do not carry over to the next year. Requests should be made at least two days ahead, except in emergencies.

    • AIn an emergency, less than two days' notice is acceptable
    • BEmployees must give their manager a reason for each personal day
    • CRequests need a doctor's note
    • DPersonal days are unpaid
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: A. In an emergency, less than two days' notice is acceptable

    Requests should be made two days ahead "except in emergencies", so in an emergency shorter notice is allowed.

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