Free CBEST Reading Practice Test Questions and Answers 2026
The questions on this free CBEST Reading practice test are a true representation of the questions you'll face on the actual CBEST exam.
These CBEST Reading sample questions were specifically chosen to help improve your score and ace your pre-employment process.
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1. The ______ (1) shall be responsible for the development of a fire protection program and ______ (2) shall provide all the required firefighting equipment as specified below. Access to all available firefighting ______ (3) shall be maintained at all times. As fire hazards______ (4), there shall be no delay in ______ (5)the necessary equipment - fire extinguishers, small hose lines, one 55-gallon open drum of water, and a 1/2-inch diameter garden-type hose line.
All firefighting equipment shall be periodically inspected and maintained to ensure it is fully operational. Defective equipment shall be immediately replaced.
Answer:
(1) employer
(2) he
(3) equipment
(4) occur
(5)providing
The time limit for the CBEST Reading exam is 1.5 hours.
2. In the past few years, the government has turned to shock tactics in order to fight the battle against smokers and the burden they pose on the country's economy (manifested in sick days and health issues). The latest anti-smoking campaign showed tumors growing on a cigarette. Needless to say, this advert was contentious. On the one hand, the advert has become a viral sensation since its launch and has attracted plenty of attention to the subject. On the other hand, some argue that using a hard-hitting approach doesn't really work because people become very afraid. If someone thinks they might have cancer or a symptom of cancer, they're likely to try to push it out of their mind.
Which One of The Following Provides the Best Summary of The Main Point of The Passage?
A. Tumors growing on a cigarette might not be the best anti-smoking campaign.
B. Anti-smoking campaigns are important to a nation's economy.
C. A hard-hitting approach to fighting the battle against cigarettes isn't efficient.
D. Shock tactics have been found to be disputatious.
Answer:
The correct answer is D. When summarizing a passage, it is important to identify the main subject of the text, as well as the message the author wants to convey to readers. In this case, it seems the subject is shock tactics, with the recent anti-smoking campaign serving as an example. This information can help us eliminate distracter A, which focuses on the campaign itself. Now we should focus on the main message of the passage: is the author pro/against shock tactics? Perhaps the author is ambivalent? Since the author introduces two sides to shock tactics, a positive one (attracting attention to the subject) alongside a negative one (installing fear and promoting avoidance), we can conclude that shock tactics are presented as disputable (distracter D). Distracters B and C offer a more decisive stance towards shock tactics and are thus eliminated.
There are a total of 50 questions on the test.
3. An untidy ______ (1)can result in unmotivated workers, ______ (2)efficiency, and severe injuries.______ (3), good housekeeping practices are essential for all______(4). Such practices include cleaning spills on floors immediately and allocating space close to workstations allowing storage of tools and materials that are frequently used. It is also highly ______ (5) to train all workers in good housekeeping procedures in order to maintain tidiness on a day-to-day basis.
Answer:
(1) workplace.
(2) reduced.
(3) Therefore.
(4) workplaces.
(5) recommended.
The exams question format is multiple-choice.
4. What is the total number of units produced in factory X?
A.35,150
B. 37,000
C. 36,000
D. 38,850
E. 36,500
Answer: The total number of units produced in factory X equals: Total number of Product A units + Total number of Product B units + Total number of Product C units + Total number of Product D units = 10,000+9,500+8,500+9,000 = 37,000.
Note that the total number also includes the defective units.
You need a score of 41 and a total 123 in all test sections. If you fail to score at least 37 you cannot pass the CBEST test.
5. “Sharing economy” is on the rise, with millions of people renting beds, cars, boats and other assets directly from each other, coordinating the transaction via the internet. Technology has reduced transaction costs, making sharing assets cheaper and easier than ever, and therefore possible on a much larger scale. The big change is the availability of more data about people and things, which allows physical assets to be disaggregated and consumed as services. Smartphones with GPS let people see where the nearest rentable car is parked; social networks provide a way to check up on people and acquire additional information; and online payment systems handle the billing.
Which one of the following probably contributed the most to the rise of “sharing economy”?
A. Information security.
B. Availability of information.
C. Reduced transaction fees.
D. Internet speed.
Answer:
The correct answer is B. This is a tricky question that requires us to examine the question meticulously. The question asks what “probably contributed the most,“ serving as a clue that perhaps there is more than one contributing factor; however, we are instructed to choose the one that contributes the most. The passage mentions two of the options suggested above: reduced transaction fees and availability of information. Reduced fees is mentioned in the context of technological developments that made “sharing economy” possible on a larger scale, whereas “availability of more data about people” is regarded in the passage as the “big change” contributing to its popularity. Hence, the correct answer is B.
In the CBEST test, there are 102 questions divided between three sections: Math, Reading, and Writing.
6. WELFARE FACILITIES IN THE WORKPLACE
A person conducting a ______(1) must ensure the provision of ______(2) facilities for workers, including toilets, drinking______(3), washing and eating facilities. These ______(4) must be in good working order, clean, safe and accessible. When ______(5) how to provide and maintain facilities that are adequate and accessible, a person conducting a business must consider all relevant matters including the nature of the work being carried out at the workplace and the number and composition of the workers at the workplace.
Answer:
Answer:
(1) business.
(2) adequate.
(3) water.
(4) facilities.
(5) considering.
An important skill in the reading section is critical analysis and evaluation, which constitutes 40% of the test.
7. What is the number of tables sold in month 4?
A. 200.
B. 40.
C. 250.
D. 500.
E. 150.
Answer:
The x-axis provides the months of sale whereas the y-axis provides the number of tables sold. The graph itself translates the data provided in the y-axis into percentages out of all items sold. In order to find out how many tables were sold in month 4, all we have to do is find the meeting point between "month 4" and the y-axis to arrive at 200 tables. The correct answer is A.
Approximately 60% of this test is comprised of comprehension and research questions
8. Ryanair and Aer Lingus are by far the most important carriers operating out of Ireland, competing on 46 routes. The vice president of the European Commission has prohibited, on the basis of the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed takeover of the Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus by the low-cost airline Ryanair. The market investigation showed that there was little prospect that any new carrier would enter the Irish market after the merger. Ryanair proposed several remedial arrangements during the process, including the divestiture of Aer Lingus’s 43 overlap routes to Flybe and the cession of take-off and landing slots to British Airways at London airports. The commission, however, established that this set of measures wasn’t sufficient due to the size of the Flybe Company and their status in the aeronautical industry.
The main reason the merger was prohibited was to prevent abuse of dominant power.
A. True on the basis of the passage.
B. False on the basis of the passage.
C. Not possible to say if the statement is true or false on the basis of the passage.
Answer:
The passage mentions first that “Ryanair and Aer Lingus are by far the most important carriers operating out of Ireland” and then informs the reader that Ryanair intended to take over Aer Lingus, but was prohibited from doing so, due to the fact that: “there was little prospect that any new carrier would enter the Irish market after the merger.” We can understand from this information that Ryanair taking over another big carrier would amount to an accumulation of dominant power in its hands. Consequently, the merger was prohibited.
Graphs, tables, and written material are used to test your comprehension abilities.
9. What is the difference between the price of a basket of goods in 2012 and 2013?
A. $0.20.
B. $0.30.
C. $0.40.
D. $0.25.
E. $0.35.
Answer:
The price of a basket of goods in 2012: $1.35+$1.60+$1.00+$2.50+$1.20=$7.65.
The price of a basket of goods in 2013: $1.50+$1.40+$1.10+$2.50+$1.35= $7.85
The difference between the price of a basket of goods in 2012 and 2013 is: $7.65-$7.85=-$0.20.
The correct answer is A.
The test is part of the California Basic Skills Assessment.
10. Which month exhibited no stock sales?
A. September.
B. October.
C. November.
D. January.
E. February.
Answer:
The way to answer this question is either follow the pie chart from January until you arrive at "0" label or look for the missing color in the pie chart, indicated in the index. The missing color is neon yellow-October. The correct answer is B.
The materials used in the test have varying degrees of difficulty.
11. Ryanair and Aer Lingus are by far the most important carriers operating out of Ireland, competing on 46 routes. The vice president of the European Commission has prohibited, on the basis of the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed takeover of the Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus by the low-cost airline Ryanair. The market investigation showed that there was little prospect that any new carrier would enter the Irish market after the merger. Ryanair proposed several remedial arrangements during the process, including the divestiture of Aer Lingus’s 43 overlap routes to Flybe and the cession of take-off and landing slots to British Airways at London airports. The commission, however, established that this set of measures wasn’t sufficient due to the size of the Flybe Company and their status in the aeronautical industry.
Which one of the following solutions was offered by Ryanair to the argument raised by the vice president of the European Commission?
A. Downsizing the number of routes.
B. Discontinuing the Dublin-London route.
C. Sharing certain routes with other airlines.
D. Instituting some remedial arrangements.
Answer:
The correct answer is A. The vice president of the European Commission argued that “there was little prospect that any new carrier would enter the Irish market after the merger” and therefore “Ryanair proposed several remedial arrangements… divestiture of Aer Lingus’s 43 overlap routes to Flybe and the cession of take-off and landing slots to British Airways at London airports.” Basically, Ryanair tried to offer remedies in order to alleviate the vice president's concern: (1) transferring routes to Flybe; (2) relinquishing take-off and landing slots. These remedies imply that Ryanair were offering to reduce the number of routes they control. Therefore, the correct answer is (A). Distracter (B) is incorrect since relinquishing slots does not necessarily mean giving up the Dublin-London route all together. Distracter (C) is incorrect since Ryanair offered to surrender some of its routes, not share them with others. Distracter (D) is incorrect because it misses the point of the question: the question asks what specific action was offered as a solution by Ryanair, whereas distracter (D) merely expresses the idea that Ryanair offered solutions.
There will be questions in the exam that are based on information contained in a particular passage and can be answered based on that information.
12. WORKPLACE VIOLENCE
Any act of ______ behavior that occurs at the work______ . It ranges from threats and verbal ______ to physical assaults and even______ . It can affect and involve employees, clients, customers and visitors.
In order to reduce the volume of violent acts, identify the workplace risk factors in advance and ______ a zero-tolerance policy toward workplace violence.
Answer:
(1) disruptive.
(2) place.
(3) abuse.
(4) homicide.
(5) establish.
13. When does the train with the greatest number of passengers on it leave the station?
A. 07:00.
B. 08:00.
C. 12:00.
D. 17:00.
E. 21:00.
Answer:
The train with the greatest number of passengers on it is the train with the greatest number of occupied seats, calculated as: Num. of seats- Num. of vacant seats:
The correct answer is 21:00
The test can be done at a testing center or remotely with online proctoring.
14. To deliver secure supplies of high-quality food while protecting the environment better, the new US farm policy must make "greening" measures mandatory but flexible and help farmers to cope with market volatility. Members of United States Congress agree that 30% of national budgets for direct payments should be made conditional upon compliance with mandatory greening measures, but stress that these measures must be made more flexible and should be brought in gradually. The three key measures - crop diversification, maintaining permanent pasture and grassland and creating "ecologically-focused areas", would remain but with certain exceptions, e.g. to reflect the size of the farm.
Which one of the following would meet one of the mandatory greening measures?
A. Create a new species of cucumbers
B. Close 10% of active farms
C. Enclose tracts of farmland for grazing
D. Allocate 10% of farm products to export.
Answer: This question requires that we focus on the three greening measures mentioned in the passage and try to understand how each measure would be implemented in practice. The three greening measures presented in the text are: (1) crop diversification- from the word "diversity" we can deduce that this measure is aimed at creating a greater variety of farm products. In other words, farms should produce a range of products (not only tomatoes, but cucumbers too). (2) Maintaining permanent pasture and grassland – this measure is aimed at preserving the natural pasture of farmland, probably by encouraging farmers to monitor the amount of pasture on their land and making sure it isn't consumed completely. (3) Creating “ecologically-focused areas”- this measure probably obligates farmers to keep a certain part of their land free of exploitation, allowing the land to regenerate. Distracter C seems to go well with the second greening measure as it offers a practical method of preserving the natural pasture by enclosing farm areas for grazing, leaving other areas in a natural state. Distracters B and D are not related to the three mandatory greening measures mentioned in the text, while distracter A relates in a way to the first greening measure; however, it is not an accurate translation of that measure.The correct answer is C.
You are allowed to take breaks during the exam but it will be considered as part of the testing time.
12. The probability of women with a BMI of 16 developing diabetes is 0.
A. True
B. False
C. Not possible to say
Answer:
The lowest category available in the chart is: 17-18.5 BMI. The probability of women in that category to develop diabetes is: 0.05. Although it is possible that women with a lower BMI will have a lower probability to develop the disease, we don't have enough information to make this deduction since we are not presented with information as to the distribution of probabilities within a given BMI category. The correct answer is C.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| - | D | - | B | B | - |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| A | A | A | B | A | - |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | |||
| E | C | C |
