Free SHL Verbal Reasoning Practice Test with Questions, Answers, and Explanations

1. In the past few years, the government has turned to shock tactics to fight the battle against smoking and the burden smokers pose to the country's economy—manifested in sick days and health issues. The latest anti-smoking campaign showed tumors growing from 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. The government estimates approximately 300,000 people will attempt to quit smoking because of the campaign.
On the other hand, some argue that using a hard-hitting approach is not best because people become terrified. If someone thinks they might have cancer or a symptom of cancer, they're likely to push it out of their mind. Health experts claim the new campaign is ineffective in targeting all smokers and recommend using it alongside other measures.

The advert was controversial.

A. True
B. False
C. Cannot say

Answer: 

The answer is (A) - True.

After presenting the advert, the passage states 'this advert was contentious' and follows this statement with a presentation of the advert's attention and the different opinions that surrounded it. Therefore, the advert was controversial, a synonym for contentious, and the argument is True.

2. In the past few years, the government has turned to shock tactics to fight the battle against smoking and the burden smokers pose to the country's economy—manifested in sick days and health issues. The latest anti-smoking campaign showed tumors growing from 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. The government estimates approximately 300,000 people will attempt to quit smoking because of the campaign.
On the other hand, some argue that using a hard-hitting approach is not best because people become terrified. If someone thinks they might have cancer or a symptom of cancer, they're likely to push it out of their mind. Health experts claim the new campaign is ineffective in targeting all smokers and recommend using it alongside other measures.

The anti-smoking ad is funded by the Department of Health.

A. True
B. False
C. Cannot say

Answer: 

The answer is (C) - Cannot Say.

The passage states: "The government has turned to shock tactics to fight the battle against smoking and the burden smokers pose to the country's economy." The passage does not state which department or ministry of the government is leading the campaign and funding it. Therefore, you Cannot Say whether the argument is True or False.

3. Employees working within organizations have a legislative obligation to monitor the content of e-mails sent to external bodies and eliminate potentially sensitive internal information regardless of the perceived importance. Employers have prepared mandatory contracts stipulating this responsibility to guarantee that employees fulfill their legislative obligation and prevent the complete report's possible leak.
All employees signed these contracts, inserted a copyright section to every external e-mail, and emphasized the confidentiality of the information provided. Employees’ carelessness in handling information circulated via email may result in severe punitive action.

Which one of the following provides the best summary of the main point of the passage?

A. Sign a contract stipulating his responsibilities
B. Prevent leakage of sensitive information
C. Refrain from sending personal E-mail
D. Accept punitive action when necessary 

Answer: 

The correct answer is (B).

‘Legislative obligation’ is used in the passage to express the requirement to monitor e-mail content to prevent sensitive information from leaking outside of the organization; "employees working within organizations have a legislative obligation to monitor the content of e-mails… and to eliminate potentially sensitive internal information." Signing a contract (distractor A) and accepting punitive measures (distractor D) are consequences of enforcing this legislative obligation on employees. Distractor C does not represent the essence of the meaning of ‘legislative obligation’ in the text. It does not specify the type of e-mails that are to be monitored; instead, it refers to specific content (sensitive information).

4. Employees working within organizations have a legislative obligation to monitor the content of e-mails sent to external bodies and eliminate potentially sensitive internal information regardless of the perceived importance. Employers have prepared mandatory contracts stipulating this responsibility to guarantee that employees fulfill their legislative obligation and prevent the complete report's possible leak.
All employees signed these contracts, inserted a copyright section to every external e-mail, and emphasized the confidentiality of the information provided. Employees’ carelessness in handling information circulated via email may result in severe punitive action.

Which one of the following would best replace ‘stipulating’ while maintaining the meaning of the passage?

A. Agreeing
B. Specifying
C. Promising
D. Pledging 

Answer: 

The correct answer is (B) - 'specifying.'

The term 'stipulate’ means ‘to specify,’ often as an agreement condition. In this context, the term expresses that employers' contracts specify the responsibility employees have to monitor their e-mails and prevent leakage of classified information. All three remaining distractors don't correspond with the meaning of the sentence.

5. Employees working within organizations have a legislative obligation to monitor the content of e-mails sent to external bodies and eliminate potentially sensitive internal information regardless of the perceived importance. Employers have prepared mandatory contracts stipulating this responsibility to guarantee that employees fulfill their legislative obligation and prevent the complete report's possible leak.
All employees signed these contracts, inserted a copyright section to every external e-mail, and emphasized the confidentiality of the information provided. Employees’ carelessness in handling information circulated via email may result in severe punitive action.

Which statement does not follow from the passage?

A. Supervisors should monitor employees' E-mails
B. Leakage of information may result in punishment
C. Employees are obligated to information confidentiality

Answer: 

The correct answer is (A).

To answer this question, we must go over each statement and decide whether it follows from the passage or not.

Statement A - according to the text: ‘employees …. have (an) … obligation to monitor the content of e-mails…’. Nowhere in the text does it say that this is part of the supervisors' role. Therefore, this statement does not follow the passage.

Statement B - according to the text: ’employees’ carelessness in handling information circulated via email may result in severe punitive action.' In other words, leakage of information will result in punishment, and so statement B is correct.

Statement C - according to the text: 'employees working within organizations have a legislative obligation to monitor the content of e-mails… and eliminate potentially sensitive internal information. Thus, statement C is also correct.

6. A growing body of research suggests that more than one language's regular, high-level use may improve early brain development. According to several studies, command of two or more languages aggrandizes the ability to focus in the face of distraction, decide between competing alternatives, and disregard irrelevant information. These essential skills are grouped, known in brain terms as ‘executive function,’ and research suggests they develop ahead of time in bilingual children. While no one has yet identified the exact mechanism by which bilingualism boosts brain development, the advantage likely stems from the bilingual’s need to continually select the correct language for a given situation.

Which of the following is most accurate based on the passage?

A. language contributes to brain development
B. Bilinguals have difficulties selecting the right language 
C. "Executive functions" develop earlier in bilingual children

Answer: 

The correct answer is (C).

To answer this question, we must go over each statement and decide whether (1) it follows from the passage (2) it is accurate.

Statement A - the passage links improvement in brain development and the acquisition of language, so the statement follows from the passage. However, the passage more specifically links improvement in ’executive functions’ with two or more languages. Consequently, statement A might not necessarily be the most accurate answer, and it is advisable to go over the remaining distractors before making a decision.

Statement B - does not follow from the passage, as the passage states that bilinguals ’need to select the correct language continually’; however, it doesn't say that they have difficulties doing so.

Statement C - does follow from the passage and is more accurate than statement A. Therefore it is the correct answer.

7. A growing body of research suggests that more than one language's regular, high-level use may improve early brain development. According to several studies, command of two or more languages aggrandizes the ability to focus in the face of distraction, decide between competing alternatives, and disregard irrelevant information. These essential skills are grouped, known in brain terms as ‘executive function,’ and research suggests they develop ahead of time in bilingual children. While no one has yet identified the exact mechanism by which bilingualism boosts brain development, the advantage likely stems from the bilingual’s need to continually select the correct language for a given situation.

The research suggests that ‘executive function’ increases with the number of languages mastered.

A. True
B. False
C. Cannot say

Answer: 

The correct answer is (C) - Cannot Say.

The passage mentions differences expected in ‘executive functions’ of the brain between children who command a single language and children who have mastered more than one. However, it cannot be inferred that this effect continues as the number of languages continues to grow. For instance, it is not clear whether the difference in executive functions is also present between children who command two languages and children who have command of more than two languages.

8. A growing body of research suggests that more than one language's regular, high-level use may improve early brain development. According to several studies, command of two or more languages aggrandizes the ability to focus in the face of distraction, decide between competing alternatives, and disregard irrelevant information. These essential skills are grouped, known in brain terms as ‘executive function,’ and research suggests they develop ahead of time in bilingual children. While no one has yet identified the exact mechanism by which bilingualism boosts brain development, the advantage likely stems from the bilingual’s need to continually select the correct language for a given situation.

What is not an example of an ‘executive function’?

A. Lydia calculated with ease the expected yearly revenue of her store
B. Marvin can easily summarize a complex text
C. Alan weighed his different options before choosing to study agricultre
D. Despite the fire alarm going off in the midst of taking her test, Maria got an A

Answer: 

The correct answer is (A).

’Executive functions,’ as presented in the passage, are the ability to focus in the face of distraction, decide between competing alternatives, and disregard irrelevant information. After identifying the ‘executive functions,’ we are left to translate the distracters into the corresponding abilities: The ability to summarize a complex text (distractor B) is a practical translation of the ability to disregard irrelevant information. The ability to weigh in different options before making a decision (distractor C) corresponds with deciding between competing alternatives. The ability to continue concentrating during an exam despite background noise accords with the ability to focus in the face of distraction. Distractor A does not correspond with any of the three ‘executive functions’ mentioned in the text and is, therefore, the correct answer.

9. People who drink coffee appear to live longer, as drinking coffee is associated with a lower risk of death due to heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and kidney disease. People who consume a coffee a day are 12 percent less likely to die than those who do not drink coffee. This association is even more vital for those who drink two to three cups a day—18 percent reduced chance of death. Lower mortality is present regardless of whether people drink regular or decaffeinated coffee, suggesting the association is not tied to caffeine.

The more coffee people drink, the more they are linked with longer lives.

A. True
B. False
C. Cannot say

Answer: 

The answer is (C) - Cannot Say.

The passage states that people who drink one cup of coffee a day are 12 percent less likely to die, while people who drink two to three cups a day have an 18 percent reduced chance of death. However, the passage does not mention the chances of dying for people who drink more than three cups of coffee every day—they could live longer, and they could have a higher mortality rate. You Cannot Say whether the argument is True or False based on the information in the passage.

10. People who drink coffee appear to live longer, as drinking coffee is associated with a lower risk of death due to heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and kidney disease. People who consume a coffee a day are 12 percent less likely to die than those who do not drink coffee. This association is even more vital for those who drink two to three cups a day—an 18 percent reduced chance of death. Lower mortality is present regardless of whether people drink regular or decaffeinated coffee, suggesting the association is not tied to caffeine.

People who drink two or three cups of coffee a day have a 6 percent higher chance of living longer compared to people who drink one cup of coffee a day.

A. True
B. False
C. Cannot say

Answer: 

The answer is (B) - False.

The passage states that people who drink one cup of coffee a day are 12 percent less likely to die, while people who drink two to three cups a day have an 18 percent reduced chance of death, and it seems that the difference is 18 – 12 = 6 percent. However, these changes mentioned in the passage must be 'compared to those who do not drink coffee. Thus, the difference between people who drink one cup of coffee a day, and people who drink two to three cups a day, is 6 percent only when comparing them to people who do not drink coffee. When comparing these two groups to one another, you get a different result.