Information and Practice Leaflet Verbal and Numerical Reasoning Tests Why are tests used? Ability or aptitude tests are increasingly being used in the world of work to assess the key skills relevant to the work place - for example, in assessing the potential of applicants for roles or the development potential of existing employees. Because they are completed under standardised conditions and objectively scored, they provide a fair and reliable indication of a person s reasoning capabilities. In particular, tests: Allow individuals to demonstrate their strengths and understand the type of career path they may best be suited to Enable employers to pick the best people for a job in a fair and objective way Assess some of the key skills needed to do a range of managerial or supervisory jobs What are the eras Verbal and Numerical Reasoning Tests? These tests have been designed to assess your ability to apply verbal and numerical reasoning skills in the world of work. In particular, they focus on the kind of reasoning that managers or supervisors would have to deal with on a regular basis. Whether you are a manager or a supervisor, you will regularly have to deal with written information, for example, rules, procedures, policies, etc. Typically you will have to understand the logic of the underlying information, draw inferences from it and then apply it, in order to answer a question or make a decision. For supervisors, the information or underlying logic is typically straightforward. For managers, the information or logic may be more complex or involved. Similarly, whether you are a manager or a supervisor, you will regularly have to deal with numerical information presented in the form or tables, charts or graphs. This may include details about costs, performance, or time-scales. Here you will typically have to assimilate this data and perform the appropriate calculations to get the result you need. As before, supervisors are more likely to have to deal with straightforward numerical information, whereas for managers, the data provided, and the questions asked, are likely to be more complex. Be assured, however, that whatever the tests you are given, you will get full instructions before you start, and also the opportunity to try out some practice questions. The tests will also be completed under strictly timed conditions. Page 1 of 11
What kinds of tests are there? There are four tests of verbal and numerical reasoning. They are: Managerial and Professional Verbal Reasoning.... Managerial and Professional Numerical Reasoning.. Supervisory and Team Leader Verbal Reasoning. Supervisory and Team Leader Numerical Reasoning... Both the verbal reasoning tests, and both the numerical reasoning tests, have their own common formats. However, the managerial tests will tend to be more complex and challenging. Note that you do not need to have any particular knowledge or experience of working as a manager or supervisor, as all the information required will be provided for you in the tests. Note also that you will be allowed to use a calculator for either of the numerical tests. Practice makes perfect To do your best at the test session, it is useful to have some familiarity with the kind of questions that you will be asked. This leaflet features a number of practice questions similar to the ones used in each of the four reasoning tests. Choose the level most appropriate for the job you are being assessed for, supervisory or managerial, and then try out the questions shown, noting your answers in the relevant answer sections. Although these questions are not timed, try to work quickly and accurately to simulate real test conditions. Correct answers are given at the back of this leaflet, to help you assess your understanding of the questions you completed. Now look at the next page and see how you get on. Page 2 of 11
Supervisory and Team Leader Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions This test consists of series of passages, each of which is followed by a number of statements. Your task is to assess each statement in relation to the points made in the passage and to fill in the appropriate circle according to the following rules: Now look at the passage and statement below. Fill in circle A if the statement is true given the points made in the passage Fill in circle B if the statement is false given the points made in the passage Fill in circle C if you cannot say whether the statement is true or false given the points made in the passage Memo Quality Circles involve groups of four to ten employees, usually from the same department, meeting once a week for an hour, to discuss and solve work problems. These people are volunteers but do undergo training to equip them to do this task. The aim is to encourage teamwork and employee motivation, increase productivity and quality, build an attitude of problem prevention, improve communications and encourage the development of supervisors. Once a group has identified the problem areas and considered solutions they present their findings to management. If accepted, the group is then responsible for the implementation and continued monitoring. Q1 Those who are unwilling will not be forced to join a Quality Circle. Q2 The main objective of Quality Circles is to increase productivity and quality. Q3 Training is optional for membership of a Quality Circle. cont./ Page 3 of 11
Supervisory and Team Leader Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions cont./ Q4 Once findings have been accepted, the group has no further responsibility. Q5 Quality Circles are strongly likely to improve communications in the work place. Q6 Meetings are typically held no more often than once a week. Q7 Management are not obliged to accept the solutions offered by a Quality Circle. Your Answers Q1 A B C Q2 A B C Q3 A B C Q4 A B C Q5 A B C Q6 A B C Q7 A B C Page 4 of 11
Managerial and Professional Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions This test consists of series of passages, each of which is followed by a number of statements. Your task is to assess each statement in relation to the points made in the passage and to fill in the appropriate circle according to the following rules: Fill in circle A if the statement is true given the points made in the passage Fill in circle B if the statement is false given the points made in the passage Fill in circle C if you cannot say whether the statement is true or false given the points made in the passage Now look at the passage and statement below. Stakeholder Pensions Under the new Stakeholder Pension Scheme rules, businesses with over five employees must offer their staff some form of stakeholder pension. Companies could face fines of up to 50,000 if they do not comply with the scheme. Unfortunately new research has revealed that many workers and employers are still ignorant about these new pension laws. A survey by one leading pension provider found that 40% of workers have not been told about Stakeholder pension plans by their employers. About one third of the UK s working population do not have a personal or company pension. Q1 Nearly all small businesses will need to take on the new Stakeholder Pension scheme. Q2 The majority of workers have at least been told something about their employer s Stakeholder Pension plans. cont./ Page 5 of 11
Managerial and Professional Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions cont./ Q3 Companies who do not comply with the rules could face fines in excess of 50,000. Q4 Ignorance about the Stakeholder Pension scheme seems equally prevalent across workers and employers. Q5 Businesses planning to expand may find it increasingly hard to avoid providing some form of pension scheme for their staff.. Q6 Most of the UK s working population does not have any form of personal or company pension. Q7 Companies who already provide a company pension scheme need not introduce the Stakeholder Pension scheme for their staff. Your Answers Q1 A B C Q2 A B C Q3 A B C Q4 A B C Q5 A B C Q6 A B C Q7 A B C Page 6 of 11
Supervisory and Team Leader Numerical Reasoning Practice Questions This test looks at your ability to reason with data using information presented in the form of charts, graphs and tables. For each question you will be given five options to choose from. One, and only one, of these options is correct in each case. Identify the correct option and fill in the appropriate circle. (Do any working out you need on rough paper. Use a calculator to help you if necessary.) Now look at the chart and questions below. Q1 What was the second best selling type of software? Operating Systems Network Web Authoring Database Word Processing Q2 This year Annual Sales reached 650,000. What was the value of Network software sold? 65,000 90,000 97,500 105,000 115,000 cont./ Page 7 of 11
Supervisory and Team Leader Numerical Reasoning Practice Questions cont./ Q3 Next year Annual Sales are expected to reach 750,000. Assuming no change in the proportions of software sold, what will the value of Word Processing software be then? 110,000 120,000 125,000 150,000 200,000 Q4 This year Annual Sales reached 650,000. How much more Operating Systems software was sold compared to Database and Web Authoring software combined? 120,000 130,000 135,000 150,000 165,000 Your Answers Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Page 8 of 11
Costs in 000's Managerial and Professional Numerical Reasoning Practice Questions This test looks at your ability to reason with data using information presented in the form of charts, graphs and tables. For each question you will be given five options to choose from. One, and only one, of these options is correct in each case. Identify the correct option and fill in the appropriate circle. (Do any working out you need on rough paper. Use a calculator to help you if necessary.) Now look at the chart and questions below. Q1 In which year was the non-road Transport cost the smallest? Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Q2 By how much did the Road Transport costs exceed the non-road Transport costs over the 6 year period? 500,000 600,000 2,150,000 850,000 950,000 cont./ Page 9 of 11
Managerial and Professional Numerical Reasoning Practice Questions cont./ Q3 Which year showed the greatest proportional increase in Road Transport costs compared to the previous year? Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Q4 In Year 7, Road Transport costs are expected to rise by 10% but Total Transport costs are expected to rise by only 5%. What will the costs be for non-road Transport? 22,500 28,500 82,500 102,500 112,250 Your Answers Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Page 10 of 11
Answers to Practice Questions The answers to the various practice questions are as follows: Name of Test Supervisory and Team Leader Verbal Reasoning Managerial and Professional Verbal reasoning Supervisory and Team Leader Numerical Reasoning Managerial and Professional Numerical reasoning Answers A, C, B, B, C, A, A respectively C, A, B, C, A, B, C respectively E, C, D, B respectively E, C, B, A respectively What will happen in the test session? The test administrator will have been trained to run the test session smoothly and professionally. In particular, he/she will: Provide you with all the necessary materials Explain all the instructions before you start Take you through some practice questions beforehand so you know what to do Give you a chance to ask any questions you may have Start and stop the test in a clear manner, using the same time limits for all applicants What should I do now to prepare? Read this leaflet thoroughly to make sure you know what to do Let the administrator know in advance if you have any special requirements or if you have a disability that could affect your performance. If you have been formally diagnosed as suffering from dyslexia please show the administrator some proof to that effect. If you wear glasses or a hearing aid, make sure you bring them with you Get a good night s sleep beforehand Try to arrive well in advance of the test session Listen carefully to everything the administrator tells you Don t be afraid to ask questions if you are not sure of a particular point Stay calm but focused Work quickly but accurately through the test Don t spend too long on any one question. And finally - GOOD LUCK! Page 11 of 11