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🇺🇸 Police Officer Selection Test (POST) · flashcards
Police Officer Selection Test (POST) Reading Comprehension Flashcards
51 question-and-answer cards covering Reading Comprehension as it is examined in Police Officer Selection Test (POST). 24 of them are printed below, taken from across the deck — no signup, no paywall on the preview.
24 sample cards from the Reading Comprehension deck
Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.
When interpreting a definition section in a statute, how should defined terms be read?
Each defined term carries exactly the meaning given in the statute throughout the document, even if it differs from ordinary usage.
When reading a table, what tells you what the numbers represent?
The row and column headings (labels) — you read across the row and down the column to find the cell where they intersect.
How do you read a value in a schedule or timetable?
Locate the relevant row (e.g., location or item) and the relevant column (e.g., time or day) and find the entry where they meet.
What is the purpose of a 'key' or 'legend' on a table or form?
It explains the meaning of symbols, abbreviations, or codes used so the data can be interpreted correctly.
On a form, what does a field labeled 'N/A' indicate?
'Not applicable' — the item does not apply to this person or situation and is intentionally left without a substantive answer.
On a map, what does the 'scale' indicate?
The ratio between distance on the map and actual distance on the ground, used to estimate real-world distances.
On a standard map, which directions do up, down, right, and left correspond to?
Up = north, down = south, right = east, left = west (unless a compass rose shows otherwise).
What is the purpose of a map legend?
To explain what each symbol, color, or line on the map represents (e.g., streets, boundaries, buildings, landmarks).
On a diagram or floor plan, how do you determine the relationship between two items?
By reading their relative positions and any connecting lines, arrows, or labels that show direction, flow, or order.
What is an 'inference'?
A logical conclusion drawn from stated evidence combined with reasoning — information the text implies but does not state directly.
What is the difference between a valid inference and an assumption?
A valid inference is supported by evidence in the text; an assumption is taken for granted without textual support and may be unwarranted.
What is the key rule for choosing a correct inference on a reading test?
It must be supported by the passage — choose the conclusion that follows logically from the stated information, not the one that goes beyond it.
Why are inferences containing 'always,' 'never,' or 'all' often incorrect?
Such absolute/universal claims usually overstate what the evidence supports; correct inferences tend to be modest and directly grounded in the text.
What is a 'fact'?
A statement that can be objectively verified or proven true through evidence, observation, or records.
What is an 'opinion'?
A statement expressing a personal belief, judgment, feeling, or interpretation that cannot be objectively proven.
Name words that typically signal an opinion rather than a fact.
Judgment words like 'best,' 'worst,' 'should,' 'believe,' 'think,' 'beautiful,' 'probably,' and 'unfortunately.'
Why must an officer distinguish fact from opinion in reports?
Reports should record verifiable facts and observations; opinions and conclusions can bias the record and may be inadmissible or misleading.
What is a 'cause and effect' relationship?
A relationship in which one event (the cause) produces or leads to another event (the effect/result).
Name common signal words for cause and effect.
'Because,' 'since,' 'due to,' 'as a result,' 'therefore,' 'consequently,' 'so,' 'thus,' and 'leads to.'
In the sentence 'Because the road was icy, the car skidded,' identify the cause and the effect.
Cause: the road was icy; Effect: the car skidded.
Why must you avoid confusing correlation with causation when reading?
Two events occurring together does not prove one caused the other; the text must show an actual causal link, not just coincidence or sequence.
What does it mean to 'compare' versus to 'contrast' information?
Comparing identifies similarities between items; contrasting identifies their differences.
Name signal words for comparison and for contrast.
Comparison: 'similarly,' 'likewise,' 'both,' 'as well as,' 'in the same way.' Contrast: 'however,' 'but,' 'unlike,' 'whereas,' 'on the other hand,' 'in contrast.'
When a passage compares two procedures or statutes, what reading strategy helps organize the differences?
Mentally (or on paper) building a point-by-point comparison of each shared category, noting how each item differs on that point.
What this deck covers
The Reading Comprehension deck follows the Police Officer Selection Test (POST) Reading Comprehension syllabus — 3 chapters and 12 topics — so questions land on material that is genuinely examinable rather than trivia around it. That works out to roughly 17.0 cards per chapter.
Answers are written to be recallable, not just readable — averaging about 119 characters, which is long enough to carry the reasoning and short enough to say out loud.
A deck like this earns its keep on the second and third pass. Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then use the cards to find the specific facts that have not stuck.
Reading Comprehension flashcards FAQ
How many Reading Comprehension flashcards are in this Police Officer Selection Test (POST) deck?
51 cards. This page previews 24 of them, sampled evenly across the deck so you can judge the difficulty before installing anything.
Are these Police Officer Selection Test (POST) flashcards free?
Yes. The preview here is free to read with no signup, and the full 51-card deck is free inside the Examius app.
What do the Reading Comprehension cards cover?
They follow the Police Officer Selection Test (POST) Reading Comprehension syllabus — 3 chapters and 12 topics — so the questions track what is actually examinable.
How should I use these flashcards?
Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then drill the deck. Examius schedules each card with spaced repetition, so cards you keep missing come back sooner and ones you know drift further apart.