Practice Test A - Reading Test

Reading Test Instructions

  • On the official test, once you leave a page, you cannot go back to it to change your answers. However, in this sample test, you can.

  • Watch the timer in the top right corner to make sure that you complete the Reading Test before the time is up.

  • This Reading Test is identical in format to the official test except that the Reading section of the official test may be slightly longer as it might contain additional questions included for research and development purposes.

Reading Instructional Video

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Practice Test A - Reading Practice Task

Time remaining: 2 minutes

Read the following message.

Canada is surrounded on three sides by oceans.
To the north, the Arctic Ocean borders Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.
Off the west coast of British Columbia is the Pacific Ocean.
The Atlantic Ocean, meanwhile, sits to the east of Canada’s Maritime provinces, which include Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

Using the drop-down menu (🔽), choose the best option according to the information given in the message.

The correct option is: 2

Practice Test A - Reading Part 1: Reading Correspondence

Time remaining: 11 minutes

Read the following message.

Dear Mrs. Johnson,
Please accept my application for the position of sales clerk in your department store, as advertised on your website. I have had the pleasure of reviewing your company’s website and am very enthusiastic about the position advertised. I believe that my skills and abilities make me the perfect candidate for this position, and I would be an asset to your sales team.
With four years of experience selling footwear, and having worked for two years in a women’s clothing store at a local mall, I have developed effective customer service techniques. I enjoy working with the public, assisting shoppers by inquiring about their needs, and suggesting suitable products to meet their tastes and budget. The management team in the clothing store where I worked recognized my strong customer service skills by choosing me as ‘Employee of the Month’ on more than one occasion. I completed a customer service course at a local college, and attended additional training offered by my employer.
As a sales associate, not only did I assist customers, but I also handled cash, credit card, and debit transactions. I processed returns, as well as performed opening and closing procedures in the store. These responsibilities show the level of trust that my employers put in me and my abilities. Finally, the store environment required that the staff work as part of a team, which is one of my strengths. I am also comfortable working on my own. Other important skills I gained in that role include completing sales reports, meeting sales targets, and ordering stock.
Please find attached a resume outlining my retail experience, skills, and training. I feel that these qualifications equip me to make a valuable contribution to your retail establishment. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss the position with you. I will contact you in ten days time to answer any questions you may have and to see if you need any other information from me. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Brenda Ashburn

Using the drop-down menu (🔽), choose the best option according to the information given in the message.

The correct option is: 4
The correct option is: 1
The correct option is: 3
The correct option is: 2
The correct option is: 2
The correct option is: 2

Here is a response to the message. Complete the response by filling in the blanks. Select the best choice for each blank from the drop-down menu (🔽).

Dear Ms. Ashburn,
Thank you for your application and interest in our company. I am glad to hear that you are 7.
The correct option is: 4 working at our store.You mentioned that you worked in a 8. The correct option is: 3 and a women’s clothing store. However, 9. The correct option is: 3 in the housewares department. Do you have any experience in this area? We do offer some training, but it’s limited.Your experience helping customers by 10. The correct option is: 1 and staying within their price range is exactly what we are looking for. The fact that you have experience 11. The correct option is: 2 makes you a suitable candidate for the position, as this job requires a large volume of sales.I would like to meet with you to discuss your resume and your skills. My assistant will be in touch in the next couple of days to schedule a meeting.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Johnson

Practice Test A - Reading Part 2: Reading to Apply a Diagram

Time remaining: 9 minutes

Read the following email message about the diagram on the left. Complete the email by filling in the blanks. Select the best choice for each blank from the drop-down menu (🔽).

Subject: Are you free for lunch?
To: Anna Smith < [email protected] >
From: Jeanette LeBlanc < [email protected] >
Hi Anna,
Remember how you mentioned wanting to be more active? Well, I got this flyer in the mail for the recreation centre near our office and thought you might be interested in 1.
The correct option is: 1 . I’d only be available evenings though. Since changing departments, I’m at my desk by 7:00 a.m. every day (I miss getting picked up on your way to work!).As far as classes go, I’m hoping to get in shape before summer, meaning I’d like to go as many nights a week as possible. So my preference would be the 2. The correct option is: 4 class. Actually, I’m trying to convince my entire family to do the same. However, this place might not be the best for them since 3. The correct option is: 4 Anyways, I know you had mentioned wanting to try a bootcamp class, but, unfortunately, it isn’t 4. The correct option is: 2 Hopefully one of the other classes will workAlso, if we were to buy the monthly membership 5. The correct option is: 4 .Definitely worth considering!
Let me know!!
Jeanette

Using the drop-down menu (🔽), choose the best option.

6.What is Jeanette’s relationship to Anna? The correct option is: 2
7.Why does Jeanette want to take evening classes? The correct option is: 1
8.What does Jeanette think about the membership? The correct option is: 2

Practice Test A - Reading Part 3: Reading for Information

Time remaining: 10 minutes

Read the following message.

A. In this age of global connectedness and social networking, it is hard to imagine that lost tribes still exist. However, the Sentinelese tribe of the Andaman Islands are just that. This indigenous group has been living on North Sentinel Island in the Indian Ocean’s Bay of Bengal for thousands of years. Living on a sea route that has been travelled since ancient times, the Sentinelese have impressively managed to avoid influence from outside civilizations. They are the last tribe of the Andaman Islands to maintain their isolation, mainly because of their hostile resistance to outsiders’ attempts at contact.
B.Due to lack of access, little is known about the Sentinelese people. What knowledge exists comes either from observation from a distance or is based on comparison with other Andaman tribes. A hunter-gatherer society, the Sentinelese subsist mainly by hunting, fishing, and collecting wild plants, and do not appear to have developed any agricultural practices. The majority of their tools and weapons are made from stone and animal bones; however, there is some evidence that they make use of metal fragments that wash ashore. They use javelins and flatbows as weapons, in addition to a variety of arrows. Canoes, nets, and harpoons serve as fishing gear.
C. Because contact with the Sentinelese tribe is nearly impossible, it is difficult to estimate the size of their population. Based on a limited number of encounters by outsiders and attempts by census officials to infer numbers by counting from a distance, it is estimated that there could be anywhere between 20 and 60 individuals. The island’s inhabitants tend to live in two types of dwellings. There are shelter-style huts that can house a group of three or four people. These huts have no walls, and their floors are covered in palm leaves. Additionally, there are more elaborate communal huts with raised floors and specific areas for fire.
D. Starting in 1967, attempts at peaceful contact were made by the Indian government with the support of anthropologists. During these contact expeditions, gifts of coconuts were left on the shore on several occasions in an effort to diminish the aggressiveness the Sentinelese demonstrated toward strangers. The Indian authorities had limited success before finally discontinuing the expeditions out of concern for the tribe. Due to their isolation from the outside world, it was decided that contact with the tribe only put them at risk of contracting diseases. Since then, the government policy has been to leave the tribe alone.
E. Not given in any of the above paragraphs.

Decide which paragraph, A to D, has the information given in each statement below. Select E if the information is not given in any of the paragraphs.

-1. Sentinelese isolation is surprising because travelers have long known about their island. The correct option is: A
-2. The Indian government used to leave food offerings for the Sentinelese. The correct option is: D
-3. The government is passing a bill to protect the Sentinelese community from modern diseases. The correct option is: E
-4. Census data on the Sentinelese have been collected by indirect observation. The correct option is: C
-5. The Indian government stopped visiting the Sentinelese for fear of contagion. The correct option is: D
-6. The Sentinelese aggressively reject any outside technology that washes ashore. The correct option is: E
-7. Food production on North Sentinel Island has remained very basic. The correct option is: B
-8. The floors in Sentinelese huts may be elevated or covered with foliage. The correct option is: C
-9. The Sentinelese are the last remaining tribe on the Andaman Islands. The correct option is: E

Practice Test A - Reading Part 4: Reading for Viewpoints

Time remaining: 13 minutes

Read the following article from a website.

When a small town loses a major employer, the impact is enormous. Consider a community of about 20,000 people where 1,200 are employed at one business that suddenly lays off half of its employees. This happened recently at a Nova Scotia factory, Queenston Paper. The 600 dismissed employees were offered relocation, early retirement, or severance packages. One hundred fifty of the previous employees opted to relocate to another Queenston Paper factory in Nova Scotia. About 200, primarily those having built up a large enough pension, are considering retirement. Many others will receive a severance package of more than half their annual earnings. However, many feel this has little appeal since government taxes will take at least 40 percent. The rest have yet to choose their future.
Janice Witherspoon says that she and her husband wanted to enjoy their attractive Queenston salaries for five more years. Feeling secure in working at the 50-year-old factory and with their seniority status, they have been spending instead of saving. Moving isn’t an option, she says. Real estate prices are far higher at the other Queenston Paper town, so the Witherspoons would end up in debt again. She scoffed at the ridiculous severance package. “Three choices”, she says, “but not one is really viable for us at this time of life.”
Ginny Rousseau is more optimistic. An immigrant from France, Ginny loves the area. She and her family intend to stay. “It doesn’t cost a lot to live here,” she says, “so we’re going for early retirement. We’re already doing a little farming, a little gardening, and trying to be self-sustainable. It’s very rewarding.” Like Ginny, many Queenston Paper employees are not native to Canada, but they don’t all share her complacency. Without jobs, these relative newcomers have no reason to remain. Quite a few have packed their bags and headed west in search of work. "It’s unfortunate," says David Santos, a Brazilian. "With the low cost of rent, I have managed to save a lot. I had hoped to eventually save enough to bring my family over from Brazil. This would have been a great place for my kids to grow up. Without work though, there is no point in sticking around."

Using the drop-down menu (🔽), choose the best option according to the information given in the message.

1. Which option is least attractive to the laid-off employees? The correct option is: 4
2. What do David and Ginny have in common? The correct option is: 2
3. David would agree with Janice that The correct option is: 2
4. Why are some of the laid-off employees moving away? The correct option is: 3
5. Ginny and David would agree that The correct option is: 2

The following is a comment by a visitor to the website page. Complete the comment by choosing the best option to fill in each blank.

It mystifies me why those laid off complain about their situation. Jobs come and go; our town is not unique. In my opinion, these people were lucky to get such generous layoff options. When I was laid off several years ago, I was certainly not offered 6. The correct option is: 2 Also, why would anyone be upset about having to 7. The correct option is: 1 ? These charges are standard, so it shouldn’t be surprising to see them taken from a 8. The correct option is: 4 agreement. Furthermore, the tax credit you get when you move closer to your job would pay for the difference in 9. The correct option is: 2 between the one town and the other Queenston Paper location. I agree with 10. The correct option is: 3 , one needs to look on the bright side of the situation.
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