- A customer wants to pay the required amount on time. What should the customer do?
Answer: Pay forty-two dollars by September eighteenth.
When reading a bill, two pieces of information matter most: how much to pay and when to pay it. This question tests whether you can identify both correctly from a short billing summary.
Looking at the bill, you can see the total before credit is fifty-four dollars, but a twelve-dollar credit is applied, bringing the final amount down: 54−12=42. That forty-two dollars is what the customer actually owes — the "amount due." The bill also clearly states the deadline: September eighteenth. So the correct action is to pay forty-two dollars by September eighteenth, which is choice C.
Here's why the other options miss the mark. A uses the wrong dollar amount — fifty-four dollars is the total before the credit is subtracted. Paying that would mean overpaying by twelve dollars. B gets the dollar amount right but gets the timing wrong — paying after September eighteenth means paying late, which is exactly what the customer wants to avoid. Paying late could even result in another late fee, like the eight-dollar one already on this bill. D uses forty-six dollars, which is only the service charges portion — it ignores the late fee entirely and also doesn't account for the credit.
A good strategy: on bills and statements, always look for the line labeled "amount due" or "total due" — that is your final number. Then find the due date. Those two details together tell you exactly what you need to do. - Which information must Dana enter before she submits the form?
Answer: Her full name, email address, and preferred contact method
When a form lists some fields as "required" and others as "optional," your job is to identify exactly what's mandatory — no more, no less. Read each field carefully and match it to the person's specific situation.
Here, the form has four fields. "Full name" is required — Dana must enter it. "Phone or email" is required, but notice the instructions say provide one — so either works. Since Dana has an email but no phone, she enters her email address. "Employer name" is optional, meaning she can skip it entirely — and since she's unemployed, she simply leaves it blank. "Preferred contact method" is required, so she must fill that in too. That gives you full name + email address + preferred contact method, which is exactly what answer D says.
Answer A is wrong because it includes a phone number (Dana doesn't have one) and her employer (which is optional and doesn't apply). Answer B is wrong because it leaves out "preferred contact method," which the form clearly marks as required. Answer C is wrong for two reasons: it drops "full name," which is required, and it includes "employer," which is optional and irrelevant to Dana's situation.
A useful strategy: when a question gives you a specific person's situation, go field by field and ask two questions — Is this field required? and Does this apply to this person? Optional fields are traps designed to make you include too much. Required fields you skip by accident are traps that make you include too little. Matching both conditions is the key to getting these right.
- What should Owen do next to send the application?
Answer: Select SUBMIT and then look for a confirmation number.
When reading instructions like these, your job is to follow each step carefully and check what has — and hasn't — been done yet. Owen's situation is a perfect example of a process that was started but not finished.
The instructions tell you three important things: attach one address document, select SUBMIT, and look for a confirmation number as proof the application was received. Owen attached his document — good. But he only saved a draft, which the instructions clearly warn does not send the application. Because he has no confirmation number, we know the application never went through. The logical next step is to select SUBMIT and then watch for that confirmation number. That makes A the correct answer.
B is wrong because Owen already attached one address document, which is all that's required. Attaching a second document and saving the draft again still wouldn't send the application — and saving drafts is exactly the mistake he already made. C is wrong because a confirmation number only appears after you submit — waiting without submitting means that number will never come. D is wrong because saving a draft is explicitly the opposite of sending; the instructions directly state that a saved draft does not count as a received application.
A useful strategy here: when a question involves a set of instructions, mentally check each step against what the person actually did. Look for the gap — the step that was skipped — and that's almost always where the answer lives.
- How can the customer use the coupon correctly?
Answer: Present it before payment without using another offer.
When a question gives you a list of rules — like a store coupon — your job is to find the answer that follows all of the rules at the same time. Think of each rule as a condition the customer must meet.
This coupon has four rules: it's valid through November 30th, one use per customer, present it before payment, and it cannot be combined with other offers. The customer visits on November 30th and has never used it before — so they already satisfy the date and one-use rules. The only question is how they present it. Choice B is correct because it satisfies both remaining conditions: presenting before payment and not using another offer alongside it. The customer follows every single rule on the coupon.
Choice A fails because the coupon clearly states it must be presented before payment — asking the cashier to apply it after payment breaks that rule directly. Choice C fails on the date: November 30th is the last valid day, so returning on December 1st means the coupon has already expired. Choice D fails the "not valid with other offers" rule — combining it with another discount violates that condition, even though presenting it before payment is correct.
Notice that D is a tricky trap: it gets one rule right but breaks another. On questions like this, a good answer must satisfy every rule, not just one or two.
Study tip: When a passage lists multiple rules or conditions, create a quick mental checklist and test each answer choice against all of them — not just the most obvious one.
- Jamal wants to bring the account balance to zero now, not just keep the account current. What should he pay?
Answer: Pay fifty-five dollars, which is the current balance.
When reading an account statement, it's important to understand what each number means and match it to the specific goal being asked about. Here, the question asks what Jamal must pay to bring the balance to zero — meaning wipe it out completely, not simply stay in good standing.
The current balance is fifty-five dollars. That is the full amount owed on the account right now. To bring the balance to zero, Jamal must pay the entire amount owed — fifty-five dollars, making C the correct answer.
Here's why the other choices miss the mark. A says to pay twenty dollars, the minimum due. The minimum payment only keeps the account from going past due — it does not eliminate the balance. Jamal would still owe thirty-five dollars afterward. B suggests paying thirty-five dollars because that was the recent payment amount. That number describes a past payment that already happened — it has no special meaning for what Jamal should pay today, and it still wouldn't bring the balance to zero. D proposes splitting the payment across two months. That approach might work for staying current, but again, the goal is to reach a zero balance now, not eventually.
The key word in this question is "now." Whenever a question asks someone to eliminate a debt or reach a zero balance immediately, look for the current balance on the statement — that is always the number you need. Don't be distracted by the minimum payment or past payment figures; those serve different purposes.
- What should the applicant do while the request is pending?
Answer: Wait for approved status and a confirmation message.
When you read official notices like this one, your job is to find the specific instructions the document gives — and follow them exactly, not guess at what they might mean.
The passage is clear: "Do not begin work until the status changes to APPROVED. We will send a confirmation message when the review is finished." This tells you two things must happen before you act — the status must change to APPROVED, and you will receive a confirmation message. That makes C the correct answer: wait for both the approved status and the confirmation message before doing anything.
A is wrong because it confuses receiving a request with approving it. The office getting your paperwork is just the first step — it does not mean you have permission to start. B is wrong because the passage never suggests sending a second request. In fact, doing so could create confusion and is not what the notice instructs. D is wrong and is the most dangerous trap: treating "pending" as the same as "approved" is the opposite of what the notice says. Pending means the review is not complete — it is a waiting status, not a green light.
A useful strategy: when reading notices or instructions, look for the action words — words like "do not," "wait," "must," and "until." These words carry the real rules. On this exam, wrong answers often tempt you to act too soon or assume permission you haven't been given. Always let the text tell you what to do — don't read in meaning that isn't there.
- Tuesday at ten works for Marisol. What should she do to keep the appointment?
Answer: Select CONFIRM by Monday to keep Tuesday.
When reading an appointment notice like this one, your job is to match what the person needs with what the notice says to do. Marisol wants to keep Tuesday at ten, so you need to find the instruction that matches keeping an existing appointment.
The notice says clearly: "Select CONFIRM by Monday to keep this time." That is exactly what Marisol needs — she wants to keep the appointment, and CONFIRM is the button for keeping it. The deadline is Monday, which means she must act before Monday ends. Answer B is correct.
A is a trap because it involves selecting CHANGE, which is meant for people who want a different time. Even if you requested Tuesday again through CHANGE, that is the wrong action for someone who simply wants to keep what is already scheduled — and it adds unnecessary risk.
C is wrong because the notice specifically warns that if you do not respond, "the appointment will be released." Waiting and saying nothing means Marisol loses her spot entirely, even if she shows up.
D is wrong because the deadline is Monday — not Tuesday. Selecting CONFIRM after the appointment time has already started is far too late. The appointment would have been released before she even responded.
A good strategy for notices like this: look for deadline words (by Monday, before Tuesday) and action words (CONFIRM, CHANGE). Match the action to the person's goal, and match the timing to the deadline. These two checks will guide you to the right answer almost every time.
- Which statement correctly applies the notice to Lee's pass?
Answer: The old price applies because Lee bought it before April first.
When a notice sets a rule based on a specific date, your job is to find the trigger — the action or event that determines which rule applies. Here, the notice says the new price is "effective April first," and that passes "bought before April first keep the old price." The trigger is the purchase date, not the use date.
Lee bought the pass on March thirtieth — one day before April first. That single fact is all you need. Because the purchase happened before the deadline, Lee's pass keeps the old price for its full life, regardless of when Lee actually rides the bus. D is correct.
A is wrong because it confuses the trigger. The notice never says the new price kicks in based on when you use the pass — only on when you buy it. Lee's first use on April second is a distraction, not a deciding factor. B is incorrect and is not supported anywhere in the notice; the pass is perfectly valid after April first, it just carries the old price. C gets close to the right idea but adds a false condition — the notice does not require Lee to use the pass in March. Buying it in March is enough.
A useful strategy: when reading a policy notice, slow down and ask yourself, "What exactly triggers each rule?" Underline the key condition words — here, "bought before April first." Test writers often include tempting details (like a use date) that seem relevant but aren't. Always anchor your answer to what the text actually says, not what seems logical at first glance.
- What should Nora do before returning the agreement?
Answer: Write her initials beside the corrected phone number.
When a document gives you specific instructions for making changes, your job is to follow every step — not just most of them. Questions like this test whether you can read instructions carefully and spot what's missing.
The instructions say three things must happen when you change information: cross out the old text, write the new text, and initial beside the change. Nora crossed out her old phone number and wrote the new one, and she signed her full name at the end — but she never initialed beside the correction. That missing step is exactly what answer B identifies. Writing her initials beside the corrected phone number is the one remaining requirement before she can return the agreement.
Answer A is a trap — it sounds official because signing feels important, but the instructions ask for initials beside the correction, not a full signature. A full name and initials are not the same thing. Answer C reverses what the instructions actually say. The instructions are clear: return the original and keep the copy — not the other way around. Nora already has this part right, so C describes something she doesn't need to fix. Answer D suggests she should remove the correction because she signed at the end, but the signature at the end is a separate requirement — it doesn't replace the need to initial beside each individual change.
A useful habit: when instructions list multiple steps, mentally check off each one. If even one step is missing, the task isn't complete — no matter how many other steps were done correctly.
- What does the employee allow by signing this form?
Answer: The employer may deposit pay but may not withdraw money.
When you read a form or legal statement, your job is to find exactly what the signer is agreeing to — nothing more, nothing less. Payroll authorization forms like this one are very common, and they always spell out two things: what is allowed and what is not allowed.
Look at the passage carefully. It says the employee authorizes the employer to deposit pay into the account. It also clearly states this form does not authorize withdrawals. That makes A the correct answer — the employer may deposit pay but may not withdraw money. Every word of A matches what the form actually says.
Now let's look at why the other choices are wrong. B flips the meaning completely — it says the employer may withdraw fees but may not deposit pay. That is the opposite of what the form says on both counts. C brings in the bank and talks about correcting account information without permission, but the form says nothing about the bank making any changes — the employee is the one confirming the account information is correct. D says the bank confirms the employee received pay, but the form is an agreement between the employee and the employer, not a confirmation from the bank.
A useful strategy: when a passage includes a sentence that starts with "does not" or "may not," pay close attention — test questions often use wrong answers that ignore those limits or reverse them. Always read the whole statement before choosing.
