- Nora changed her door lock last week and will be away Thursday. What must she do?
Answer: Give the office a new key by Wednesday
When reading notices or letters that give instructions, ask yourself: "Does this apply to my situation?" Then find what action is required and any deadlines. That's exactly the skill this question tests.
The letter says that if a resident changed their lock, they must give the office a new key by Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. Nora changed her lock last week, so this rule applies to her. Since she will be away Thursday, staff need a key to enter and inspect her smoke alarm. The clear, correct action is B — give the office a new key by Wednesday.
Choice A is wrong because the letter specifically says residents do NOT need to be home. Staying home would be unnecessary, and Nora planned to be away anyway. Choice C is wrong because the letter states staff cannot return after the inspection — there is no option for a follow-up visit. Choice D is wrong for two reasons: Thursday is the inspection day itself, which is too late, and the letter asks for the new key, not the old one. Leaving an old key that no longer works would be useless.
A good strategy for these questions is to find the "if" statement in the passage and check whether it matches the person in the question. Here, the "if" was "if you changed your door lock." Since Nora did change her lock, the instruction attached to that condition applies directly to her. Always connect the condition to the character before choosing your answer.
- Omar plans to collect the package tomorrow afternoon. What should he take with him?
Answer: The delivery notice and a photo ID
When a question asks what someone should bring or take somewhere, your job is to scan the passage for a specific list of requirements. The passage is your source of truth — don't add information that isn't there.
The notice clearly states two things Omar must bring: "this notice" (meaning the delivery notice) and "a photo ID." That makes C the correct answer — it matches the passage exactly, word for word.
Now let's look at why the other choices miss the mark. A suggests a photo ID and package payment, but the notice never mentions any payment. This is a common trap: the answer sounds reasonable (you might expect to pay for a redelivery), but reasonable isn't the same as correct. Always go with what the passage actually says. B includes the delivery notice, which is right, but pairs it with "the sender's address" — information the notice never asks for. Again, this detail sounds plausible but has no support in the text. D mentions a photo ID, which is correct, and a "new mailing label," which is completely made up. Nothing in the notice asks Omar to bring a label.
A good strategy for "what should someone bring?" questions is to underline or mentally highlight every requirement listed in the passage. Then check each answer choice against your list. If an answer includes even one item that isn't in the passage, eliminate it. Correct answers to these questions will match the passage requirements precisely — no more, no less.
- A resident needs to wash work clothes on Tuesday morning. What should the resident do?
Answer: Finish washing the clothes before 8:30 a.m.
When a notice gives you multiple times and rules, slow down and match each rule to the right time. Here, the notice sets two important deadlines: the laundry room closes at 8:30 a.m., and the water shuts off at 9:00 a.m. Your job is to figure out which deadline affects the resident's goal of washing clothes.
Since the laundry room closes at 8:30 a.m., any washing must be completed before that closing time. That makes A the correct answer — the resident needs to finish washing before 8:30 a.m., when the room shuts down for the day.
B is a trap. Starting at 9:00 a.m. sounds logical because that's when the water turns off, but the laundry room itself closes 30 minutes earlier, at 8:30. By 9:00, the room is already locked — and there's no water anyway.
C is also wrong. Noon falls during the water shutoff window (9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.), so there would be no water to run the washers even if the room were open.
D sounds creative, but filling a water container is suggested for drinking or personal use — not for operating washing machines. The notice doesn't offer that as an option for laundry.
A useful strategy: when a notice lists multiple times, make a quick mental list of what happens when. Then ask yourself which time directly affects the task in the question. The earliest relevant deadline is usually the one that controls your answer.
- Lena will be at work before Thursday. What should she do to confirm her new shift?
Answer: Initial the break-room schedule by Thursday
When a message gives you instructions with a condition ("if you can come in"), focus on what applies to Lena's situation. The question tells you she will be at work before Thursday, so you need to find the step Marco gave for that specific situation.
Marco's email is clear: to confirm the shift change, Lena should initial the paper schedule in the break room by Thursday. That makes C the correct answer. The word "initial" means to write your initials — your first letters — as a quick signature. Since Lena will be at the workplace before Thursday, she can do exactly that.
Here's why the other choices miss the mark. A is wrong because Marco never asks Lena to work her old Monday shift again — that would be the opposite of confirming a change. B is a trap because emailing Marco is only for one situation: if Lena cannot come in by Thursday. Since the question says she will be there, emailing is unnecessary and the wrong choice. D is wrong because Marco gives no instruction about writing a new schedule — Lena only needs to initial the existing paper schedule, not create anything new.
A useful strategy: when a passage gives two options depending on a condition ("if you can / if you cannot"), the question will often test whether you picked the right one. Slow down, identify the condition, match it to Lena's situation, and follow only those instructions. Don't let the "other path" distract you.
- Eli attended Friday's meeting but has not taken the online lesson. He is asked to use the slicer today. What should he do first?
Answer: Finish the online lesson and tell his manager
When a workplace memo gives you a specific rule, your job is to follow that rule exactly — even when another option seems close enough. This question tests whether you can read carefully and apply what the passage says.
The passage is clear: new workers must finish the online lesson before using the meat slicer. It even adds that the Friday meeting is "helpful, but it does not replace the online lesson." Eli attended the meeting but skipped the online lesson — so he has not met the requirement. Before touching the slicer, he needs to complete the online lesson and notify his manager so the record gets updated. That makes A the right answer.
B is the most tempting wrong answer, and it's a trap the passage directly addresses. Attending the meeting feels like training, but the memo explicitly says the meeting does not replace the online lesson. Feeling prepared is not the same as being cleared to work.
C has Eli asking a coworker for help, but the passage never mentions coworkers as a training source. More importantly, this still wouldn't satisfy the requirement — only the online lesson does.
D suggests using the slicer first and taking the lesson afterward. This reverses the required order. The passage says the lesson must be done before using the equipment, not after.
A good strategy: when a passage gives you a must-do sequence or rule, look for the answer that follows it exactly. Distractors often swap the order or swap one step for something similar-but-different. Always go back to what the text actually says.
- What should Devon do so Payroll can process the form?
Answer: Sign the returned form and give it to Human Resources
When you read a workplace message, focus on the specific instructions given — especially what action is required and where to send something. This question tests whether you can pull exact steps from a short memo.
The email from Payroll tells Devon two clear things: sign the highlighted line on the form already in his mailbox, and return it to Human Resources by Friday. That makes A the correct answer — Devon should sign the returned form and give it to Human Resources. Every detail matches the instructions in the message.
The other choices each get something wrong. B says to complete a new form and send it to the bank, but the email specifically says do not complete a new form, and nothing mentions sending anything to the bank. C says to add more bank information, but the email clearly states "your bank information is complete" — no changes needed there. D says to sign the form and leave it in his mailbox, but that's the opposite of what Payroll needs — Devon must return the form, not leave it sitting in his mailbox.
Notice that B, C, and D each mix in one detail that sounds familiar but is either directly contradicted or simply not mentioned in the message. This is a common trap: wrong answers borrow words from the passage but change a key detail.
Study tip: When a message gives step-by-step instructions, underline the action words (sign, return, do not) and the destination (Human Resources). Questions like this almost always test whether you caught both pieces correctly.
- Ana knows she will miss both her Monday and Tuesday shifts. What does she need to do?
Answer: Call her supervisor before both missed shifts
When a passage gives you a list of rules, your job is to match each rule to the situation in the question. Here, the HR memo has two key rules: (1) call your supervisor at least 30 minutes before each missed shift, and (2) a doctor's note is only required when you miss three or more days in a row.
Ana is missing Monday and Tuesday — that's two separate shifts, and two days in a row does not meet the three-day threshold for a doctor's note. So she needs to call her supervisor before each shift, meaning two separate calls. That makes D correct: she must call her supervisor before both missed shifts.
A is wrong for two reasons — telling a coworker does not count according to the memo, and a doctor's note isn't required for only two missed days. B is wrong because she must call before her shift begins (at least 30 minutes before), not after, and one call only covers one shift. C is wrong because she still needs to call her supervisor regardless, and a doctor's note isn't required unless she misses three or more days in a row.
A useful strategy: when a passage lists rules with specific numbers or conditions, underline or circle those details ("30 minutes," "three or more," "in a row"). Then check each answer choice against those exact conditions. Wrong answers often mix up the numbers or swap one rule for another — that's the trap to watch for on workplace-reading questions like this one.
- Mr. Cole sent the form but has not paid online. What must he do to save his place?
Answer: Pay $15 at the office by August 6
When reading a short letter or notice, your job is to find the specific action the reader is being asked to take — and any conditions attached to it. This question tests whether you can pull that key information from the passage.
The letter clearly states that Mr. Cole's place is "not saved" until the $15 fee is received. It then gives two options: pay at the community office by August 6, or skip the office visit if he already paid online. Since Mr. Cole has not paid online, the only path left is to visit the office and pay the $15 fee before August 6. That makes B the correct answer — it matches the letter exactly.
A is wrong because the letter never asks Mr. Cole to send the form again. His form was already received; payment is the missing step. C is incorrect because the letter sets a deadline of August 6 to secure his place — there is no option to pay after the class starts. D is a tempting choice if you feel uncertain, but the letter already gives Mr. Cole all the information he needs. It never tells him to call, and calling would not save his place anyway.
A useful strategy: when a passage gives you specific instructions with a deadline or condition, underline or circle those details as you read. On this exam, wrong answers often describe actions that seem reasonable but aren't actually stated in the passage. Always go back to what the text actually says before choosing your answer.
- Luis will renew by mail. What should he put in the envelope?
Answer: The update form and copies of current address papers
When a notice gives you a list of steps or requirements, your job is to find every item on that list — not just some of them. This question tests whether you can pull all the details from an announcement and apply them to a specific situation.
The passage says to do two things: return the completed household update form and include copies of current address papers for all adults. It also gives a specific warning — do not send original papers, only copies. Luis is mailing his renewal, so his envelope needs to contain both required items following those exact instructions. That makes C — the update form and copies of current address papers — the correct answer.
A is wrong because it leaves out the address papers entirely. The passage clearly states you must include them, so an envelope with only the form is incomplete. B is a trap for students who skim the passage. It gets both items right but misses the critical detail: the passage says not to send originals. Sending original documents could mean Luis loses important papers permanently. D goes the opposite direction from A — it includes the copied address papers but leaves out the update form, which is the main document the pantry needs to process the renewal.
A useful strategy: when a passage includes a warning word like "do not" or "only," that detail almost always shows up in a wrong answer. Train yourself to underline or mentally flag those words. On questions like this, the trap answers usually get part of the requirement right — your job is to find the answer that gets all of it right.
- Maya planned to arrive at River Park at 9:00. What should she do instead?
Answer: Check in at the recreation center at 8:45
When you read a notice or announcement, your job is to find the key details: who needs to do something, what they need to do, where, and when. This passage is a change notice, so pay close attention to the new instructions replacing the old plan.
The message clearly states two things: volunteers should check in at the Northside Recreation Center at 8:45 a.m., and the bus leaves at 9:00. Since Maya planned to arrive at River Park at 9:00 — the old plan — she needs to shift her location and arrive earlier. That makes D the correct answer: go to the recreation center at 8:45, which matches the passage exactly.
Here's why the other choices miss the mark. A sends Maya to River Park, but the whole point of the notice is that volunteers should not go there. B tells her to buy gloves, but the passage says gloves will be provided — there's nothing to buy. It also keeps her at the wrong location. C says to arrive at the recreation center after 9:00, but the bus leaves at 9:00, so arriving late means missing the bus entirely. This is a classic trap — it gets the location right but gets the time wrong.
Study tip: On questions about notices or announcements, underline the time words: before, at, after, by. These small words carry big meaning and are often where tricky wrong answers hide their errors.
