Comprehension - Skill Drills

This verbal comprehension test comprises 5 questions.

Read the passage of information thoroughly and select the correct answer from the four options. Read the question thoroughly to ensure you know what the question entails.

There is only one correct answer per question.

Base your answers only on the information given in the passage.
Name: 


A red asterisk (*) indicates required questions.

  1. UID (without "u")*


  1. Organisational development (OD) is defined as a “deliberately planned effort to increase an
    organisations relevance and viability”. The concept of organisational development was
    conceived by German-American psychologist Kurt Lewin, who was among the first to apply
    social psychology, group dynamics and social research to the world of work. Since its
    beginnings, organisational development has become a popular and widespread method for
    implementing organisational change. The key principles underlying OD philosophy are
    primarily humanistic, focused around improving organizational performance by empowering
    its employees.

    Q1 - Where do the key principles of organizational development come from?
    *
    A. Pragmatism
    B. Egalitarianism
    C. Humanism
    D. Objectivism


  1. Researchers from the international agricultural research partnership have suggested that
    bananas could soon become a staple food source for millions of people in developing
    countries due to climate change. Rising temperatures and volatile weather makes growing
    existing critical foods, such as potatoes, maize and wheat difficult, leading to lower crop
    yields of these foods. However, bananas are much more adept at surviving in tropical
    climates frequently racked by high temperatures and weather volatility. Although, it may not
    be a viable food staple for all developing countries, it may become more critical for the
    economies of many developing nations in future years.

    Q2 - Which crop is not stated to have difficulty growing in increasing temperatures?
    *
    A. Potato
    B. Barley
    C. Maize
    D. Wheat


  1. The most expensive brand of coffee today on the open market is known as Kopi Luwak, or
    civet coffee, from Indonesia. What makes this brand of coffee unique is that it is made from
    the coffee beans eaten by the Asian palm civet. The civet eats the coffee berry for its
    fleshy pulp, along with the coffee bean inside, which is indigestible. However, while
    passing through the digestive system of the civet, proteolytic enzymes seep into the bean,
    making peptides shorter and increasing the number of free amino acids, improving the
    taste of the coffee bean. Similarly, due to the expensive and time-consuming process of
    searching for civet droppings, Kopi Luwak can be sold for up to $3000 per kilogram.

    Q3 - Why does civet digestion supposedly improve the coffee beans taste?
    *
    A. Lengthens coffee bean peptides
    B. Shortens coffee bean peptides
    C. Removes coffee bean peptides
    D. Increases number of coffee bean peptides.


  1. Rare earth elements, also known as rare earth metals are a group of seventeen chemical
    elements in the periodic table. Contrary to their name, rare earth elements are relatively
    plentiful in the Earth’s crust, with cerium as abundant as copper. However, these elements
    are rarely found in largest enough deposits to make mining financially viable, hence the
    name rare earth. Currently over 90% of global rare earth element supply is met by the
    people’s republic of China, despite only holding 23% of the world’s proven reserves of
    these metals. China has been steadily decreasing its quotas of rare earth element exports
    due to environmental concerns, depleted reserves and difficulties with industry regulation,
    which may lead to shortages of rare earth elements in future years.

    Q4 - What is not a reason for lower rare earth element exports in China?
    *
    A. Difficulties with regulation
    B. Environmental issues
    C. Reserve depletion
    D. International competition


  1. Europa is the sixth closest moon of the planet Jupiter, and one of the largest moons in the
    solar system. Europa is slightly smaller than the Earth’s moon and has a tenuous
    atmosphere composed primarily of oxygen. The surface of Europa is composed of water
    and is one of the smoothest in the solar system. Scientists suggest that it is possible
    Europa has an ocean of liquid water beneath its surface, making it a strong candidate for
    extra-terrestrial life. It is also predicted that heat energy from tidal flexing may cause
    oceans to remain liquid and drives geological activity similar to plate tectonics on Earth.

    Q5 - What makes Europa a potential home to extra-terrestrial life?
    *
    A. Ocean below its surface
    B. Smooth ice water surface
    C. Atmosphere comprised of oxygen
    D. Geological activity





Ana Marie Sanchez