Could You Pass a Civil Service Test?

Susan McDonald

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About This Quiz

A civil service test is an exam used by federal, state, and local governments to determine an applicant's worthiness for a position. Individuals who work at City Hall, at the Post Office, and in the nation's courts all had to take and pass a civil service test before they were hired. The test is used not only as a way to ensure that only the highest caliber individuals are hired to fill open positions, but the test also serves to weed out unqualified applicants. The test covers basic knowledge such as reading, writing, and arithmetic, but it also tests the applicant's knowledge of the basics of the position he or she is applying for. So, although there may be some similarities between exams, they are also formulated to be specific for each area of employment. The types of tests that civil service applicants may encounter include typing tests, computer aided exams, oral examinations, and a rating of your personal experience and qualifications. 

Have you taken a civil service test before? If not, do you think you could pass one? Take this quiz to see of you can pass this simple civil service test!

Food is to hunger as sleep is to:

Food is something that satisfies hunger. In the same way, sleep satisfies weariness.

Which of these words is spelled correctly?

Descendant is the correct spelling. It comes from the word descend.

Which of these words most closely related to the word versatile?

The correct answer is many-sided. If something is versatile, it is many-faceted or adaptable.

83 - 4=

The correct answer is 79.

You are filing a folder for Margenroth, Alvin. Where does it go?

The first three letters are the same, but N comes before R, so the file goes before Margeroth.

Which of these words is most closely related to the word requisition?

In this case, a requisition is a formal request for an item, so it is the opposite of cancellation. The correct response is written order.

You are filing something by number and the file is labelled 59233362. Where does it go?

The correct answer is before 59236662. The order would be 58146020, 59233162, 59233262, 59233362, and 59266662.

You have been asked to make a sign for your office door telling visitors what time office hours begin. Which of the following is correct?

The correct response is 8:30 a.m. There should be a colon between the hour and the minutes, followed by small case letters, each of which is followed by a period.

Choose the correct answer: He left _______ at noon.

The answer refers to a physical location, so the correct response is there. They're means they are, their is possessive, and thier is just a misspelling.

If each employee in your office files 487 index cards in one hour, how many cards do 26 employees file in an hour?

This is a multiplication problem. 487 cards x 26 employees = 12,662

Which of these is spelled correctly?

This comes from the word specific, so the correct answer is specifically.

In the following sentence, choose the word that most closely compares with the word rescinded: The offer was rescinded within a week.

Rescind means to revoke or reverse something, so the correct answer is cancelled.

Part of your job is to count and record licensing fees that come into your office. One day, you get 40 checks for $6 each, 80 checks for $4 each, 45 $20 bills, 3 $10 bills, 42 $5 bills, and 186 $1 bills. How much money did you collect?

The answer is $1,886. That includes $240 in $6 checks, $320 in $4 checks, $900 in $20 bills, $30 in $10, $210 in $5, and $186 in $1 bills for a total of $1,886.

You have been assigned to develop a safety program for your department. Which of these would not be among your potential suggestions?

Eliminating high shelves and smoking, as well as securing loose cables and wires, could reduce workplace accidents. Employee education would have no impact.

Respiration means most nearly:

Respiration is another word for breathing, so the other three answers are incorrect.

In writing a formal letter or report, which of these would be most correct?

The correct response is the first one. The others have grammatical errors and are simply too complicated to be clear.

Which of these is spelled correctly?

The correct spelling is sanctioned, so none of the options are correct.

417 x 7=

417 multiplied by 7 is 2,919.

Where would the file for Matheson, J. John go?

The order would be Mathers, Doris, then Matherson, Jerome, then Matherson, Judy, then Matheson, J. John, and finally Matthews, J.R.

Your job includes answering phones for your department. Which of these is NOT an example of proper phone etiquette?

You should always identify yourself, learn to whom you're speaking, and give the caller your full attention. However, sometimes getting the information the caller wants takes time and involves waiting for information from others. In those cases, it's acceptable to take a number and call the person back when you have the answer, meanwhile continuing your other tasks.

For the following sentence, choose the word that most nearly corresponds with the word routine: Filing is a routine office task.

Routine means something that happens on a repeating basis. In that context, the correct response is regular.

Which of these sentences is most correct and appropriate for a letter or report?

The phrase "together with the reports" can be separated from the rest of the sentence. That would make the sentence read "This letter is to be sent to the director." If you remove the phrase in the other examples, the subject and verb do not agree.

Which of these sentences contains a grammatical error?

All three sentences are correct, so the answer is "None of the above."

Which of the following would be filed first?

After organizing all four under Morgan, the correct order would be Martha Hunt, Martin Hunt, Martine H. and Mary H.

37 x 3=

The correct answer is 111, so none of the responses are correct.

Your department orders 14 staplers at a total cost of $30.20. If each stapler cost the same amount, the cost of each is most nearly:

Divide the total cost of $30.20 by 14 -- the number of staplers you bought -- and the answer is $2.157, which would be rounded up to $2.16.

Part of your job is to open the mail, read it, and direct each piece to the appropriate person. You accidentally open one marked "personal" that is addressed to a co-worker. What should you do?

Rather than trying to get a co-worker into trouble or trying to hide what you did, it's best to be honest about it. Take the letter to your co-worker and explain that you opened it by accident.

153 ÷ 3=

153 ÷ 3=51, so the first answer is correct.

Which of these sentences contains an error?

The second response is correct. The word prosecutor is misspelled.

Which word is spelled correctly?

The correct spelling is obliterate, so the third choice is the right one.

4,022 - 709=

4,022 - 709= 3,313, so the correct choice is the third one.

Which of these is most similar to the word credible?

Something that is credible is convincing or believable, so the first choice is correct.

Police officer is to order as doctor is to _______.

The correct answer is health. The job of a police officer is to preserve and protect order, and the job of a doctor is to preserve and protect the health of his or her patients.

Which of the following sentences contains no errors?

The fourth response has no mistakes. In the first one, "supervisors" and "she" do not agree. In the second one, the word "of" does not belong. In the third, the pronoun "they" does not refer to anyone.

Which of these word does not belong with the others?

Obvious, apparent, and evident are synonyms, so they mean the same thing. Concealed means the opposite of those words.

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