ASVAB Test 23 - Reading Comprehension

An employer may offer, as part of its health plan, a limited incentive (in the form of a reward or penalty) to an employee whose spouse (1) is covered under the employee's health plan; (2) receives health or genetic services offered by the employer, including as part of a wellness program; and (3) provides information about his or her current or past health status. Information about current or past health status usually is provided as part of a health risk assessment (HRA), which may include a questionnaire or medical examination, such as a blood pressure test or blood test to detect high cholesterol or high glucose levels. The total incentive for an employee and spouse to participate in a wellness program that is part of a group health plan and that collects information about current or past health status may not exceed 30 percent of the total cost of the plan in which the employee and any dependents are enrolled. The incentive may be financial or in- kind (e.g., time-off awards, prizes, and other items of value). What is the best title for this passage?. "Health Risks and Incentives". "Spousal Insurance Cost". "Incentives for Employee Health Plans". "Employee Wellness Plans".

The U.S. Department of Justice has prepared a report about hate crimes in the United States between 1997 and 1999. In 60% of hate crime incidents, the most serious offense was a violent crime, most commonly intimidation or simple assault. The majority of incidents motivated by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability involved a violent offense, while two-thirds of incidents motivated by religion involved a property offense, most commonly vandalism. Younger offenders were responsible for most hate crimes. Thirty-one percent of violent offenders, and 46% of property offenders were under age 18. Most property offense hate crimes were motivated by __________. religion. race. sexual orientation. abortion.

The U.S. Department of Justice has prepared a report about hate crimes in the United States between 1997 and 1999. In 60% of hate crime incidents, the most serious offense was a violent crime, most commonly intimidation or simple assault. The majority of incidents motivated by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability involved a violent offense, while two-thirds of incidents motivated by religion involved a property offense, most commonly vandalism. Younger offenders were responsible for most hate crimes. Thirty-one percent of violent offenders, and 46% of property offenders were under age 18. The majority of hate crimes during this period can be classified as __________. property offenses. violent crimes. assault. intimidation.

Linewatch operations are conducted near international boundaries and coastlines in areas of Border Patrol jurisdiction to prevent the illegal entry and smuggling of aliens into the United States and to intercept those who do enter illegally before they can escape from border areas. Signcutting is the detection and the interpretation of any disturbances in natural terrain conditions that indicate the presence or passage of people, animals, or vehicles. The operation that's designed to detect changes in the natural environment, which may indicate passage of illegal aliens is called __________. Linewatching. Signcutting. Border Patrol Operations. Terrain Observation.

Lasers and incandescent lights are different in an important way. Incandescent light from light bulbs emits light of different wavelengths and moves in many directions. On the other hand, laser beams are monochromatic, consisting of a single wavelength. They can travel great distances without spreading. Any comparison of laser and incandescent lights must include a discussion of __________. small and large light bulbs. wavelengths. soundwaves. echoes.

Wales was in ancient times divided into three parts nearly equal, consideration having been paid, in this division, more to the value than to the just quantity or proportion of territory. They were Venedotia, now called North Wales; Demetia, or South Wales, which in British is called Deheubarth, that is, the southern part; and Powys, the middle or eastern district. Roderic the Great, or Rhodri Mawr, who was king over all Wales, was the cause of this division. He had three sons, Mervin, Anarawt, and Cadell, amongst whom he partitioned the whole principality. Wales was divided into divisions because __________. Natural boundaries, such as rivers and mountains made the division necessary. Wales was too large for the King to oversee personally. The King of Wales wanted his sons to rule. all of the above.

The fierce and warlike tribe, called the Huns, who'd driven the Goths to seek new homes, came from Asia into Southeastern Europe and took possession of a large territory lying north of the River Danube. During the first half of the fifth century, the Huns had a famous king named Attila. He was only 21 years old when he became their king. But although he was young, he was very brave and ambitious, and he wanted to be a great and powerful king. As soon as his army was ready, he marched with it into countries, which belonged to Rome. He defeated the Romans in several great battles and captured many of their cities. The Roman Emperor Theodosius had to ask for terms of peace. Attila agreed that there should be peace, but soon afterwards he found out that Theodosius had formed a plot to murder him. He was so enraged at this that he again began war. He plundered and burned cities wherever he went, and at last the emperor had to give him a large sum of money and a portion of the country south of the Danube. A good title for the above paragraph would be __________. The Burning of Rome. Emperor Theodosius. Attila the Hun. Rome for Dummies.

The fierce and warlike tribe, called the Huns, who'd driven the Goths to seek new homes, came from Asia into Southeastern Europe and took possession of a large territory lying north of the River Danube. During the first half of the fifth century, the Huns had a famous king named Attila. He was only 21 years old when he became their king. But although he was young, he was very brave and ambitious, and he wanted to be a great and powerful king. As soon as his army was ready, he marched with it into countries, which belonged to Rome. He defeated the Romans in several great battles and captured many of their cities. The Roman Emperor Theodosius had to ask for terms of peace. Attila agreed that there should be peace, but soon afterwards he found out that Theodosius had formed a plot to murder him. He was so enraged at this that he again began war. He plundered and burned cities wherever he went, and at last the emperor had to give him a large sum of money and a portion of the country south of the Danube. After terms of peace were offered, Attila resumed the war against Rome because __________. he discovered the Emperor wanted to assassinate him. he wanted to further expand his kingdom. the Emperor of Rome offered too little money in the peace terms. Danube, his second-in-charge, advised him not to accept the peace terms.

In the military, as in all professions, the issue of competence is directly relevant to professional integrity. Because human life, national security, and expenditures from the national treasury are so frequently at issue when the military acts, the obligation to be competent isn't merely prudential. That obligation is a moral one, and culpable incompetence here is clearly a violation of professional integrity. Part of the social aspect of professional integrity involves the joint responsibility for conduct and competence shared by all members of the profession. Only fellow professionals are capable of evaluating competence in some instances; hence, fellow professionals must accept the responsibility of upholding the standards of the profession. Fellow military members can spot derelictions of duty, failures of leadership, failures of competence, and the venalities of conduct that interfere with the goals of the military mission. Often, the obligations of professional integrity may be pitted against personal loyalties or friendships; and, where the stakes for society are so high, professional integrity should win out. One word that best describes the primary theme of the above passage would be __________. proficiency. equality. evaluations. relationships.

In the military, as in all professions, the issue of competence is directly relevant to professional integrity. Because human life, national security, and expenditures from the national treasury are so frequently at issue when the military acts, the obligation to be competent isn't merely prudential. That obligation is a moral one, and culpable incompetence here is clearly a violation of professional integrity. Part of the social aspect of professional integrity involves the joint responsibility for conduct and competence shared by all members of the profession. Only fellow professionals are capable of evaluating competence in some instances; hence, fellow professionals must accept the responsibility of upholding the standards of the profession. Fellow military members can spot derelictions of duty, failures of leadership, failures of competence, and the venalities of conduct that interfere with the goals of the military mission. Often, the obligations of professional integrity may be pitted against personal loyalties or friendships; and, where the stakes for society are so high, professional integrity should win out. Professional competence is __________. a moral obligation. directly relevant to professional integrity. essential because military operations impact human life, national security, and use of taxpayer funds. all of the above.

In the military, as in all professions, the issue of competence is directly relevant to professional integrity. Because human life, national security, and expenditures from the national treasury are so frequently at issue when the military acts, the obligation to be competent isn't merely prudential. That obligation is a moral one, and culpable incompetence here is clearly a violation of professional integrity. Part of the social aspect of professional integrity involves the joint responsibility for conduct and competence shared by all members of the profession. Only fellow professionals are capable of evaluating competence in some instances; hence, fellow professionals must accept the responsibility of upholding the standards of the profession. Fellow military members can spot derelictions of duty, failures of leadership, failures of competence, and the venalities of conduct that interfere with the goals of the military mission. Often, the obligations of professional integrity may be pitted against personal loyalties or friendships; and, where the stakes for society are so high, professional integrity should win out. The author of the above passage would agree that __________. friendship must often take a back seat to professional integrity. only fellow professionals should evaluate competence. professional competence is a direct result of effective training programs. all of the above.

Black Americans served in every major U.S. military conflict from the Revolutionary War onward except the 1848 Mexican War. However, they were almost always restricted to segregated, black-only units `" usually with white officers `" until after the Korean War. President Harry S. Truman issued an executive order in 1948 that mandated "equality of treatment... in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national origin." By October 1953, the Army announced that 95 percent of black soldiers were serving in integrated units. By when was segregation of black soldiers effectively ended?. In 1848. In 1948. In 1953. During the Korean War.

A stranger meets you and shows you a wad of cash he has just "found." He says he wants to split it with you, but says that, in order to show your "good faith," you have to put up some of your own money. When you agree to give him your money, the stranger finds a reason to leave for a while. Do you see him again? Probably not `" you have just been conned. The main theme of this passage is __________. don't ever speak to strangers. be careful of "get-rich-quick" schemes. how to make lots of money. don't believe anything a stranger says.

The new Army Service Uniform or ASU is a hybrid that combines elements of the green Class A and B uniforms and the dress blue uniform. Many of the policies governing the green uniform have been integrated with or adapted to the blue uniform, now known as the ASU. The ASU replaces the green Army Class A and B uniforms What uniform change is happening?. The Army is changing its Class A uniform from green to blue. The Army is changing its Class A uniform from blue to green. The Army is changing its combat uniform. The Army is governing the elements of its uniform policies.

LLC stands for "Limited Liability Corporation," meaning the business owners' liability is limited. Without the idea of "limited liability," the owners of a business can be held personally responsible for the debts of their business. The idea of "limited liability" originated in Germany in the late 19th century. By the 1940s, the idea had taken hold in 17 countries, but not the United States. In 1977, Wyoming became the first U.S. state to pass an LLC law modeled after the German statute. Many other states eventually passed their own version, though most of them have variations from other states. Why is the idea of limited liability helpful to business owners?. Because it can limit their personal financial risk. Because it is a tradition dating back to the 19th century. Because it is now legal in all 50 states. Because it holds them personally responsible for their business' debts.

We are focused so much on requiring diversity that we have lost sight of why diversity is a good thing. The good part about having different kinds of people working together is that they bring their various abilities and insights to help the organization accomplish their shared goals. The different parts of the whole are important because, when joined together, they make a stronger, more capable whole. It is the strengthened unity resulting from diversity that is important, not just diversity for its own sake. What does the writer say about different kinds of people working together?. Working together is important for its own sake. Working together is too difficult to be important. Having different types of people working together is important because it strengthens the entire organization or group. Working together makes people lose their focus on their individual goals.

Specialized warships are relatively recent in origin. They have always been expensive to build and need to be manned by crews with specialized skills. Their construction and operation therefore requires a great deal of the ruler's wealth. The earliest form of fighting at sea was probably piratical as opposed to political; even a pirate needs resources to get his start. The first navies may or may not have been pirate hunters but navies, by definition, cost more than individual ships. Whatever perspective one takes, fighting on water has cost more than fighting on land from the beginnings. According to this passage, navies __________. all started out as pirates. are more expensive to have and maintain than individual ships. normally cooperate with pirates to avoid attack. are suitable to be built by specialists.

A noted communication researcher has found that 7 percent of our feelings and attitudes are communicated with words, 38 percent through tone of voice, and 55 percent with nonverbal expressions. These facts tell us that the communications channels over which we have the most control `" and understand the best `" have the least amount of impact, and that the channels over which we have the least control `" and understand the least `" have the most impact. How much of our communication with other people is with words?. 7 percent. 38 percent. 55 percent. Depends upon which communication channel it goes through.

The process by which the Roman legions came to serve so far from the Roman army's birthplace began in earnest during the Punic wars with Carthage. The Phoenician colony first clashed with the Romans when Rome's success in subduing its Italian neighbors drew it south to Sicily, which Carthage regarded as within its sphere of influence. In 265 B.C., after Rome's expensive victory over Pyrrhus, Rome and Carthage found themselves at war over Sicily. The war rapidly extended by both land and sea until the Carthaginians had to admit defeat and allow the establishment of Roman control over the island. Rome soon after added Corsica and Sardinia to these beginnings of its overseas empire. What area were the Romans and Carthaginians fighting over in 265 B.C.?. Phoenicia. Carthage. Sicily. Corsica.

It is vitally important in strategic planning to select the "right" goals and objectives. Some experts maintain that this is the primary role and purpose of strategic planning. Planning also includes determining the best means of achieving objectives, facilitating effective communication, and reviewing results as the plan is executed. In order to select the truly "right" objectives, however, planners must keep in mind the overall mission of the organization. How must strategic planners choose appropriate goals?. By selecting the "right" objectives. By facilitating effective communication. While keeping in mind the overall mission of the organization. By reviewing results as the plan is executed.

The traditions of Freemasonry have evolved over many centuries and from many sources. These traditions are a powerful force that cements a Lodge and Freemasons into one sacred band. They can be modified `" but only slowly `" to fit the needs of the organization. As individual Freemasons become aware of the traditions, they soon learn that they are part of something larger than themselves. The traditions of Freemasonry teach new members that __________. They are part of something larger than themselves. New members can quickly change traditions to meet the organization's needs. Traditions are never written in cement. There is only one source for the traditions of Freemasonry.

Captain Agnew had located the Italian naval convoy by means of radar, and then brought his Force K into the most favorable attacking position. To the Italians, who possessed no such technology, the darkness remained impenetrable, and their surprise was consequently complete. What happened to the Italian convoy?. It used radar to locate Captain Agnew's Force K. It was surprised by a nighttime attack. It surprised the Force K nighttime convoy. It got lost in the impenetrable darkness.

A major part of safe driving is driving at the right speed. But what is the "right" speed? Is it 20 miles per hour, or 45, or 60? That question may be hard to answer. On some city streets and in heavy traffic, 20 miles per hour could be too fast, even if it's within the posted speed limit. On an interstate highway, 45 miles per hour could be too slow. Of course, a good driver must follow the speed limit, but he must also use good judgment. The "right speed will vary depending on the number of cars, the road surface and its condition, and the driver's visibility. The general theme of this passage is that a good driver __________. drives at 45 miles an hour. adjusts to different driving conditions. always drives at the same speed. always follows the speed limit.

About three-fourths of the Earth's surface is covered with water. Of these 336 million cubic miles of water, most (97.2 percent) is found in the oceans and is salty. Glaciers at both poles contain another 2 percent of the total amount. Less than 1 percent (0.8 percent) is available as fresh water for people to use `" and much of that is not near the people who need it the most. The amount of fresh water available for people to use is __________. 97.2 percent. 0.8 percent. two-tenths. 2.0 percent.

Nucleic acids are found in all living organisms, from viruses to man. They received their name because of their discovery in the nuclei of white blood cells and fish sperm by Swiss physiologist Johann Mescher in 1869. However, it is now well established that nucleic acids occur outside the cell nucleus as well. Nucleic acids are found __________. only in human cells. only in viruses. in all living cells. only in the cell nucleus.

The Tao-te-ching (The Way and Its Power) is the basic text of Taoism, a Chinese religion and philosophy. The Tao-te-ching is composed of 81 short chapters or poems that describe a way of life marked by quiet effortlessness and freedom from desire. Taoism teaches that this can be achieved by following the creative, spontaneous life force of the universe, called the Tao. The book is attributed to Lao-tzu, but it was probably written in the third century B.C. The Tao-te-ching __________. is the basic text of Chinese poetry. describes a life way marked by quiet freedom. is made up of 81 chapters and a short poem. was probably not written by Lao-tzu, even though it is attributed to him.

History tells us that Christopher Columbus once saved his own life because he knew from his almanac that there was going to be an eclipse of the moon. In 1504 Columbus was marooned in Jamaica with no food and unfriendly natives confronting him. The explorer threatened to turn off the light in the sky if the natives refused to give him food. Columbus kept his word; the natives gave him food. The main idea of this paragraph is that __________. natives rarely own almanacs or understand scientific facts. Christopher Columbus was in Jamaica in 1504 on his third voyage from Spain. on his arrival in Jamaica, Christopher Columbus had no food. Columbus saved his own life because he knew when there was going to be an eclipse of the moon.

One implied warranty required by state law is the "warranty of merchantability." This means that the seller promises that the product will do what it is supposed to do. For example, __________. a car will never need repairs. a lawnmower will also cut bushes. a toaster will toast. your roof will last 15 to 100 years.

To get full value for your energy dollars, first arrange for an energy audit of your home. An audit will reveal such things as energy-sapping drafts, insufficient insulation, improper weather stripping, and a need for storm windows and doors. Installing storm windows may be energy-saving but should be preceded by __________. an energy audit. storm doors. insulation. proper weather stripping.

Railroads originating on both coasts of the United States were joined on May 10, 1869, when a golden spike was driven to join the last rail at Promontory Point, Utah. Great numbers of immigrants moved west to take up free homestead land or purchase tracts at low prices. According to the passage, the settling of the American West __________. made immigrants very wealthy from land ownership. followed the completion of the railroad. made it impossible for anyone to purchase land. was finished before the summer of 1869.

The most disadvantaged type in both countries was the single-parent, female-headed household, of which 38% in Canada and 61% in the United States were in need. Moreover, 44% of single females living alone in Canada and 51% in the United States were in housing need. By contrast, male single parents experienced about half the housing need of their female equivalents. You can conclude from the paragraph that needy male single parents in housing need in the United States numbered approximately __________. 61%. 30%. 44%. 22%.

In 1973, when the OPEC nations embargoed oil exports to the United States, their action signaled an unprecedented rise in oil prices. In feet, crude oil prices quadrupled, sending oil-dependent countries into a recession. One of the results of the oil embargo was that __________. the United States embargoed oil exports of OPEC nations. the price of crude oil declined. the price of crude oil doubled. oil-dependent countries experienced a recession.

Although they last no longer than a fraction of a second, voltage variations can cause problems with sensitive electronic equipment. Variation in voltage causes digital clocks to blink and timers to be thrown off schedule. Computers are especially __________. useful when you transfer data to memory. easy to protect from variations in voltage. useful in publishing. sensitive to voltage variations.

In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution entitled the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This resolution stresses personal, civil, political, social, cultural, and economic rights of people. In so doing, the article promotes __________. financial well-being only. fundamental freedoms. social unrest. only one political party.

DNA, a nucleic acid contained in all living material, orders every cell to reproduce in a certain manner. In feet, DNA molecules determine both the form and function of all living cells. DNA is __________. found only in animals. one kind of cell. a nucleic acid. a nuclear device.

Garbage has become an alarming problem `" and it won't go away. State landfills, as they are presently designed, are quickly filling up. Consequently, since 30% of trash being dumped can be recycled, it is time for communities to set up recycling programs. Not all trash needs to be dumped. We know that __________. a third of what we dump could be recycled. people could start their own landfills. recycling will never take place. 70% of trash can be recycled.

Sometimes a state legislature asks the voters to approve or reject a proposal called a referendum. The proposal may be a constitutional amendment, a plan for long-term borrowing, or a special law affecting a city. In effect, the question is "referred" to the voters. The Constitution of the United States was submitted to state conventions for approvals. From the definition above, you can say that it was __________. approved unanimously. approved by a form of referendum. rejected by a majority of the states. referred to the president of the United States.

Some pollutants that render air unsafe to breathe cannot be seen or smelted. Nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, and radon gas are examples. Other pollutants, such as formaldehyde, can be smelted at high levels only but are still unsafe to breathe even at lower levels. You can conclude from the paragraph that formaldehyde __________. is safer to breathe than nitric oxide. can never be seen or smelted. cannot be smelted at lower levels. is not one of the pollutants that renders air unsafe to breathe.

Pneumonia is caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or mycoplasmas. Bacterial pneumonia is the main type of pneumonia that follows an attack of the flu and a major precipitator (beginning cause) of pneumonia deaths. Which kind of pneumonia is the most deadly?. bacterial. viral. fungi. flu.

Because the temperature of ocean water changes more slowly than the temperature of air, oceans affect the world's climate. As ocean water moves past land masses, it affects the climate by warming the air in winter and cooling it in summer. The key idea in this paragraph is that __________. ocean water moves past land masses. ocean water cools the air in winter. ocean water warms land masses in summer. the world's climate is affected by the temperature of the oceans.

There are several differences between reptiles and birds. One key difference involves the skeletal structure between the two and the fact that birds have wings. Reptiles have solid bones that are dense and they travel on land or in the water. Birds have hollow or pneumatic bones filled with air that are lighter and allow them to fly. In addition, birds have a lightweight beak instead of teeth, or a heavy jaw. Birds __________. can travel faster than reptiles. may have a heavy jaw. do not have teeth. have a solid bone structure.

The maggot larvae may be more than just a repugnant animal. Maggot larvae, called Phaenica sericata, have recently been used in a treatment known as Maggot Therapy. Twice a week, larvae are placed on a wound and left there for 48 to 72 hours. The maggots only eat the dead tissue, leaving healthy tissue intact, a process called debridement. In a recent study, wounds that got presurgical maggot therapy developed no infections after surgery. While about one-third of wounds that didn't get maggot therapy developed an infection. In the context, repugnant means __________. distasteful. cute. friendly. jovial.

Doctors and experts recommend that an aspirin a day may cut the risk of developing colon cancer. However, a smaller dose of baby aspirin may be more effective at this than a full size aspirin. A full size aspirin __________. does not cut the risk of developing colon cancer. prevents colon cancer. may cut the risk of colon cancer. is not as effective as a baby aspirin.

A new study suggests that 1 in 4 Americans do not get enough sleep. Sleep experts recommend 8 hours of sleep per night and most Americans report an average of less than 7 hours of sleep on weeknights and 7.5 hours of sleep on weekends. The average American sleeps __________. 6 hours on weeknights. 8 hours on weekend nights. the recommended hours of sleep. 7.5 hours on weekend nights.

Regular weight lifting has been shown to improve muscle mass in people of all ages. Even 80-year-old subjects in weight lifting studies show signs of benefits by supplementing their muscle mass. It can be inferred from the passage that __________. young people do not benefit from weight lifting. weight lifting even once a week will produce benefits for all ages. older people show the most improvements in muscle mass in weight lifting studies. any able body person can begin weight lifting at any age and see benefits.

Aquaculture, otherwise known as "fish farming, " is a rapidly growing industry. Instead of catching fish in the wild, organizations around the world are developing aquaculture resources so that they can raise and harvest fish in controlled environments. This technique allows people to provide large supplies of fresh fish for marketing. The best title for this passage is __________. The Science of Aquamarines. Aquaculture ג€" Developing Fish Farms. Fishing Is Part of Our Culture. Fish Farming Is the Next Best Thing to Deep-sea Excursions.

If you are thirsty, most likely you are already dehydrated. Most people underrate the importance of drinking water all day long. They wait until their throats are parched or they eat meals before they drink any fluids `" and they usually don't choose water. Since the human body is about two-thirds water, drinking it is essential to maintaining good health. Just a few of the benefits of staying hydrated are better memory throughout the day, increased energy, and less tiredness. In this context, parched means __________. hydrated. sore. dry. wet.

If you are thirsty, most likely you are already dehydrated. Most people underrate the importance of drinking water all day long. They wait until their throats are parched or they eat meals before they drink any fluids `" and they usually don't choose water. Since the human body is about two-thirds water, drinking is essential to maintaining good health. Just a few of the benefits of staying hydrated are better memory throughout the day, increased energy, and less tiredness. The best title for this selection is __________. Dehydration and the Benefits of Drinking Water. The Benefits of Drinking Water. Better Memory with Water. How to stay Hydrated.

If you are thirsty, most likely you are already dehydrated. Most people underrate the importance of drinking water all day long. They wait until their throats are parched or they eat meals before they drink any fluids `" and they usually don't choose water. Since the human body is about two-thirds water, drinking is essential to maintaining good health. Just a few of the benefits of staying hydrated are better memory throughout the day, increased energy, and less tiredness. It can be inferred from this selection that most people are __________. dehydrated quite often without even knowing it. dehydrated despite drinking large quantities of water. often hospitalized for severe dehydration. rarely ever hydrated.

General Dwight Eisenhower was one of the most significant military leaders in the history of the United States. Although he was a brilliant strategist and had the heart of a lion, his concern was for the safety and well-being of his "boys." All who served under General Eisenhower were devoted to him, and looked to him as a father, devoted more to their leader than to the cause. For that reason, every casualty struck General Eisenhower as if it were his own kin. According to the passage, what kind of man can we assume that General Dwight Eisenhower was?. Aloof and cold. Timid and uncertain. Militarily aggressive at all costs. Intelligent and compassionate.