Verbal Reasoning

(1) Emily always leaves for school at 7:30 AM and arrives at 8:00 AM. If she leaves 15 minutes late, what is the earliest time she can make it to school if she increases her average speed by 25%?

• (a) 8:05 AM
• (b) 8:15 AM
• (c) 8:00 AM
• (d) 7:55 AM

Answer

Correct Answer: (c) 8:00 AM
Let the original speed be \( s \) and the travel time be \( t \). The new speed is \( 1.25s \) and the new time is \( t – \frac{1}{4}t \). Since \( \frac{1}{4}t \) is 15 minutes, \( t \) is 60 minutes. Thus, Emily can still arrive at 8:00 AM.

(2) Which word does NOT belong with the others?

• (a) novel
• (b) poem
• (c) painting
• (d) essay

Answer

Correct Answer: (c) painting
Painting is not like the others because it is a visual art form, whereas the rest are forms of writing.

(3) If it takes 5 machines 5 minutes to make 5 widgets, how long would it take 100 machines to make 100 widgets?

• (a) 100 minutes
• (b) 5 minutes
• (c) 20 minutes
• (d) 1 minute

Answer

Correct Answer: (b) 5 minutes
Each machine takes 5 minutes to make a widget. Therefore, regardless of the number of machines, it will take 5 minutes to make one widget per machine.

(4) If “CAT” is coded as “DOG” in a certain code language, how would “BAT” be coded in the same language?

• (a) DOG
• (b) EOG
• (c) FAT
• (d) GOG

Answer

Correct Answer: (b) EOG
In this code language, each letter in the word is shifted one position forward in the alphabet. Therefore, “CAT” becomes “DOG,” and “BAT” becomes “EOG.”

(5) If the word “COMPUTER” is reversed, which letter will be in the middle?

• (a) T
• (b) U
• (c) P
• (d) O

Answer

Correct Answer: (b) U
When “COMPUTER” is reversed, it becomes “RETPUMOC.” The letter in the middle of “RETPUMOC” is “U.”