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PELLETB · reading · reading comprehension

Pellet B reading: answer from the passage only

Reading comprehension is the whole reading part of the Pellet B and its largest sub-test. You read passages that run from a single paragraph to a full page, then answer multiple-choice questions on them. Every passage contains what you need, so the skill tested is careful reading, not knowledge of police work. Since 2025 it is the only reading sub-test: the CLOZE passages are gone.

  • 20–24items on the test
  • 1 pagelongest passage
  • 20questions on this page

What the questions ask

Question types in our set (POST's own samples ask which statement is most accurate):

  • Detail: what the passage says about a specific person, time, rule or number.
  • Main idea: which statement sums up the passage as a whole.
  • Inference: what follows from the passage, without adding outside facts.
  • Procedure or rule: which step comes first, or who qualifies under a rule the passage sets out.
  • Most accurate statement: four claims, one fully supported by the text.

Source: POST Applicant Preparation Guide, form version 2025, pp. 2, 17–21 · checked 21 Oct 2026

Trap: the answer that is true but not in the passage

POST's guide says it plainly: responses are scored only on what is in the passage. An option that matches real police practice, or common sense, is wrong if the passage doesn't support it. Watch absolute words too: if the passage says often and the option says always, the option goes further than the text.

20 reading questions

0 of 20 answered · 0 correct
Question 1 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

Some city council members support expanding the bus network, arguing that it would reduce traffic and pollution. Others oppose the expansion, saying it would cost too much and might not attract enough riders. A study of three neighboring cities found that similar expansions increased ridership by 15 percent within two years. Critics of the study point out that its ridership figures came from rider surveys rather than fare records. Both sides agree that the city's roads need repair, whatever happens to the bus plan.

Based on the passage, which of the following statements is most accurate?

Answer explanations

A

Correct: Critics question the study's ridership measure because the figures came from rider surveys rather than fare records.

B

Incorrect: The figures came from rider surveys, not fare records.

C

Incorrect: The study found that ridership rose by 15 percent.

D

Incorrect: Both sides agree that the roads need repair.

Question 2 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

Domestic violence calls present unique challenges for responding officers. These situations often involve complex relationships, heightened emotions, and safety risks for all parties, including officers. Many departments implement mandatory arrest policies when probable cause exists that an offense occurred. Officers should separate involved parties for interviewing to obtain uninfluenced statements and should document all observable evidence, including property damage and injuries. Connecting victims with advocacy services is critical, and research shows a coordinated community approach produces the best outcomes.

Based on the passage, what is an important practice when responding to domestic violence calls?

Answer explanations

A

Incorrect: The passage says to document all observable evidence, including property damage.

B

Incorrect: Mandatory arrest applies when there is probable cause of an offense; nothing says to arrest everyone present.

C

Incorrect: Reconciling the parties is not among the practices listed.

D

Correct: The passage says officers should separate the parties to get statements that are not influenced by each other.

Question 3 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

Workplace conduct policy. Harassment is a pattern of unwanted behavior that continues after the target has asked it to stop. Harassment does not require any physical contact, does not require proof that the sender intended harm, and does not depend on whether a formal complaint has yet been filed. What matters is that the conduct is repeated and unwelcome. Example: a coworker who keeps sending unwanted messages despite clear requests to stop.

Based on the passage, which statement about harassment is most accurate?

Answer explanations

A

Correct: The policy defines harassment as unwanted behavior that is repeated and continues after a request to stop.

B

Incorrect: The policy says harassment does not require any physical contact.

C

Incorrect: The policy says proof of intent to harm is not required.

D

Incorrect: The policy says harassment does not depend on whether a complaint has been filed.

Question 4 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

A police officers' association works to protect the interests of the officers it represents. Its central activity is collective bargaining: negotiating with the city or department over pay, work hours, benefits, and working conditions on behalf of all members. Through these negotiations the association tries to secure fair terms that individual officers could not obtain alone. It may also support members in disputes and speak on policy.

Based on the passage, what is a primary activity of the officers' association?

Answer explanations

A

Incorrect: Scholarships are not mentioned.

B

Incorrect: Daily patrol assignments are a department supervisor's job, and the passage does not give them to the association.

C

Correct: The passage calls collective bargaining over pay, hours, benefits, and conditions the association's central activity.

D

Incorrect: Social events are not mentioned.

Question 5 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

When a wildfire threatens a town, patrol officers are often the first public safety workers to reach residents. Their role is not to fight the fire but to move people out of its path. Officers go door to door in assigned zones, mark each home once it has been checked, and direct traffic toward open routes. Because smoke and wind can shift a fire's direction quickly, officers stay in radio contact with fire commanders, who may redraw zone boundaries several times in an hour. Officers who leave their zone without notice can leave homes unchecked.

Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage?

Answer explanations

A

Correct: The passage centers on officers moving residents out of a fire's path, which is the main idea.

B

Incorrect: Officers do not help firefighters control the fire; the passage says their role is not to fight it.

C

Incorrect: Marking checked homes is one step in the process, a detail rather than the main idea.

D

Incorrect: Wind shifting a fire is a supporting detail that explains why officers keep radio contact.

Question 6 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

Last year the city council offered a tax credit to downtown businesses that installed exterior security cameras. About 60 percent of eligible businesses installed cameras. Reported thefts in the downtown commercial district fell 15 percent during the following year. In the same year, however, the police department also doubled bicycle patrols downtown, and several large stores began keeping expensive items in locked cases. A city analyst said the data could not separate the effects of these changes.

Which of the following can be concluded from the passage?

Answer explanations

A

Incorrect: About 60 percent of eligible businesses installed cameras, which is most.

B

Incorrect: The 15 percent figure covers the whole district, not only businesses with cameras.

C

Correct: Bike patrols and locked cases changed the same year, and the analyst could not separate the effects, so the cameras cannot be shown to explain all of the drop.

D

Incorrect: The analyst said the data could not separate the effects, which is not a finding about patrols.

Question 7 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

Crime analysis is a broad field within modern policing, drawing on several distinct methods. It includes mapping crime locations, studying the social patterns behind offenses, and using statistics to forecast where incidents may rise. Analysts combine these approaches to help commanders deploy officers wisely.

Based on the passage, which is NOT a recognized branch of crime analysis?

Answer explanations

A

Correct: Fleet maintenance is not among the methods the passage lists for crime analysis.

B

Incorrect: Using statistics to forecast incidents is one of the listed methods.

C

Incorrect: Studying social patterns behind offenses is one of the listed methods.

D

Incorrect: Mapping crime locations is one of the listed methods.

Question 8 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

Community policing emphasizes building partnerships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. This approach involves officers becoming familiar with neighborhood residents, understanding local concerns, and working collaboratively to solve problems. Regular communication through community meetings, neighborhood walks, and school programs helps build trust. Studies show that effective community policing can lead to reduced crime rates and improved police-community relations.

Based on the passage, what is a key component of community policing?

Answer explanations

A

Incorrect: The passage links community policing to lower crime and better relations, not to more arrests in neighborhoods.

B

Correct: The passage defines community policing as building partnerships between officers and the communities they serve.

C

Incorrect: Budgets are not mentioned.

D

Incorrect: Community policing calls for more contact with residents, such as neighborhood walks, not less presence.

Question 9 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

Officer's Daily Log: Noise-Complaint Contact. When questioned, the homeowner shouted that the visit was harassment and demanded that the officers leave. The officers remained calm, explained the complaint, recorded the homeowner's statements word for word, and logged the time of the exchange. No citation was issued, and the officers advised the homeowner of the quiet-hours ordinance before departing.

Based on the passage, how did the officers respond to the homeowner's outburst?

Answer explanations

A

Incorrect: The log states that no citation was issued.

B

Incorrect: Nobody was arrested; the officers advised the homeowner of the ordinance and left.

C

Incorrect: The officers remained calm; nothing says they shouted or gave orders.

D

Correct: The log says the officers stayed calm, explained the complaint, and recorded the homeowner's statements.

Question 10 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

County Jail Policy: Detainee Protections. Every person held in custody must receive the following protections. Detainees are guaranteed humane housing, access to medical care when needed, and at least one supervised phone call per day. They may also request a supervisor's review of their detention. The facility's work program is voluntary, and no detainee may be required to join it. Staff must document each protection provided during a detainee's stay.

Based on the passage, which of the following is NOT guaranteed to every detainee?

Answer explanations

A

Correct: The work program is voluntary and no detainee may be required to join, so mandatory enrollment is not guaranteed.

B

Incorrect: Access to medical care when needed is listed as guaranteed.

C

Incorrect: At least one supervised phone call per day is listed as guaranteed.

D

Incorrect: Humane housing is listed as guaranteed.

Question 11 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

A city studied traffic accidents at two intersections across three times of day. At 5th Avenue and Main Street, there were 15 accidents during morning rush hour, 4 at midday, and 12 in the evening, for a total of 31. At Central Boulevard and 10th Street, there were 7 during morning rush hour, 20 at midday, and 9 in the evening, for a total of 36.

Based on the passage, which statement is most accurate?

Answer explanations

A

Incorrect: 5th Ave and Main St has 31 accidents, fewer than the 36 at Central Blvd and 10th St.

B

Incorrect: Accidents are far from spread evenly: the counts range from 4 to 20.

C

Incorrect: Morning rush hour has 22 accidents across both intersections, fewer than the 24 at midday.

D

Correct: Central Blvd and 10th St has 36 accidents to 31 at the other intersection, and its highest count, 20, is at midday.

Question 12 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

The exclusionary rule is a principle in United States law that bars evidence gathered in violation of a person's constitutional rights from being used against that person at trial. It most often applies when police conduct a search or seizure without a valid warrant or probable cause, protections rooted in the Fourth Amendment. Supporters say the rule deters misconduct by denying officers any advantage gained through an illegal search. Critics reply that it can let guilty defendants go free over technical mistakes. Courts have created a few narrow exceptions, but the core rule remains a central safeguard of privacy.

Based on the passage, which statement is most accurate about the exclusionary rule?

Answer explanations

A

Incorrect: The passage is about searches and seizures, not a warrant to question suspects.

B

Correct: The passage defines the rule as barring evidence gathered in violation of constitutional rights from use at trial.

C

Incorrect: The rule keeps some evidence out of court, the opposite of guaranteeing that all of it is admitted.

D

Incorrect: The passage says courts have created a few narrow exceptions.

Question 13 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

A city analysis of 1,200 noise complaints found that most came from neighborhoods next to the freeway and the new rail yard, not from areas with bars or clubs. Residents near the freeway reported sleep problems more than twice as often as residents elsewhere. The city has proposed sound walls along the freeway and quieter night schedules at the rail yard. It also plans to move enforcement officers away from late-night patrols of the entertainment district, where complaints were rare, and toward following up on complaints near the rail yard.

Based on the passage, why does the city plan to move enforcement officers away from the entertainment district?

Answer explanations

A

Correct: The passage says complaints were rare in the entertainment district.

B

Incorrect: Quieter night schedules are planned for the rail yard, not the bars.

C

Incorrect: The sound walls are planned along the freeway, not in the entertainment district.

D

Incorrect: Most complaints came from neighborhoods near the freeway and the rail yard, not from areas with bars or clubs.

Question 14 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

A police unit gets the most out of teamwork when every member has a voice. Units that involve every member in decisions tend to outperform those run strictly from the top down. When officers build strong working relationships and feel that each person's view is valued, the team solves complex problems more creatively and members report greater job satisfaction.

Based on the passage, which statement is most accurate?

Answer explanations

A

Incorrect: Units run strictly from the top down tend to do worse, according to the passage.

B

Correct: The passage says strong working relationships and valuing every member's view lead to better teamwork.

C

Incorrect: Meetings are not discussed; the passage is about including every member in decisions.

D

Incorrect: The passage links job satisfaction to team dynamics, not external rewards.

Question 15 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

Cities plant street trees for many reasons, but their most measurable benefit is cooling. A mature tree can lower the air temperature beneath its canopy by several degrees on a summer afternoon, and blocks lined with trees need less electricity for air conditioning. Trees are not free, however. A young tree needs regular watering for its first three years, and roots planted too close to sidewalks can crack the pavement. For these reasons, many cities now require that new trees be planted at least four feet from any walkway and be watered by the adjacent property owner until they are established.

Which of the following can be concluded from the passage?

Answer explanations

A

Incorrect: Cooling is called the most measurable benefit, which implies there are others.

B

Correct: Young trees need regular watering for their first three years, and two years falls inside that period.

C

Incorrect: The four-foot rule reduces the risk of cracking, but the passage does not promise no damage.

D

Incorrect: The adjacent property owner is responsible for the watering.

Question 16 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

County Burglary Arrest Report: Ages of People Arrested, 2014 and 2024. The table shows each age group's share of all burglary arrests. The total number of burglary arrests fell by about one third between 2014 and 2024. Caution: these figures describe arrests, not the number of burglaries actually committed.

Age group20142024
Under 2542%29%
25 to 3938%44%
40 or older20%27%

Which statement is supported by the figures in the passage?

Answer explanations

A

Correct: The 40-or-older share rose from 20 percent to 27 percent of arrests.

B

Incorrect: The share rose from 38 to 44 percent, but total arrests fell by about a third, so the actual number in this group fell.

C

Incorrect: The report warns that the figures describe arrests, not burglaries committed.

D

Incorrect: Forty-four percent is the largest group but less than half.

Question 17 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

Body-worn cameras are now common in American policing. Supporters argue that recordings make officers' conduct more transparent and help resolve complaints quickly. Privacy advocates, however, worry that cameras capture bystanders and the inside of private homes without consent. To address these concerns, many agencies allow officers to stop recording when interviewing a crime victim who asks not to be filmed, provided the officer states the reason aloud before turning the camera off. Footage is kept for at least 90 days, and longer if it is needed as evidence.

Based on the passage, which of the following statements is most accurate?

Answer explanations

A

Incorrect: The exception covers a crime victim who asks not to be filmed, not any objecting bystander.

B

Correct: An officer may stop recording at a victim's request only after stating the reason aloud.

C

Incorrect: Footage is kept for at least 90 days; nothing says it is deleted then.

D

Incorrect: Privacy advocates are described as worried about what cameras capture, not as wanting them removed.

Question 18 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

Crime-Analysis Brief: District Comparison. District A has about five thousand residents and reported roughly two hundred fifty crimes last year, while District B has about twenty thousand residents and reported roughly eight hundred crimes. Commanders should weigh population size, not just raw totals, when allocating patrols.

Based on the passage, which district had the higher crime rate per resident?

Answer explanations

A

Incorrect: District B has more crimes in total, but it also has four times as many residents.

B

Incorrect: The rates differ: about 50 and about 40 per 1,000 residents.

C

Correct: District A's crimes are high relative to its population: about 50 per 1,000 residents, against about 40 for District B.

D

Incorrect: Rates can be compared across districts: dividing crimes by residents gives each district a rate.

Question 19 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

Study Findings: Public Trust in Facial Recognition. Facial recognition is increasingly built into public surveillance to strengthen security. We surveyed public attitudes to learn what most shapes people's trust in the technology. Many respondents named privacy as a worry. However, the factor most strongly linked to distrust was algorithmic bias. When a system is trained on data that do not represent all groups equally, it identifies some demographics less accurately than others, producing unequal and mistaken results.

Based on the study, what best explains the main reason for public distrust of facial recognition?

Answer explanations

A

Incorrect: Software updates are not mentioned.

B

Correct: The study found algorithmic bias from non-representative training data was the factor most strongly linked to distrust.

C

Incorrect: Many respondents named privacy, but the study found it was not the strongest factor.

D

Incorrect: Cost is not mentioned.

Question 20 of 20 · Reading Comprehension · 20–24 itemsNot answered

At the scene of the two-vehicle collision, Officer Diaz directed traffic around the damaged cars while Officer Kim interviewed the driver of the sedan. Officer Patel placed flares behind the accident site and then checked on the two occupants of the pickup truck, one of whom complained of neck pain. An ambulance took that passenger to the hospital. The sedan driver told Kim that the pickup had run a red light, but a bus driver who stopped at the scene said the light had been green for the pickup.

Based on the passage, which of the following statements is most accurate?

Answer explanations

A

Incorrect: The person taken to the hospital with neck pain was a passenger in the pickup truck.

B

Incorrect: The bus driver said the light had been green for the pickup.

C

Incorrect: Officer Patel checked on the pickup's occupants; Officer Kim interviewed the sedan driver.

D

Correct: The sedan driver and the bus driver disagreed: one said the pickup ran a red light, the other that its light was green.

Answer every question to see your score

POST's three strategies

  1. Read the question and the options before the passage. Then read the passage looking for that information, instead of trying to remember everything.
  2. Leave out your own opinions and knowledge. The answer comes from the text.
  3. Read the question very carefully. POST notes that people who misread the question find the right answer hard to see. Look for not, except, first and most likely.

Pace matters more here than on the writing items. A one-page passage with several questions takes longer than a single clarity item, so if one passage stalls you, mark it, move on, and come back. POST's general advice is to answer every question: a blank can't earn a point.

Is this the CLOZE test?

No. CLOZE was a separate fill-in-the-missing-words passage. POST dropped it with the 2025 form, so reading comprehension now produces your whole reading T-score. Practice that still has CLOZE passages was written for the old test.

The other sub-tests

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Reading comprehension: quick answers

How long are the Pellet B reading passages?

From one paragraph to one page, each followed by several multiple-choice questions. All passages cover common topics and contain the information needed to answer.

How many reading questions are on the Pellet B?

20–24 items. Since the CLOZE section was removed, this sub-test is the entire reading part, scored as your reading T-score.

Should I read the passage or the questions first?

The questions first. It is POST's first strategy: read the question and the answer options, then read the passage with them in mind.