Marcus Delacor

Preparation for the EPSO Selection Procedure

Booklet 5

VERBAL REASONING TEST

PART 2: Methodical approaches
 BOOKLETS

euphorum has published a range of booklets as prepara- Booklet 1

tion for the selection process of the European Person- EU open competitions: Overcoming the hurdles
nel Selection Office (EPSO).
Booklet 2
The pre-selection phase: The computer based tests

Booklet 3
The situational judgement test

Booklet 4
The verbal reasoning test: Part I: The principle of
compliance

Booklet 5
The verbal reasoning test: Part II: Methodical
approaches

Booklet 6
The numerical reasoning test: Tasks and strategies

Booklet 7
The abstract reasoning test:

Booklet 8
The accuracy and precision test

Booklet 9
The organising and prioritising test

Booklet 10
The assessment centre

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 OVERVIEW

Methodical approaches
In euphorum booklet 4 you have already encountered
some terms and formulations which might lead you
astray. In this book, however, we are going to show you
some methodical approaches to solve the tasks more
quickly and efficiently.
The verbal reasoning test presents all candidate with the
difficult task to sort various cognitive steps in a short
time. There isn’t ONE approach that fits all tasks. Every
approach has its advantages and disadvantages.
In this booklet, we are going to introduce four reliable
approaches. You might like or dislike one particular
approach, but it is nevertheless important to know all of
them because the verbal reasoning test has to be passed
with at least 90%.

Verbal reasoning test

Methodical approaches – the sequence of various steps

Read the text intensively Read the text selectively

Read the question

Check answers individually Analyse all answers

Switch between text and

answers. How often?

Sequence of steps?

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 OVERVIEW APPROACH

Overview approach
The overview approach is the classical method to solve
the verbal reaosoning tasks. Using this technique, you
first read the whole text and gain an overview of the
content. Then, you read the first answer option.
Alternatively, you might do it vice versa. However, after
reading both, text and answer option, you must come to
a decision whether the answer option can be derived
from the text or not. Sometimes, it is helpful to read
some passages of the text again to make a reasonable
decision.
If the answer option complies with a certain passage of
the text, you will have found the correct solution and
can move on to the next text (and question) because
there is always only one correct answer option. If it
doesn’t comply, you’ll have to check the other answer
options. To be 100% sure you might, after finding the
correct solution, nevertheless check the other answer
options. Please feel free to apply the overview approach to
the task in the box below.

Example:
Wolfs and dogs (KOM_A_9-10_01)

(1) Just as a wolf cannot survive without the pack, so a dog needs an owner. (2) Attachment is strategic
behaviour, designed to increase the chances of survival. (3) Sometimes this is paired with what we assume to
be loyalty or affection. (4) Sometimes it involves tricks, wile and cunning, as the moment dictates. (5) The
clever dog will use his expressions of affection to achieve rather more mundane ends, namely food!

Which of the following answer is correct?

a. Because a dog needs a pack, a dog without an owner will not survive.
b. When a dog displays affection, this is part of a strategy by which he is trying to increase his chances of
survival.
c. Pets use tricks to obtain food.
d. Because a dog looks like a wolf, its behaviour is also similar.

You can find the solution on the following page.

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Solution
Answer option a)
Not consistent:
Answer option: „Because a dog needs a pack […]“
Text: (1) „Just as a wolf cannot survive without the
pack […]“
 A wolf needs a pack, not a dog.
Answer option b)
Consistent:
Answer option: “When a dog displays affection, this is
part of a strategy by which he is trying to increase his
chances of survival.”
Text: (2) “Attachment is strategic behaviour,
designed to increase the chances of survival.”
 Both statements are consistent.
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OVERVIEW APPROACH
Answer option c)
Not consistent:
Answer option: “Pets use tricks to obtain food.”
Text: (5) “The clever dog will use his expressions of
affection to achieve rather more mundane ends, namely
food!”
 The text does’t say that all “pets” behave like
this, but only “the clever dog”.
Answer option d)
Not consistent
Answer option: “Because a dog looks like a wolf, its
behaviour is also similar.”
Text: There is no corresponding text passage.
 This statement might be true, but it isn’t based
on the text and therefore not correct.
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 BLINDS APPROACH

Blinds approach
This approach is based on the assumption that every
answer option corresponds with a certain text passage.
If you find this relevant passage, you’ll be able to decide
whether the answer option is consistent with the text
passage or not.
This means that you start by reading one answer option
and summarise the content. Then, you read the text
sentence by sentence and look for the corresponding
passage. If you have indeed found this passage you
should ask yourself the following question: Can this
answer option be derived from this text passage?
If you come to the conclusion that it can’t, you should
analyse the second answer option. As you already partly
know the text you can immediately decide whether (or
not) this answer option corresponds with a part that you
have already read. If this is the case, you might read the
sentence again and make a decision. If it isn’t, you can
read the text from the point where you stopped. Thus
you gradually grasp the whole text. Metaphorically
speaking, the blinds are closing slowly.
Please feel free to apply the blinds approach to the task
in the box below.

Example:

The European Parliament (KOM_A_7_01)

(1) Working visits are an integral part of the schedule of every MEP, even outside of the Parliamentary ses-
sions. (2) The work must go on, which is why MEP X energetically rejects labels such as “loafer”. (3) “The
workload is incredibly high.(4) I have been keeping record since the beginning of November and have come
to the conclusion that I work 70-80 hours a week. (5) Bear in mind the European Parliament meets 46 weeks
a year. (6) Compare this with the lower house of the Dutch Parliament, which meets no more than 34 weeks
a year, and it’s quite a lot”. (7) Far too much, X believes. (8) “We can’t do anything in the member states if
we have to be in Brussels so often.”

Which of the following statements is correct?

a. MEP X claims that all MEPs work 70 to 80 hours a week.

b. Every year, the European Parliament meets for almost three months longer than the lower house of
the Dutch Parliament.
c. During the short periods of time when the European Parliament is not sitting, MEP X does nothing
but working visits.
d. According to MEP X, because so many working visits have to be made, the European Parliament is
barely able to do anything in the member states.

You can find the solution on the following page.

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 BLINDS APPROACH

Solution
Answer option a) Antwort d)
Not consistent: Not consistent:
Answer option: “MEP X claims that all MEPs work 70 Answer option: “According to MEP X, because so
to 80 hours a week.” many working visits have to be made, the European
Text: .(4) “I have been keeping record since the Parliament is barely able to do anything in the
beginning of November and have come to the member states.”
conclusion that I work 70-80 hours a week.” Text: (8) “We can’t do anything in the member states
if we have to be in Brussels so often.”
 MEP X talks about himself, not about all
MEPs.  MEP X complains about too many meetings of
the Parliament, not about working visits.
Answer option b)
Consistent:
Answer option: “Every year, the European Parliament
meets for almost three months longer than the lower
house of the Dutch Parliament.”
Text: (5) “Bear in mind the European Parliament meets
46 weeks a year. (6) Compare this with the lower
house of the Dutch Parliament, which meets no more
than 34 weeks a year, and it’s quite a lot”.

 46 weeks (EU Parliament) - 34 weeks (lower

hose of the Dutch Parliament) = 12 weeks. The
EU Parliament indeed meets almost three
months longer than the lower house of the
Dutch Parliament.

Answer option c)
Not consistent:
Answer option: “During the short periods of time
when the European Parliament is not sitting, MEP X
does nothing but working visits.”
Text: (1) “Working visits are an integral part of the
schedule of every MEP, even outside of the
Parliamentary sessions.”

 From the statement that “working visits are an

integral part of the schedule of every MEP“
can’t be derived that MEP X does nothing else
but working visits outside of the Parliamentary
sessions.

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 SCREENING APPROACH

Screening approach Solution

This approach is very similar to the blinds approach but
has its own particularities. You start by reading and
sumarising one answer option. Then, you pick out one
keyword or term and start reading the text selectively.
This means that you only skim through the text looking
for your keyword or term. If you find it, you, of course,
still need to check whether the meaning of the
statement is in line with the
Answer option a)
Not consistent:
Answer option: “These measures will encourage firms
operating combined road-rail transport to increase
this practice.”
Text: (5) “However, undertakings already engaged
in combined road-sea transport operations and those
currently operating combined road rail transport will
not be eligible under the measure.”

 is all about “gas engines”.  Firms that are already engaged in this kind of
transport will not be eligible under the measure.
Please feel free to apply the screening aproach to the task
in the box below.

Example:

European Commission approves regional aid (AST_2-3_04)

(The Commission has authorised a set of aid measures to restructure road haulage and to develop com-
bined transport. (2) The objective of the aid scheme is to promote road-sea combined transport services on
long-distance links between ports in Sicily and other Italian and Community ports. (3) The scheme has been
designed as an experimental pilot project and aims to achieve a structural change in the current system by
encouraging road hauliers, in particular smaller companies, to form organisational groups to make better
use of combined road-sea transport. (4) Beneficiaries will be small and medium-sized transport enterprises
established in the European Union that engage in road-haulage activities on their own account or on behalf
of third parties. (5) However, undertakings already engaged in combined road-sea transport operations and
those currently operating combined road rail transport will not be eligible under the measure.

Which of the following statements is correct?

a. These measures will encourage firms operating combined road-rail transport to increase this
practice.
b. Only transport operations performed by large firms on their own account can qualify under the aid
measures.
c. The aid measures seek to bring a change in the way small and medium-sized enterprises utilize
transport routes.
d. The only condition for the aid is that the transport operation must have its point of departure in the
EU.

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 SCREENING APPROACH

Answer option b) Answer option d)

Not consistent:
Answer option: “Only transport operations performed
by large firms on their own account can qualify under
the aid measures.”
Text: (4) “Beneficiaries will be small and medium-
sized transport enterprises established in the
European Union that engage in road-haulage activities
on their own account or on behalf of third parties.”
Not consistent:
Answer option: “The only condition for the aid is that
the transport operation must have its point of departure
in the EU.”
Text: There is no corresponding text passage.
 The answer option is not based on the text.

 The texts speaks about small and medium-sized

enterprises as beneficiaries.

Answer option c)
Consistent:
Answer option: “The aid measures seek to bring a
change in the way small and medium-sized
enterprises utilize transport routes.”
Text: (3) “The scheme has been designed as an
experimental pilot project and aims to achieve a
structural change in the current system by encouraging
road hauliers, in particular smaller companies, to form
organisational groups to make better use of combined
road-sea transport.”

 The scheme aims to encourage especially small

companies to change their usage of transport
routes.

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 ANSWERS FIRST APPROACH

Answers first approach If these criteria are stated in the answer options, it
The idea behind this approach is to analyse all answer should be found in the text. Your question therefore is:
options first. Sometimes, it is possible to determine Can the statements of the text confirm the statements
specific patterns so that you can read the text afterwards of the answer options?
more consciously. For example, you might derive from
the answer options: Please feel free to apply the screening approach to the task
in the box below.
 that certain definitions are important
.
 that certain causal relationships need to be
considered
 that quantities or dates need to be checked

Example:

Biology (KOM_A_3_02)

(1) Of all our senses the human sense of smell is, compared to other mammals, supposedly the least
developed. (2) Furthermore, our ability to differentiate between different levels of smell decreases with age.
(3) From the age of 20 our brain no longer saves new impressions of smell. (4) Scientists believe this is a
possible explanation for why smells often take us back in time, to our youth, when we were receptive to any
possible smells. (5) Sniffing the scent of flowers therefore brings back vivid childhood memories. (6) Our
smell memories are a kind of coded photo album of our childhood and youth.

Which of the following statements is correct?

a. A scented photo album brings back stronger memories than just photos.
b. Smells we remember only stay in our memory for a short time.
c. A pig has a better sense of smell than a person.
d. After the age of 20 we no longer save any smell memories.

You can find the solution on the following page.

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 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT APPROACHES AND
TIMING
Solution
Answer option a)
Not consistent:
Answer option: “A scented photo album brings
back stronger memories than just photos.”
Text: (5) “Sniffing the scent of flowers therefore
brings back vivid childhood memories. (6) Our
smell memories are a kind of coded photo album
of our childhood and youth.”
 The text states that “our smell memories are
like a […] photo album”, not that they are
stronger than photos.
Answer option b)
Not consistent:
Answer option: “Smells we remember only stay in
our memory for a short time.”
Text: (6) “Our smell memories are a kind of coded
photo album of our childhood and youth.”
 The opposite might be derived from the text
as it speaks about smell memories from the
childhood or youth.
Answer option c)
Not consistent:
Answer option: “A pig has a better sense of smell
than a person.”
Text: (1) “Of all our senses the human sense of
smell is, compared to other mammals, supposedly
the least developed.”
 The comparison between humans and
“other mammals” doesn’t necessarily say
anything about the comparison between
humans and pigs.
Answer option d)
Consistent:
Answer option: “After the age of 20 we no longer
save any smell memories.”
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Text: (3) “From the age of 20 our brain no longer
saves new impressions of smell.”
 Answer option and text are consistent.
Additional information
Finally, we would like you to think about the
following questions:
1. In your opinion, what are the advantages
and disadvantages of each approach?
2. Which of the approaches might work best
for which kind of task?
3. Which of the approaches works best for
you?
In our view, it is helpful to consider the length of the
text regarding the choice of the approach. For ex-
ample, if you had a long text with long answer op-
tions, you might become confused using the overview
approach.
Your individual timing
The verbal reasoning test consists of 20 questions
which have to be answered within 35 minutes so that
there are 105 seconds for each task. There’ll be easy
and difficult questions in an unpredictable order.
Therefore, the questions won’t necessarily become
increasingly difficult, but the epso officials will vary
the number of easy and difficult tasks regarding the
requirements for each specific vacancy.
A simple task would be a question where you can
easily exclude three answer options because they
contain easily identifiable inconsistencies like wrong
adverbs (only, always, etc.). A difficult task, however,
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 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT APPROACHES AND
TIMING

would be a question where two (or even more) an-

swer options seem to be correct. The answer options
need to be weighed up. Which of them might be
“more” correct?

These kind of questions require a profound compre-

hension of the given text and thus imply that you
have to invest time in order to come to a reasonable
decision.

This leaves you with the difficult challenge to make a

plan for your individual timing. How much time will
you spend on a difficult task? 105 seconds? 120 sec-
onds? This might, of course, depend on how many
tasks you have already solved. Most likely, a lot of
candidates don’t want to ponder over the first ques-
tion for (let’s say) 3 or 4 minutes. To avoid this sce-
nario it might be helpful to use the “mark” function
so that you can come back to certain questions later
by simply clicking on the “marked questions” but-
ton. With a little practice you’ll be able to read each
task and solve the easy ones within 25 to 28 minutes.
Thus, the last minutes can be used to work on the
difficult questions.

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