How the Understanding Information test works
This paper checks that you can follow the kind of writing firefighters deal with every week. The six scenarios are fire safety information, memos, newsletters and extracts from manuals, on topics such as ladder safety, smoke alarms, equality, good communication and training courses.
Each scenario is followed by four or five questions, many of them in the form “Which one of the following statements is true?” Only one option is right, and you mark it by filling in a circle on the answer sheet.
You must answer from the scenario alone. A statement that sounds sensible but is not in the text is not the right answer.
How to find the true statement
Check each option against the text in turn:
- Skim the document for its purpose first: who it is from, who it is for and what it asks them to do.
- Read all four options before you decide. The right one is often worded differently from the text.
- For each option, find the sentence that proves or disproves it. If you cannot point to one, it is not your answer.
- Watch the small words: “all”, “only”, “must”, “may” and “never” can turn a near-copy of the text into a false statement.
- Check who does what. Options often swap the person responsible.
Worked example
A memo reads: “From 1 March, every length of hose used at an incident must be pressure tested before it goes back on the appliance. Any length that fails is tagged red and sent to the workshop at headquarters. Hose must not be repaired on station. The crew manager records each test in the hose log.”
Which one of the following statements is true? (a) Hose that fails its test can be repaired on station. (b) Hose is tested once a month. (c) A length that fails is tagged red. (d) Firefighters record each test in the hose log.
The answer is c. Option a contradicts the memo, b is never mentioned, and d gives the job to the wrong person: the memo says the crew manager keeps the log.
Tips for the real Understanding Information test
- Leave your own knowledge at the door. The booklet says no firefighting knowledge is needed, and outside facts lead to wrong answers.
- Pace yourself by scenario rather than by question: roughly five minutes each.
- Practise on real workplace writing such as safety notices, policies and newsletters. Read one, then write three true statements and one false one about it.
- Work through the free practice booklet. Its answer section explains why each answer is right.
- Answer every question. Nothing is deducted for a wrong answer.
Practise Understanding Information on CogniPrep
Our Understanding Information test has 25 questions in six scenarios written as memos, notices and newsletters, with a 30-minute clock on screen. Each question has four options and no penalty for wrong answers, and you can go back to earlier questions. You see your number correct and a T-score from the official 2005 norm table, with a band rather than a pass or fail.