State of California
Department of Justice
Study Guide

Office of the Attorney
GeneralP.O. BOX 944255
Sacramento, CA 94244-2550

State of California, Department of Justice ~Study Guide
TABLE OF CONTENTSINTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................3SAMPLE WRITTEN COMMUNICATION QUESTIONS.......................................................................4
SAMPLE READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS......................................................................5
SAMPLE REASONING QUESTIONS .................................................................................................6
SAMPLE JOB KNOWLEDGE QUESTIONS........................................................................................7

STUDY GUIDEPAGE 2State of California, Department of Justice ~Study Guide
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for your interest in the Special Agent, Department of Justice classification. In order to gain
list eligibility, candidates will need to take the Special Agent examination, which consist of a physicalability test (pass or fail) and written (multiple-choice) examination. The Testing and Selection Unit has
designed this study guide in order to help familiarize and prepare candidates with taking the written
examination.
The Special Agent written examination contains four content sections: Written Communication,Reading Comprehension, Reasoning, and Job Knowledge. The sample questions provided in thisstudy guide are intended to give candidates an idea of the types of questions they may see on thetest.
Preparation for the exam
In order to prepare for the Special Agent examination, candidates should direct any self-studying
around the knowledge, skills, and abilities found on the Special Agent bulletin. On the assigned
testing date, it is recommended that candidates arrive around 15 minutes before their starting time.
All necessary testing material will be provided during the written examination.

STUDY GUIDEPAGE 3

State of California, Department of Justice ~Study Guide
SAMPLE WRITTEN COMMUNICATION QUESTIONS
Directions: The purpose of the following question is to revise sentence. The new sentence
should have the same meaning and contain the same information as the original sentence.
Please choose the correct revision:
Example –The board of supervisors called it a night after voting on the final measure.
A. After voting on the final measure, called it a…
B. After voting on the final measure, the board of…
C. After voting on the final measure, it was called…
D. After voting on the final measure, the night…
Answer: B
Directions: The purpose of the following question is to replace the underlined word withanother that means the same, or nearly the same, as the original.
Example –The chief selected the optimal solution.
A. BestB. Worst
C. Easiest
D. Acceptable
Answer: A
Directions: The purpose of the following question is to choose the most appropriate word tocomplete the sentence.
Example –Jason was quite _____, as he always got his work done on time.
A. Lazy
B. Friendly
C. MotivatedD. Unfocused
Answer: C

STUDY GUIDEPAGE 4State of California, Department of Justice ~Study Guide
SAMPLE READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
Directions: The purpose of the following questions is to measure your ability to read apassage and then answer a question based on that passage. Make sure to base your answers
on the information presented in the passage and not on other information that you may
possess regarding the topics addressed.
To say that municipal, county, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies across the nation havebeen adversely affected by the economic downturn of the past several years is a dramatic
understatement. Local economies have been devastated by both decreasing tax revenues andreduced levels of support from federal and state funding sources. In this fiscal environment, local
government executives and legislative bodies have been looking closely at their public safety
expenditures and making difficult budget decisions. These decisions not only impact the level andquality of service but also, in some cases, will determine the very existence of a local agency.
Example –Based on the paragraph above, which of the following is true?
A. The economic downturn has affected all levels of government.
B. Local economies have been affected by increasing tax revenues.
C. The budgetary decisions of national government executives could decide the fate of an entire
local agency.
Answer: A
Tailgating another vehicle is unsafe and illegal. Many rear-end collisions are caused by drivers
following too close to the vehicle in front of them. The law states that a driver must keep sufficientdistance from the vehicle in front in order to stop safely and avoid a collision. Drivers should allow aminimum two seconds’ gap between their vehicle and the one ahead. More distance is needed tosafely stop in rain or poor visibility.
Example –Based on the paragraph above, which statement is most true?
A. Tailgating another vehicle is unsafe because drivers following too close to the vehicle in front
cause all rear end collisions.
B. Tailgating another vehicle is unsafe because it may not allow sufficient time and space to stopand avoid a collision.
C. Tailgating another vehicle is unsafe because it rude to the driver in front.
D. Tailgating another vehicle is unsafe because it is a reckless practice.
Answer: B

STUDY GUIDEPAGE 5

State of California, Department of Justice ~Study Guide
SAMPLE REASONING QUESTIONS
Directions: The purpose of the following questions is to measure your ability to read a set offacts and make a reasonable conclusion. Choose the best answer for each question.
Example –You are asked to manage a task force for a special project. The plan lists all tasks that must becompleted in 3 months. Although you have a large budget and are extremely experienced in this typeof work, the 10 people assigned to the task force do not have much experience. Which of thefollowing actions should you take?
A. Arrange for training in the skills necessary for them to be successful in this project.
B. Handle all of the critical tasks myself and minimize the participation of the 10 members.
C. Meet with the task force and determine the strengths and weaknesses of each member.
Assign each member a task. Schedule periodic reviews to determine if the project is onschedule.
D. Because of the time constraints, immediately break the task force into groups and telleveryone to get to work.
Answer: CExample –Four friends were sharing a pizza. They decided that the oldest friend would get the extra piece.
John is two months older than Bob, who is three months younger than Ted. Andy is one month olderthan Bob. Who should get the extra piece of pizza?
A. John
B. BobC. TedD. AndyAnswer: C

STUDY GUIDEPAGE 6

State of California, Department of Justice ~Study Guide
SAMPLE JOB KNOWLEDGE QUESTIONS
Directions: The purpose of the following questions is to measure your knowledge of various
aspects of the law enforcement. Select the correct response to answer each question.
Example Which of the following is a felony offense?
A. Speeding
B. Robbery
C. Petty theft
D. All of the above
Example Who of the following can issue a search warrant in California?
A. Judges
B. Attorneys
C. Police Officers
D. Special Agents

Answer: B

Answer: A

STUDY GUIDEPAGE 7