Version 2018/11
 

A MESSAGE FROM THE COMMISSIONER 

Greetings, and congratulations for choosing to apply to the nation’s largest federal law enforcement 

agency: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). I can’t think of any career that is more important – 

or effective – in creating a safe, secure environment for our friends, families, communities, and future 

generations. 

This Preparation Guide contains all the information you’ll need to do your best on the CBP Officer 

Entrance Examination. The guide provides examples on how the Exam is structured, sample questions, 

and how your answers are scored. 

We enforce hundreds of laws and regulations for dozens of other agencies. CBP Officers serve at our 

land, air, and sea ports of entry and at many locations around the world. CBP’s complex mission – 

protecting our borders while facilitating the flow of lawful travel and trade – is integral to our national 

and economic security. I am so pleased that you want to be a part of it. 

Good luck! 

Kevin K. McAleenan 

Commissioner 
CBP ETHOS 

Our shared identify, beliefs, and aspirations 

WE are the guardians of our Nation’s Borders. 

WE are America’s frontline. 

WE safeguard the American homeland at and beyond our 

borders. 

WE protect the American people against terrorists and 

the instruments of terror. 

WE steadfastly enforce the laws of the United States 

while fostering our Nation’s economic security through 

lawful international trade and travel. 

WE serve the American people with vigilance, integrity, 

and professionalism 
 

 

 

 

Table of Contents 

I. Application Process····················································· 5

II. Exam Format and Tips ··············································· 6

III. Exam Sections

Logical Reasoning ······················································· 9

Arithmetic Reasoning ··················································· 27

Writing ······································································ 45

Feedback Requested 

U.S. Customs and Border ProtecƟon is interested in your 

experience using this preparaƟon guide. Please take a 

moment to fill out our survey at 

www.cbp.gov/cbposurvey 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Core Values 

VIGILANCE SERVICE INTEGRITY 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 4 
 

Application Process 

Being a Customs and Border Protection Officer can be both mentally and 

physically challenging. As a result, the application process is intentionally 

rigorous to ensure that those selected can carry out the duties that are 

expected of them. 

1. Apply

2. Entrance Exam

3. Qualifications Review

4. Background Investigation

Medical Exam Completed Concurrently 

Fitness Test 

5. Interview

6. Polygraph Exam

7. Random Drug Test

For more information about each step, visit the Current Applicant Resources page at 

www.cbp.gov/careers/car 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 5 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exam Logistics 

After completing your USAJobs application, you received an e-mail from 

USAHire_Support@panpowered.com. If you did not receive this e-mail, please check your 

Spam folder. If you are still having issues, please email CBP at

cbphiringdeucbpo@cbp.dhs.gov. 

**Important Note** 

The information below is subject to change at any time. Always review your exam 

scheduling and confirmation emails for the most up-to-date information. 

Scheduling 

You received an e-mail from USAHire_Support@panpowered.com prompting you to schedule your 

entrance exam. Once you create a username and password and enter your address, the system will 

present a list of closest test centers and available test times. Choose the test center and appointment 

time that is most convenient for you. You will receive a confirmation email after you schedule your exam. 

Re-Scheduling or Canceling 

You can reschedule your exam, or cancel without penalty, up to 24 hours before your appointment time. 

Use the link on your confirmation email to change your appointment. 

Test Day 

Please arrive 15 minutes early for your appointment to allow time for check-in. Bring a copy of your 

confirmation email, either printed or on a mobile device, and a valid form of identification. A list of valid 

forms of identification is included in the confirmation email. 

The test is a computer-based exam. Do not worry if it seems like others in the room are finishing more 

quickly than you. 

Cellphones are prohibited in the testing room. Depending on the test center, you may also not be able to 

bring your wallet, keys, or other personal items into the testing room. Bottled water will be allowed into 

the testing room. If you have any questions regarding test center procedures, contact the test center 

listed on your exam scheduling notice. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 6 
 

 

Exam Format 

You will take the entrance exam on a computer.

If you believe that your testing room computer is not functioning or that there is an issue with your 

testing area, please notify your proctor. 

Your proctor will give you scratch paper, pencils, and a calculator to use during the exam. You will not 

be able to bring your own materials into the testing room.

The CBP Officer (CBPO) Entrance Exam consists of 3 sections with breaks after 

each section 

Experience Record 

60 Minutes 

At Home 

At Test Center 

CBPO System Functionality Navigation Preview 

5 Minutes 

Part A: Logical Reasoning 

72 Minutes 

5 Minute Break 

Part B: Arithmetic Reasoning 

76 Minutes 

10 Minute Break 

Part C: Writing 

67 Minutes 

* Times above are the maximum allowable Ɵme to complete each secƟon. Many test takers complete each secƟon in less Ɵme.

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 7 
CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 8 

CBP Accomplishments 

Counterfeit Seizures Exposed the Darker Side of Super Bowl 50 

The Super Bowl scammers were at it again—as they are every year. Some were street vendors, 

flea market merchants and internet hawkers. Others were warehouse operators and retail dealers. 

What they all shared was an inventory of fake Super Bowl paraphernalia, designed to fool all but 

the most discerning consumers. 

They’re jerseys, caps, rings and the like: just about any apparel and souvenir sporting team 

colors, numbers and the Super Bowl 50 logo. Some savvy swindlers even printed bogus tickets, 

compelling the NFL to fight back by printing tickets with protections that rival modern currency. 

But CBP Officers, working with other law enforcement partners weren’t fooled. They confiscated a 

bonanza of phony Super Bowl goods being sold as the official thing. The federal team, working 

with police in San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland, displayed the stockpile at a news conference 

at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. 

The display was just a small part of the 450,000 netted counterfeit sports items worth an 

estimated $39 million. “This is a rip-off for local business owners who play by the rules,” said 

Dolores DiBella, an NFL attorney. In addition, she noted the NFL seized about 1,300 websites 

selling the merchandise. This year, 41 merchants were arrested. 

Convincing but not authenƟc, these Super Bowl hats are fake. 
 

 

Logical Reasoning 

Logical Reasoning is a crucial tool for CBP Officers 

CBP Officers must make critical decisions in a short time based on their ability to read and understand 

laws, legal commentary, and regulations. Although CBP Officers memorize some information, most of 

their decisions must be made through reasoning. National security depends on this ability. 

The logical reasoning section is designed to identify trainees who will be able to handle the demanding 

academic workload of the academy as well as the complex decisions made daily by CBP Officers. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 9 
 

 

 

 

 

Logical Reasoning 

Preparing for Questions 

Educated Guessing 

There is no penalty for guessing on this test. You should answer every question. Even if you do not know 

the answer, you will have a one-in-five chance of getting it right. As you approach each question, be sure 

to eliminate answers that you know are wrong. Even if you can eliminate just an answer or two, your 

chances of choosing the correct answer will increase! 

A student and her canine counterpart go through training at 

the CBP Canine Training Facility El Paso Texas. 

Reading the Paragraph 

Every paragraph in this section is drawn from written material relating to CBP or government work. While 

answering the questions in this section, you must accept every fact in the text as true. 

Remember that you are not being judged on your knowledge of facts but rather your ability to reason on 

the basis of given facts. 

The type of information in the reading will vary. It is important to be able to distinguish between positive 

and negative information. Also, information may be presented about categories, groups, and events. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 10 
 

 

Logical Reasoning 

The Lead-In Phrase 

CBP Officers and Border Patrol Agents assisƟng with security for the 2017
 

PresidenƟal InauguraƟon are sworn in at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
 

How to Read a Lead-In Phrase 

A lead-in phrase will ask you to complete a sentence by choosing one of several responses. It will 

typically be presented at the end of a paragraph, which you must read in order to find the correct 

answer. The lead-in phrase is often the most important part of the logical reasoning question. 

A lead-in phrase can be positive or negative. Positive lead-in phrases are followed by four invalid 

conclusions and one valid conclusion. You must find the valid conclusion. An example of a positive lead-in 

question is featured below. 

“From the information given above, it can be 

validly concluded that...” 

Negative lead-in phrases are followed by four valid conclusions and only one invalid conclusion. In this 

case, you must find the invalid one. In other words, you should determine what cannot be validly 

concluded based on the facts in the paragraph. 

“From the information given above, it CANNOT be 

validly concluded that...” 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 11 
 

True: All the people at my party speak Spanish. 

Valid conclusion: Some of the people who speak Spanish are at my party. 

There are many people who speak Spanish, and some of them are at my party 

All the people who speak Spanish are at my party. 

Invalid conclusion: There are many people who speak Spanish, but we don’t know if they are all at my party 

True: All Supreme Court justices are lawyers. 

Valid conclusion: Some lawyers are Supreme Court Justices. 

There are many lawyers, and some of them are Supreme Court Justices. 

Invalid conclusion: 

All lawyers are Supreme Court Justices. 

Not all lawyers are Supreme Court Justices, only some are. 

True: Every CBP Officer works for the U.S government. 

Valid conclusion: Some employees of the U.S. government are CBP Officers.

There are many U.S. government employees, and some of them are CBP Officers. 

Invalid conclusion: 

Everyone working for the U.S. Government is a CBP Officer. 

Not all U.S. government employees are CBP Officers, only some are. 

Logical Reasoning 

Reasoning about Groups/Categories 

In this section, we will review how to process 

information about groups and categories 

“All” Statements 

A statement about two groups that 

begins with the words “all” or “every” 

gives you some important information 

about how the two groups are related. 

The words “all” and “every” tell you that 

everything in the first group is also in the 

second group. 

During the test, you must identify groups and understand the relationships between 

the groups in order to be able to identify valid and invalid conclusions. Below are some 

examples illustrating this concept. 

Keep in mind that the “all” 

statement does not provide 

sufficient information to 

determine whether or not all 

members of the second group 

are included in the first group! 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 12 
 

 

 

Logical Reasoning 

Reasoning about Groups/Categories 

“None” and “Not” Statements 

Information that something is NOT true is useful information and cannot be overlooked. You can draw 

conclusions about either group as it relates to the other since you can count on the fact that the two 

groups have no members in common. 

For example, if you can say that “None of the stolen cars recovered from the rail yards were cars stolen 

from Canada,” you can also say that “None of the cars stolen from Canada were recovered from the rail 

yards” because you know that the first statement means that there is no overlap between the two 

groups. 

As you work through the practice test, think about each negative phrase or term you find. Sometimes, 

our ordinary speech habits can cause us to jump to conclusions. Take care to assume only as much as is 

definitely indicated by the facts as given, and no more. 

For example, a detective might make a statement such as “some of the bloodstains were not human 

blood” simply because only some of the samples had come back from the laboratory. The detective is 

trying to suggest that at least some of the bloodstains were not human blood. The rest of the 

bloodstains may or may not be human blood. 

Reasoning About Parts of a Group 

The term “some” is an intentionally imprecise reference– it refers to an unknown number and implies 

nothing about the entire group. Unless information is provided in the paragraph to the contrary, treat 

“some” as meaning “at least some.” 

Statements that include words such as “most,” “a few,” or “almost all” should also be analyzed carefully. 

For example if you read, “Many CBP Officers are not fluent in French,” you may be tempted to infer that 

there are at least a few CBP Officers who are fluent in French, but that would be wrong. In this case, you 

do not know if any CBP Officers are fluent in French so you cannot make that assumption 

Remember that if the statement only applies to part or some of the group, you cannot assume anything 

about the entire group. 

For example, in the statement “Some CBP Agriculture Specialists are taking specialized training,” the 

term “some CBP Agriculture Specialists” refers to an unknown number of CBP Agriculture Specialists. The 

fact that we know that “some CBP Agriculture Specialists are taking specialized training” implies nothing 

about the entire group of CBP Agriculture Specialists; there may or may not be CBP Agriculture 

Specialists who are not taking specialized training. Unless information is provided in the paragraph to the 

contrary, treat “some” as meaning “at least some.” 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 13 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Logical Reasoning 

“If-Then” Statements 

An “If-Then” Statement covers 

information about events or 

situations. The concept of cause and 

effect is crucial for succeeding in this 

section. 

The idea of cause and effect is based on one thing leading to another thing. Cause and effect means that 

when the first thing happens, the later event MUST follow. 

The cause and effect relationship also informs you that if the effect never occurred, the cause must not 

have occurred. 

If First Salem Bank suspects that Mr. Tubill 

deposited funds stemming from criminal 

activity, First Salem Bank is required to report 

Mr. Tubill’s deposit to the authorities. 

If First Salem Bank is NOT required to 

report Mr. Tubill’s deposit to the 

authorities, then First Salem Bank does 

NOT suspect that Mr. Tubill deposited 

funds stemming from criminal activity. 

Incorrect: I f First Salem Bank is required to report Mr. Tubill’s deposit to the authorities, 

then First Salem Bank suspects Mr. Tubill deposited funds stemming from criminal activity. 

Based on the information, we do not know if there are other reasons why First Salem Bank is required to report Mr. Tubill’s 

deposit. For example, there might be a law requiring banks to report all deposits over $10,000 regardless of whether they 

suspect criminal activity. 

Statements that illustrate cause and effect are referred to as “if-then” statements. The first event in this 

statement is referred to as “if” and the second event is referred to as “then.” “If-then” statements can 

also be used to illustrate other relationships aside from cause and effect, such as expressing permission 

or obligation. For example one might say, “If an officer places an individual under arrest, the arrestee 

must be provided with Miranda warnings.” 

Remember that with these statements, the two pieces of information are always true. In other words, 

whenever the first event or situation occurs, the second event or situation MUST occur. Also, the “ifthen” statement works in one direction only; the reverse of the “if-then” statement is most likely invalid. 

You cannot validly switch the order of the two statements in this type of sentence. If you do, your 

conclusion may be wrong and may lead to costly errors in real-life situations. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 14 
 

True: If a person is a CBP Officer, the person is an employee of the U.S 

Government. 

If a person is not an employee of the U.S. Government, the person is Valid Conclusion: not a CBP Officer. 

o 

Invalid Conclusion: If a person is an employee of the U.S. Government, the person is a CBP 

Officer. 

True: If a criminal receives a pardon, the criminal will be released. 

Valid Conclusion: If a criminal is not released, the criminal has not received a pardon. 

Invalid Conclusion: If a criminal is released, the criminal has received a pardon. 

True: If a person is convicted of murder, that person is guilty of a felony. 

Valid Conclusion: If a person is not guilty of a felony, that person has not been 

convicted of murder. 

If a person is guilty of a felony, that person has been convicted of murder. Invalid Conclusion: 

True: If a person lives in Germany, the person lives in Europe. 

Valid Conclusion: If a person does not live in Europe, the person does not live in 

Germany. 

If a person lives in Europe, the person lives in Germany. Invalid Conclusion: 

True: If a car has no gas, the car will not run. 

Valid Conclusion: If a car runs, the car has gas. 

Invalid Conclusion: If a car does not run, the car has no gas. 

Logical Reasoning 

“If-Then” Statements 

Valid and Invalid Conclusions from “If-Then” Statements 

Below are examples of valid and invalid conclusions from “If-Then” Statements 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 15 
 

Logical Reasoning 

Cautions about Wording 

Watch out for the word 

“only.” This word 

creates very strong 

statements. 

Watch out for the word 

“not” since that makes 

the sentence have the 

opposite meaning. 

Double Negatives 

When a sentence has two negatives, it actually has a positive 

meaning. 

For example, if a sentence says, “There are no training 

opportunities that are not available” the sentence is saying that 

there ARE training opportunities available (No and Not cancel 

each other out). 

Pay attention to words that provide 

information on groups or on like 

events. 

Positive Words: all, some, most, alw ays 

Negative Words: seldom, never, illegal, prohibited 

Negative Prefixes: non-, un-, disConnectors: w henever, unless, except 

The Bridge of the Americas in El Paso Texas 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 16 
 

Logical Reasoning 

Final Test-Taking Tips 

 In questions with positive lead statements, always choose the only conclusion that can

definitely be drawn from the information given in the paragraph. 

 Remember NOT to use any outside factual information to reach your conclusion.

 Read the lead-in sentence and the paragraph very carefully. Also, read all the answer

choices before you mark the one you think is correct. 

 Pay special attention whenever the question uses words such as “all,” “some,” or “none.”

Other terms such as “unless” or “except” or “only” are also important. These words help to 

define the facts from which you must draw conclusions. 

 Pay special attention whenever you see a negative prefix such as “non-” or a negative verb

such as “disconnect” or “unfasten.” These may be crucial to understanding the basic facts in 

the paragraph. 

 Ignore any advice you may have received in the past about avoiding an answer that

contains the word “all” or the word “none.” These may be signs of an incorrect response in 

some tests, but not in this test. You will find these words in both right and wrong response 

options. 

 Take the sample test and study the explanation for each of the questions very carefully.

This will help you fine-tune your reasoning for the actual test. 

A CBP Officer works alongside a Border Patrol Agent 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 17 
 

 

 

Logical Reasoning 

Practice Test 

You are now ready to take a practice logical reasoning test 

We suggest that you take no more than 20 minutes to complete questions 1-8. The practice test contains 

questions that are similar to, but not exactly the same, as the questions on the real test. The practice 

test is followed by detailed explanations of every practice test question. These explanations will give you 

information about why the correct response options are correct and why the incorrect response options 

are incorrect. Understanding the reasons for the correct and incorrect responses should help you 

distinguish between a right and wrong test answer. 

Some questions will ask you to select the only answer that can be validly concluded from the 

paragraph. These questions include a paragraph followed by five response options. Preceding the five 

response options will be the phrase, “From the information given above, it can be validly concluded 

that.” In other questions you will be asked to select the only answer that cannot be validly concluded 

from the paragraph. These questions include a paragraph followed by five response options. Preceding 

the five response options will be the phrase, “From the information given above, it CANNOT be validly 

concluded that.” 

You must use only the information provided in the paragraph, without using any outside 

information whatsoever. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 18 
 

 

Logical Reasoning 

Practice Test 

1. Often, crimes are characterized as either malum in se—inherently evil—or malum prohibitum—criminal

because they are declared as offenses by a legislature. Murder is an example of the former. Failing to file a tax 

return illustrates the latter. Some jurisdictions no longer distinguish between crimes malum in se and malum 

prohibitum, although many still do. 

From the information given above, it can be validly concluded that 

A many jurisdictions no longer distinguish between crimes malum in se and malum prohibitum

B some jurisdictions still distinguish between crimes malum in se and malum prohibitum

C some crimes characterized as malum in se are not inherently evil

D some crimes characterized as malum prohibitum are not declared by a legislature to be an offense

E sometimes failing to file a tax return is characterized as malum in se

2. A trucking company can act as a common carrier—for hire to the general public at published rates. As a

common carrier, it is liable for any cargo damage, unless the company can show that it was not negligent. If the 

company can demonstrate that it was not negligent, then it is not liable for cargo damage. In contrast, a contract 

carrier (a trucking company hired by a shipper under a specific contract) is only responsible for cargo damage 

as spelled out in the contract. A Claus Inc. tractor-trailer, acting under common carrier authority, was in a 5-

vehicle accident that damaged its cargo. A Nichols Inc. tractor-trailer, acting under contract carrier authority, 

was involved in the same accident, and its cargo was also damaged. 

From the information given above, it can be validly concluded that, in reference to the accident, 

A if Claus Inc. is liable, then it can show that it was not negligent

B if Claus Inc. cannot show that it was not negligent, then it is not liable

C if Claus Inc. can show that it was not negligent, then it is not liable

D if Nichols Inc. is liable, then it cannot show that it is negligent

E if Nichols Inc. can show that it is not negligent, then it is not liable

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 19 
 

 

 

 

 

Logical Reasoning 

Practice Test 

3. A rapidly changing technical environment in government is promoting greater reliance on electronic mail (email) systems. As this usage grows, there are increasing chances of conflict between the users’ expectations of

privacy and public access rights. In some investigations, access to all e-mail, including those messages stored

in archival files and messages outside the scope of the investigation, has been sought and granted. In spite of

this, some people send messages through e-mail that would never be said face-to-face or written formally.

From the information given above, it CANNOT be validly concluded that 

A some e-mail messages that have been requested as part of investigations have contained messages that

would never be said face-to-face

B some messages that people would never say face-to-face are sent in e-mail messages

C some e-mail messages have been requested as part of investigations

D e-mail messages have not been exempted from investigations

E some e-mail messages contain information that would be omitted from formal writing

4. Phyllis T. is a former Federal employee who was entitled to benefits under the Federal Employee

Compensation Act because of a job-related, disabling injury. When an eligible Federal employee has such an

injury, the benefit is determined by this test: If the beneficiary is married or has dependents, benefits are 3/4 of

the person’s salary at the time of the injury; otherwise, benefits are set at 2/3 of the salary. Phyllis T.’s benefits

were 2/3 of her salary when she was injured.

From the information given above, it can be validly concluded that, when Phyllis T. was injured, she 

A was married but without dependents

B was not married and had no dependents

C was not married but had dependents

D was married and had dependents

E had never been married

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 20 
 

 

 

 

 

Logical Reasoning 

Practice Test 

5. Some 480,000 immigrants were living in a certain country in 1999. Although most of these immigrants were

not employed in professional occupations, many of them were. For instance, many of them were engineers and 

many of them were nurses. Very few of these immigrants were librarians, another professional occupation. 

From the information given above, it can be validly concluded that, in 1999, in the country described above, 

A most immigrants were either engineers or nurses

B it is not the case that some of the nurses were immigrants

C none of the engineers were immigrants

D most of those not employed in professional occupations were immigrants

E some of the engineers were immigrants

6. Despite the fact that HIV is not easily transmitted, its deadly potential requires that law enforcement officers

protect themselves from becoming infected by it. At the Callen Precinct, officers use only disposable items for 

collecting evidence whenever blood is present. While investigating a particular crime scene where blood was 

present, Detective R.C. of the Callen Precinct used only disposable items for collecting evidence. 

From the information given above, it can be validly concluded that, when collecting evidence at a crime scene, 

A Detective R.C. does not always use disposable items when blood is present

B whenever blood is not present, Detective R.C. does not use only disposable items

C Detective R.C. uses only disposable items whenever blood is not present

D no officers at the Callen Precinct use non-disposable items whenever blood is present

E some officers at the Callen Precinct do not use disposable items exclusively whenever blood is present

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 21 
 

 

 

Logical Reasoning 

Practice Test 

7. Impressions made by the ridges on the ends of the fingers and thumbs are useful means of identification, 

since no two persons have the same pattern of ridges. If finger patterns from fingerprints are not decipherable, 

then they cannot be classified by general shape and contour or by pattern type. If they cannot be classified by 

these characteristics, then it is impossible to identify the person to whom the fingerprints belong. 

From the information given above, it CANNOT be validly concluded that 

A if it is possible to identify the person to whom fingerprints belong, then the fingerprints are decipherable 

B if finger patterns from fingerprints are not decipherable, then it is impossible to identify the person to whom

 the fingerprints belong 

C if fingerprints are decipherable, then it is impossible to identify the person to whom they belong 

D if fingerprints can be classified by general shape and contour or by pattern type, then they are decipherable 

E if it is possible to identify the person to whom fingerprints belong, then the fingerprints can be classified by 

 general shape and contour or pattern type 

8. Explosives are substances or devices capable of producing a volume of rapidly expanding gases that exert a 

sudden pressure on their surroundings. Chemical explosives are the most commonly used, although there are 

mechanical and nuclear explosives. All mechanical explosives are devices in which a physical reaction is 

produced, such as that caused by overloading a container with compressed air. While nuclear explosives are by 

far the most powerful, all nuclear explosives have been restricted to military weapons. 

From the information given above, it can be validly concluded that 

A all explosives that have been restricted to military weapons are nuclear explosives 

B no mechanical explosives are devices in which a physical reaction is produced, such as that caused by 

 overloading a container with compressed air 

C some nuclear explosives have not been restricted to military weapons 

D all mechanical explosives have been restricted to military weapons

 E some devices in which a physical reaction is produced, such as that caused by overloading a container with 

 compressed air, are mechanical explosives 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 22 
 

 

 

 

 

Logical Reasoning 

Practice Test Answers 

Logical Reasoning Practice Test Answers 

1. Correct Answer: B, some jurisdictions still distinguish between crimes malum in se and malum prohibitum

This question is concerned with classification of crimes into sets—that is, with the classification of crimes as either 

malum in se or malum prohibitum. The last phrase in the last sentence tells us that many jurisdictions make the 

distinction between these two categories of crimes. Response B follows from that sentence, because if many 

jurisdictions make the distinction, some jurisdictions make the distinction. From the fact that many jurisdictions make the 

distinction, it cannot be inferred that many do not make the distinction. Therefore, Response A is incorrect. 

Responses C, D, and E are based on erroneous definitions of the two classes of crimes. The paragraph tells us that all 

crimes characterized as malum in se are inherently evil. Response C is false because it cannot be the case that SOME 

crimes characterized as malum in se are NOT inherently evil. The paragraph also tells us that all crimes characterized as 

malum prohibitum are declared as offenses by a legislature. Response D is false because it cannot be the case that 

SOME crimes characterized as malum prohibitum are NOT declared by a legislature to be an offense. In the paragraph, 

we are told that filing a tax return late is malum prohibitum, rather than malum in se. Response E is incorrect because it 

cannot be the case that failing to file a tax return is malum in se. 

2. Correct Answer: C, if Claus Inc. can show that it was not negligent, then it is not liable

The second sentence states the liability rule for common carriers: all common carriers are liable for cargo damage 

unless they can show that they are not negligent; if they can show that they are not negligent, then they are not liable for 

cargo damage. Claus Inc. is a common carrier, and accordingly this rule applies to it. From this rule it follows that if 

Claus Inc. can show it was not negligent, then it is not liable, Response C. Response A contradicts this rule by claiming 

that when Claus Inc. is liable it can show that it was not negligent. Response B contradicts this rule by claiming that 

Claus Inc. is not liable even when it cannot show that it is not negligent. Responses D and E concern Nichols Inc., a 

contract carrier. However, the terms of the Nichols Inc. contract were not disclosed in the paragraph, so neither response 

is supported. 

3. Correct Answer: A, some e-mail messages that have been requested as part of investigations have contained

messages that would never be said face-to-face.

This is an example of a test question with a negative lead-in statement. It asks for the conclusion that is NOT supported 

by the paragraph. That means that four of the statements are valid conclusions from the paragraph while one is not. 

Response B (some messages that people would never say face-to-face are sent in e-mail messages) is a valid 

conclusion because it restates a fact given in the last sentence of the paragraph. Response E (some e-mail messages 

contain information that would be omitted from formal writing) is valid because it restates the other fact in the last 

sentence of the paragraph. 

The next-to-last sentence in the paragraph is the source of both response C (some e-mail messages have been 

requested as part of investigations) and response D (e-mail messages have not been exempted from investigations). 

Both of these choices restate information in that sentence, based on the fact that access to e-mail messages was sought 

and granted. This leaves only the first option, response A (Some e-mail messages that have been requested as part of 

investigations have contained messages that would never be said face-to-face). This is the only choice that does NOT 

represent a valid conclusion, because even though we know from the paragraph that there is a group of e-mail 

messages that are requested in investigations and also that there is a group of messages that contain information that 

people would not say face-to-face, there is nothing that says that these groups overlap. We simply do not know. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 23 
 

Logical Reasoning 

Practice Test Answers 

4. Correct Answer: B, Phyllis T. was not married and had no dependents. 

This question concerns an either/or situation. The paragraph states that benefits under the Federal Employees 

Compensation Act are awarded at one level (3/4 of salary) if a beneficiary is married or has dependents when injured 

and at another level (2/3 of salary) if this is not true. 

Phyllis T. is eligible for benefits under the Act. The paragraph states that Phyllis T.’s benefit level was 2/3 of her salary. 

Given this benefit level, it is clear that Phyllis T. did not meet either of the conditions for the 3/4 level. Therefore, 

responses A, C, and D cannot be correct (A states that she was married, C states that she had dependents, and D 

states that she both was married and had dependents). Response E goes beyond the facts given because prior 

marriages are not listed as a factor relating to this benefit. The one correct conclusion is that Phyllis T. did not meet 

either requirement to qualify for the higher benefit level (3/4 of salary), so response B is the correct answer to the 

question. 

5. Correct Answer: E, some of the engineers were immigrants 

Response E is correct because it restates the third sentence in terms of the overlap between immigrants and engineers 

in the country described in the paragraph. Response A says that most immigrants are engineers or nurses, which are 

professional occupations. However, the second sentence says that most immigrants are not employed in professional 

occupations, so Response A is false. Response B is false because it denies that there is any overlap between 

immigrants and nurses, even though this overlap is clear from the third sentence of the paragraph. Response C is false 

because it denies the overlap between immigrants and engineers. Because the paragraph does not give complete 

information about the non-professionals (immigrant and non-immigrant) in the country described in the paragraph, 

Response D is invalid. 

6. Correct Answer: D, no officers at the Callen Precinct use non-disposable items whenever blood is present 

The second sentence of the paragraph states that whenever blood is present, all officers at the Callen precinct use only 

disposable items for collecting evidence. This is equivalent in meaning to answer D, that no officers use non-disposable 

items when collecting evidence in the presence of blood. Response E contradicts the second sentence in the paragraph 

by stating that some officers do not use disposable items exclusively when blood is present. Responses A, B, and C 

refer to the evidence gathering procedures of Detective R.C., who is identified in the third sentence of the paragraph as 

working for the Callen Precinct. Response A contradicts the sense of the second sentence by stating that Detective R.C. 

does not always use disposable items when blood is present. Responses B and C refer to R.C.‟s evidence gathering 

when blood is not present. However, the paragraph does not give us information about evidence gathering in that case. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 24 
 

Logical Reasoning 

Practice Test Answers 

7. Correct Answer: C, if fingerprints are decipherable, then it is impossible to identify the person to whom they

belong

This question asks for the response option that cannot be validly concluded from the information in the paragraph. The 

only response option that cannot be validly concluded is Response C, so the correct answer to question 7 is Response 

C. Response C is invalid because the paragraph does not provide enough information to conclude whether or not it

would be possible to identify the person to whom the fingerprints belong from the mere fact that the fingerprints are

decipherable.

Response A refers to a condition where it is possible to identify the person to whom fingerprints belong. Based on the 

final sentence in the paragraph, this condition of fingerprints means that the fingerprints could be classified by general 

shape and contour or by pattern type. Based on the second sentence, the ability to classify the fingerprints means that 

the fingerprints are decipherable. 

Since Response B refers to a condition in which finger patterns from fingerprints are not decipherable, we know from the 

second sentence that, in that circumstance, they cannot be classified by general shape and contour or by pattern type. 

From the final sentence in the paragraph, we can infer that since they cannot be classified by these characteristics, then 

it is impossible to identify the person to whom the fingerprints belong. 

According to the second sentence, fingerprints cannot be classified by general shape and contour or by pattern type 

when they are not decipherable. Therefore, if fingerprints can be classified by general shape and contour or by pattern 

type, then the fingerprints must be decipherable, Response D. According to the third sentence, it is impossible to identify 

the owner of a set of fingerprints when the fingerprints cannot be classified by general shape and contour or by pattern 

type. Therefore, if it is possible to identify the person to whom fingerprints belong, then the fingerprints must be able to 

be classified by general shape and contour or pattern type, Response E. Notice that Responses D and E are valid based 

on the same type of reasoning. The first and second statements of the second sentence were made opposite and 

reversed in Response D, and the first and second statements of the final sentence were made opposite and reversed in 

Response E. 

8. Correct Answer: E, some devices in which a physical reaction is produced, such as that caused by

overloading a container with compressed air, are mechanical explosives

The third sentence states the overlap between all mechanical explosives and devices in which a physical reaction is 

produced, such as that caused by overloading a container with compressed air. From this, we can safely conclude that 

some devices in which a physical reaction is produced, such as that caused by overloading a container with compressed 

air, are mechanical explosives. 

Response A is incorrect because the paragraph does not provide sufficient information to validly conclude that all 

explosives that have been restricted to military weapons are nuclear weapons. It may be that some types of explosives 

other than nuclear weapons also have been restricted to military weapons. 

Responses B and C are incorrect because they contradict the paragraph. Response B contradicts the third sentence, 

and Response C contradicts the last sentence. 

Response D is incorrect because the paragraph provides no information about whether or not mechanical explosives are 

restricted to military weapons. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 25 
 

 

 

CBP Accomplishments 

CBP Officers Seize more than $1.5M of 

Marijuana 

SAN DIEGO, California—U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

Officers working at the Otay Mesa cargo port of entry on Tuesday 

seized approximately 2,800 pounds of marijuana with a value of 

over $1.5 million. The seizure was hidden in a false compartment 

of a bobtail truck traveling through the port of entry. 

At about 10:30 a.m., on Tuesday, Jan. 31, a truck driver arrived at 

the Otay Mesa cargo port of entry and was stopped for inspection. 

The officers referred the driver to x-ray where anomalies were 

found in the front wall of the vehicle. 

A K9 team was called in for further inspection and a positive alert 

was found. A preliminary field test confirmed that the packages 

found were marijuana. CBP Officers broke down the false wall and 

extracted a total of 120 packages with an approximate weight of 

2,800 pounds. 

The officers seized the marijuana along with the vehicle and turned 

the driver over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations 

(HSI) special agents for further investigation. 

This incident comes on the heels of several narcotic seizures that 

took place at ports of entry in San Diego and Imperial Valley 

County over the weekend. 

CBP Officers at Laredo Port of Entry Arrest Fugitive Wanted for 

Murder in Travis County 

LAREDO, Texas.—U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers at the Laredo Port of Entry 

apprehended a Mexican national who was wanted on an outstanding murder warrant and listed as one 

of the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives. 

“CBP Officers remain vigilant in intercepting travelers with outstanding warrants,” said Port Director 

Gregory Alvarez, Laredo Port of Entry. “This arrest demonstrates our CBP Officers’ vigilances and 

dedication to securing the homeland and keeping our communities safe.” 

The fugitive apprehension occurred on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017, at the Gateway to the Americas 

Bridge. A CBP Officer at primary inspection referred pedestrian Robert Francis Van Wisse, 51, a 

Mexican national, for a secondary examination. An initial check on primary resulted in Van Wisse being 

a possible match to an outstanding arrest warrant. After being escorted to secondary, subsequent 

biometric verification through law enforcement databases confirmed his identity and the arrest warrant 

from Travis County in Austin, Texas. 

Van Wisse also was found on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list. 

CBP Officers discovered more than 

a ton of marijuana hidden in this 

truck. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 26 
 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

Arithmetic reasoning is an essential skill for CBP Officers 

CBP Officers must often make quick mental calculations during the course of their duties. This section of 

the entrance exam will test your ability to perform these basic math functions. There are many different 

strategies to determine the answer to math problems. This section of the guide contains some widely 

used methods that you can practice to prepare for what you will see on the exam. 

Calculators are not required for the arithmetic reasoning section of the exam but you may use one if 

you choose. The test proctor will provide you with scratch paper, pencils, and a calculator. When 

you take the exam you may only use the calculator provided by the test proctor. 

If you plan on using a calculator during the exam, you should use one while taking the practice exam. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 27 
 

 

 

 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

Definitions 

Whole Number: An integer (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) 

Fraction: A number that represents part of a w hole number (1/ 2) 

Numerator: The top number in a fraction (1/ 2) 

Denominator: The bottom number in a fraction (1/ 2) 

Mixed Number: A fraction that contains a w hole number and a fraction 

(9 1/4) 

Adding and Subtracting Fractions 

Adding and subtracting 

fractions with the same 

(common) denominator 

Add or subtract the numerators (the top number) 

and keep the denominator (the bottom number) 

Example: Adding 

5/8 + 6/8 = 11/8 

Example: Subtracting 

4/5—1/5 = 3/5 

Example: Adding 

1/3 + 1/2 + 3/4 = 

4/12 + 6/12 + 9/12 = 19/12 

Example: Subtracting 

4/5—1/3 = 

12/15-5/15 = 7/15 

Adding and subtracting 

fractions without the same 

(common) denominator 

First, find a common denominator (the bottom 

number), then add or subtract the numerators 

(the top number) and retain the denominator 

(the bottom number) 

Quick Reminder...To quickly find a common 

denominator, simply multiply the denominators of 

each fraction together. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 28 
 

 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

Multiplying and Dividing Fractions 

Multiplying Fractions 

Multiply the numerators (top numbers), 

then multiply the denominators (bottom 

numbers) 

Dividing Fractions 

Invert the second fraction (the divisor), 

and multiply the numerators and 

denominators 

Example: 

Multiplying 

= = 

Example: 

Dividing 

= 

Quick Reminder...
 

Always reduce the answer to its lowest terms! 20/24 = 5/6
 

CBP Officers interview a ship's captain as he arrives in the Port of 

BalƟmore.
 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 29 
 

 

 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

Working with Decimals 

Adding and Subtracting 

Decimals 

Definition 

Decimal: A fraction expressed in 

another form, where numbers begin with a 

Example: Example: period (.75 = 3/4) 

Adding Subtracting 

.35 .69 

+ .78 - .14 

1.13 .55 Quick Reminder... 

Notice that the decimal points are aligned 

and that in the sum, the whole number is 

placed to the left of the decimal point 

Multiplying Decimals 

Count the number of decimal places (to the right of the decimal) in each number and 

add the two decimal place counts together 

Multiply the two numbers together 

1 

2 

3 Place the decimal point at the total number of places you counted 

Example: Multiplying 

6.021 x .4 6021 x 4 

= 24084 2.4084 

Since there are 3 decimal places in 6.021 

and 1 decimal place in .4, the total number 

of decimal places needed in the result 

(24084) is 4. So, 24084 is written as 

2.4084. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 30 
 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

Working with Decimals 

Dividing Decimals 

If the divisor is not a whole 

number, move the decimal 

point to the right to make it 

whole. Move the decimal point 

2.64 ÷ .02 264 ÷ 2 = 132 

in the dividend the same In the example above, the decimals in 2.64 and .02 are 

number of places. moved two places to make .02 become 2. 

25.164 ÷ .06 2516.4 ÷ 6 = 419.4 

Dividend ÷ Divisor = 

Quotient 

In the example above, the decimals in 25.164 and .06 

are moved two places to make .06 become 6. 

Word Problems Using Decimals 

Example: Multiplication 

Cargo weighing 6,520 tons 

arrived at the Marin Port Of Entry 

(POE) and was assessed a fee of 

6 cents per ton. What was the 

total amount assessed on the 

cargo? 

6 cents = $.06 

6, 520 x .06 = 391.20
 

Answer: $391.20 

Example: Division 

If inspection stickers cost 30 

cents each, how many stickers 

can be purchased for $12.60? 

30 cents = $.30 

12.60 ÷ .30 

1260 ÷ 30 = 42 

Answer: 42 stickers 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 31 
 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

Percentages 

Definition 

Percentage: A fraction expressed 

in another form, where 23/100 = 

23%. 

US CBP Officers inspect incoming cargo 

at the Miami, FL Port of Entry (POE) 

Changing a percent to a 

decimal 

Move the decimal point two places to the left 

and drop the percent sign. 

Example 

57% .57 

Finding the percentage of a 

number 

Change the percent to a decimal and multiply 

by the decimal. 

Example 

16% of 40 = .16 x 40 = 6.40 

Calculating what percent one 

number is of another number 

Divide the second number by the first number. 

Finally, multiply the result by 100 or move the 

decimal two places to the right. 

Example 

What percent of 40 is 6.40?
 

6.40 ÷ 40 = .16 (x100) = 16% 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 32 
 

 

 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

Word Problems Using Percentages 

Example 

CBP Officer Crawford inspected 

400 containers for undeclared 

goods. If 18% of the containers 

held undeclared goods, how 

many containers held undeclared 

goods? 

Example 

In June 2003, the number of CBP 

Agriculture Specialists employed 

full-time in one large office was 80. 

One year later, the number increased 

by 15%. What was the total number 

of CBP Agriculture Specialists 

employed in the office in June 2004? 400 x .18 = 72 

Answer: 72 containers 

Example 

Each year an office is allocated 

funds to provide bonuses to all of 

its employees. One year, the 

office received the same amount 

of bonus funds, but lost 10% of 

its employees. By what 

percentage will the bonus 

amounts increase for the 

remaining employees in the 

office? 

Total employees in the office = 100%
 

100% - 10% = 90% 

Bonuses for the 10% divided up among 

the 90% remaining:
 

.10 ÷ .90 = .111
 

Answer: The bonus amounts for the 

remaining employees would increase 

11%. 

There are two ways to solve this 

problem. 

1 

80 x .15 = 12 

12 + 80 = 92 

Answer: 92 CBP Agriculture Specialists 

2 

Total Agriculture Specialists in the office = 100% 

100% + 15% = 115% =1.15 

80 x 1.15 = 92 

Answer: 92 CBP Agriculture Specialists 

Quick Reminder... 

In the example above, if the number of CBP 

Agriculture Specialists had decreased 15%, 

then... 

100% - 15% = .85 

80 x 85 = 68 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 33 
 

 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

Averages 

Example 

Find the average of 4, 8 and 15. 

1. Find the sum of the numbers 

4 + 8 + 15 = 27 

2. Divide the sum by the number of items (3). 

27 ÷ 3 = 9 

Calculating 

Averages 

Example 

The average weight of 3 

canines working at a 

medium-size airport is 130 

lbs. and the smallest canine 

weighs 110 lbs. If the other 

two canines are equal weight, 

how much do the other two 

canines weigh? 

1. Find the total weight in pounds of the 3 canines 

3 x 130 = 390 

2. Subtract the weight of the smallest canine
 

390—110 = 280
 

3. Divide the result by 2 

280 ÷ 2 = 140 

Answer: The two remaining canines weigh 140 lbs. each. 

The CBP/ICE hockey team competes in the 2015 

World Police and Fire Games.
 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 34 
 

 

 

 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

Unknown Values 

Unknown Values 

To solve a math problem that has one or more unknown values, set up an equation to 

represent all of the values in the problem, substituting a letter of the alphabet such as 

a, b, x, or y for the unknown value. 

Example 

A passenger purchased a vase from an 

art dealer for $1,210. She later learned 

that the dealer sold her the vase for 

110% of its actual value. What was the 

actual value of the vase? 

Example 

An officer rented a car for six 

days and was charged $450. The 

car rental company charged $35 

per day plus $.30 per mile driven. 

How many miles did the officer 

drive the car? 

1. Think carefully about what you need to find in 

order to solve the problem. 

Goal: Find the actual value of the vase (unknown 

value) 

2. Set up your equation. Do this by substituting X for 

the actual value of the vase (the unknown value) 

$1,210 = 110% of X 

$1,210 = 1.1X 

3. Move your known values to the right side of the 

equation by dividing each side of the equation by 1.1 

and solve: 

1.1X ÷ 1.1 = 1,210 ÷ 1.1 

X = 1,210 ÷ 1.1 

X = 1, 100 

Answer: The actual value of the vase is $1,100. 

1. Think carefully about what you need to 

find in order to solve the problem. 

Goal: Find the number of miles the officer 

drove (unknown value) 

2. Set up your equation. Do this by 

substituting X for the number of miles the 

officer drove (the unknown value) 

6(35) + .3X = 450 

210 + .3X = 450 

3. Subtract 210 from both sides and then, 

divide both sides by .3 

.3X = 450—210 

.3X = 240 

X = 240 ÷ .3 

X = 800 

Answer: The officer drove 800 miles. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 35 
 

 

Definitions 

Ratio: Expresses the relationship in quantity, amount, or size 

between two or more things 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

Ratios and Proportions 

Example 

If you purchase a season 

ticket to the 2017 football 

games and tickets for the 

2017 ballet season in the 

ratio of 5:3, then you had 

5 sets of football tickets 

for every 3 sets of ballet 

tickets you purchased. 

Example 

An importer under investigation sent 500 

containers to the United States. Two hundred 

containers were shipped to New Jersey, and the 

remaining were shipped to Pennsylvania and Virginia in the ratio of 2:3. How many of the containers were shipped to Pennsylvania and how 

many were shipped to Virginia? 

A CBP Officer staffs a CBP radiaƟon 

portal monitor during Pope Francis’ 

2015 visit to Philadelphia. 

1. What do we know? 

We know that 200 of the 500 containers were shipped to New 

Jersey; so, we are working with 300 containers shipped to 

Pennsylvania and Virginia. 

Ratio 2:3 —> Out of every 5 containers: 2 went to Pennsylvania; 

3 went to Virginia 

Pennsylvania = 2/5 and Virginia = 3/5 

2. Solve for the number of containers sent to Virginia 

4. Solve for the number of containers sent to Pennsylvania 

Answer: 120 containers were shipped to Pennsylvania, 

and 180 containers were shipped to Virginia. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 36 
 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

1. Calculate the miles per hour Officer Davis is traveling 

2. Cross multiply to find out how many hours it would take her to 

drive 650 miles 

650 = 65x 

X = 10 

Answer: It would take Officer Davis 10 hours to drive 650 

miles going 65 mph 

Solving Distance, Time and Rate 

Useful Equations 

Rate = Distance ÷ Time 

Time = Distance ÷ Rate 

Distance = Rate x Time 

Example 

If Officer Davis 

drove 520 miles in 

8 hours, how long 

would it take her to 

drive 650 miles at 

the same rate? 

1. Set up an equation 

4/7X = 2 

2. Solve for X 

X = 2 ÷ 4/7 X = 3.5 

Answer: It would take him 3.5 hours to 

complete all of the inspections. 

Example 

Officer Hilton was asked to 

perform secondary inspection 

of 7 individuals. After 2 hours, 

he had completed inspecting 4 

of the individuals. Working at 

this same rate, how long will it 

take him to complete all of the 

inspections? 

CBP Officers providing emergency support in the 

aŌermath of Hurricane Irene. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 37 
 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

Expressing Word Problems 

Some of the word problems in the test require you to choose, from among several equations, the 

one equation that expresses or represents a solution to the problem. 

Example 

An agency purchased surplus computer printers priced at $220 each. For 

every 20 printers purchased, the 20th printer was purchased at a 40% 

discount. What equation represents the total price paid, if the agency 

purchased 100 printers? 

The equation would be: 

100(220) - [100/20 x (220 x .4)]
 

100(220) is the total price of the computers without a 

discount 

[100/20 x 220 x .4] Is the discount 

CBP Officers on watch at the NaƟonal TargeƟng Center 

A CBP Officer checks driver idenƟficaƟon 

Quick Reminder... 

This type of problem does not actually 

require you to solve the problem. 

Instead, you are asked only to find 

the one equation, from among a 

choice of four equations, that 

represent the correct way to solve the 

problem. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 38 
 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

Calculating Time 

Some questions in the test will require you to work with the element of time (hours and minutes) 

and certain types of measures (length, width, and area of a square or rectangle). Remember the 

following basics. 

60 seconds = 1 minute; 60 minutes = 1 hour; 24 

hours = 1 day 

Area = L x W (the area of a square or rectangle 

is obtained by multiplying its length by its width) 

Rate = Distance divided by Time (R = D/T) 

Time = Distance divided by Rate (T = D/R) 

Distance = Rate multiplied by Time (D = R x T) 

CBP Officers applaud as runners complete the Run InternaƟonal U.S. Mexico 10K 

race at the top of the Paso Del Norte internaƟonal crossing in El Paso, Texas. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 39 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

Practice Test 

Arithmetic Reasoning Practice Test 

The questions in this part of the test require you to solve math word problems involving operations such as 

addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, calculating percentages and averages, solving rate problems, and 

calculating simple probabilities. These operations reflect the type of mathematical operations that CBP Officers 

routinely perform. Some of the questions in the actual test will be easier and some harder than these sample 

questions. We suggest that you take no more than 14 minutes to answer questions 1 through 6 below. If the 

exact answer is not given as one of the response choices, you should select response E, “none of these.” 

Calculators are not required for this exam but you may use one if you choose.

1. Staff at a law enforcement training academy purchases badges at $32 each for all the graduates of the

academy. The last training class graduated 25 new officers. What is the total amount of money the

academy staff will spend on the badges for these new officers, if the badge vendor provided the

academy a 20% discount on each badge?

A $ 800

B $ 790

C $ 640

D $ 16

E none of these

2. The gross weight of merchandise in a container examined by an officer was 108 pounds. According to

policy, the officer was required to convert this weight into kilograms. If the formula for conversion is 1.8

pounds for each kilogram, what was the gross weight of the container load in kilograms (rounded to the

nearest tenth)?

A 194.0

B 166.6

C 60.0

D 45.0

E none of these

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 40 
 

 

 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

Practice Test 

3. An Agriculture Specialist and her dog found a total of 1,500 packages wrapped in plain brown paper 

hidden in a large mail container. Upon inspection, the officer found that some of the packages had legal 

CBP stickers on them and some had illegal stickers from another country. The ratio of packages with 

legal stickers to packages with illegal stickers was 2:3. How many packages contained illegal stickers? 

A 1,000 

B 900 

C 600 

D 500 

E none of these 

4. While working the evening shift, Officer K took 8 hours to complete a task at his work station and 

Officer M took 10 hours to complete the same task at his work station. How many hours would it take 

Officer K and Officer M to complete the same task working together, each working at his own work 

station? 

A 9 

B 8 1/9 

C 4 4/9 

D 6 3/4 

E none of these 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 41 
 

 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

Practice Test 

5. Three dogs in a canine team are in charge of inspecting cargo for prohibited fruits, vegetables, and 

meats at an international airport. Last week, one of these dogs identified 20 cartons of prohibited fruit 

among 120 total cartons on a flight arriving from overseas. Assuming that the dog selected the first 

carton to be inspected totally at random, what was the probability that this carton contained a 

shipment of prohibited fruit? 

A 1/3 

B 1/4 

C 1/5 

D 1/6 

E none of these 

6. One day, Officer Ferong spent 4 hours processing passengers from a flight from Brazil at a rate of 16 

passengers every 40 minutes. The next day, she spent 4 hours processing passengers at a rate of 18 

every 40 minutes. What was the average number of passengers she processed during these two 4-hour 

periods? 

A 283 

B 204 

C 141.5 

D 102 

E none of these 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 42 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arithmetic Reasoning 

Practice Test Solutions 

Solutions to the Arithmetic Reasoning Questions 

1. Correct Answer: C, $32 x 25 = 800; 800 x .20 = 160; $800 - 160 = $640. The second way to calculate the 

problem is, $800 x .80 = $640. 

2. Correct Answer: C, 108 ÷ 1.8 = 60.0 kg 

3. Correct Answer: B, Legal stickers = 2/5; illegal stickers = 3/5; 3/5 x 1,500 = 900. 

4. Correct Answer: C, Let Officer K’s hours be represented by 1/8 and Officer M’s hours be represented by 

1/10. This says that Officer K completes 1/8 of the job per hour and Officer M completes 1/10 of the job per 

hour. Together, they work 1/8 + 1/10 = 18/80 of the job per hour, which when reduced to its lowest terms, is 

9/40. 

Therefore, if T is the amount of time it takes the two of them to finish the job, then 9/40 of the job per hour x T 

(hours) has to equal 1 job. So, 9/40 x T = 1 and T = 40/9 = 4 4/9 hours (four and four-ninths hours). 

5. Correct Answer: D, 20 cartons out of 120 total cartons contained prohibited fruit. Therefore, if you 

randomly selected one carton from the 120 cartons, the probability of selecting one of the prohibited cartons of 

fruit is 20 out of 120 or 20/120 = 1/6. 

6. Correct Answer: D, 16/40 = .40 (this says Officer Ferong processed passengers at a rate of .40 per 

minute on the first day); .40 x 60 = 24 passengers per hour; and 24 x 4 = 96 passengers every four hours. For 

the next day, the calculations are 18/40 = .45 x 60 = 27 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 43 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CBP Accomplishments 

Dulles CBP Intercepts a Ghanaian Imposter and Sri Lankan 

Imposter One Week Apart 

CBP also Intercepts Four Counterfeit Foreign Passports from Africa 

STERLING, Va.—U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers detected two men, a Sri Lankan and 

Ghanaian, as imposters to the passports they possessed upon their arrivals at Washington Dulles 

International Airport on January 16 and January 23 respectively. 

CBP Officers arrested Kofi Kyei Asare Takyi, 44, of Accra, Ghana, on Monday for providing a false 

statement in application and use of a passport (18 USC 1542). 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia is prosecuting Takyi. For details of that 

arrest, please read Man Arrested as Dulles International Airport with Fake Passport. 

In the other imposter case, Dulles CBP Officers referred the Sri Lankan man to a secondary examination. 

He arrived January 16 from Accra and presented a Canadian passport under another individual’s name to 

CBP Officers. During that secondary examination, CBP Officers determined the man to be a mismatch to 

the passport and ordered him removed. 

The Privacy Act prohibits CBP from releasing his name since he was not criminally charged. 

“The U.S. government offers foreign nationals a means to 

lawfully immigrate to the United States. Using another 

person’s identity documents is a very serious violation of 

U.S. immigration law that could result in criminal prosecution,” said Wayne Biondi, CBP Port Director of the Area Port 

of Washington Dulles. “Customs and Border Protection officers remain ever vigilant to intercept those who violate our 

nation’s laws or pose potential harm to the U.S.” 

Additionally, CBP Officers seized four counterfeit foreign 

passports during a baggage inspection of a Nigerian-born 

U.S. citizen on January 3. CBP Officers discovered the four 

passports—two South African, one Nigerian, and one 

Kenyan— inside a jacket pocket in a carry-on bag. Each 

passport was of poor quality and contained a fraudulent U.S. 

travel visa and counterfeit CBP admission stamp. That 

traveler arrived from Nigeria. Charges and allegations contained in criminal complaints are merely accusations, and 

defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven 

guilty. 

On a typical day, CBP Officers process the 

admission of more than one million 

passengers and pedestrians at our naƟon’s 

328 internaƟonal ports of entry. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 44 
 

 

Writing Skills 

Writing Skills 

This guide provides information that will refresh your knowledge of some basic rules of English grammar, 

syntax, usage, sentence and paragraph organization, and punctuation. Only a short summary of each 

topic is provided. For a more in-depth study, you may want to refer to English textbooks or writing 

handbooks. A reference list with some suggested readings is provided. Also, this guide presents a sample 

of the types of questions you can expect to find on the Writing Skills Test along with the correct answers 

and the rationale for them. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 45 
 

 

 

Writing Skills 

Sentence Components 

Basic Definitions 

A sentence is a grammatically independent group of words that serves as a unit of expression. 

A sentence normally contains 

A Stated Subject 

(the noun(s) and/or pronoun(s) the sentence is about) 

A Predicate 

(the part that says something about or directs the subject) 

Word + A Verb 

Even the single-word command “Go!” is a sentence because it has an unstated but implied subject, 

whoever or whatever is being directed to go and a verb. 

Use of Phrases in Sentences Use of Clauses in Sentences 

Clauses 

Grammatical units containing 

A clause can be either dependent or independent. 

Phrase 

A group of related words 

lacking a subject and/or 

a predicate. Subject Verb 

A phrase can be used as a noun, adjective, 

adverb, or verb. On the basis of their form, 

phrases are classified as prepositional, participle, 

gerund, infinitive, and verb phrases. 

An independent clause expresses the main thought 

of the sentence and can stand alone as a sentence 

(Example: She laughed.). A dependent clause 

expresses an idea that is less important than the 

idea expressed in the main clause and cannot 

stand alone as a sentence (Example: As she was 

laughing...). 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 46 
 

 

 

 

 

Writing Skills 

Types of Clauses 

Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Phrases and Clauses 

Restrictive 

A phrase or clause that 

provides information that is 

necessary to identify 

specifically what is being 

described. 

Generally speaking, restrictive phrases 

and clauses are not separated from the 

rest of the sentence by commas. 

Example 1: 

The blue house that he built on a hill is quite 

large. 

Nonrestrictive 

A phrase or clause that 

provides information that is 

not essential to the meaning 

of the sentence. 

Separated from the rest of the 

sentence by commas. 

The restrictive phrase “that he built on a 

hill” is essential for knowing to which blue 

house the sentence is referring. Because the 

phrase is essential to the meaning of the 

whole sentence, it is not put aside by 

commas. With the information provided by 

this restrictive phrase, it can be validly 

concluded that the man built more than one 

blue house, but only the one on the hill is 

quite large. 

Example 2: 

We should congratulate the student who won 

the prize. 

The clause who won the prize is essential for 

indicating the person who should be 

congratulated. The clause is therefore restrictive 

and is not separated from the rest of the 

sentence by commas. 

Example 1: 

The blue house, which he built on a hill, is 

quite large. 

The nonrestrictive phrase “which he built 

on a hill” is not essential for knowing to 

which blue house the sentence is 

referring. Because the phrase is not 

essential to the meaning of the whole 

sentence, it is put aside by commas. With 

the information provided by this 

nonrestrictive phrase, it cannot be 

concluded that the man built more than 

one blue house. 

Example 2: 

Pat, who won the prize, deserves our 

congratulations. 

The person to be congratulated is identified as 

Pat, and the clause who won the prize is not 

essential for identifying the person. The clause 

is therefore nonrestrictive and is separated 

from the rest of the sentence by commas. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 47 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writing Skills 

Verbs 

Verb: A w ord or phrase used to assert an action or state of being 

Verb Voice: The voice of a verb show s whether the subject performs an action (active voice) 

or receives it (passive voice) 

Verb Tense: The tense of a verb show s the time of the action of the verb. There are active and 

passive forms of all tenses in English 

Tense Examples of Active Voice Examples of passive voice 

Present She takes; she is taking She is taken; she is being taken 

Past She took; she was taking She was taken; she was being taken 

Future She will take; she will be taking She will be taken 

Present Perfect She has taken; she has been taking She has been taken 

Past Perfect She had taken; she had been taking She had been taking 

Future Perfect She will have taken; she will have 

been taking 

She will have been taken 

Present: Action is taking place right now 

Past: Action took place in the past 

Future: Action takes place in future time 

Present Perfect: Action completed before the 

present time 

Past Perfect: Action that occurs before another 

past action 

Future Perfect: Action that w ill be completed 

before a specific time in the future. 

Olympic athletes, families and passengers 

were welcomed and cleared by U.S. Customs 

and Border ProtecƟon officers at Hartsfield‐

Jackson Atlanta InternaƟonal Airport. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 48 
 

 

 

 

 

Writing Skills 

Verbs 

Verb Mood 

Indicative Mood: Show s an action is a fact 

Example: They are going to the ball game. 

Subjunctive Mood: Show s an action as a 

possibility, wish, or idea 

Example: I wish that he would go to the ball game. 

Imperative Mood: Show s an action is a command
 

Example: Go to the ball game! 

As a part of Bring your Child to Work Day at CBP 

headquarters, a CBP Officer explains and 

demonstrates how X‐ray equipment is used to 

find drugs hidden in vehicles. 

Other Rules Relating to Verbs 

1. Transitive verbs require direct objects to complete their meaning. 

Example: The baseball player signed the autographs. 

2. Intransitive verbs do not require direct objects to complete their meaning. 

Example: The boat has docked. 

3. Linking verbs are not action verbs; rather, they express a state of being or existence. The 

various forms of the verb to be are primary linking verbs. Linking verbs never take objects 

but, instead, connect the subject to a word or idea in the predicate. 

Example: He was the one who bought the tickets. His proposal is unacceptable. 

4. The verb to be can also used with another verb as a helping (auxiliary) verb to create a 

verb phrase. 

Example: Flights have been delayed. The contract will have to be reviewed. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 49 
 

 

Writing Skills 

Verbs 

Infinitive 

An infinitive verb expresses action or existence without reference to 

person, number, or tense. 

The form consists of the word “to” and the verb. 

Example: It is relaxing to run
 

A split infinitive has a word or several words between the to and the 

verb following it. Splitting an infinitive is generally considered bad 

form. 

Incorrect Example: You should try to, if you can, attend the briefing.
 

Correct Usage: You should try to attend the briefing, if you can.
 

An infinitive may be used as the subject of a sentence or as the object 

of a verb or preposition. 

Example: To become champion has been her lifelong dream.
 

An infinitive may be used as an adjectival modifier. 

Example: He had several papers to review during the trip. 

CBP Officers work to secure Super Bowl LI 

Gerund 

A gerund is the form of a verb 

ending in ing that is used as a 

noun. 

A gerund may be used as the 

subject of a sentence. 

Example: Drawing was his 

favorite activity. 

A gerund may be used as the 

object of a verb or preposition. 

Example: She preferred 

walking over bicycling. 

(Walking is the object of the 

verb preferred and bicycling is 

the object of the preposition 

over.) 

Participle 

A participle is a form of the 

verb used as an adjective. 

Simple participle forms end in 

ed or ing 

Examples: The candidate felt 

betrayed. The New Year’s Eve 

party was exciting. 

When a participle phrase seems 

to modify a word that it cannot 

sensibly modify, then it is a 

dangling participle. 

Incorrect Example: Sailing on 

the open sea, many dolphins 

were spotted. (Sailing does not 

modify dolphins.) 

Correct Usage: Sailing on the 

open sea, we spotted many 

dolphins. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 50 
 

 

 

 

 

Writing Skills 

Nouns 

Nouns 

Noun: a w ord that names a person, place, thing, 

quality, idea, or action. 

Proper Noun: identifies a particular person, 

place, thing, quality, idea, or action. 

Example: Joe Brown drove his Lincoln Towncar to the 

Kennedy Center. 

Collective Noun: identifies a group of people or 

things that are related or acting as one. Collective 

nouns are single in number; thus, they take a singular 

verb. 

Example: The jury is arriving at the courthouse now 

If the individual members of the group are referred to, 

then the plural verb can be used. 

Example: A group of employees are sharing supplies 

with each other. 

Articles 

Proper nouns must be 

capitalized! 

Possessive 

The possessive of a singular 

noun is formed by adding an 

apostrophe and “s” to the 

noun. 

Example: the boy’s sweater, 

Alice’s car 

The possessive of a plural 

noun ending in “s” is formed 

by adding an apostrophe 

only. 

Example: officers’ salaries, 

workers’ union 

An article is a word that refers to a noun and gives definiteness or 

indefiniteness to the noun. English articles are a, an, and the. 

Indefinite Articles (a, an) A and an are used for general nouns or when 

the audience does not know which thing you 

are referring to. A is used before words that 

begin with a consonant, and an is used before 

words that begin with a vowel. 

Example: An attorney will meet you today. A 

file is missing from my desk 

Definite Article (the) The is used when the audience knows which 

thing is being referred to. 

Example: The attorney that you met with last 

week has returned your call. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 51 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Writing Skills 

Pronouns 

A pronoun is a word that is used in place of a noun, most frequently to eliminate monotonous 

repetition of the noun. 

Demonstrative Pronouns Point to a specific thing. 

Examples: this, that, these, those 

Indefinite Pronouns	 Refer to people or things generally rather than specifically. 

Examples: all, both, someone, such 

Verbs used with indefinite pronouns must agree with the pronoun in number 

Examples: none is, everyone is, much is, many are 

None is generally used in a singular sense. However, when none is used in 

the sense of not two or no amount, then a plural verb is used. 

Example: None of the team members are in agreement. 

Interrogative Pronouns Are used to ask questions. Interrogative pronouns include who, what, which. 

Example: Which sandwich should I order? 

Reflexive Pronouns	 Refer back to the noun or pronoun used as the subject of the sentence. 

Example: I burned myself. 

Possessive Pronouns	 Determine possession without using an apostrophe followed by an s. 

Examples: yours, mine, ours 

Intensive Pronouns	 Are used to emphasize the previous noun or pronoun. 

Examples: You yourself must register. 

Relative Pronouns	 Relate a subordinate part of a sentence to the main clause. 

Examples: who, whoever, which, what 

Personal Pronouns	 Refer to persons or things and change form in three different persons: 

First Person Pronouns: I, we (used as subject of sentences and clauses) 

me, us (used as objects of verbs and prepositions.
 

Second Person Pronoun: you (used for singular and plural, for subjects 

and objects) 

Third Person Pronouns: he, she, it, they (used as subject of sentences and 

clauses) him, her it, them (used as objects of verbs and prepositions) 

Examples: Bill and I are going. She told Sally and me.
 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 52 
 

 

Writing Skills 

Adjectives and Adverbs 

Adjective: a w ord that modifies a noun 

Adverb: a w ord that modifies a verb, an adjective, or 

another adverb 

An adjective or an adverb should be placed so that there is 

no doubt as to which word it modifies. 

Examples: The angry boy quickly threw the ball. In this 

example, angry is the adjective modifying boy. Quickly is an 

adverb modifying the verb threw. 

Many adverbs end in 

–ly 

Examples: quickly, 

slowly, angrily, happily 

Adjectives and adverbs show degrees of quality or quantity 

by means of their positive, comparative, and superlative 

forms. The positive form expresses no comparison at all. The 

comparative form adds an -er to the positive form of the 

adjective or adverb, or prefixes the positive form with the 

word more to express a greater degree or a comparison 

between two persons or things. The superlative form adds an 

-est to the positive form of the adjective or adverb, or 

prefixes the positive form with the word most to express the 

greatest degree of quantity or quality among three or more 

persons or things. 

Examples: 

Positive: short, beautiful, big 

Comparative: shorter, more beautiful, bigger 

Superlative: shortest, most beautiful, biggest 

Preposition: A preposition is a word that connects a noun to some other word in the sentence. 

Prepositions usually establish a relationship of time or location. The use of a preposition automatically 

creates a prepositional phrase. 

Examples: in a month; after a year; on the table; behind the door 

A CBP Officer escorts a detainee to a 

processing area. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 53 

There are over 40 prepositions in 

English, some of which are: 

about, around, before, at, below, by, 

for, from, in, of, on, to, through, up, 

upon, and with. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writing Skills 

Conjunctions 

Conjunction: A conjunction (also known as a connective) is a word that 

joins together sentences, clauses, phrases, or words. 

Coordinating conjunctions Subordinating conjunctions Correlative conjunctions are pairs 

are words that connect two or connect dependent of words that connect sentence 

more parts of a sentence that (subordinate) clauses to elements that are of equal rank. 

are of equal rank (Example: independent (main) clauses. Correlative conjunctions must always 

two nouns or verbs or appear together in the same sentence. 

phrases, etc.) 

Examples: and, but, or, nor, 

for, and sometimes yet 

Examples: though, if, as, 

when, while, and since. 

Examples: either-or, neither-nor, 

whether-or, both-and, and not only-but 

also 

Sentence Example: Neither 

the manager nor the 

employee had a reasonable 

solution to the problem. 

Sentence Example: Since he 

took the course for his own 

advancement, his employer 

wouldn’t pay for it. 

Sentence Example: She was 

outstanding not only in her schoolwork 

but also in her fitness training. 

Avoiding Verb, Noun, and Pronoun Shifts 

Unnecessary shifts in person, number, tense, or voice confuse readers and seriously weaken 

communication. The examples below indicate these types of errors. 

A shift in person occurs when a writer shifts back and forth among the first, second, and third 

persons. 

Correct example: If you want to pass the physical, you have to exercise daily. 

Incorrect example: If you want to pass the physical, a person has to exercise daily. 

A shift in number occurs when a plural pronoun is used to refer back to a singular antecedent 

or vice versa. 

Correct example: Anyone who shops in that department store must seriously consider one’s budget. 

Incorrect example: Anyone who shops in that department store must seriously consider their budget. 

Unnecessary shifts in tense more commonly occur within a paragraph rather than within an 

individual sentence. 

Correct example: After the historian spent several hours describing the armies’ strategies, he gave a 

horrifying account of the attack. He pointed out in great detail what was going on in the minds of each of 

the soldiers. 

Incorrect example: After the historian spent several hours describing the armies’ strategies, he gave a 

horrifying account of the attack. He points out in great detail what is going on in the minds of each of 

the soldiers. 

A shift in voice occurs when a writer makes unnecessary shifts between the active and the 

passive voice. 

Correct example: I wrote the journal article. I also wrote the book chapter. 

Incorrect example: I wrote the journal article. The book chapter was also written by me. 

When two sentence elements are joined by a conjunction, they should have parallel structure. 

Correct example: She was outstanding not only in her academic coursework but also in her fitness 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 54 
 

Periods (.) Commas (,) 

Use a period to end a sentence and Use a comma to separate independent clauses in a compound 

after abbreviations. sentence. 

Example: She w ent to the beach. Example: Suzanne made a presentation at the conference, and 

Mr. Lee then she spent the remainder of the day touring the city. 

Use a comma to separate an introductory phrase or clause Semicolons (;) from the main clause of a sentence. 

A semicolon is used to separate Example: After completing the work, the contractor left the 

elements in a series when some of the site. 

elements already contain commas. Place a comma after every item in a series. Example: Sally wishes us to attend the Example: The new office is furnished with a desk, a computer, first, third, and fifth sessions on 

Wednesday; the second, fourth, and two chairs, and a supply cabinet. 

sixth sessions on Thursday; and the first Two or more adjectives that modify the noun they precede are 

only on Friday. separated by commas. 

A semicolon is used to join two closely Example: The cold, windy morning was not a good beginning 

related independent clauses that are not for their vacation. 

joined by a conjunction. Commas are used to set off the items in a date. 

Example: The project began slowly; Example: On Monday, August 17, 1998, he became the head thereafter, additional staff were 

of the office. Commas are not used when only the month and assigned to it. year are given. Example: August 2002 

 

 

 

 

 

Writing Skills 

Capitalization and Punctuation 

Capitalization is the use of capital letters to 

place special emphasis on particular letters to set 

them off from lower-case letters. 

Sentences always begin with a capital letter. 

The first letter of a quotation is always capitalized. 

Proper nouns, that is, nouns that name particular 

persons, places, or things, must be capitalized. 

Examples: Appalachian Mountains, Mississippi 

River, Brooklyn Bridge 

Titles that precede a proper name are capitalized; 

those that follow a proper name are not. 

Examples: Chairperson John Smith and John 

Smith, the chairperson 

A CBP Officer with CBP canine 

conducts vehicle check 

inspecƟons. 

Punctuation is the use of periods, commas, semicolons, colons, question marks, 

exclamation points, dashes, apostrophes, brackets, parentheses, slashes, and quotation marks to 

convey the pauses and gestures that we use in speech to clarify and emphasize meaning. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 55 
 

 

 

 

 

Writing Skills 

Sentence Organization within Paragraphs 

A paragraph can be looked upon as a microcosm, an exact parallel in miniature of 

the entire work. 

It has a dominant idea, usually expressed in a topic sentence. 

The dominant idea is developed by examples, comparisons, explanations, or 

arguments to make the meaning of the topic sentence clear. 

There may be a concluding restatement of the topic idea. 

A paragraph presents a larger unit of thought than a sentence can contain. 

A paragraph must 

1. Have unity: It should not digress from the dominant idea expressed in the topic sentence; 

2. Have completeness: It should present enough information to answer any general questions 

the reader may have; 

3. Have coherence: Sentences should flow into each other so that the reader interprets the 

paragraph as an integrated unit and not as a collection of separate sentences; 

4. Have order: The paragraph can be organized from the general to the particular or vice 

versa. Either way, the order of sentences and ideas in the paragraph should be logical. 

From the general to the particular: 

This type of paragraph begins with a topic 

sentence that serves as an introductory 

summary of the topic. The remaining 

sentences explain or illustrate this statement, 

so that the idea becomes increasingly clear as 

the paragraph progresses. The topic sentence 

is usually at or near the beginning of the 

paragraph. 

From the particular to the general: 

This type of paragraph is the reverse of the 

previous pattern. It begins with a series of 

explanatory or illustrative statements that lead 

to a general statement or summary. The topic 

sentence is usually at or near the end of the 

paragraph. 

A CBP Officer uses an x‐ray to inspect commercial vehicles at 

NRG stadium in preparaƟon for Super Bowl LI in Houston, Tex‐

as. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 56 
 

 

Writing Skills 

Practice Test 

It is suggested that you take no more than 15 minutes to answer questions 1 through 8 below. 

For questions 1, 2, 3, and 4 choose the one answer that represents a correction that should be made to the sentence. If 

no correction is necessary, choose D. 

1. Once a request to carry firearms into a foreign country are approved, a CBP Officer must notify the Office of 

Foreign Operations for coordination of the request. 

A change to carry to for carrying 

B change are to is 

C change coordination to coordinating 

D no correction is necessary 

2. Supervisor Smith knows that it is important for his CBP Agriculture Specialists to understand each of the 

fundamental principals that apply to all methods of dog training. 

A change knows that to knows which 

B change each to each and every one 

C change principals to principles 

D no correction is necessary 

3. The geographical area composing much of the border between the United States and Mexico is considered to 

have a desert climate. 

A change between to from

 B insert a comma after area 

C change is to are 

D no correction is necessary 

4. When writing a report on a drug smuggling incident, it is important to add all dates, times, names, and quotes 

associated from the case for future reference. 

A change on to around 

B change incident to incedent 

C change from to with 

D no correction is necessary 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 57 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writing Skills 

Practice Test 

For sample questions 5 and 6, choose the one sentence which is correct in grammar, syntax, punctuation, and 

spelling and which exemplifies usage suitable to a formal letter or report. 

5. 

A The impact of this training requirement will be measured by the number of new CBP Officers who 

 successfully complete the probationary period. 

B The impact that this training requirement has will be measured by the number of new CBP Officers who 

 successfully complete the probationary period. 

C The impact of this training requirement will be measured by the number of new CBP Officers which 

 successfully complete the probationary period. 

D The impact that this training requirement has will be measured by the number of new CBP Officers which 

 successfully complete the probationary period. 

6. 

A The alien’s use of a fraudulant document was a hindrance to the identification of the alien 

B The alien’s use of a fraudelant document was a hindrence to the identification of the alien. 

C The alien’s use of a fraudulent document was a hindrance to the identification of the alien. 

D The alien’s use of a fraudelent document was a hindrance to the identification of the alien. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 58 
 

 

Writing Skills 

Practice Test 

For questions 7 and 8, select the correct paragraph order to create a passage that is well-organized, clear, and coherent. 

If no correction is necessary, choose D 

7. (1) First used on a wide scale in 1970, narcotic detector dogs save countless staff hours in locating narcotics 

in vehicles, mail, unaccompanied baggage, and on cargo ships. A dog and its handler can check 500 

packages in 30 minutes; it would take a mail examiner several days to inspect as many. At border ports, a 

dog can inspect a vehicle in about two minutes; the same search by a CBP Officer would take at least 20 

minutes. Therefore, the use of narcotic detector dogs has greatly enhanced the fight against illegal drug 

smuggling into the United States. 

(2) While not exactly high-tech, a unique tool in CBP’s drug fight is its force of narcotic detector dogs, their 

trainers, and the CBP Officers who work with these canine detectors. 

(3) This fight continues today, extending into the high-tech world of the 21st century. Through diligence, close 

inspection, sophisticated technology, and the sacrifice of lives, CBP has given an excellent account of 

itself in fighting the flow of illegal drugs into this country. 

(4) Since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, liquor smuggling has naturally decreased. In later years, however, 

the illegal entry of narcotics and dangerous drugs increased to threatening proportions. During the 1960s, 

‘70s, and ‘80s, Federal Officers faced the almost overwhelming task of fighting the influx of opium, heroin, 

cocaine, hashish, marijuana, and amphetamines into the United States. 

A 4 — 3 — 2 —1 

B 3 — 4 — 1 — 2 

C 2 — 3 — 4 — 1 

D no correction is necessary 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 59 
 

 

Writing Skills 

Practice Test 

8. (1) Project Shield America will have two operational components. The first will be to reach out and form 

partnerships with U.S. manufacturers and distributors of the sensitive technology, weapons, and 

equipment sought by terrorists. The second will be to investigate and halt those attempting to acquire and 

illegally export weapons components to groups intent on harming America. 

(2) Beginning immediately, field offices will identify the specific U.S. firms in their areas that manufacture or 

distribute materials of interest. Agents will then visit these firms and provide them with materials about 

Project Shield America, information about U.S. export controls, and data about the items sought by 

terrorists. Most importantly, the agents will encourage these firms to notify agents if they are approached 

by customers looking to acquire and export their products illegally. 

(3) In sum, under the banner of Project Shield America, we will partner with U.S. industries to prevent their 

technological accomplishments from being exploited by terrorists. While some of these materials may 

seem relatively innocuous and have relatively little monetary value, they can have enormous strategic 

value in the hands of America's adversaries. These "minor" technological goods could easily become the 

necessary components for major weapons development by terrorist groups or rogue nations. 

(4) At the same time, agents will step up their efforts to investigate and prosecute those who attempt to 

acquire and illegally export sensitive technology, weapons, and equipment to international terrorist 

organizations. These efforts will include undercover probes and other investigative techniques. The Office 

of Strategic Investigations will redirect its resources towards the objective of denying terrorist 

organizations access to these materials. Assistance from U.S. manufacturers and distributors will be 

crucial in this effort. 

A 1 — 4 — 2 — 3 

B 1 — 4 — 3 — 2 

C 1 — 2 — 4 — 3 

D no correction is necessary 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 60 
 

 

 

 

Writing Skills 

Practice Test Answers 

1. Correct Answer: B, A verb must agree with its subject in number. The subject, “request,” is singular and, therefore, 

the verb should be changed from “are” to “is.” 

2. Correct Answer: C, The correct use of the word “principles” refers to rules, laws, or standards that are applied to 

the method of dog training. By contrast, the word “principal” means first or foremost in importance. 

3. Correct Answer: D, No change to the sentence is necessary. 

4. Correct Answer: C, The correct term is “associated with” and not “associated from.” Objects are “associated with” 

one another, which means they are related to each other in some way. 

5. Correct Answer: A, The correct answer is (A). The sentence should read as follows: The impact of this 

training will be measured by the number of new CBP Officers who successfully complete the probationary period. This is 

a well-constructed sentence in both grammar and syntax. 

6. Correct Answer: C, The words “hindrance” and “fraudulent” are spelled correctly in this sentence while various 

incorrect spellings of these words are used in A, B, and D. 

7. Correct Answer: A, The most logical order of the passages is 4, 3, 2, 1. It is not logical to begin the passages 

with paragraphs 2 or 3, as indicated in Responses B and C, because they appear to complete information that has been 

presented earlier and, therefore, depend on information in the other two paragraphs in order to be understood. This also 

eliminates Response D. This leaves Response A, which begins with paragraph 4. The paragraphs presented in this 

order form a well-organized, coherent passage. 

8. Correct Answer: C, The most logical order of the passages is 1, 2, 4, 3. The first paragraph introduces Project 

Shield America and defines the two operational components of the project. Accordingly, paragraph 1 should be the first 

paragraph. Paragraphs 2 and 4 elaborate on the two operational components of the project introduced in paragraph 1 

and therefore must follow paragraph 1. Paragraph 2 logically comes before paragraph 4 because paragraph 2 

elaborates on the first operational component of the project whereas paragraph 4 elaborates on the second operational 

component. Finally, paragraph 3 is clearly the concluding paragraph because it provides a summation and closing for the 

entire passage. The paragraphs presented in this order form a well-organized, coherent passage. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 61 
 

Congratulations! 

You have completed all the practice sections for the CBP Officer Entrance Exam. 

We recommend that you continue reviewing the concepts until test day. You can also find out more about 

a career in Customs and Border Protection through: 

CBP Careers Website 

www.CBP.gov/Careers 

Instagram 

instagram.com/CustomsBorder/ 

Twitter 

twitter.com/CBP

An officer from the U.S. Customs Service, a predecessor agency to CBP, surveys the U.S. 

Customs House in New York, which was destroyed in the 9/11 aƩacks. The aƩacks led to the 

creaƟon of the Department of Homeland Security and CBP. 

CBP Officer Entrance Exam Preparation Guide 62