| A major component of the California Highway | | | | question. Do not make assumptions or draw |
| Patrol written test involves Reading | | | | conclusions that are not supported by the facts |
| Comprehension. Essentially, this part of the test | | | | presented in the test passage. |
| measures your ability to read passages, | | | | Reading comprehension can be ruined by |
| comprehend the "message" inherent in the | | | | over-thinking information -- the best process is |
| passage, and identify correct statements | | | | the simplest and is usually tempered with |
| regarding the information held in each passage. | | | | common sense. |
| You will be facing multiple choice answers again | | | | The final portion of the California Highway Patrol |
| and again, it is vital that you maintain your focus | | | | written test is the Cloze Reading test. This test |
| and concentration on each task at hand. | | | | measures how well you can read - period. Each |
| Fortunately, reading comprehension is a skill you | | | | test passage contains missing words that are |
| can learn and develop into a precise process with | | | | indicated by dashes. Each dash represents a letter |
| enough practice -- and the best way to do this is | | | | in the missing word. Your task is to complete the |
| through practice tests. | | | | sentences by supplying the missing words from |
| Practice tests can be found with study guides in | | | | your own vocabulary. |
| the law enforcement training fields, but also in a | | | | The Cloze Reading test does not have multiple |
| number of other professional fields, such as the | | | | choice answers. Your only "hints" are from the |
| hard sciences. For your purposes, specific reading | | | | passage content preceding and following the |
| comprehension practice tests will help you hone | | | | missing word sentences. |
| your information gathering and identifying skills. | | | | There are two study actions you can take to |
| The idea is to teach yourself to absorb | | | | support your efforts in this portion of the |
| information you read in a structured way, so that | | | | California Highway Patrol written test: |
| it can be easily identified for different purposes | | | | 1. Find and take practice Cloze tests -- repeat |
| later. | | | | these tests -- even when the correct words |
| When tackling the reading comprehension portion | | | | come easily, to reinforce your identification |
| of the California Highway Patrol written test, keep | | | | processes and acclimate your mind to the idea of |
| three things in mind: | | | | interjecting words to complete sentences. |
| 1. Stick to the reading comprehension process | | | | 2. Pick up a book of word games where the |
| you've been using in practice. Do not break your | | | | object of the word puzzle is to fill in missing |
| training habits in a test environment. You will lose | | | | words. While this form of practice doesn't use law |
| time, lose focus, and may lose your shot at a | | | | enforcement events or terminology, it does force |
| CHP career. | | | | you to accept the process of completing written |
| 2. Base your answer choices only on the | | | | text by supplying missing words. |
| information in the passage. Do not allow personal | | | | An additional factor in the Cloze test is the |
| knowledge or opinions to influence your correct | | | | procedure for coding your answers. This is where |
| answer choice. | | | | a practice test is extremely useful, as the |
| 3. Stay focused on each step of your | | | | procedure is multi-step and offers opportunities to |
| comprehension process. Do not get hung up on | | | | throw your correct answer out the window |
| information that does not relate to the test | | | | through incorrect coding. |