EPSO Translators Open Competition (AD)

EPSO verbal reasoning rule: an answer is correct only if it is fully supported by the passage. A text states: "The agency's budget rose in 2023 after two years of cuts." Which conclusion is best supported?

• AThe 2023 budget was higher than in any previous year
• BThe agency had reduced its budget in 2021 and 2022
• CThe budget will continue to rise in 2024
• DThe cuts were caused by poor management

Passage: "All translators in the unit who attended the terminology workshop received the new style guide. Marta is a translator in the unit but did not attend the workshop." Which statement must be true?

• AMarta did not receive the new style guide
• BMarta may or may not have received the new style guide
• CEveryone who received the style guide attended the workshop
• DMarta is not a translator in the unit

In EPSO verbal reasoning, distractors are often "too strong." A passage notes that "a study suggested a possible link between the two factors." Which option is the safest, best-supported reading?

• AThe study proved the two factors are causally linked
• BThe study found no relationship between the factors
• CA study indicated a potential association between the factors
• DThe two factors are definitely unrelated

Passage: "The Commission may, but is not obliged to, consult the committee before adopting the measure." Which conclusion follows?

• AThe Commission must consult the committee
• BConsultation of the committee is optional for the Commission
• CThe committee can block the measure
• DThe measure cannot be adopted without consultation

Passage: "Renewable capacity grew fastest in Country A, while Country B added the largest absolute amount of new capacity." Which is best supported?

• ACountry A added more capacity in absolute terms than Country B
• BCountry B had a higher growth rate than Country A
• CCountry A had the highest percentage growth, but not necessarily the largest absolute inc…
• DBoth countries grew at the same rate

Passage: "No proposal was rejected, although several were sent back for revision." Which statement must be true?

• AEvery proposal was accepted in its original form
• BAt least one proposal required changes before approval
• CAll proposals were withdrawn
• DThe committee approved no proposals

Passage: "Most respondents preferred option X; a minority preferred option Y; no respondent was undecided." Which conclusion is supported?

• AEvery respondent chose either X or Y
• BMore than half of respondents chose Y
• CSome respondents chose neither option
• DThe two options were equally popular

Passage: "The directive entered into force on the day after its publication and must be transposed within 24 months." If it was published on 1 March 2024, by when must Member States transpose it?

• ABy 1 March 2025
• BBy 2 March 2026
• CBy 1 March 2024
• DBy 2 March 2025

Passage: "Whereas earlier reports were criticised for being vague, this report sets out specific, measurable targets." What does the passage imply about the earlier reports?

• AThey contained specific, measurable targets
• BThey were praised for their precision
• CThey lacked specific, measurable targets
• DThey were never published

Passage: "Funding is available to any applicant who is established in a Member State and has been active for at least three years." A new organisation established last year in a Member State applies. Based only on the text:

• AIt is eligible because it is in a Member State
• BIt is not eligible because it has not been active for at least three years
• CIt is eligible because no time limit applies
• DIts eligibility cannot be determined from the text

Passage: "The report neither confirms nor denies the allegations." Which conclusion is best supported?

• AThe report confirms the allegations
• BThe report takes no clear position on the allegations
• CThe report denies the allegations
• DThe allegations are proven false

Passage: "Unless the committee objects within ten working days, the proposal is deemed approved." The committee says nothing for fifteen working days. What follows?

• AThe proposal is rejected
• BThe proposal is deemed approved
• CThe committee must vote again
• DThe deadline is extended automatically

Passage: "Although exports increased, the trade deficit widened because imports grew even faster." Which is best supported?

• AImports grew by a larger amount than exports
• BExports fell during the period
• CThe trade deficit narrowed
• DImports remained constant

Passage: "The proposal was supported by all delegations except one, which abstained." How many delegations voted against the proposal?

• AAll but one
• BOne
• CNone
• DIt cannot be determined

Passage: "The pilot scheme will be extended only if both cost savings and user satisfaction targets are met." The cost savings target was met, but user satisfaction fell short. What follows?

• AThe scheme will be extended
• BThe scheme will not be extended
• CThe scheme will be extended at reduced scale
• DIt cannot be determined

Numerical reasoning: A department's budget rose from EUR 4.0 million to EUR 4.6 million. What is the percentage increase?

• A12%
• B15%
• C6%
• D60%

Numerical reasoning: A table shows Country A produced 1,200 GWh from 300 turbines and Country B produced 1,800 GWh from 600 turbines. Which country had the higher output per turbine?

• ACountry A, at 4 GWh per turbine
• BCountry B, at 4 GWh per turbine
• CCountry A, at 3 GWh per turbine
• DThey were equal at 3 GWh per turbine

Numerical reasoning: A region has a population of 2,000,000 over an area of 25,000 km². What is its population density?

• A80 people per km²
• B8 people per km²
• C800 people per km²
• D125 people per km²

Numerical reasoning: A translator was paid EUR 0.12 per word and earned EUR 360 for a project. How many words did the project contain?

• A3,000 words
• B300 words
• C4,320 words
• D30,000 words

Numerical reasoning: Of 1,616 applicants, 918 were invited to the tests. Approximately what percentage were invited?

• AAbout 57%
• BAbout 43%
• CAbout 76%
• DAbout 64%

Numerical reasoning: A chart shows sales of 240 in Q1, 300 in Q2, 270 in Q3 and 390 in Q4. What was the average quarterly sales figure?

• A300
• B320
• C290
• D310

Numerical reasoning: A price of EUR 80 is reduced by 25%, then the reduced price is increased by 20%. What is the final price?

• AEUR 72
• BEUR 76
• CEUR 80
• DEUR 68

Numerical reasoning: Two countries have GDPs of EUR 500bn and EUR 750bn and populations of 10 million and 25 million respectively. Which has the higher GDP per capita?

• AThe first country, at EUR 50,000 per capita
• BThe second country, at EUR 50,000 per capita
• CThe first country, at EUR 30,000 per capita
• DThey are equal at EUR 30,000 per capita

Numerical reasoning: A document of 5,000 words must be translated at 250 words per hour. If work starts at 09:00, at what time will it be finished, assuming no breaks?

• A29:00 (next day)
• B09:00 the next day plus 5 hours
• CAt 29 hours later than 09:00, i.e. 14:00 the next day
• DWithin 20 hours of starting, at 05:00 the next day

Numerical reasoning: In a survey, 360 of 1,200 respondents chose option A. If the same proportion applies to a population of 50,000, how many would be expected to choose A?

• A15,000
• B12,000
• C18,000
• D5,000

Abstract reasoning principle: in EPSO pattern sequences you identify the rule governing changes from one figure to the next. A series rotates a single arrow 90 degrees clockwise each step. After pointing up, then right, then down, the next figure should point:

• AUp
• BLeft
• CRight
• DDown

Abstract reasoning: a sequence shows dots increasing 1, 2, 4, 8 in successive figures. How many dots should the next figure contain?

• A16
• B12
• C10
• D14

Abstract reasoning: in each figure, a shape alternates between black and white while its number of sides increases by one (triangle, square, pentagon...). If figure 3 is a white pentagon, figure 4 should be a:

• ABlack hexagon
• BWhite hexagon
• CBlack pentagon
• DWhite heptagon

Abstract reasoning: a 3x3 grid has one cell missing. Across each row, the number of internal lines decreases by one. The first two cells in the bottom row have 4 and 3 lines. The missing third cell should have:

• A2 lines
• B5 lines
• C1 line
• D3 lines

Abstract reasoning: which approach best avoids errors when several distractors look plausible in an EPSO pattern question?

• APick the most visually complex option
• BIdentify the rule, then test it against every figure before choosing
• CAlways choose the option that differs most from the others
• DSelect the first option that looks reasonable to save time

Abstract reasoning: a figure contains an outer square, an inner circle, and a central dot. Each step, the outer shape gains one side and the inner shape loses one. If now an outer square (4 sides) holds an inner triangle (3 sides), the next figure should hold:

• AAn outer pentagon containing an inner line/segment (2 sides)
• BAn outer triangle containing an inner square
• CAn outer square containing an inner circle
• DAn outer hexagon containing an inner pentagon

Abstract reasoning: a sequence is 2, 3, 5, 8, 12, ... where the gap between terms increases by one each time. What is the next term?

• A17
• B16
• C15
• D18

Language knowledge (vocabulary): Choose the word that most nearly means "to make a problem worse."

• AAlleviate
• BExacerbate
• CMitigate
• DResolve

Language knowledge (grammar): Choose the grammatically correct sentence.

• ANeither the director nor the translators was available.
• BNeither the director nor the translators were available.
• CNeither the director nor the translators is available.
• DNeither the director or the translators were available.

Language knowledge (spelling): Which word is spelled correctly?

• AAccomodate
• BAccommodate
• CAcommodate
• DAccommadate

Language knowledge (punctuation): Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly?

• AThe committee published it's report.
• BThe committee published its report.
• CThe committees report was late.
• DThe committee published its' report.

Language knowledge (idiom): Complete the idiom: "The two reports were broadly similar; the differences were merely a matter of ___."

• Adegree
• Bamount
• Cquantity
• Dsize

Language knowledge (register): In a formal EU document, which is the most appropriate way to introduce a consequence?

• ASo basically the deadline got moved.
• BConsequently, the deadline was postponed.
• CAnyway, the deadline's been pushed back.
• DAnd then they moved the deadline, like, a lot.

Language knowledge (vocabulary): Choose the word closest in meaning to "meticulous."

• ACareless
• BThorough
• CHasty
• DVague

Language knowledge (grammar): Choose the sentence with correct verb form.

• AIf the text were clearer, it would be easier to translate.
• BIf the text was clearer, it would been easier to translate.
• CIf the text would be clearer, it would be easier to translate.
• DIf the text is clearer, it would be easier to translate.

Language knowledge (vocabulary): Which word means "existing in name only, not in reality"?

• ANominal
• BNotional
• CNotorious
• DNominative

Language knowledge (grammar): Choose the correct preposition: "The proposal is consistent ___ the existing regulation."

• Ato
• Bwith
• Cof
• Dfor

Language knowledge (spelling): Which spelling is correct?

• ALiaison
• BLiason
• CLiaision
• DLiasion

Language knowledge (punctuation): Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

• AThe report, which was published in May covered three topics.
• BThe report, which was published in May, covered three topics.
• CThe report which was published in May, covered three topics.
• DThe report which, was published in May, covered three topics.

Language knowledge (idiom): Which option best completes the idiom: "After months of delay, the negotiators finally reached ___."

• Acommon ground
• Bcommon land
• Cshared floor
• Dmutual earth

Language knowledge (vocabulary): Choose the best synonym for "concise."

• AWordy
• BSuccinct
• CAmbiguous
• DElaborate

Language knowledge (grammar): Choose the sentence with correct pronoun case.

• AThe award was shared between she and I.
• BThe award was shared between her and me.
• CThe award was shared between she and me.
• DThe award was shared between her and I.