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Exam Review

Key Facts: USAC PCB Guatemala Exam

61/100

Passing Score (Satisfactorio)

Reglamento del SUN, artículo 35

Q0.00

Exam Registration Fee

SUN USAC — Proceso de Ingreso

~1 hr

Time per Subject Test

USAC academic-unit PCB instructions

5 Subjects

Lenguaje, Matemática, Biología, Física, Química

Reglamento del SUN, artículos 24-25

No expiry

Validity of a Satisfactorio Result

Consejo Superior Universitario, acta 16-2013

The USAC Pruebas de Conocimientos Básicos (PCB) are the official, cost-free entrance tests administered by SUN for admission to Guatemala's national public university. Scored on a 0–100 scale with a 61-point 'Satisfactorio' threshold under artículo 35 of the Reglamento del SUN, each subject paper runs about an hour and is sat in Spanish. This 100-item bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation built from the five official SUN Guías Temáticas; it is not an official translation, an item-for-item simulation, or a substitute for the real papers.

Sample USAC PCB Guatemala Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the USAC PCB Guatemala exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In the communication process defined in the USAC Lenguaje syllabus, which element represents the physical medium or channel through which a message is transmitted from the sender to the receiver?
A.El canal
B.El código
C.El contexto
D.El referente
Explanation: The SUN Lenguaje guía temática lists the elements of communication as emisor, receptor, mensaje, código, canal, contexto and ruido. Of these, 'el canal' is the physical conduit, medium or sensory pathway — sound waves, paper, an electronic screen, optical fibre — through which the encoded message travels from the emisor to the receptor.
2Identify the communicative function that predominates in the following utterance: '¡Préstame atención inmediatamente y guarda silencio durante la explicación!'
A.Función conativa o apelativa
B.Función referencial o representativa
C.Función fática o de contacto
D.Función metalingüística
Explanation: The utterance is formulated as an explicit imperative command aimed at influencing, directing, or modifying the behavior of the receiver. In linguistic theory, this corresponds to the función conativa or apelativa (appellative/conative function), which is centered directly on the receptor.
3According to Ferdinand de Saussure's structural linguistics, which two inseparable components constitute the linguistic sign (el signo lingüístico)?
A.Significante y significado
B.Lengua y habla
C.Enunciado y enunciación
D.Sintagma y paradigma
Explanation: In Saussurean linguistics, the linguistic sign is a two-sided mental entity consisting of the 'significante' (the acoustic image or sound pattern) and the 'significado' (the mental concept or semantic representation), linked arbitrarily like two sides of a sheet of paper.
4In Spanish lexicography, which relationship correctly describes the word pair 'tubo' (a hollow cylinder) and 'tuvo' (third-person preterite of tener)?
A.Palabras homófonas
B.Palabras homógrafas
C.Palabras parónimas
D.Palabras antónimas
Explanation: 'Tubo' and 'tuvo' are homophones (palabras homófonas) because they share identical pronunciation in standard Spanish phonology (/ˈtubo/) due to betacism (the merger of /b/ and /v/), but possess different spelling (grafía) and distinct meanings.
5Spanish builds new words by prefixation, by composition and by parasynthesis. Which of these four words is parasynthetic (parasintética)?
A.Empobrecer
B.Reconstruir
C.Sacacorchos
D.Panadería
Explanation: In parasíntesis a prefix and a suffix attach to the base at the same time, so that neither the prefixed form nor the suffixed form exists on its own. 'Empobrecer' comes from the adjective 'pobre' with en-...-ecer (en- becomes em- before p). Spanish has neither *empobre nor *pobrecer, which shows both affixes were added in a single step.
6In the sentence 'Los investigadores entregaron el informe técnico a la decana ayer por la tarde', what syntactic function does the phrase 'a la decana' perform?
A.Objeto indirecto (complemento indirecto)
B.Objeto directo (complemento directo)
C.Complemento circunstancial de destinatario
D.Complemento agente
Explanation: The prepositional phrase 'a la decana' indicates the recipient or beneficiary of the verbal action 'entregaron' and can be substituted by the dative pronominal clitic 'le' ('Los investigadores le entregaron el informe técnico ayer por la tarde'), which confirms it is the objeto indirecto (indirect object).
7Which of the following sentences exhibits the linguistic error known as 'dequeísmo'?
A.Pienso de que la propuesta será aprobada por el consejo directivo.
B.Estoy seguro de que todos los estudiantes completaron el registro.
C.Nos enteramos de que las clases presenciales comenzarán el lunes.
D.Tiene miedo de que los resultados de la prueba se retrasen.
Explanation: 'Dequeísmo' is the inappropriate insertion of the preposition 'de' before the subordinating conjunction 'que' when introducing an object clause governed by a transitive verb that does not take a preposition. 'Pensar' takes a direct object ('Pienso eso', not *'Pienso de eso'), so the correct standard form is 'Pienso que la propuesta será aprobada'.
8Which of the following words must carry an orthographic accent mark (tilde diacrítica) in standard Spanish when used as an interrogative or exclamative pronoun?
A.Quién
B.Fe
C.Ti
D.Di
Explanation: 'Quién' takes an orthographic tilde diacrítica when it functions as an interrogative or exclamative word (e.g., '¿Quién llegó?', '¡Mira quién habla!'). The tilde distinguishes it from the unstressed relative pronoun 'quien', written without an accent (e.g., 'Quien avisa no es traidor'; 'el alumno, quien llegó ayer, recibió la beca').
9In Spanish morphosyntax, what type of subordinate clause is present in the sentence: 'El estudiante que obtuvo la calificación más alta recibió una beca completa'?
A.Proposición subordinada adjetiva (de relativo) especificativa
B.Proposición subordinada adjetiva (de relativo) explicativa
C.Proposición subordinada sustantiva de sujeto
D.Proposición subordinada adverbial causal
Explanation: The clause 'que obtuvo la calificación más alta' modifies the nominal antecedent 'El estudiante' directly without commas, restricting or specifying its referent from a larger set. It is therefore a proposición subordinada adjetiva o de relativo especificativa (restrictive relative clause).
10Identify the rhetorical figure of speech (figura retórica) used in the classical verse: 'Érase un hombre a una nariz pegado' by Francisco de Quevedo.
A.Hipérbole
B.Metonimia
C.Antítesis
D.Paradoja
Explanation: Quevedo's famous line uses extreme, deliberate exaggeration (hipérbole) to magnify the physical proportions of the nose to an impossible degree, claiming the man was attached to the nose rather than the nose to the man.

About the USAC PCB Guatemala Exam

The Pruebas de Conocimientos Básicos (PCB) are the centralized, standardized entrance examinations administered by the Sistema de Ubicación y Nivelación (SUN) of the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC), evaluating foundational secondary-school competencies in Spanish Language, Mathematics, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry.

Exam sponsor: Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala — Sistema de Ubicación y Nivelación (SUN). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Separate objective multiple-choice papers, each about an hour long, across up to five core secondary subjects: Lenguaje, Matemática, Biología, Física, and Química

Time Limit

Approximately 1 hour per subject test

Passing Score

61/100 points (Satisfactorio) — Reglamento del SUN, artículo 35

Exam / Certification Fees

Free (Q0.00 / Gratuito)

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

20 practice questions (~20% of bank)

Lenguaje (Language & Communication)

Communication models, linguistic functions, grammar categories, subject-predicate syntax, orthography, and inferential reading comprehension.

20 practice questions (~20% of bank)

Matemática (Mathematics & Maya Numeration)

Maya vigesimal numeral system, set theory and logic, ratios and percentages, algebraic operations and factoring, linear and quadratic equations, functions, geometry and trigonometry, and descriptive statistics.

20 practice questions (~20% of bank)

Biología (Biology & Cell Physiology)

Chemical basis of life, viruses and viral cycles, cell structure and membrane transport, cellular respiration, photosynthesis, mitosis and meiosis, Mendelian and molecular genetics, human anatomy and physiology, evolution, and ecology.

20 practice questions (~20% of bank)

Física (Physics & Classical Mechanics)

Significant figures and scientific notation, vectors, 1D kinematics, free fall, projectile and uniform circular motion, Newton's laws, work, energy and power, impulse and momentum, and elastic and inelastic collisions.

20 practice questions (~20% of bank)

Química (General Chemistry & Stoichiometry)

Measurement and unit conversion, matter and its properties, atomic structure and periodic trends, chemical bonding, inorganic nomenclature, reaction types and balancing, stoichiometry, empirical and molecular formulas, and the Arrhenius, Brønsted-Lowry and Lewis acid-base theories.

Preparing for the USAC PCB Guatemala Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 61/100 points (Satisfactorio) — Reglamento del SUN, artículo 35
  • Assessment: Separate objective multiple-choice papers, each about an hour long, across up to five core secondary subjects: Lenguaje, Matemática, Biología, Física, and Química
  • Time limit: Approximately 1 hour per subject test
  • Exam / certification fees: Free (Q0.00 / Gratuito) Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

USAC PCB Guatemala: Suggested Study Strategy

1Practice Maya vigesimal calculations, converting fluently between decimal numbers and Maya positional levels (values of 1, 20, 400, and 8,000).
2For the Mathematics and Physics sections, memorize standard algebraic formulas, kinematic equations, and trigonometric values for special angles (30°, 45°, 60°).
3In the Chemistry module, ensure mastery of chemical equation balancing, molar mass and empirical-formula computations, and oxidation-number assignment for inorganic nomenclature.
4In Spanish Language, learn the six funciones del lenguaje exactly as the SUN guía names them - informativa, emotiva, apelativa, poética, fática and metalingüística - and practise spotting syntactic agreement errors.
5In Biology, do not stop at the cell: the guía also examines human anatomy and physiology, vida saludable, evolution and ecology, which between them cover more of the syllabus than the cell chapters do.
6The Matemática guía states outright that the paper is sat without a calculator, so drill long multiplication, division and fraction arithmetic by hand.
7Manage the clock by topic rather than by item count: the paper runs about an hour and SUN does not publish how many questions it contains.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the USAC Pruebas de Conocimientos Básicos (PCB)?

The PCB are the centralized undergraduate entrance examinations administered by the Sistema de Ubicación y Nivelación (SUN) at the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC), testing high-school mastery in Spanish Language, Mathematics, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry.

What score is required to pass the USAC PCB?

A minimum score of 61 points out of 100 is required to earn a 'Satisfactorio' rating. Scores of 60 or below receive an 'Insatisfactorio' rating and must be retaken or cleared via the Programa Académico Preparatorio (PAP).

How much does it cost to take the USAC PCB?

The PCB examinations are completely free of charge (Q0.00). As the sole national public university in Guatemala, USAC provides the basic entrance examinations without application fees to all qualified high-school candidates.

Do USAC PCB results expire?

No. A 'Satisfactorio' result on a Pruebas de Conocimientos Básicos subject test does not expire, under punto sexto, inciso 6.1 of acta 16-2013 of the Consejo Superior Universitario. This is the point on which PCB differ from the Pruebas Específicas, which artículo 43 of the Reglamento del SUN limits to two years.

Is this practice question bank an official USAC examination?

No. The real PCB are set and sat in Spanish. This bank is an original English-language MCQ study adaptation written by OpenExamPrep against the official SUN Guías Temáticas, not an official translation of any USAC paper and not a simulation of the exam's language environment. Spanish grammatical terms, official names and answer options are kept in Spanish where the Spanish itself is the skill being tested.

What happens if I fail one of the PCB tests?

If you receive an 'Insatisfactorio' result, you may register for subsequent testing rounds within the annual calendar. Alternatively, you may enroll in the Programa Académico Preparatorio (PAP) semester-long leveling course to satisfy the requirement.