Sample Intelligence Test Items: Verbal

Sample Intelligence Test Items: Verbal  The following sample questions are similar to those that appear on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), a test designed to measure general intelligence. The verbal subtests are shown here. Sample Questions Information-Asks a series of questions designed to tap general knowledge about common events, objects, places, and people. How many wings does a bird have? How many nickels make a dime? What is steam made of? Who wrote Tom Sawyer ? What is pepper? Comprehension-Asks questions designed to measure practical knowledge and understanding of social rules and concepts. What should you do if you see someone forget his book when he leaves a restaurant? What is the advantage of keeping money in a bank? Why is copper often used in electrical wires? Arithmetic-Requires solving a series of arithmetic problems. The examinee must solve the problems mentally, without the use of pencil or paper, and respond orally within a time limit. The test measures elementary knowledge of arithmetic. Sam had three pieces of candy and Joe gave him four

more. How many pieces of candy did Sam have altogether?  Three women divided 18 golf balls equally among themselves. How many golf balls did each person receive? If two buttons cost 15 cents, what will be the cost of a dozen buttons? Similarities-Presents two words that represent common objects or concepts. The examinee is asked to state how the objects or concepts are similar. The task is designed to measure logical or abstract thinking and the ability to categorize and generalize. In what way are a lion and a tiger alike? In what way are a saw and a hammer alike? In what way are an hour and a week alike? In what way are a circle and a triangle alike? Vocabulary-The examinee is asked to orally define words covering a wide range of difficulty. The test is designed to measure knowledge of words, which correlates with general mental ability. 1. What does retain mean? 2. What does robust  mean? 3. What does sojourn mean? 4. What does harass mean? 5. What does desultory mean? 6. What does inclement mean? Digit Span-Asks the examinee to repeat strings of  numbers that the examiner reads aloud, either in the same order as spoken or in reverse. The test is

designed to measure attention span and working memory, which holds information in storage temporarily. Digits forward Correct response 3-9 3-9 4-2-6 4-2-6 7-1-8-7 7-1-8-7 5-8-2-3-9 5-8-2-3-9 Digits backward Correct response 4-7 7-4 3-9-1 1-9-3 2-1-4-6 6-4-1-2 8-5-6-3-1 1-3-6-5-8

Source: Simulated items similar to those in the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale: Third Edition. Copyright (c)1997 by The Psychological Corporation. Reproduced by permission. All rights reserved. 'Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale' and 'WAIS' are registered trademarks of The Psychological Corporation.

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