Barclays Capital

September 2002
Why are aptitude tests used?
There is good evidence that tests, which are professionally used and evaluated, can provide
objective, reliable and relevant information concerning the likelihood of job success and
satisfaction.

Tests can help you:

§ be fairly assessed in a competitive situation

§ find out more about your own strengths and weaknesses
§ select a career path for which you are suited
§ to be comprehensively assessed for selection, development or counseling purposes

Tests enable the employer to:

§ select people best suited to the demands of the job

§ identify areas of weakness for staff development
§ counsel staff appropriately
§ place personnel appropriately within the organisation

This collection of sample tests introduces you to the types of aptitude measures used by
Barclays Capital in their graduate recruitment. This document should help you familiarise
yourself with the types of questions that you will be asked at the test session.

What sorts of tests might I have to do?

The tests you will be asked to complete will measure skills relevant to the job, position or
responsibilities for which you are being considered. Different jobs make different demands
on individuals. However, extensive analyses of many managerial and professional jobs have
shown that competence in verbal and numerical critical reasoning is a common
requirement.

To see whether you feel you have the relevant skills required, work through the following
questions as quickly and accurately as you can. Please bear in mind that given enough
time, most people can complete the samples correctly. We are looking to test your natural
ability and as such you should be able to complete the samples quickly. In a test session,
you will have tight time constraints. You can use a calculator for the numerical reasoning
tests.

You will only be asked to take the diagrammatic and syntax checking tests if you are
applying for a role in technology.

The answers to the examples can be found on the back page. Results of the sample tests
will not be collected.

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Verbal Reasoning Test – 3 Sample Questions

This test consists of three passages. From each passage you will be given 3 statements
relating to the text in the passage. You will be asked to respond to each statement with
‘true’, ‘false’ or ‘can’t say’.

Answer ‘true’ if the statement is evidently true given the information stated in the text, or
follows logically given the information contained in the text.

Answer ‘false’ if the statement is evidently untrue given the information stated in the text,
or the opposite follows logically given the information contained in the text.

Answer ‘can’t say’ if you are not able to categorically answer true or false to the statement
given the information held in the text.

3

Instructions
All of the tests are multiple
choice. For each question you
are given a number of possible
answers.
Only one answer is correct in
each case. Select your answer
and fill in the appropriate
circle on the answer sheet
provided.
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Sample 1:
The government declared a state of disaster to deal with critical food
shortages, authorising emergency measures to assist food distribution.
The proclamation blamed the “prevalent drought”, but relief officials
said that agricultural disruption caused by government-sanctioned
farm invasions had worsened the problem. The country was once a
net grain exporter, but now more than half the population of 13
million urgently needs food aid. (The Economist)
1. Relief officials cited the government as contributing to the state of
disaster.
2. Food shortages are caused primarily by Government’s sanctioned
farm invasions
3. Emergency measures to combat the critical food shortage include
food distribution strategies
Sample 2:
When business models don’t work, it’s because they fail either the
narrative test (the story doesn’t make sense) or the numbers test (the
P&L doesn’t add up). The business model of on-line grocers, for
instance, failed the numbers test. The grocery industry has very thin
margins to begin with, and on-line merchants incurred new costs for
marketing, service, delivery, and technology. Since customers weren’t
willing to pay significantly more for groceries bought on-line than in
stores, there was no way the maths could work. Internet grocers had
plenty of company. Many ventures in the first wave of electronic
commerce failed simply because the basic business maths was flawed.
4. On-line grocery shopping was not the only type of e-commerce to
fail.
5. On-line grocers failed to take into account increased costs in
offering their products via the internet.
6. Grocers usually operate on a 1.5 to 3 percent margin.
A = True Sample 3:
B = False
Researchers said they suspect properties found in black and green tea
C = Can’t Say
may be protecting the heart. The heavy tea drinkers in the study --
those who drank two or more cups of tea a day -- had a 44 percent
Answer Sheet 1 lower death rate following their heart attack, compared with
Verbal Reasoning Test nondrinkers. The study found even a benefit in moderate tea drinkers.
Those who drank fewer than 14 cups a week had a 28 percent lower
A B C death rate. In the study, researchers asked 1,900 heart attack
1 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ survivors about their tea consumption before their heart problem and
2 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ followed them for up to four years. Researchers said there's good
3 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ reason to believe it's the flavonoids – antioxidants found naturally in
4 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ various foods derived from plants -- that are protecting the heart by
relaxing the blood vessels so blood can flow more easily. There's also
5 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ
evidence to suggest flavonoids may prevent LDL cholesterol -- the so-
6 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ
called bad cholesterol -- from becoming really bad cholesterol. The
7 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ
study did not ask patients about decaffeinated tea use, but there's no
8 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ reason to believe caffeine makes a difference in the benefit. However,
9 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ herbal teas would not provide the same benefits since the chemical
makeup is different to that found in black and green tea. Dark beer,
wine and whiskey also contain flavonoids but in amounts lower than
that found in tea.

7. Decaffeinated tea contains no flavonoids.

8. Dark beer is likely to be as effective as tea in helping people survive
heart attacks.
9. There is a linear relationship between tea consumption and
surviving heart attacks.

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 Critical Reasoning Test - 1 Sample Question
You will be presented with a situation from which you will be asked 3 questions. Read the
questions carefully and select one of the 5 options given in each case.

Only one response is correct for each question.

Sample 1
Instructions
§ The XYZ building is bigger than the Town Hall, which is bigger
than the Convention Center.
All of the tests are multiple
§ The Train Station is bigger than the XYZ building.
choice. For each question you
§ The ABC building is the newest building in town and the Bus
are given a number of possible
Depot the oldest.
answers.
§ The Post Office is newer than the Town Hall, but older than the
Train Station.
Only one answer is correct in
§ The Department Store is newer than the Post Office.
each case. Select your answer
§ New buildings are always bigger than older buildings.
and fill in the appropriate
circle on the answer sheet
1. Which is the smallest building in town?
provided.
a. Department Store
b. Bus Depot
c. Town Hall
d. Convention Center
Answer Sheet 2 e. Can’t say
Critical Reasoning Test
2. Which is the second newest building in town?
A B C D E a. Post Office
1 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ b. Train Station
2 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ c. Department Store
3 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ d. XYZ building
e. Can’t say

3. Which of the following is not true?

a. The department store is bigger than the Convention Center.
b. The Town Hall is bigger than the Convention Center.
c. The Convention Centre is bigger than the Post Office.
d. The XYZ building is smaller than the ABC building.
e. The post office is bigger than Town Hall.

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 Numerical Test Section 1 – 3 Sample Questions
You will be presented with 3 questions, each of which has 5 options from which to choose.
Only one response is correct for each question.

Sample 1:
Instructions
1. X is one-half as big as Y. Z is three times bigger than Y. How many
times bigger than X is Z?
All of the tests are multiple
a. 6
choice. For each question you
b. 7
are given a number of possible
c. 8
answers.
d. 9
e. 10
Only one answer is correct in
each case. Select your answer Sample 2:
and fill in the appropriate
circle on the answer sheet 2. One company adds employees at 3/5 the rate of another. If both

provided. companies combined add 800 employees in four years, how many
employees does the faster growing company add in two years?
a. 150 employees
Answer Sheet 3 b. 225 employees
Numerical Reasoning Test c. 250 employees
d. 300 employees
A B C D E e. 500 employees
1 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ
2 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ Sample 3:
3 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ 3. When the rocket has burned 1/5 of its fuel, it has enough fuel left
to fly for another 24 seconds. How much longer will it have to fly
when it has burned 2/3 of its fuel?
a. 4 seconds
b. 6 seconds
c. 7 seconds
d. 8.5 seconds
e. 10 seconds

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 Numerical Section 2 – 3 Sample Questions
You will be presented with information in the form of tables, charts and text. You will be
given 3 questions relating to each piece of data, each of which has 5 options from which to
choose. Only one response is correct per question.

Sample 1:
Instructions
College Year 1 Enrolment Year 2 Enrolment
Business 2007 2196
All of the tests are
Education 1148 1263
multiple choice. For
each question you are Science & Social Studies 1102 1233
given a number of Fine Arts 809 617
possible answers. General Studies 1304 1189
6370 6498
Only one answer is
correct in each case. 1. The College of Education’s Year 2 enrolment increased by?
Select your answer and a. 5 percent
fill in the appropriate b. 7 percent
circle on the answer c. 11 percent
sheet provided. d. 10 percent
e. 9 percent

2. Which two colleges had the same number of students change their
enrolment between their Year 1 and Year 2?
a. Business & Education
b. Fine Arts & Education
c. Fine Arts & General Studies
d. General Studies & Education
e. none of the colleges

3. Overall enrolment change __________ per cent in Year 2?

a. increased 1
b. increased 1.5
c. increased 5
d. increased 2
e. increased 2.5

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 Sample 2:
Red and Blue Plant Production Data

18
16
14
12

Defects
10 Red Plant
8 Blue Plant
6
4
2
0
1998 1999 2000

1998 1999 2000

Units Produced (m) 2 2 2.2
Red Plant Turnover (%) 23 20 15
Training Costs (,000s) 220 350 460
Units Produced (m) 1 1.5 2
Blue Plant Turnover 11 9 8
Training Costs (,000s) 80 80 50
4. Which of the following statements may not be true?
a. the blue plant is more productive
b. the red plant has higher training costs
c. defects & training costs have an inverse relationship
d. the red plant’s turnover costs are decreasing
e. none are false

5. The most efficient use of training in reducing defects occurred in:

a. the blue plant in 1998
b. the red plant in 1999
c. the blue plant in 1999
d. the red plant in 2000
e. the blue plant in 2000

6. Assuming each defect costs the red plant $10,000, in what year did the
cost of training to eliminate defects exceed the costs of the defect?
a. 1998
b. 1999
c. 2000
d. never has
e. always has

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 Sample 3:
JADT Mining Summary Statistics
Answer Sheet 4
1997 Mine A Mine T Mine D Mine J
Numerical Reasoning Test
Revenue 17,943,092 12,002,993 7,255,092 23,034,782
A B C D E Expenses 17,290,332 12,449,002 7,295,321 21,889,052
1 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ Employees 822 668 422 832
2 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ Tons Excavated 48.5 31.7 18.8 53.9
3 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ Gold Extracted 2.35 1.25 0.92 2.69
4 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ Silver Extracted 5.65 3.27 1.23 6.01
5 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ 1998 Mine A Mine T Mine D Mine J
6 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ Revenue 18,562,910 11,478,659 8,522,202 23,592,228
7 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ Expenses 17,840,772 11,866,002 7,963,729 22,190,442
8 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ Employees 856 631 456 848
9 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ Tons Excavated 50.2 30.0 20.7 54.4
Gold Extracted 2.12 1.55 1.01 2.79
Silver Extracted 5.82 3.44 1.35 6.06
7. Which mine showed the greatest absolute increase in revenue from
1997 to 1998?
a. Mine A
b. Mine T
c. Mine D
d. Mine J
e. Mines A and D had the same increase

8. Which mine produced the most gold as a percent of “tons

excavated” in 1997?
a. Mine A
b. Mine T
c. Mine D
d. Mine J
e. Mines T and D produced the same percentage.

9. Which mine produced the greatest gross profit in 1997?

a. Mine A
b. Mine T
c. Mine D
d. Mine J
e. None of the mines were profitable

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 Diagrammatic Reasoning
In this test, you are shown a number of diagrams in which figures in
boxes are altered by rules shown as symbols in the circles.

The rules can alter each figure by changing its colour, its size or by
turning it upside down. Paths through each diagram are shown as
black or white arrows. You must follow paths which include only one
type of arrow. Work out what each rule does and then answer the
questions below each diagram.

Look at the example below.

In the diagram, working horizontally, the white square becomes a black

square so X must be a colour-changing rule. Working vertically, the
white triangle becomes a black circle. Since we know that X changes
the colour of a figure, // must be a shape-changing rule. Applying
these rules to the question, it is possible to identify that the white circle
becomes a black triangle, so D is the correct answer to the question.

See how many you can do in 5 minutes.

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Answer Sheet 6

Diagrammatic Reasoning
Test

A B C D E
1 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ
2 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ
3 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ
4 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ
5 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ
6 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ

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 Syntax Checking
In this test, you will find lines taken from a mock programming
language. Some lines do not conform to the rules of the language.
Your task is to find which rules (if any) have been broken.

The rules for building these lines are found in the boxes below. There
are two sorts of lines: those specified by an ‘X’ and those specified by a
‘Y’. Each sort of line has its own set of 3 rules.

Using the appropriate set of rules, you must check which, if any, of the
3 rules have been broken. If a rule has been broken, fill in the
appropriate circle on the answer sheet. More than one rule may be
broken, so you may need to fill in more than one circle. If no rule has
been broken fill in circle D on the answer sheet.

Look at the following example:

X Feature 16; update file list

This is an ‘X’ line, so look at the “Rules for Building ‘X’ lines”. Rule A
has been broken, as there is no semi-colon at the end of the line. Rule
B has been broken because the number 16 does not appear in
brackets/parentheses. Therefore, circles A and B should be filled in, as
below.

Example l l Ⓒ Ⓓ

Now see how many of the following questions you can complete in 3
minutes.

Rules for building ‘X’ lines
A. Lines must end in a semi-
colon
B. Numbers must be in
brackets/parentheses
C. All characters may be used
except for # ‘’
Rules for building ‘Y’ lines
A. Lines must begin with the
word Comment
B. Numbers must be in
quotation marks (e.g. ‘9’)
C. All characters may be used
except for . @ &

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 Remember, fill in circle D if no rules are broken.
Answer Sheet 5
1 X Set Var PQ to 10;
Syntax Checking Test
2 X Change character set to ‘modern’ Greek;
3 Y Comment Flag next 5 lines.
A B C D
4 Y Comment. Move (file) To Directory (new)
1 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ
5 Y Comment Read Value From Register (2);
2 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ
6 X Stop run if ABC < (23);
3 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ
7 Y copy All Strings equal to ‘6’ & ‘ 7’ letters to buffer ‘1’
4 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ 8 Y Comment Let String – ‘10’
5 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ 9 X Allocate Demarcation (#) Bounds
6 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ 10 Y If A Greater Than 10, Replace Value A With Upper Value B
7 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ 11 X Enables Automatic Printing, Speed # 200;
8 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ 12 X Cut file (XY) from line (8) to 921);

9 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ
10 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ
11 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ
12 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ

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You will find the correct answers on the back page of this document.

The sample questions give an indication of the difficulty of the tests you will be given at a
test session. If you are able to perform at this level, you stand a good chance of succeeding
at the first stage of our recruiting process. Past experience tells us that if you are unable to
complete the majority of the sample questions correctly, you are unlikely to be successful in
your application to Barclays Capital. Please take this into consideration when deciding to
register for a test session.

Be prepared for the test session

§ Get a good night’s sleep before the tests.

§ Give yourself plenty of time to get to the test session.
§ If you wear glasses or a hearing aid, be sure to take them with you.
§ Make sure you take a calculator to the test session.

At the Session

§ Listen carefully to the instructions.

§ Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
§ Read each question carefully before answering.
§ Work quickly and accurately – Each test has a time limit and you will be advised in
advance how long you have for each test.

Results obtained from tests will be kept confidential.

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Answers

Answer Sheet 1 Answer Sheet 2 Answer Sheet 3

Verbal Reasoning Test Critical Reasoning Test Numerical Reasoning Test

A B C A B C D E A B C D E
1 ● Ⓑ Ⓒ 1 Ⓐ ● Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ 1 ● Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ
2 Ⓐ Ⓑ ● 2 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ ● 2 Ⓐ Ⓑ ● Ⓓ Ⓔ
3 ● Ⓑ Ⓒ 3 Ⓐ Ⓑ ● Ⓓ Ⓔ 3 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ ●
4 ● Ⓑ Ⓒ
5 ● Ⓑ Ⓒ
6 Ⓐ Ⓑ ●
7 Ⓐ Ⓑ ●
8 Ⓐ ● Ⓒ
9 Ⓐ Ⓑ ●

Answer Sheet 4 Answer Sheet 5 Answer Sheet 6

Numerical Reasoning Syntax Checking Test Diagrammatic Reasoning

Test Test
A B C D
A B C D E 1 Ⓐ ● Ⓒ Ⓓ A B C D E
1 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ ● Ⓔ 2 Ⓐ Ⓑ ● Ⓓ 1 Ⓐ ● Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ
2 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ ● Ⓔ 3 Ⓐ ● ● Ⓓ 2 Ⓐ Ⓑ ● Ⓓ Ⓔ
3 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ ● Ⓔ 4 Ⓐ Ⓑ ● Ⓓ 3 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ ● Ⓔ
4 Ⓐ Ⓑ ● Ⓓ Ⓔ 5 Ⓐ ● Ⓒ Ⓓ 4 ● Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ
5 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ ● 6 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ ● 5 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ ● Ⓔ
6 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ ● 7 ● Ⓑ ● Ⓓ 6 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ ●
7 Ⓐ Ⓑ ● Ⓓ Ⓔ 8 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ ●
8 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ ● Ⓔ 9 ● Ⓑ ● Ⓓ
9 Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ ● Ⓔ 10 ● ● Ⓒ Ⓓ
11 Ⓐ ● ● Ⓓ
12 Ⓐ ● Ⓒ Ⓓ

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