How to Shine in FSOT entrance exam and Some Free FSOT test Sample Questions for 2013-14
After the success of my blogs on Wonderlic Test Sample Questions, Auditing jobs, Administrative Jobs question and Accounting Jobs, now I want to create this blog for readers to do well in FSOT Exam. In my first FSOT Exam blog you will learn little bit about the test and in my other coming blogs you will see some practice sample questions.
Part 1-Info about FSOT Exam
What is FSOT?
Means Foreign Service officer test
Career opportunities
Taking the FSOT exam can lead to a life of adventure, travel, intrigue, and much more. The United States of America currently has over 260 diplomatic missions, such as consulates and embassies, all over the world. These are staffed by members of the Foreign Service. These people have the responsibility of representing America and her interests, promoting US foreign policy, and coming to the assistance of American citizens abroad who need help with various matters. Foreign Service officers also work in Washington, DC, at the State Department, the United States Agency for International Development, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Agriculture. All told, there are nearly 12,000 Foreign Service personnel, and every single one of them got started on the pathway to their prestigious job by taking the Foreign Service Officer Test, or FSOT.
FSOT test
The FSOT is one of the most difficult tests a person could ever take. Those who are successful on it are then asked to write several Personal Narrative Questions, or short essays. Only about a fourth of the people who take the FSOT will pass both parts of the process up to this point, and there are several more hoops to jump through before receiving an offer of employment in the Foreign Service. This demonstrates just how difficult the FSOT exam is. One of the main reasons the exam is so difficult is the fact that it is so wide ranging.
FSOT test breakdown
There are four parts to the test.
One section will require writing an essay in 30 minutes on an assigned topic. With many standardized tests, the essay is considered to be the hardest part of the exam. However, many of those who have taken the FSOT have said that the essay portion is one of the easier sections. Make no mistake; it’s still very difficult to write a high scoring FSOT essay, because the grading standards are so high. So, if many consider the essay the easiest part of the exam, you can imagine how difficult the other parts are. The other sections are English Expression and Usage, Biographic Information (where you answer questions about your life experiences), and Job Knowledge. The last section is the one that most people consider to be the most difficult. On this part, the test taker will answer questions about US history, world history, US politics, world politics, and more. These questions can span centuries, and require a broad, but in depth knowledge of history and politics both here and abroad. With a test as difficult as this as the initial barrier to employment, it’s no wonder that Foreign Service jobs are considered so prestigious.
FSOT test breakdown
•FSOT Communication
•FSOT Computer
•FSOT Economics
•FSOT Management
•FSOT Mathematics
•FSOT U.S. Culture
•FSOT U.S. Government
•FSOT World History & Geography
Trick to study
--READ A DAILY NEWSPAPER. I can't stress this enough. I recommend The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian (UK) and The International Herald-Tribune. You don't need to read it cover-to-cover, but you should be aware of what the heck is going on in the world. Sorry folks, but the New York Post, TMZ and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart don't count.
--Read a news magazine. Some people swear by The Economist, which I personally find rather dull. I prefer Time and Newsweek and even the occasional Vanity Fair article. But you should read something that delves a little deeper into issues than the daily newspaper.
--Read and know the U.S. Constitution. Learn all the Amendments to the Constitution. You don't need to memorize it word-for-word, but you should be able to immediately know, for example, that slavery was abolished by the 13th Amendment, that the 26th Amendment gave 18-year-olds the right to vote, etc. I create little memory tools. For example, let's take the 18th Amendment: 18 was once the legal age for drinking in the United States but has since been changed to 21; The 18th Amendment instituted Prohibition, which was later repealed by the 21st Amendment. Get it?
--Learn to type fast and accurately. Sadly, typing is a lost art form that is no longer taught in schools. If your typing skills are limited to "hunt & peck" or smart phone thumb texting, it's time to brush up on your typing speed. This will come in handy during the biographical and essay portions of the FSOT.
--Know basic computer skills. You should know how to use Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint for starters. The FSOT is administered on a standard PC. Sorry Apple fans, but the majority of government work is done on PCs.
--Consider joining and using Twitter. Why? Because of limited number of characters (140) will be good training for the biographical section of the FSOT. The answers on the Bio section are limited to about 300 characters, so Twitter will force you to condense your writing style. Also FYI, the State Department has several official Twitter accounts worth following including Dipnote. Most US embassies abroad also Tweet!
--Read "Career Diplomacy" by Kopp & Gillespie. This is more a necessity for the oral exam but it's also a good book to know what you're getting yourself into! Two other good books in this category are "Realities of Foreign Service Life, Vol. 2" and "Inside a U.S. Embassy".
The day before the test, do NOT study. Take a day off and RELAX. Go watch a movie. Go for a walk. Go out to dinner, but don't stay out late. Get a good night's sleep. Wake up early. Eat breakfast, even if you're not a breakfast person. Don't be late. Wear what's comfortable - unlike the orals, there is no dress requirement for the written exam; I took the test at US Embassy London and wore frayed jeans and my lucky George Mason University sweatshirt! Most of all, have fun! If you enjoy board games, puzzles, crosswords, Sudoku, pub quizzes, Trivial Pursuit and other mind challenges, go in with the mindset that the FSOT is just a mind game...albeit with a much bigger prize at the end for the winners! The Foreign Service is not just a job...it's a way of life!
Part 2-Free FSOT test Sample Questions for 2013-14
World History and Geography 1-15
Q1.
If you wanted to find out which page in the atlas had a map that showed the city of Dakar, where would you look?
A. The World Map Projections pages
B. The Index
C. The World Facts page
D. The Earth Notes page
Q 2.
Which region in Africa has the highest elevation?
A. Northern coast
B. Western coast
C. Southwestern
D. Eastern
Q 3.
Of the following four cities in southern Africa, which is a national capital?
A. Luanda, Angola
B. Durban, South Africa
C. Kananga, Zaire
D. Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Q 4
Which of the following is the highest?
A. Lake Titicaca
B. Gran Chaco
C. Parana River
D. Brazilian Highlands
Q 5
Which of these four countries is crossed by the equator?
A. Bolivia
B. Australia
C. India
D. Indonesia
Q 6
In which city is the United Nations headquarters located?
A. New York
B. London
C. Brussels
D. Stockholm
Q 7
What was the economic practice of many European nations in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in which they sought cheap raw materials from which to create finished products that could be exported to build the nation's wealth, justifying their colonial empires?
A. free enterprise
B. mercantilism
C. barter systems
D. socialism
Q 8
Which of the following was a church practice condemned in the works of Martin Luther fueling the Protestant Reformation?
A. The selling of indulgences
B. The confiscation of property by local churches
C. The selection process for the pope
D. The corruption of kings condoned by the church
Q 9
The ancient practice known as primogeniture applied to both property and monarchial succession resulting in the:
A. possible disinheritance of all children except the eldest
B. constant division of land holdings in Europe
C. absolute disinheritance of all female children
D. uncertainty of transfer of power upon the death of a monarch
Q 10
Which of the following was not a goal of the Spanish colonial system in the Americas in the sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries?
A. Accumulation of wealth by conquering indigenous populations
B. Expanding the influence of the Roman Catholic Church
C. Educating native populations to govern Spanish cities in the Americas
D. Advancing Spanish interests in the global climate of competition
Q 11
During the most active years of the Atlantic slave trade, from the late fifteenth century through the middle of the nineteenth century, the region that saw the highest numbers of slaves imported was:
A. British North America
B. Spanish America
C. British Caribbean
D. Continental Europe
Q 12
Enlightenment thinker John Locke is most noted for his writings concerning:
A. human rights
B. free enterprise
C. the scientific method
D. slavery
Q 13
Which of the following was a country considered to be behind the “Iron Curtain” in post-WWII Europe ?
A. Belgium
B. Poland
C. Austria
D. Greece
Q 14
The catastrophic 1972 Summer Olympics in which terrorists killed eleven Israeli athletes was held in:
A. Mexico City
B. Moscow
C. Munich
D. Montreal
Q 15
Which of the following nations was not once part of the British colonial empire?
A. Australia
B. India
C. Nigeria
D. Haiti
FSOT World History and Geography – Answer Key 1-15
1-B
2-D
3-A
4 -A
5-D
6. A. The U.N. headquarters was built in 1946 on 18 acres of land in New York City, donated to the organization by John D. Rockefeller. The land is considered international property.
7. B. Mercantilism led to wide-spread exploration and colonization around the world in pursuit of resources and new markets.
8. A. Luther and others in the Reformation movement believed that sinners who paid for indulgences or church forgiveness of sin without penalty still faced eternal consequences.
9. A. Primogeniture refers to the passage of all possessions and titles to the eldest child. Numerous forms of this have been practiced around the world throughout history. In many cases the laws have favored male children, but allowed some position for females in the line. In more modern times, monarchial succession in many places has changed to a gender neutral practice of primogeniture.
10. C. The Spanish had little interest in bettering the situation of native populations except as it applied to conversion to Catholicism and advancing Spanish interests.
11. C. Estimates place the number of slaves imported to British holdings in the Caribbean during that period at about 2.4 million, far exceeding estimates for the British colonies in North America which are believed to be about one half million.
12. A. Locke's ideas that all men are born with certain rights that government has an obligation to protect were the inspiration for much of the American Declaration of Independence. These ideas were a break with the historical tradition of hereditary monarchy with absolute power.
13. B. The “Iron Curtain” was a reference to the political and symbolic division of Europe after WWII, separating countries under Soviet influence or control from the rest of Europe .
14. C. Palestinian terrorists kidnapped and killed eleven Israeli athletes and a police officer. Since this tragedy, security at these games has been of the highest level.
15. D. Although an independent nation for many years, Haiti does have a history as a colonial possession of France .
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