Confusing grammar and wording on CD Practice Exam Form 1 Case Study 2

Case Study 2 in the Form 1 Practice Exam for CE includes awkward grammar and an undefined reference.

The last sentence of the first paragraph in the Scenario text is awkwardly worded:

The project will also provide safe, direct access to a second passenger boarding platform at on the south side of the railroad tracks.

Sentence should use “at” or “on,” not “at on.”

Second paragraph of the scenario (after the bullet points) includes reference to something called “Normal:”

For changes that arise during construction, Normal plans to use unit cost (rather than lump sum) construction pricing to form the basis of any future change orders and avoid prolonged negotiations.

What is the entity referred to as “Normal?” Is it meant to be the owner (town name), architect (firm name) or contractor? It is not referenced anywhere else in the Scenario or Case Study references. It’s unexplained presence only serves to distract the test taker and risk tricking them into wasting valuable time searching for its relevance in the references.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention, @bmurphy! I’ve passed this onto our team to review and we will adjust as appropriate.

Your last point about these being distractors is actually spot on to how the ARE is structured. You will often find irrelevant information or confusing wording that could steer you in the wrong direction. It is important to decipher what a question is asking and focus on only the relevant points for that particular scenario. As you mentioned, you don’t want to waste valuable time on something that will not lead to to the correct answer.

Kiara Galicinao, AIA, NCARB
Product Coordinator
Black Spectacles