Hardest Linux Exam Quiz!

1. To display the last 10 lines of the text file afile.txt, you would type tail afile.txt

True

False

The statement is true because the "tail" command in Unix or Linux is used to display the last few lines of a text file. By typing "tail afile.txt", it will show the last 10 lines of the file "afile.txt".

Explanation

The statement is true because the "tail" command in Unix or Linux is used to display the last few lines of a text file. By typing "tail afile.txt", it will show the last 10 lines of the file "afile.txt".

2. Which Linux command provides the information by displaying the names of files in a directory?

Mv

Cp

Ln

Mkdir

Ls

The correct answer is "ls". The "ls" command is used in Linux to list the files and directories in a directory. It displays the names of the files in the specified directory, providing information about the contents of the directory.

Explanation

The correct answer is "ls". The "ls" command is used in Linux to list the files and directories in a directory. It displays the names of the files in the specified directory, providing information about the contents of the directory.

3. Pressing the up arrow key in Bash reveals commands you've recently typed.

True

False

Pressing the up arrow key in Bash allows users to access previously typed commands. This feature is useful as it saves time and effort by eliminating the need to retype long or complex commands. It also helps in avoiding typographical errors. By pressing the up arrow key, users can cycle through their command history and retrieve the desired command. This functionality is a convenient feature of the Bash shell.

Explanation

Pressing the up arrow key in Bash allows users to access previously typed commands. This feature is useful as it saves time and effort by eliminating the need to retype long or complex commands. It also helps in avoiding typographical errors. By pressing the up arrow key, users can cycle through their command history and retrieve the desired command. This functionality is a convenient feature of the Bash shell.

4. Which of the following basic commands will change the directory or take the user back to /home?

Rm

Cp

Cd

Head

Tail

The correct answer is "cd" because it is the basic command used to change the current directory in a command line interface. By typing "cd /home", the user will be taken back to the /home directory.

Explanation

The correct answer is "cd" because it is the basic command used to change the current directory in a command line interface. By typing "cd /home", the user will be taken back to the /home directory.

5. Which of the following commands displays the name of the directory in which you're working?

Wc

Cat

Echo

Cd

Pwd

The pwd command does as the question specifies, so option E is correct. The wc command counts lines, words, and characters in a text file, so option A is incorrect. The cat command concatenates multiple files or displays a file on the screen, so option B is incorrect. The echo command displays whatever text you give it, or the contents of a variable you give it, so option C is incorrect. The cd command changes the current working directory but does not display its name, so option D is incorrect.

Explanation

The pwd command does as the question specifies, so option E is correct. The wc command counts lines, words, and characters in a text file, so option A is incorrect. The cat command concatenates multiple files or displays a file on the screen, so option B is incorrect. The echo command displays whatever text you give it, or the contents of a variable you give it, so option C is incorrect. The cd command changes the current working directory but does not display its name, so option D is incorrect.

6. The files afile.txt and AFile.TXT can both exist on a Linux filesystem because Linux treats filenames in a _____-sensitive way.

Linux treats filenames in a case-sensitive way, which means that it differentiates between uppercase and lowercase letters in filenames. Therefore, both "afile.txt" and "AFile.TXT" can coexist on a Linux filesystem because they have different cases.

Explanation

Linux treats filenames in a case-sensitive way, which means that it differentiates between uppercase and lowercase letters in filenames. Therefore, both "afile.txt" and "AFile.TXT" can coexist on a Linux filesystem because they have different cases.

Submit

7. To view all your recent commands in the command history, type in the command __________.

To view all your recent commands in the command history, you need to type in the command "history". This command will display a list of all the commands that you have executed recently, allowing you to quickly access and review your past actions.

Explanation

To view all your recent commands in the command history, you need to type in the command "history". This command will display a list of all the commands that you have executed recently, allowing you to quickly access and review your past actions.

Submit

8. Partitioning a disk can enable you to install multiple OSs on one computer.

True

False

Partitioning a disk allows you to divide it into separate sections or partitions. Each partition can be formatted and used to install a different operating system. This enables you to have multiple operating systems on one computer, allowing you to switch between them as needed. Therefore, the statement is true.

Explanation

Partitioning a disk allows you to divide it into separate sections or partitions. Each partition can be formatted and used to install a different operating system. This enables you to have multiple operating systems on one computer, allowing you to switch between them as needed. Therefore, the statement is true.

9. You can delete any file on the computer by using rm as an ordinary user

True

False

Because of Linux’s security features, you can only delete files in directories to which you have write access. As an ordinary user, you should not have write access to most of the system directories, so rm won’t allow you to remove most system files.

Explanation

Because of Linux’s security features, you can only delete files in directories to which you have write access. As an ordinary user, you should not have write access to most of the system directories, so rm won’t allow you to remove most system files.

10. Which basic command will create a symbolic link (shortcut) to a file?

Cp

Touch

Echo

Ln

Cat

The ln command is used to create symbolic links (shortcuts) to files. It allows you to create a new file that points to an existing file, providing a convenient way to access the original file from a different location.

Explanation

The ln command is used to create symbolic links (shortcuts) to files. It allows you to create a new file that points to an existing file, providing a convenient way to access the original file from a different location.

11. Which of the following commands will print lines from the file world.txt that contain matches to changes and changed?

Find change[&c.circ;ds] world.txt

Cat world.txt changes changed

Find "change'd|s'" world.txt

Tar change[d-s] world.txt

Grep change[ds] world.txt

The grep utility finds matching text within a file and prints those lines. It accepts regular expressions, which means you can place in brackets the two characters that differ in the words for which you're looking. Option A shows the correct syntax for doing this. The tar utility creates or manipulates archive files, and option B's syntax is incorrect for any use of tar, so that option is incorrect. The find utility locates files based on filenames, file sizes, and other surface features. Furthermore, options C and E both present incorrect syntax for find, and so are incorrect. Option D's cat utility displays or concatenates files, so it won't have the desired effect and this option is wrong.

Explanation

The grep utility finds matching text within a file and prints those lines. It accepts regular expressions, which means you can place in brackets the two characters that differ in the words for which you're looking. Option A shows the correct syntax for doing this. The tar utility creates or manipulates archive files, and option B's syntax is incorrect for any use of tar, so that option is incorrect. The find utility locates files based on filenames, file sizes, and other surface features. Furthermore, options C and E both present incorrect syntax for find, and so are incorrect. Option D's cat utility displays or concatenates files, so it won't have the desired effect and this option is wrong.

12. You type touch afile.txt in a directory that contains no files. What will be the effect?

The afile.txt file from your home directory will be copied to the current directory.

The afile.txt file in your home directory will have its time stamps updated.

Nothing; the command will return without doing anything.

A new empty file called afile.txt will be created in the current directory.

The touch command will return a file not found error.

When you type "touch afile.txt" in a directory that contains no files, the effect will be that a new empty file called "afile.txt" will be created in the current directory. The "touch" command is used to update the access and modification timestamps of a file, but if the file does not exist, it will create a new empty file with the specified name.

Explanation

When you type "touch afile.txt" in a directory that contains no files, the effect will be that a new empty file called "afile.txt" will be created in the current directory. The "touch" command is used to update the access and modification timestamps of a file, but if the file does not exist, it will create a new empty file with the specified name.

13. Which Linux directory holds the system configuration files?

/etc

/bin

/lib

/usr

/home

The correct answer is /etc. The /etc directory in Linux holds the system configuration files. These files contain settings and parameters that determine how the operating system and various applications function. It is a central location for storing and managing important configuration files for the system.

Explanation

The correct answer is /etc. The /etc directory in Linux holds the system configuration files. These files contain settings and parameters that determine how the operating system and various applications function. It is a central location for storing and managing important configuration files for the system.

14. Which character has the specific purpose of specifying the root directory?

|

^

/

%

$

The character "/" is commonly used in computer systems to specify the root directory. It is used as a delimiter to separate directories in file paths and indicates the starting point or highest level of the directory hierarchy. In Unix-like systems, the root directory is represented by a single forward slash ("/"). Therefore, the character "/" serves the specific purpose of specifying the root directory.

Explanation

The character "/" is commonly used in computer systems to specify the root directory. It is used as a delimiter to separate directories in file paths and indicates the starting point or highest level of the directory hierarchy. In Unix-like systems, the root directory is represented by a single forward slash ("/"). Therefore, the character "/" serves the specific purpose of specifying the root directory.

15. Which key would you press if you wanted to do a command completion of a longer filename or command?

Tab

Spacebar

Enter

Shift

Ctrl

Pressing the Tab key allows for command completion of a longer filename or command. This key is commonly used in command line interfaces to automatically complete the rest of a command or filename based on what has been typed so far. It saves time and effort by reducing the need to type out the entire command or filename manually.

Explanation

Pressing the Tab key allows for command completion of a longer filename or command. This key is commonly used in command line interfaces to automatically complete the rest of a command or filename based on what has been typed so far. It saves time and effort by reducing the need to type out the entire command or filename manually.

16. Pressing the M key in top causes the display to change to sort processes by memory use

True

False

Pressing the M key in top causes the display to change to sort processes by memory use. This means that when the user presses the M key while using the "top" command, the display will be updated to show the processes sorted based on their memory usage. This allows the user to easily identify which processes are consuming the most memory on the system.

Explanation

Pressing the M key in top causes the display to change to sort processes by memory use. This means that when the user presses the M key while using the "top" command, the display will be updated to show the processes sorted based on their memory usage. This allows the user to easily identify which processes are consuming the most memory on the system.

17. Where do most log files reside on a Linux computer?

/home/logging

/usr/log

/etc/logging

/var/log

/log/usr

Most log files on a Linux computer are typically stored in the /var/log directory. This directory is commonly used to store system logs, application logs, and other log files generated by various processes running on the system. The /home/logging, /usr/log, /etc/logging, and /log/usr directories mentioned in the other options are not standard locations for log files on a Linux system.

Explanation

Most log files on a Linux computer are typically stored in the /var/log directory. This directory is commonly used to store system logs, application logs, and other log files generated by various processes running on the system. The /home/logging, /usr/log, /etc/logging, and /log/usr directories mentioned in the other options are not standard locations for log files on a Linux system.

18. Which character that represents the start of a line in a regular expression?

%

|

^

&

The character "^" represents the start of a line in a regular expression. It is used to match the beginning of a line or string. When "^" is placed at the beginning of a regular expression pattern, it ensures that the pattern is only matched if it occurs at the start of a line. Therefore, this character is the correct answer to the question.

Explanation

The character "^" represents the start of a line in a regular expression. It is used to match the beginning of a line or string. When "^" is placed at the beginning of a regular expression pattern, it ensures that the pattern is only matched if it occurs at the start of a line. Therefore, this character is the correct answer to the question.

19. What does the permission string -rwxrwx--- mean?

The file’s owner may read, write, and execute the file, but nobody else may access it.

All users of the computer may read, write, and execute the file.

The file is a directory. All users of the computer may read, write, and search the directory.

Option C correctly summarizes the meaning of the specified permission string. The description in option A would be represented by -rwx------, which is not the string shown in the question. Option B would be correct if the string began with d, indicating a directory; but the leading - indicates a data file rather than a directory. Option D’s description would require rwx in the last three characters of the permission string; but the --- indicates no world access. Option E combines the directory error of option B with the world-access error of option D and so is incorrect.

Explanation

Option C correctly summarizes the meaning of the specified permission string. The description in option A would be represented by -rwx------, which is not the string shown in the question. Option B would be correct if the string began with d, indicating a directory; but the leading - indicates a data file rather than a directory. Option D’s description would require rwx in the last three characters of the permission string; but the --- indicates no world access. Option E combines the directory error of option B with the world-access error of option D and so is incorrect.

20. To allow the man pages to be viewed a page at a time, which pager program is used for displaying man pages?

Apropos

Grep

Locate

Whatis

Less

The pager program used for displaying man pages a page at a time is "less".

Explanation

The pager program used for displaying man pages a page at a time is "less".

21. The main filesystem in Linux is referred to as the _____ and is represented with the / symbol.

In Linux, the main filesystem is referred to as the "root" and is represented with the "/" symbol. The root directory is the top-level directory in the file system hierarchy, serving as the parent directory for all other directories and files. It is denoted by the forward slash symbol ("/") and is the starting point for navigating the file system.

Explanation

In Linux, the main filesystem is referred to as the "root" and is represented with the "/" symbol. The root directory is the top-level directory in the file system hierarchy, serving as the parent directory for all other directories and files. It is denoted by the forward slash symbol ("/") and is the starting point for navigating the file system.

Submit

22. With most distributions, USB flash drives, and other removable media appear in subdirectories of /media

True

False

Most distributions of operating systems, such as Linux, have a default behavior where USB flash drives and other removable media are automatically mounted and appear in subdirectories of the /media directory. This allows users to easily access and manage the files on these devices. Therefore, the statement "With most distributions, USB flash drives, and other removable media appear in subdirectories of /media" is true.

Explanation

Most distributions of operating systems, such as Linux, have a default behavior where USB flash drives and other removable media are automatically mounted and appear in subdirectories of the /media directory. This allows users to easily access and manage the files on these devices. Therefore, the statement "With most distributions, USB flash drives, and other removable media appear in subdirectories of /media" is true.

23. Which of the following syntaxes will you use to extract a file using the tar command?

Tar -cvf {.tgz-file}

Tar -zxvf {.tgz-file}

Tar -zvf {.tgz-file}

Tar -zwvf {.tgz-file}

The correct syntax to extract a file using the tar command is "tar -zxvf {.tgz-file}". The "-z" option is used to specify that the file is compressed with gzip, the "-x" option is used to extract the file, the "-v" option is used to display the progress of the extraction, and the "-f" option is used to specify the name of the tar file.

Explanation

The correct syntax to extract a file using the tar command is "tar -zxvf {.tgz-file}". The "-z" option is used to specify that the file is compressed with gzip, the "-x" option is used to extract the file, the "-v" option is used to display the progress of the extraction, and the "-f" option is used to specify the name of the tar file.

24. The tail basic command will output the last _____ lines of a file.

5

10

15

20

25

The tail basic command will output the last 10 lines of a file.

Explanation

The tail basic command will output the last 10 lines of a file.

25. It is possible to see a list of all the directory paths in your Linux operating system by typing echo $PATH.

True

False

By typing "echo $PATH" in the Linux operating system, it will display a list of all the directory paths. This command is used to view the directories where the system looks for executable files. Therefore, the statement is true.

Explanation

By typing "echo $PATH" in the Linux operating system, it will display a list of all the directory paths. This command is used to view the directories where the system looks for executable files. Therefore, the statement is true.

26. You want to copy the contents of the ~/important directory, including all its subdirectories, to /media/usb. What command can you type to accomplish this goal?

Cp ~/important /media/usb

Cp -R ~/important /media/usb

Cp -u ~/important /media/usb

Cp -i ~/important /media/usb

Cp -f ~/important /media/usb

To copy an entire directory tree, you must use a recursive copy parameter, such as --recursive, -R, or -r. (An archive copy, as in --archive or -a, will also work.) Of the options shown here, only B includes one of these parameters, so it is correct. Option A lacks any parameters to cp, so it won’t work. Option C’s -u option performs an update copy—it copies files only if the original file is newer than any file of the same name at the target location. Option D’s -i performs an interactive copy, querying the user before overwriting existing files. Option E’s -f option forces cp to overwrite existing files without prompting.

Explanation

To copy an entire directory tree, you must use a recursive copy parameter, such as --recursive, -R, or -r. (An archive copy, as in --archive or -a, will also work.) Of the options shown here, only B includes one of these parameters, so it is correct. Option A lacks any parameters to cp, so it won’t work. Option C’s -u option performs an update copy—it copies files only if the original file is newer than any file of the same name at the target location. Option D’s -i performs an interactive copy, querying the user before overwriting existing files. Option E’s -f option forces cp to overwrite existing files without prompting.

27. Which of the following commands will print lines from the file world.txt that contain matches to changes and changed?

Find change[&c.circ;ds] world.txt

Cat world.txt changes changed

Tar change[d-s] world.txt

Find "change'd|s'" world.txt

Grep change[ds] world.txt

The correct answer is "grep change[ds] world.txt". This command uses the "grep" tool to search for lines in the file "world.txt" that contain matches to the patterns "change" followed by either "d" or "s".

Explanation

The correct answer is "grep change[ds] world.txt". This command uses the "grep" tool to search for lines in the file "world.txt" that contain matches to the patterns "change" followed by either "d" or "s".

28. Which of the following options to chown changes the ownership of all the subdirectories of any specified directories, rather than just the files or directories that are explicitly passed to it?

-R

--tree

-recursive

-all

-t

The -R or --recursive option does as the question specifies, so option A is correct. The --tree, -all, and -t options are all fictitious, so options B, D, and E are all incorrect. Option C is almost correct, but the correct option includes two dashes, not one. That is, it’s --recursive, not -recursive.

Explanation

The -R or --recursive option does as the question specifies, so option A is correct. The --tree, -all, and -t options are all fictitious, so options B, D, and E are all incorrect. Option C is almost correct, but the correct option includes two dashes, not one. That is, it’s --recursive, not -recursive.

29. What symbol do you place after a command to run the program in the background?

&

+

>

|

#

An ampersand (&), placed after a command typed in Bash, causes the command to run in the background, so option A is correct. The remaining options do not accomplish this task, although option C redirects standard output and option D creates a pipe to the following command on the same line. Option B is completely meaningless, as is option E in this context, although a hash mark (#) does serve as a comment character in Bash scripts.

Explanation

An ampersand (&), placed after a command typed in Bash, causes the command to run in the background, so option A is correct. The remaining options do not accomplish this task, although option C redirects standard output and option D creates a pipe to the following command on the same line. Option B is completely meaningless, as is option E in this context, although a hash mark (#) does serve as a comment character in Bash scripts.

30. Linux supports two types of text-mode output to the screen, which you can send to separate files or display devices.

True

False

The two types of output are standard output and standard error.

Explanation

The two types of output are standard output and standard error.

31. Which of the following commands provides a low-level way to install software on a Debian system?

Rpm

Yum

Zypper

Urpmi

Dpkg

The dpkg program is the low-level interface to the Debian package system; you can use it to install, uninstall, and otherwise manage packages. Thus, option E is correct. Its equivalent on RPM-based systems is rpm, so option A is incorrect. Options B, C, and D are incorrect because they’re all higher-level interfaces to RPM-based systems.

Explanation

The dpkg program is the low-level interface to the Debian package system; you can use it to install, uninstall, and otherwise manage packages. Thus, option E is correct. Its equivalent on RPM-based systems is rpm, so option A is incorrect. Options B, C, and D are incorrect because they’re all higher-level interfaces to RPM-based systems.

32. By default, useradd copies a set of user configuration files from /etc/skel when creating a new user account.

True

False

Default user configuration files give users a head start on configuring their accounts and enable system administrators to set user default options. They’re copied from /etc/skel unless you specify another location with the --skel (-k) option to useradd.

Explanation

Default user configuration files give users a head start on configuring their accounts and enable system administrators to set user default options. They’re copied from /etc/skel unless you specify another location with the --skel (-k) option to useradd.

33. What option can you pass to groupadd to have it create a group with a GID number of 1027?

--groupnum 1027

--gnum 1027

--gidnum 1027

--group 1027

--gid 1027

The option --gid 1027 can be passed to groupadd to have it create a group with a GID number of 1027.

Explanation

The option --gid 1027 can be passed to groupadd to have it create a group with a GID number of 1027.

34. Which of the following redirection operators appends a program's standard output to an existing file, without overwriting that file's original contents?

2>

&>

>

>>

|

The >> operator appends standard output to a file, so option D is correct. The vertical bar (|) is the pipe character; it ties one program's standard output to another's standard input, so option E is incorrect. The 2> operator redirects standard error, not standard output, and it overwrites the target file. Thus, option A is incorrect. The &> operator redirects both standard output and standard error, and it overwrites the target file, so option B is incorrect. The > operator redirects standard output, but it overwrites the target file, so option C is incorrect.

Explanation

The >> operator appends standard output to a file, so option D is correct. The vertical bar (|) is the pipe character; it ties one program's standard output to another's standard input, so option E is incorrect. The 2> operator redirects standard error, not standard output, and it overwrites the target file. Thus, option A is incorrect. The &> operator redirects both standard output and standard error, and it overwrites the target file, so option B is incorrect. The > operator redirects standard output, but it overwrites the target file, so option C is incorrect.

35. Which of the processes can you use to identify running processes? (choose two)

Df

Ps

Bg

Mem

Top

The ps and top programs are text-mode commands to identify running programs, so options B and E are both correct. The df program summarizes disk usage, bg shifts a suspended program into background execution, and mem is a device file, so options A, C, and D are all incorrect.

Explanation

The ps and top programs are text-mode commands to identify running programs, so options B and E are both correct. The df program summarizes disk usage, bg shifts a suspended program into background execution, and mem is a device file, so options A, C, and D are all incorrect.

Submit

37. Which of the following actions is performed when a file is uncompressed?

Execute

Extract

Archive

Zip

Zcat

The command "tar" supports both gzip and bzip2 compression. "tar" is a utility used to create, maintain, and manipulate file archives. It can compress files using gzip or bzip2 compression algorithms, making it a versatile choice for handling compressed files.

Explanation

The command "tar" supports both gzip and bzip2 compression. "tar" is a utility used to create, maintain, and manipulate file archives. It can compress files using gzip or bzip2 compression algorithms, making it a versatile choice for handling compressed files.

50. Which of the following pieces of information on user accounts is not normally stored in the /etc/passwd file on modern Linux distributions?

The account’s default shell

The account’s default GID number

The account’s UID number

The account’s username

The account’s password

Although /etc/passwd includes a field for the password, that field normally contains an x value, meaning that the encrypted password is stored in /etc/shadow. Thus, option E is correct. The account’s default shell, default GID number, UID number, and username all appear in /etc/passwd, so options A, B, C, and D are all incorrect.

Explanation

Although /etc/passwd includes a field for the password, that field normally contains an x value, meaning that the encrypted password is stored in /etc/shadow. Thus, option E is correct. The account’s default shell, default GID number, UID number, and username all appear in /etc/passwd, so options A, B, C, and D are all incorrect.

51. Even after an account is deleted, its UID number cannot be reused.

True

False

Once an account is deleted, its UID number can be reused. That said, unless the account had the highest UID number, chances are useradd won’t automatically reuse its UID number.

Explanation

Once an account is deleted, its UID number can be reused. That said, unless the account had the highest UID number, chances are useradd won’t automatically reuse its UID number.

52. In what file are you likely to find the following lines?

domain google.com
nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 10.10.10.1

/etc/resolv.conf

/etc/fstab

/etc/hosts

/etc/services

/etc/group

The specifies lines belong to an /etc/resolv.conf file, which tells Linux what computers to use as DNS servers and what domain to use as its default domain. Thus, option A is correct. The /etc/fstab file tells Linux where to mount filesystems; /etc/hosts provides a way to map IP addresses to hostnames without using DNS; /etc/services gives names to TCP/IP port numbers; and /etc/group defines the computers groups. None of these files contains lines that resemble those shown, so options B, C, D, and E are all incorrect.

Explanation

The specifies lines belong to an /etc/resolv.conf file, which tells Linux what computers to use as DNS servers and what domain to use as its default domain. Thus, option A is correct. The /etc/fstab file tells Linux where to mount filesystems; /etc/hosts provides a way to map IP addresses to hostnames without using DNS; /etc/services gives names to TCP/IP port numbers; and /etc/group defines the computers groups. None of these files contains lines that resemble those shown, so options B, C, D, and E are all incorrect.

53. The gzip program generally produces more compact compressed files than the bzip2 program does.

True

False

The bzip2 program usually produces compression that’s superior to gzip’s. Both programs are surpassed by xz.

Explanation

The bzip2 program usually produces compression that’s superior to gzip’s. Both programs are surpassed by xz.

54. To create a listing of the file afile.txt in the directory one level above the current one, you would type ls _________/afile.txt.

The ".." in the command "ls ../afile.txt" is used to indicate the parent directory, which is one level above the current directory. By using "..", the command will list the file "afile.txt" in the directory that is one level above the current directory.

Explanation

The ".." in the command "ls ../afile.txt" is used to indicate the parent directory, which is one level above the current directory. By using "..", the command will list the file "afile.txt" in the directory that is one level above the current directory.

Submit

55. A file has a symbolic mode of -rw-r-----. The file's octal mode is _______.

The file has a symbolic mode of -rw-r-----. In octal mode, each permission is represented by a three-digit number. The first digit represents the owner's permissions, the second digit represents the group's permissions, and the third digit represents the permissions for others. In this case, the owner has read and write permissions, the group has read permissions, and others have no permissions. Converting the symbolic mode to octal, we get 640.

Explanation

The file has a symbolic mode of -rw-r-----. In octal mode, each permission is represented by a three-digit number. The first digit represents the owner's permissions, the second digit represents the group's permissions, and the third digit represents the permissions for others. In this case, the owner has read and write permissions, the group has read permissions, and others have no permissions. Converting the symbolic mode to octal, we get 640.

Submit

56. The _____ command can ONLY remove empty directories.

The "rmdir" command is specifically designed to remove empty directories. It cannot be used to remove directories that contain any files or subdirectories. This command is useful when you want to clean up your file system and delete directories that are no longer needed.

Explanation

The "rmdir" command is specifically designed to remove empty directories. It cannot be used to remove directories that contain any files or subdirectories. This command is useful when you want to clean up your file system and delete directories that are no longer needed.

Submit

57. Which Linux directory holds program files that are critical for normal operation and that ordinary users may run?

/etc

/bin

/lib

/usr

/home

The /bin directory in Linux holds program files that are critical for normal operation and can be run by ordinary users. This directory contains essential executable files and commands that are necessary for the basic functioning of the system. Ordinary users can access and run these programs to perform various tasks on the system.

Explanation

The /bin directory in Linux holds program files that are critical for normal operation and can be run by ordinary users. This directory contains essential executable files and commands that are necessary for the basic functioning of the system. Ordinary users can access and run these programs to perform various tasks on the system.

58. Which of the following files defines Linux groups?

/etc/groups

/etc/grp

/etc/gids

/etc/group

/etc/grps

The correct answer is /etc/group. This file defines Linux groups.

Explanation

The correct answer is /etc/group. This file defines Linux groups.

59. You can configure your power supply by accessing the /dev/power device file.

True

False

The power supply can’t be directly controlled through Linux device files; either it delivers power in a steady manner or it doesn’t, without software control.

Explanation

The power supply can’t be directly controlled through Linux device files; either it delivers power in a steady manner or it doesn’t, without software control.

60. To compress files archived with zip, you must use an external compression program such as gzip or bzip2 in a pipeline with zip.

True

False

To compress files archived with zip, you do not need to use an external compression program such as gzip or bzip2 in a pipeline with zip. The zip utility itself is capable of compressing files and creating zip archives. Therefore, the statement "To compress files archived with zip, you must use an external compression program such as gzip or bzip2 in a pipeline with zip" is incorrect.

Explanation

To compress files archived with zip, you do not need to use an external compression program such as gzip or bzip2 in a pipeline with zip. The zip utility itself is capable of compressing files and creating zip archives. Therefore, the statement "To compress files archived with zip, you must use an external compression program such as gzip or bzip2 in a pipeline with zip" is incorrect.

61. You've received a tarball called data79.tar from a colleague, but you want to check the names of the files it contains before extracting them. Which of the following commands would you use to do this?

Tar cvf data79.tar

Tar xvf data79.tar

Tar tvf data79.tar

Tar Avf data79.tar

Tar uvf data79.tar

With the tar utility, the --list (t) command is used to read the archive and display its contents. The --verbose (v) option creates a verbose file listing, and --file (f) specifies the filename—data79.tar in this case. Option C uses all of these features, and therefore does as the question specifies. Options A, B, D, and E all substitute other commands for --list, which is required by the question, so all of these options are incorrect.

Explanation

With the tar utility, the --list (t) command is used to read the archive and display its contents. The --verbose (v) option creates a verbose file listing, and --file (f) specifies the filename—data79.tar in this case. Option C uses all of these features, and therefore does as the question specifies. Options A, B, D, and E all substitute other commands for --list, which is required by the question, so all of these options are incorrect.

62. You want to create a directory called ~/Documents/papers, but you're not sure that the ~/Documents directory exists. What command can you type to create the desired directory and its parent directory if it doesn't already exist?

Mkdir -a ~/Documents/papers

Mkdir --recursive ~/Documents/papers

Mkdir -R ~/Documents/papers

Mkdir -r ~/Documents/papers

Mkdir -p ~/Documents/papers

The -p option to mkdir creates parent directories if they don’t already exist, so option E is correct. The -a, --recursive, -R, and -r options are all fictitious, so options A, B, C, and D are all incorrect.

Explanation

The -p option to mkdir creates parent directories if they don’t already exist, so option E is correct. The -a, --recursive, -R, and -r options are all fictitious, so options A, B, C, and D are all incorrect.

63. The first process to be run by the Linux kernel is normally called _______.

The first process to be run by the Linux kernel is normally called "init". Init is the parent process of all other processes and has the process ID of 1. It is responsible for starting and stopping system services, initializing the system, and managing the overall system state. Init is essential for booting up the operating system and ensuring that all necessary processes are started correctly.

Explanation

The first process to be run by the Linux kernel is normally called "init". Init is the parent process of all other processes and has the process ID of 1. It is responsible for starting and stopping system services, initializing the system, and managing the overall system state. Init is essential for booting up the operating system and ensuring that all necessary processes are started correctly.

Submit

64. Which methods or commands provide access to superuser privileges for authorized users? (choose all that apply)

The su command

The switch_user command

Logging into the root account

The sudo command

The hash (#) symbol

The su command, the sudo command, and logging into the root account all provide access to superuser privileges for authorized users. Therefore, options A, C, and D are correct. The switch_user command is ficticious, so option B is incorrect. The hash (#) symbol is often displayed at the end of the root user’s prompt and typically is used in documentation to denote required superuser privileges for a displayed command but does not in itself provide access to superuser privileges. Thus, option E is incorrect.

Explanation

The su command, the sudo command, and logging into the root account all provide access to superuser privileges for authorized users. Therefore, options A, C, and D are correct. The switch_user command is ficticious, so option B is incorrect. The hash (#) symbol is often displayed at the end of the root user’s prompt and typically is used in documentation to denote required superuser privileges for a displayed command but does not in itself provide access to superuser privileges. Thus, option E is incorrect.

Submit

65. You want to delete the oldproj group, so you type ______ oldproj.

To delete the oldproj group, the correct command to use is "groupdel". This command is used in Linux systems to remove a group from the system. By typing "groupdel oldproj", the system will delete the oldproj group and remove it from the system's group database.

Explanation

To delete the oldproj group, the correct command to use is "groupdel". This command is used in Linux systems to remove a group from the system. By typing "groupdel oldproj", the system will delete the oldproj group and remove it from the system's group database.

Submit

66. You use the ___ character to separate two strings, either of which should match, in an extended regular expression.

The correct answer is the "|" character. In an extended regular expression, the "|" character is used to separate two strings, either of which should match. This means that if either of the strings is found in the input, the regular expression will be considered a match.

Explanation

The correct answer is the "|" character. In an extended regular expression, the "|" character is used to separate two strings, either of which should match. This means that if either of the strings is found in the input, the regular expression will be considered a match.

Submit

67. How many man page sections are there total?

5

6

7

8

9

There are a total of 9 man page sections. Man pages are documentation files in Unix-like operating systems that provide information about various commands and functions. Each section of the man pages is dedicated to a specific topic or category, such as user commands, system calls, library functions, device drivers, and file formats. Therefore, the correct answer is 9.

Explanation

There are a total of 9 man page sections. Man pages are documentation files in Unix-like operating systems that provide information about various commands and functions. Each section of the man pages is dedicated to a specific topic or category, such as user commands, system calls, library functions, device drivers, and file formats. Therefore, the correct answer is 9.

68. Which of the following text editors runs as a text-mode program when launched in text mode but also provides a GUI version for use in a GUI environment?

Emacs

Nano

Gedit

KWrite

Vi

The emacs editor provides both a text-mode interface and a GUI, so option A is correct. gedit (option C) and KWrite (option D) are all GUI-only editors. nano (option B) and vi (option E) are text-mode-only editors.

Explanation

The emacs editor provides both a text-mode interface and a GUI, so option A is correct. gedit (option C) and KWrite (option D) are all GUI-only editors. nano (option B) and vi (option E) are text-mode-only editors.

69. Mary finds that she can delete George's files in /tmp. What might this imply?

This is normal; all users should be able to delete files from /tmp.

The SUID bit is present on /tmp; it should be removed.

World write permissions are set on /tmp; they should be removed.

The sticky bit is missing from /tmp; it should be set.

The /tmp partition is mounted read-only; it should be mounted read/write.

Ordinarily, the sticky bit is set on /tmp, which protects files from deletion by anybody but the file’s owner and root. If one user can delete another’s files in /tmp, the probable cause is the absence of the sticky bit, as in option D. Although users should be able to delete their own files from /tmp, they should not be able to delete other users’ files from there, so option A is incorrect. The set user ID (SUID) bit is set on program files to affect the permissions of the running program; it doesn’t have the effect described here, so option B is incorrect. Contrary to option C, write permissions should definitely be present on /tmp. If /tmp were mounted read-only, nobody would be able to change its contents, which is not the problem described in the question, so option E is incorrect.

Explanation

Ordinarily, the sticky bit is set on /tmp, which protects files from deletion by anybody but the file’s owner and root. If one user can delete another’s files in /tmp, the probable cause is the absence of the sticky bit, as in option D. Although users should be able to delete their own files from /tmp, they should not be able to delete other users’ files from there, so option A is incorrect. The set user ID (SUID) bit is set on program files to affect the permissions of the running program; it doesn’t have the effect described here, so option B is incorrect. Contrary to option C, write permissions should definitely be present on /tmp. If /tmp were mounted read-only, nobody would be able to change its contents, which is not the problem described in the question, so option E is incorrect.

70. Which of the following outcomes will you get after executing the # tar -cvf /tmp/etc.tar /etc command?

Compressed file

Archived file

Extracted file

Encrypted file

The command "tar -cvf /tmp/etc.tar /etc" is used to create a tar archive file named "etc.tar" in the "/tmp" directory. The "/etc" directory is being archived, meaning that all files and directories within it will be included in the archive. Therefore, the outcome of executing this command will be an archived file.

Explanation

The command "tar -cvf /tmp/etc.tar /etc" is used to create a tar archive file named "etc.tar" in the "/tmp" directory. The "/etc" directory is being archived, meaning that all files and directories within it will be included in the archive. Therefore, the outcome of executing this command will be an archived file.

71. Default permissions are determined by the _____.

Default permissions are determined by the "umask" setting. The umask is a value that is subtracted from the default permissions of newly created files and directories. It is used to restrict the permissions that are automatically assigned to new files and directories. The umask value is typically set in the shell configuration files and can be modified by the user to customize the default permissions according to their needs.

Explanation

Default permissions are determined by the "umask" setting. The umask is a value that is subtracted from the default permissions of newly created files and directories. It is used to restrict the permissions that are automatically assigned to new files and directories. The umask value is typically set in the shell configuration files and can be modified by the user to customize the default permissions according to their needs.

Submit

72. Which regular expression string matches any sequence of characters of any length?

\.

[ ]

.*

.

*

The .* sequence matches any string of any length, so option C is correct. Option A matches a dot (.), which otherwise has a special meaning and so can’t be used directly. Square brackets, as in option B, can surround a set of characters, any one of which will satisfy a match. A dot, as in option D, matches any single character. An asterisk (*), as in option E, specifies an arbitrary number of repeats of the previous match. (Hence, .* matches any number of characters, but neither character alone does the job.)

Explanation

The .* sequence matches any string of any length, so option C is correct. Option A matches a dot (.), which otherwise has a special meaning and so can’t be used directly. Square brackets, as in option B, can surround a set of characters, any one of which will satisfy a match. A dot, as in option D, matches any single character. An asterisk (*), as in option E, specifies an arbitrary number of repeats of the previous match. (Hence, .* matches any number of characters, but neither character alone does the job.)

73. Which command would create a zip file containing the files holiday.tif and desc.txt and compress it as much as possible?

Zip -1 trip.zip holiday.tif desc.txt

Zip -1 holiday.tif desc.txt trip.zip

Zip -c holiday.tif desc.txt trip.zip

Zip -9 holiday.tif desc.txt trip.zip

Zip -9 trip.zip holiday.tif desc.txt

The -9 command option provides maximum compression, and the name of the zip file must be listed before the files to be included in the zip file, so option E is correct. The -1 command option provides minimal compression, so options A and B are incorrect. The -c command option is not used for compression. Therefore, option C is also incorrect. Option D has the zip file designation listed last. This command will not work properly because the zip file designation is not listed before the files to be included in the zip file. Thus, option D is incorrect.

Explanation

The -9 command option provides maximum compression, and the name of the zip file must be listed before the files to be included in the zip file, so option E is correct. The -1 command option provides minimal compression, so options A and B are incorrect. The -c command option is not used for compression. Therefore, option C is also incorrect. Option D has the zip file designation listed last. This command will not work properly because the zip file designation is not listed before the files to be included in the zip file. Thus, option D is incorrect.

74. The string _______, located at the start of the file, identifies a script as a Bash script.

The string "#!/bin/bash" is known as a shebang or hashbang and is used to specify the interpreter for the script. In this case, it indicates that the script is a Bash script. When the script is executed, the system will use the Bash interpreter to interpret and execute the commands in the script.

Explanation

The string "#!/bin/bash" is known as a shebang or hashbang and is used to specify the interpreter for the script. In this case, it indicates that the script is a Bash script. When the script is executed, the system will use the Bash interpreter to interpret and execute the commands in the script.

Submit

75. To change a current user account's home directory location, you might type ______ -m -d /home/newhome user.

The correct answer is "usermod". Usermod is a command-line utility in Linux that is used to modify user account attributes. In this case, the "-m" option is used to move the contents of the user's current home directory to the new location, and the "-d" option is used to specify the new home directory location. By typing "usermod -m -d /home/newhome user", the current user account's home directory location can be changed to "/home/newhome".

Explanation

The correct answer is "usermod". Usermod is a command-line utility in Linux that is used to modify user account attributes. In this case, the "-m" option is used to move the contents of the user's current home directory to the new location, and the "-d" option is used to specify the new home directory location. By typing "usermod -m -d /home/newhome user", the current user account's home directory location can be changed to "/home/newhome".

Submit

76. You want to test connectivity to google.com by sending 11 packets to see how many return. To do this, you can type __________ google.com

The correct answer is "ping -c 11" because the "ping" command is used to test connectivity between two devices on a network. The "-c 11" flag specifies that 11 packets should be sent to the destination (in this case, google.com) to test how many of them are successfully returned.

Explanation

The correct answer is "ping -c 11" because the "ping" command is used to test connectivity between two devices on a network. The "-c 11" flag specifies that 11 packets should be sent to the destination (in this case, google.com) to test how many of them are successfully returned.

Submit

77. The command _______ :users somefile.txt changes the group affiliation of somefile.txt to users.

The command "chown" is used to change the ownership of a file or directory. In this case, the command "chown :users somefile.txt" is used to change the group affiliation of the file "somefile.txt" to "users".

Explanation

The command "chown" is used to change the ownership of a file or directory. In this case, the command "chown :users somefile.txt" is used to change the group affiliation of the file "somefile.txt" to "users".

Submit

78. You want to see only the names of all the subdirectories of the current directory whose names begin with the letter s. To do so, you can type ls ___ s*. (Include no options other than those required to do as the question specifies.)

The correct answer is "-d" because when used with the "ls" command, it will only display the names of the subdirectories in the current directory, rather than the contents of those directories. This is necessary in order to see only the names of the subdirectories that begin with the letter "s". By using the wildcard character "*", it allows for any characters to follow the "s" in the subdirectory names.

Explanation

The correct answer is "-d" because when used with the "ls" command, it will only display the names of the subdirectories in the current directory, rather than the contents of those directories. This is necessary in order to see only the names of the subdirectories that begin with the letter "s". By using the wildcard character "*", it allows for any characters to follow the "s" in the subdirectory names.

Submit

79. The _____ filesystem is very old but is supported by almost every OS, making it a good choice for interoperability. (one word)

The FAT filesystem is very old but is supported by almost every OS, making it a good choice for interoperability. FAT stands for File Allocation Table, and it is a simple and widely supported file system that was originally developed for floppy disks and later used for hard drives and other storage devices. Its wide support across different operating systems allows for easy sharing and compatibility of files between different platforms.

Explanation

The FAT filesystem is very old but is supported by almost every OS, making it a good choice for interoperability. FAT stands for File Allocation Table, and it is a simple and widely supported file system that was originally developed for floppy disks and later used for hard drives and other storage devices. Its wide support across different operating systems allows for easy sharing and compatibility of files between different platforms.

Submit

80. The user arnold is currently logged in. Despite this fact, you want to delete his account without first logging him off. You don't want to delete arnold's files. To accomplish this goal, you type userdel ___ arnold.

The option "-f" is used with the "userdel" command to forcefully delete a user account without prompting for confirmation. By using this option, the command will delete the user account even if the user is currently logged in. This option ensures that the account is deleted immediately and without any interruption or warning.

Explanation

The option "-f" is used with the "userdel" command to forcefully delete a user account without prompting for confirmation. By using this option, the command will delete the user account even if the user is currently logged in. This option ensures that the account is deleted immediately and without any interruption or warning.

Submit

81. What type of information can netstat provide? (choose all that apply.)

Network interface information

Routing table data

A list of open ports

Round-trip network travel time

The identities of broken routers

netstat can provide information on network interfaces similar to what ifconfig provides (option A), routing table data similar to what route provides (option B), and a list of open ports (option C). It cannot provide round-trip network packet travel time similar to what ping provides (option D) or the identities of broken routers similar to what traceroute provides (option E).

Explanation

netstat can provide information on network interfaces similar to what ifconfig provides (option A), routing table data similar to what route provides (option B), and a list of open ports (option C). It cannot provide round-trip network packet travel time similar to what ping provides (option D) or the identities of broken routers similar to what traceroute provides (option E).

Submit

82. What keystroke deletes a line of text when using nano?

Ctrl+C

Ctrl+X

Ctrl+Y

Ctrl+K

Ctrl+D

Pressing Ctrl+K in nano deletes the entire line of text at the cursor's position. This keystroke is commonly used to remove unwanted lines or to quickly clear a line of text.

Explanation

Pressing Ctrl+K in nano deletes the entire line of text at the cursor's position. This keystroke is commonly used to remove unwanted lines or to quickly clear a line of text.

83. The term _________ refers to the use of wildcards in filename specifications.

Globbing refers to the use of wildcards in filename specifications. It allows users to search for files or directories based on patterns rather than specific names. Wildcards such as asterisks (*) or question marks (?) can be used to represent any character or a specific character respectively. For example, if a user wants to find all files with the extension ".txt", they can use the pattern "*.txt" in their search. Globbing is commonly used in command-line interfaces and scripting languages to perform batch operations on multiple files.

Explanation

Globbing refers to the use of wildcards in filename specifications. It allows users to search for files or directories based on patterns rather than specific names. Wildcards such as asterisks (*) or question marks (?) can be used to represent any character or a specific character respectively. For example, if a user wants to find all files with the extension ".txt", they can use the pattern "*.txt" in their search. Globbing is commonly used in command-line interfaces and scripting languages to perform batch operations on multiple files.

Submit

84. Where does the kernel store its ring buffer logs?

/var/log

/var/spool

/usr/log

/tmp

In memory

The kernel ring buffer is held in memory, as option E specifies. Options A, B, C, and D all specify disk directories, which aren’t memory locations, and so are all incorrect. (Some distributions place a copy of the ring buffer from late in the boot process in /var/log, but this is just a “snapshot” of the ring buffer at that moment in time, not whatever’s current at a later time.)

Explanation

The kernel ring buffer is held in memory, as option E specifies. Options A, B, C, and D all specify disk directories, which aren’t memory locations, and so are all incorrect. (Some distributions place a copy of the ring buffer from late in the boot process in /var/log, but this is just a “snapshot” of the ring buffer at that moment in time, not whatever’s current at a later time.)

85. Which options to find can you use to locate files owned by a particular user? (Select all that apply.)

-uid

-name

-id

-user

-u

The options -uid and -user can be used to locate files owned by a particular user. The -uid option allows you to search for files based on the user's unique ID, while the -user option allows you to search for files based on the username.

Explanation

The options -uid and -user can be used to locate files owned by a particular user. The -uid option allows you to search for files based on the user's unique ID, while the -user option allows you to search for files based on the username.

Submit

86. To append a program's standard error to an existing file without deleting its contents, you should use the ____ redirection operator.

The correct answer is "2>>". This is because the "2>>" redirection operator is used to append the standard error (stderr) of a program to an existing file without deleting its contents. The "2" represents the file descriptor for stderr, and the ">>" appends the output to the specified file.

Explanation

The correct answer is "2>>". This is because the "2>>" redirection operator is used to append the standard error (stderr) of a program to an existing file without deleting its contents. The "2" represents the file descriptor for stderr, and the ">>" appends the output to the specified file.

Submit

87. Which of the following programs enable root to set the ownership of files? (choose two)

Chmod

Chown

Usermod

Nautilus

Touch

The chown command is a text-mode tool for changing the ownership and group association of files, so option B is correct. Nautilus is a GUI file manager, and when it’s run as root, it enables you to change the ownership of files, so option D is also correct. The chmod command enables changing the mode (permissions) of files but not their ownership, so option A is incorrect. The usermod command can change various account features but not file ownership, so option C is incorrect. The touch command updates a file’s time stamps but does not change its ownership, so option E is incorrect.

Explanation

The chown command is a text-mode tool for changing the ownership and group association of files, so option B is correct. Nautilus is a GUI file manager, and when it’s run as root, it enables you to change the ownership of files, so option D is also correct. The chmod command enables changing the mode (permissions) of files but not their ownership, so option A is incorrect. The usermod command can change various account features but not file ownership, so option C is incorrect. The touch command updates a file’s time stamps but does not change its ownership, so option E is incorrect.

Submit

88. Complete the following command to redirect both standard output and standard error from the bigprog program to the file out.txt. $ bigprog _____ out.txt

The correct answer is "&>". The "&>" symbol is used to redirect both standard output and standard error to the specified file "out.txt".

Explanation

The correct answer is "&>". The "&>" symbol is used to redirect both standard output and standard error to the specified file "out.txt".

Submit

89. The _________ qualifier to tar causes it to use xz compression when creating an archive.

The -J qualifier (or --xz) is used with the tar command to indicate that xz compression should be used when creating an archive. This qualifier compresses the files using the xz compression method, which is known for its high compression ratio. The command would look something like tar -cvf archive.tar.xz -J folder/, where -J specifies the use of xz compression.

Explanation

The -J qualifier (or --xz) is used with the tar command to indicate that xz compression should be used when creating an archive. This qualifier compresses the files using the xz compression method, which is known for its high compression ratio. The command would look something like tar -cvf archive.tar.xz -J folder/, where -J specifies the use of xz compression.

Submit

90. Which of the following is a text-mode command that is helpful in identifying CPU information?

Cat /proc/cpuinfo

Lscpu

Lspci

Cfdis

Uname -a

The cat /proc/cpuinfo, lscpu, and uname -a text-mode commands are all helpful in identifying a CPU’s information; thus, options A, B, and E are correct. The lspci command displays information concerning PCI devices on your system. Thus, option C is incorrect. The cfdisk command is a simple text-based partitioning utility for MBR disks, and therefore option D is incorrect.

Explanation

The cat /proc/cpuinfo, lscpu, and uname -a text-mode commands are all helpful in identifying a CPU’s information; thus, options A, B, and E are correct. The lspci command displays information concerning PCI devices on your system. Thus, option C is incorrect. The cfdisk command is a simple text-based partitioning utility for MBR disks, and therefore option D is incorrect.

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