PROGRESSION: MAINTENANCE TECH II III EXAM SCRIPT 2025/2026
QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
✔✔score - ✔✔To mark or place an incision onto a surface, which weakens the material
so that the material breaks along the score.
✔✔armor - ✔✔Metal covering over cable to protect against environmental hazards such
as construction work or gnawing animals.
✔✔rip cord - ✔✔Strong yarn material that is placed under the jacket of fiber-optic cable
for the purpose of ripping and then removing the cable's jacket.
✔✔aramid yarn - ✔✔A form of woven fabric incorporated into fiber-optic cable
assemblies, providing protection, strength, and mechanical bonding options.
✔✔strength member - ✔✔A steel or dielectric component in fiber-optic cable that adds
strength and support to the cable.
✔✔tensile strength - ✔✔The maximum load or stress (caused by pulling) that a fiber-
optic cable can bear without tearing apart.
✔✔opaque - ✔✔Dense to the passage of light.
✔✔Hermetically sealed - ✔✔The air-tight seal of an amplifier housing or fiber-optic
splice closure.
✔✔vault - ✔✔A protective enclosure, ranging in a size from large manholes to small
handholes, and used to store active and passive electronics, splice closures, and cable
underground.
✔✔Strength member - ✔✔A steel or dielectric component in fiber-optic cable that adds
strength and support to the cable.
✔✔Rip cord - ✔✔Strong yarn material that is placed under the jacket of fiber-optic cable
for the purpose of ripping and then removing the cable's jacket.
✔✔Buffer tube - ✔✔A flexible cylindrical structure that houses, compartmentalizes, and
protects smaller groups of optical fibers within larger multi-fiber cables.
✔✔Ringing tool - ✔✔Tool that cuts a ring around the cable jacket to help remove the
jacket.
✔✔dielectric - ✔✔Material that is a poor or non-conductor of electricity that is used as
an insulating material between conductors.
,✔✔distribution panels - ✔✔A combination of a patch panel and splice panel usually
used at a hub or entrance facility.
✔✔HydraSol - ✔✔Water-based product developed specifically to remove cable filling
gels and greases from optical fibers.
✔✔Room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) - ✔✔A silicon, rubber-like compound that is
used as an adhesive and moisture-proof barrier.
✔✔blocking kit - ✔✔A kit used to create a physical barrier to keep moisture repellent gel
in loose-tube fiber-optic cables from migrating/flowing out of the buffer tubes into splice
trays.
✔✔Which of the following are best practices when working with splice closures? -
✔✔The moisture repellent gel can attract contaminants, so the fibers must be cleaned
using a pad soaked with isopropyl alcohol or HydraSol® to remove the gel.
During the cable preparation process, the strength member is trimmed back for
convenience but left long enough to be tightly clamped to a strain-relief lug in the
closure.
Any fiber-optic cable with metallic elements requires a short section of cable jacket to be
removed to expose the metallic armoring or strength member for bonding to ground.
✔✔Pay particular attention to the routing of buffer tubes, and the tie wraps used to
secure the tubes in the slack storage loop, so that the tubes are not crushed and the
fibers stressed when the closure is sealed. - ✔✔True
✔✔When all splicing is complete for a given tray, install the tray cover and secure the
tray in the closure. - ✔✔True
✔✔Secure the buffer tubes with tie wraps so that there is no movement of the optical
fibers inside the buffer tube. - ✔✔False
✔✔Why is a small notch made in the cable's jacket and armor during the cable
preparation process? - ✔✔A small notch is made to the cable's jacket and armor to give
the rip cord a defined entry point, which will prevent the cord from snapping as the pull
is started.
✔✔What could happen if water gets into a splice closure and freezes? - ✔✔Besides
damaging the splices and optical fibers, if water enters a splice closure and freezes, the
external pressure on the optical fibers from the ice increases the fiber's attenuation.
, ✔✔What must be done at the closure if the fiber-optic cable has metallic armor or
strength members? - ✔✔If the fiber-optic cable has metallic armor or strength members,
the cable must be bonded to the closure which also must be bonded to ground.
✔✔What are splice trays designed to protect? - ✔✔Splice trays are designed to provide
additional mechanical protection for mechanical splices, fusion splice protectors, and
optical splitters.
✔✔What should be done after the splice tray is properly dressed? - ✔✔After the splice
tray is properly dressed, accurately label and document the fibers and splices assigned
to each tray.
✔✔In what applications is a splice closure used? - ✔✔Splice closures are used to
protect optical fibers and splices against a full range of environmental changes in aerial
installations or below ground in vaults.
✔✔When preparing a fiber-optic cable for splicing, what is the purpose of removing
approximately 2.5 cm (1 inch) of jacket and any armor that is present, from the end of
the cable? - ✔✔To access the cable's rip cord and to check the cutting depth of the
knife or ringing tool.
✔✔What does water do to the glass core of an optical fiber? - ✔✔Water causes the
glass core of the optical fiber to become opaque, which degrades the signal as it's
transported through the fiber.
✔✔When preparing a splice closure, what should be done with the fiberglass rod
strength member that runs down the center of loose-tube fiber-optic cable? - ✔✔Trim
the strength member back for convenience, but leave it long enough to be tightly
clamped to a strain-relief lug in the closure.
✔✔What is the purpose of splice trays inside splice closures? - ✔✔Splice trays are
designed to provide protection for mechanical splices, fusion splice protectors, and
optical splitters as well as provide storage for the required fiber slack.
✔✔How should the buffer tubes be secured in the closure? - ✔✔The buffer tubes
should be secured with tie wraps to allow slight movement without pulling or stressing
the optical fibers.
✔✔How are optical splices secured in a splice tray? - ✔✔Retaining clips hold optical
splices in place in a splice tray.
✔✔What is the purpose of buffer tubes in fiber-optic cable? - ✔✔Buffer tubes protect
and separate the optical fiber in smaller bundles.
QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
✔✔score - ✔✔To mark or place an incision onto a surface, which weakens the material
so that the material breaks along the score.
✔✔armor - ✔✔Metal covering over cable to protect against environmental hazards such
as construction work or gnawing animals.
✔✔rip cord - ✔✔Strong yarn material that is placed under the jacket of fiber-optic cable
for the purpose of ripping and then removing the cable's jacket.
✔✔aramid yarn - ✔✔A form of woven fabric incorporated into fiber-optic cable
assemblies, providing protection, strength, and mechanical bonding options.
✔✔strength member - ✔✔A steel or dielectric component in fiber-optic cable that adds
strength and support to the cable.
✔✔tensile strength - ✔✔The maximum load or stress (caused by pulling) that a fiber-
optic cable can bear without tearing apart.
✔✔opaque - ✔✔Dense to the passage of light.
✔✔Hermetically sealed - ✔✔The air-tight seal of an amplifier housing or fiber-optic
splice closure.
✔✔vault - ✔✔A protective enclosure, ranging in a size from large manholes to small
handholes, and used to store active and passive electronics, splice closures, and cable
underground.
✔✔Strength member - ✔✔A steel or dielectric component in fiber-optic cable that adds
strength and support to the cable.
✔✔Rip cord - ✔✔Strong yarn material that is placed under the jacket of fiber-optic cable
for the purpose of ripping and then removing the cable's jacket.
✔✔Buffer tube - ✔✔A flexible cylindrical structure that houses, compartmentalizes, and
protects smaller groups of optical fibers within larger multi-fiber cables.
✔✔Ringing tool - ✔✔Tool that cuts a ring around the cable jacket to help remove the
jacket.
✔✔dielectric - ✔✔Material that is a poor or non-conductor of electricity that is used as
an insulating material between conductors.
,✔✔distribution panels - ✔✔A combination of a patch panel and splice panel usually
used at a hub or entrance facility.
✔✔HydraSol - ✔✔Water-based product developed specifically to remove cable filling
gels and greases from optical fibers.
✔✔Room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) - ✔✔A silicon, rubber-like compound that is
used as an adhesive and moisture-proof barrier.
✔✔blocking kit - ✔✔A kit used to create a physical barrier to keep moisture repellent gel
in loose-tube fiber-optic cables from migrating/flowing out of the buffer tubes into splice
trays.
✔✔Which of the following are best practices when working with splice closures? -
✔✔The moisture repellent gel can attract contaminants, so the fibers must be cleaned
using a pad soaked with isopropyl alcohol or HydraSol® to remove the gel.
During the cable preparation process, the strength member is trimmed back for
convenience but left long enough to be tightly clamped to a strain-relief lug in the
closure.
Any fiber-optic cable with metallic elements requires a short section of cable jacket to be
removed to expose the metallic armoring or strength member for bonding to ground.
✔✔Pay particular attention to the routing of buffer tubes, and the tie wraps used to
secure the tubes in the slack storage loop, so that the tubes are not crushed and the
fibers stressed when the closure is sealed. - ✔✔True
✔✔When all splicing is complete for a given tray, install the tray cover and secure the
tray in the closure. - ✔✔True
✔✔Secure the buffer tubes with tie wraps so that there is no movement of the optical
fibers inside the buffer tube. - ✔✔False
✔✔Why is a small notch made in the cable's jacket and armor during the cable
preparation process? - ✔✔A small notch is made to the cable's jacket and armor to give
the rip cord a defined entry point, which will prevent the cord from snapping as the pull
is started.
✔✔What could happen if water gets into a splice closure and freezes? - ✔✔Besides
damaging the splices and optical fibers, if water enters a splice closure and freezes, the
external pressure on the optical fibers from the ice increases the fiber's attenuation.
, ✔✔What must be done at the closure if the fiber-optic cable has metallic armor or
strength members? - ✔✔If the fiber-optic cable has metallic armor or strength members,
the cable must be bonded to the closure which also must be bonded to ground.
✔✔What are splice trays designed to protect? - ✔✔Splice trays are designed to provide
additional mechanical protection for mechanical splices, fusion splice protectors, and
optical splitters.
✔✔What should be done after the splice tray is properly dressed? - ✔✔After the splice
tray is properly dressed, accurately label and document the fibers and splices assigned
to each tray.
✔✔In what applications is a splice closure used? - ✔✔Splice closures are used to
protect optical fibers and splices against a full range of environmental changes in aerial
installations or below ground in vaults.
✔✔When preparing a fiber-optic cable for splicing, what is the purpose of removing
approximately 2.5 cm (1 inch) of jacket and any armor that is present, from the end of
the cable? - ✔✔To access the cable's rip cord and to check the cutting depth of the
knife or ringing tool.
✔✔What does water do to the glass core of an optical fiber? - ✔✔Water causes the
glass core of the optical fiber to become opaque, which degrades the signal as it's
transported through the fiber.
✔✔When preparing a splice closure, what should be done with the fiberglass rod
strength member that runs down the center of loose-tube fiber-optic cable? - ✔✔Trim
the strength member back for convenience, but leave it long enough to be tightly
clamped to a strain-relief lug in the closure.
✔✔What is the purpose of splice trays inside splice closures? - ✔✔Splice trays are
designed to provide protection for mechanical splices, fusion splice protectors, and
optical splitters as well as provide storage for the required fiber slack.
✔✔How should the buffer tubes be secured in the closure? - ✔✔The buffer tubes
should be secured with tie wraps to allow slight movement without pulling or stressing
the optical fibers.
✔✔How are optical splices secured in a splice tray? - ✔✔Retaining clips hold optical
splices in place in a splice tray.
✔✔What is the purpose of buffer tubes in fiber-optic cable? - ✔✔Buffer tubes protect
and separate the optical fiber in smaller bundles.
