CRISC Risk and Control Monitoring and Reporting Practice Question
This CRISC practice question tests your understanding of risk and control monitoring and reporting. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which TWO of the following are examples of control monitoring activities?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Periodic manual testing of a sample of transactions for compliance with approval policy.
Options A and C are correct. Automated alerts on control failures and manual testing of controls are direct monitoring activities. Option B is wrong because assigning ownership is part of control design, not monitoring. Option D is wrong because updating risk register is a risk management activity, not direct control monitoring. Option E is wrong because the wording is confusing; KRIs are risk metrics, not control monitoring.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Periodic manual testing of a sample of transactions for compliance with approval policy.
Why this is correct
Direct testing verifies control operation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Automated alerts when a system control fails to execute.
Why this is correct
Direct monitoring of control performance.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Assigning owners to each control in the control framework.
Why it's wrong here
Control ownership is part of governance, not monitoring.
✗
Reporting key risk indicator values to the risk committee.
Why it's wrong here
KRIs measure risk, not control performance directly.
✗
Updating the risk register based on control test results.
Why it's wrong here
This is a risk management action after monitoring.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the CRISC exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which CRISC exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Risk and Control Monitoring and Reporting — This question tests Risk and Control Monitoring and Reporting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Periodic manual testing of a sample of transactions for compliance with approval policy. — Options A and C are correct. Automated alerts on control failures and manual testing of controls are direct monitoring activities. Option B is wrong because assigning ownership is part of control design, not monitoring. Option D is wrong because updating risk register is a risk management activity, not direct control monitoring. Option E is wrong because the wording is confusing; KRIs are risk metrics, not control monitoring.
What should I do if I get this CRISC question wrong?
Identify which CRISC exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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