This LPIC-1 practice question tests your understanding of gnu and unix commands. 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.
Exhibit
USER PID %CPU %MEM VSZ RSS TTY STAT START TIME COMMAND
root 1 0.0 0.1 22564 4500 ? Ss Jan01 0:00 /sbin/init
user1 1234 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? Z Jan01 0:00 [defunct]
user1 1235 0.0 0.1 12345 2000 ? S Jan01 0:00 bash
Refer to the exhibit. The process with PID 1234 is in state 'Z'. What is the most likely cause and appropriate action?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The process is a zombie; the parent process must be killed or wait for it to be reaped.
In Linux process states, 'Z' indicates a zombie process, which is a child process that has terminated but whose exit status has not yet been read by its parent process via the wait() system call. The correct action is to either kill the parent process (so that the zombie is reaped by init) or ensure the parent calls wait() to reap the child. Option D correctly identifies this.
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.
✗
The process is stopped; use kill -CONT to continue.
Why it's wrong here
Stopped process shows state T, not Z.
✗
The process is a daemon; it should be restarted.
Why it's wrong here
Daemons typically show Ss or other states, not Z.
✗
The process is sleeping; wait for it to become ready.
Why it's wrong here
Sleeping processes show S or D.
✓
The process is a zombie; the parent process must be killed or wait for it to be reaped.
Why this is correct
Zombies require the parent to reap them; if parent is not waiting, it may need to be terminated.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse zombie ('Z') with stopped ('T') or sleeping ('S') states, leading them to choose a recovery action like sending SIGCONT or simply waiting, rather than recognizing that a zombie requires the parent to reap it or be terminated.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Stopped process shows state T, not Z.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A zombie process (state 'Z') exists because the parent has not yet called wait(), waitpid(), or waitid() to collect the child's exit code and release its process descriptor from the kernel's process table. Zombies consume minimal resources (only a PID entry in the process table), but if the parent never reaps them, they can accumulate and exhaust the PID limit. In practice, a common cause is a parent process that is buggy or has crashed without handling SIGCHLD, and killing the parent allows init (PID 1) to adopt and reap the zombie.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
GNU and Unix Commands — This question tests GNU and Unix Commands — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The process is a zombie; the parent process must be killed or wait for it to be reaped. — In Linux process states, 'Z' indicates a zombie process, which is a child process that has terminated but whose exit status has not yet been read by its parent process via the wait() system call. The correct action is to either kill the parent process (so that the zombie is reaped by init) or ensure the parent calls wait() to reap the child. Option D correctly identifies this.
What should I do if I get this LPIC-1 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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