EX200 Create simple shell scripts Practice Question
This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of create simple shell scripts. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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.
A system administrator needs to create a shell script that processes a list of hostnames stored in a file, one per line, and runs a command on each host. Which loop construct is most appropriate?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
while read host; do ... done < hosts
Option B is correct because the 'while read' loop is the standard way to read a file line by line in shell scripts, handling each line as a separate variable. Option A is wrong because 'for' with '$(cat file)' can break on spaces. Option C is wrong because it uses 'seq' unnecessarily. Option D is wrong because 'until' is not suitable for this purpose.
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.
✓
while read host; do ... done < hosts
Why this is correct
B is correct. It reads each line correctly, even with spaces.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
for i in $(seq 1 $(wc -l < hosts)); do ... done
Why it's wrong here
C is unnecessarily complex and still vulnerable to word splitting.
✗
for host in $(cat hosts); do ... done
Why it's wrong here
A is wrong because word splitting may break lines with spaces.
✗
until read host; do ... done < hosts
Why it's wrong here
D is wrong because 'until' runs the loop while the command fails, which is not intended.
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.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
D is wrong because 'until' runs the loop while the command fails, which is not intended.
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 EX200 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 EX200 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.
Create simple shell scripts — This question tests Create simple shell scripts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: while read host; do ... done < hosts — Option B is correct because the 'while read' loop is the standard way to read a file line by line in shell scripts, handling each line as a separate variable. Option A is wrong because 'for' with '$(cat file)' can break on spaces. Option C is wrong because it uses 'seq' unnecessarily. Option D is wrong because 'until' is not suitable for this purpose.
What should I do if I get this EX200 question wrong?
Identify which EX200 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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