Thinking Skills Mock Test 13: 2026 NSW Selective Format

Master the new Janison-style Thinking Skills exam with our comprehensive 40-question mock test. Designed specifically for students targeting top-tier NSW Selective High Schools.

Duration

40 Minutes

Format

2026 NSW Format

Questions

40 multiple-choice

Level

Official Selective Test Level

Skills Covered in this Test

This mock test mirrors the official weightings of the NSW Department of Education exam.

The breakdown

  • Additional Evidence: Strengthening and weakening arguments with new information.
  • Truth/Liar Puzzles: Identifying truth-tellers and liars from statements and constraints.
  • Data Sufficiency: Deciding if given information is enough to answer the question.
  • Finding Procedures: Identifying the correct sequence or steps to reach an outcome.
  • Drawing a Conclusion: Logic-based deduction and inference from given premises.
  • Matching Arguments: Recognising argument structures that are parallel or equivalent.

Sample Questions from Test 13

The first two questions of this mock test (same order and wording as the timed exam).

Thinking Skills

Liam, Macy and Niamh each have 20 coins. They take turns: even means give that many to each of the other two;…

Question 1 · Multiple choice

Question

Liam, Macy and Niamh each have 20 coins. They take turns: even means give that many to each of the other two; odd means receive that many from each. Liam spins 2. Macy spins 3. If they end with 12, 27 and 21, what did Niamh spin?

Options

  • A. 1
  • B. 2
  • C. 3
  • D. 4

Correct answer

A. 1

Explanation

Everyone starts with 20 coins. Liam spins 2. Since 2 is even, Liam gives 2 coins to Macy and 2 coins to Niamh. So Liam loses 4 altogether. New totals: Liam 16, Macy 22, Niamh 22 Macy spins 3. Since 3 is odd, Macy receives 3 coins from Liam and 3 from Niamh. So Macy gains 6 altogether. New totals: Liam 13, Macy 28, Niamh 19 Now test Niamh's possible spin. To finish on 12, 27 and 21, Niamh must gain 2 coins, while Liam and Macy each lose 1. That happens when Niamh spins 1, because 1 is odd and she receives 1 from each of the other two. Check: Liam 13 - 1 = 12 Macy 28 - 1 = 27 Niamh 19 + 2 = 21 So Niamh spun 1.

Thinking Skills

A mayor argued that free weekend parking would boost town centre trade because more people would shop locally…

Question 2 · Multiple choice

Question

A mayor argued that free weekend parking would boost town centre trade because more people would shop locally. Which one of these, if true, most strengthens the argument?

Options

  • A. Some people already walk.
  • B. Towns that offered free weekend parking saw footfall rise.
  • C. Parking costs money to run.
  • D. The centre has buses.

Correct answer

B. Towns that offered free weekend parking saw footfall rise.

Explanation

The mayor's idea is that free weekend parking will increase shopping in the town centre because more people will choose to drive there and stay. To strengthen this argument, we want evidence that free weekend parking has already helped elsewhere. If towns that offered free weekend parking saw footfall rise, that strongly supports the claim. It shows that the same kind of change can really bring more people into shops and streets. The other options are weaker: some people already walking does not show the plan works, parking costing money to run is not evidence about the effect, and having buses does not directly support the argument. So the strongest answer is the evidence from towns where footfall rose after free weekend parking was introduced.

Core Competencies

Additional EvidenceData SufficiencyDetecting Reasoning ErrorsDrawing a ConclusionEvaluating HypothesesFinding ProceduresIdentifying SimilarityLogical DeductionMatching ArgumentsRelevant SelectionsSeating ArrangementsSpatial ReasoningSyllogismsTruth/Liar Puzzles

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