Thinking Skills Mock Test 6: 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

  • Finding Procedures: Identifying the correct sequence or steps to reach an outcome.
  • Drawing a Conclusion: Logic-based deduction and inference from given premises.
  • Spatial Reasoning: Visualising and manipulating shapes, positions, and arrangements.
  • Seating Arrangements: Deducing who sits where from ordering and constraint clues.
  • Detecting Reasoning Errors: Identifying flaws, assumptions, and gaps in arguments.
  • Relevant Selections: Choosing the option that best supports or completes an argument.

Sample Questions from Test 6

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

Thinking Skills

Ava, Bo and Cal each start with 20 marbles. They take turns spinning a wheel that can land on 1, 2, 3 or 4. I…

Question 1 · Multiple choice

Question

Ava, Bo and Cal each start with 20 marbles. They take turns spinning a wheel that can land on 1, 2, 3 or 4. If the number is even, that player gives that many marbles to each of the other two. If the number is odd, that player receives that many marbles from each of the other two. Ava spins 4. Bo spins 3. If they end with 8, 29 and 23 marbles respectively (Ava, Bo, Cal), what did Cal spin?

Options

  • A. 1
  • B. 2
  • C. 3
  • D. 4

Correct answer

A. 1

Explanation

Everyone starts with 20 marbles. Ava spins 4. Since 4 is even, Ava gives 4 marbles to each of the other two. So Ava loses 8 altogether. New totals: Ava 12, Bo 24, Cal 24 Bo spins 3. Since 3 is odd, Bo receives 3 marbles from Ava and 3 from Cal. So Bo gains 6 altogether. New totals: Ava 9, Bo 30, Cal 21 Now test Cal's possible spin. To finish at 8, 29 and 23, Cal must gain 2 marbles in total, while Ava and Bo each lose 1. That happens when Cal spins 1, because 1 is odd and Cal receives 1 from each of the other two. Check: Ava 9 - 1 = 8 Bo 30 - 1 = 29 Cal 21 + 2 = 23 So Cal spun 1.

Thinking Skills

A councillor argued that the new park would reduce youth crime because it would give teenagers a safe place t…

Question 2 · Multiple choice

Question

A councillor argued that the new park would reduce youth crime because it would give teenagers a safe place to meet. Which one of these, if true, most strengthens the argument?

Options

  • A. Similar parks in other areas saw a drop in reported youth incidents.
  • B. The park will have lighting.
  • C. Some residents opposed the park.
  • D. Youth crime has many causes.

Correct answer

A. Similar parks in other areas saw a drop in reported youth incidents.

Explanation

The councillor's idea is that the new park will reduce youth crime because teenagers will have a safe place to meet. To strengthen this argument, we want evidence that similar parks have already reduced youth crime somewhere else. If similar parks in other areas saw a drop in reported youth incidents, that strongly supports the idea. It shows that the same type of change has already worked in real life. The other options are weaker: lighting may help, but it does not directly show the park will reduce youth crime, opposition from residents does not support the argument, and saying youth crime has many causes makes the claim less focused, not stronger. So the strongest answer is the evidence from similar parks in other areas.

Core Competencies

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

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