Thinking Skills Mock Test 9: 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.
  • Additional Evidence: Strengthening and weakening arguments with new information.
  • Spatial Reasoning: Visualising and manipulating shapes, positions, and arrangements.
  • Seating Arrangements: Deducing who sits where from ordering and constraint clues.
  • 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 9

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

Thinking Skills

Ed, Fay and Gil each have 16 coins. They take turns: showing an even number means give that many to each of t…

Question 1 · Multiple choice

Question

Ed, Fay and Gil each have 16 coins. They take turns: showing an even number means give that many to each of the other two; odd means receive that many from each. Ed spins 2. Fay spins 3. After Gil's spin they end with 8, 23 and 17 coins respectively (Ed, Fay, Gil). What did Gil spin?

Options

  • A. 1
  • B. 2
  • C. 3
  • D. 4

Correct answer

A. 1

Explanation

Everyone starts with 16 coins. Ed spins 2. Since 2 is even, Ed gives 2 coins to Fay and 2 coins to Gil. So Ed loses 4 altogether. New totals: Ed 12, Fay 18, Gil 18 Fay spins 3. Since 3 is odd, Fay receives 3 coins from Ed and 3 from Gil. So Fay gains 6 altogether. New totals: Ed 9, Fay 24, Gil 15 Now test Gil's possible spin. To finish on 8, 23 and 17, Gil must gain 2 coins, while Ed and Fay each lose 1. That happens when Gil spins 1, because 1 is odd and Gil receives 1 from each of the other two. Check: Ed 9 - 1 = 8 Fay 24 - 1 = 23 Gil 15 + 2 = 17 So Gil spun 1.

Thinking Skills

A teacher argued that quiet reading time would improve focus because pupils would settle before lessons. Whic…

Question 2 · Multiple choice

Question

A teacher argued that quiet reading time would improve focus because pupils would settle before lessons. Which one of these, if true, most strengthens the argument?

Options

  • A. Some pupils prefer to talk.
  • B. Schools that introduced quiet reading saw focus improve.
  • C. Quiet time is already 10 minutes.
  • D. Pupils like variety.

Correct answer

B. Schools that introduced quiet reading saw focus improve.

Explanation

The teacher's idea is that quiet reading time will improve focus because pupils will settle before lessons. To strengthen this argument, we want evidence that quiet reading has already improved focus somewhere else. If schools that introduced quiet reading saw focus improve, that strongly supports the claim. It shows that the same kind of change can really help students settle and concentrate. The other options are weaker: some pupils preferring to talk does not support the plan, how long quiet time already is does not prove anything, and pupils liking variety is not evidence about focus. So the strongest answer is the evidence from schools where focus improved after quiet reading 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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