Thinking Skills Mock Test 18: 2027 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

2027 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.
  • 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.
  • Matching Arguments: Recognising argument structures that are parallel or equivalent.

Sample Questions from Test 18

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

Thinking Skills

Five siblings—Gemma, Hugo, Ivy, Jude and Kira—are different ages. Hugo is 2 years younger than Ivy. Jude and …

Question 1 · Multiple choice

Question

Five siblings—Gemma, Hugo, Ivy, Jude and Kira—are different ages. Hugo is 2 years younger than Ivy. Jude and Ivy are twins. Gemma is 4 years older than Hugo. Jude is 11 years old. Kira is older than Ivy but younger than Gemma. Only one of the following is true. Which one?

Options

  • A.Ivy is 12.
  • B.Gemma is 3 years older than Kira.
  • C.All the siblings are 9 or older.
  • D.Gemma is 14.

Correct answer

C.All the siblings are 9 or older.

Explanation

Jude and Ivy are twins, and Jude is 11. So Ivy is also 11.

Hugo is 2 years younger than Ivy: 11 - 2 = 9 So Hugo is 9.

Gemma is 4 years older than Hugo: 9 + 4 = 13 So Gemma is 13.

Kira is older than Ivy but younger than Gemma. So Kira must be between 11 and 13. That means Kira is 12.

Now check the options: Ivy is 12: false, Ivy is 11. Gemma is 3 years older than Kira: false, 13 is only 1 more than 12. All the siblings are 9 or older: true, because their ages are 9, 11, 11, 12, 13. Gemma is 14: false.

So the only true statement is that all the siblings are 9 or older.

Thinking Skills

A special die has faces numbered 0–5 with no repeats. Opposite faces sum to 5 (so 0 is opposite 5, 1 opposite…

Question 2 · Multiple choice

Question

A special die has faces numbered 0–5 with no repeats. Opposite faces sum to 5 (so 0 is opposite 5, 1 opposite 4, 2 opposite 3).

The diagrams show the left, front, and right visible faces for each option.

Options

Which three-face view is possible on a real die with this rule?

  • A.Option A — 0, 2, and 4
  • B.Option B — 1, 4, and 5
  • C.Option C — 1, 2, and 4
  • D.Option D — 2, 3, and 5

Correct answer

A.Option A — 0, 2, and 4

Explanation

Identify the opposite pairs on this die (pairs that sum to 5):

  • 0 is opposite 5 (0 + 5 = 5)
  • 1 is opposite 4 (1 + 4 = 5)
  • 2 is opposite 3 (2 + 3 = 5)

Key rule: Opposite faces can NEVER appear together in any corner view — they always face directly away from each other.

Check each option for any opposite pair in the three visible faces.

  • Option A: 0, 2, 4.

    • 0 and 5 are opposite — but 5 is not in the set ✓
    • 1 and 4 are opposite — but 1 is not in the set ✓
    • 2 and 3 are opposite — but 3 is not in the set ✓ No opposite pairs present. VALID ✓

  • Option B: 1, 4, 5.

    • 1 and 4 are opposite (1+4=5). They appear together. INVALID ✗

  • Option C: 1, 2, 4.

    • 1 and 4 are opposite. They appear together. INVALID ✗

  • Option D: 2, 3, 5.

    • 2 and 3 are opposite (2+3=5). They appear together. INVALID ✗

Only Option A (0, 2, 4) contains no opposite pairs and is a valid corner view.

Core Competencies

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

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