Thinking Skills Mock Test 4: 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

  • Drawing a Conclusion: Logic-based deduction and inference from given premises.
  • Detecting Reasoning Errors: Identifying flaws, assumptions, and gaps in arguments.
  • Relevant Selections: Choosing the option that best supports or completes an argument.
  • 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.

Sample Questions from Test 4

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

Thinking Skills

A 3 × 3 grid must follow this rule: every row and every column contains each of the three symbols — ○ (circle…

Question 1 · Multiple choice

Question

A 3 × 3 grid must follow this rule: every row and every column contains each of the three symbols — ○ (circle), △ (triangle), and ★ (star) — exactly once.

The grid so far:

Col 1Col 2Col 3
Row 1○△★
Row 2△★○
Row 3?○△

What symbol goes in the bottom-left cell (Row 3, Col 1)?

Options

  • A.★ (star)
  • B.○ (circle)
  • C.△ (triangle)
  • D.Any of the three would work

Correct answer

A.★ (star)

Explanation

Step 1: Look at the grid.

        Col 1   Col 2   Col 3
Row 1:    ○       △       ★
Row 2:    △       ★       ○
Row 3:    ?       ○       △

The rule: every row and every column must contain each of ○, △, and ★ exactly once.

Step 2: Check Column 1.

Column 1 already contains:

  • Row 1 → ○
  • Row 2 → △
  • Row 3 → ?

○ and △ are already used in this column. The only symbol left is ★.

Step 3: Confirm using Row 3.

Row 3 already contains:

  • Col 2 → ○
  • Col 3 → △
  • Col 1 → ?

○ and △ are already used in this row. The only symbol left is ★.

Both checks agree — the bottom-left cell must be ★ (star).

Thinking Skills

A net of a cube is shown below. Which of the following could be a possible view of the cube?

Question 2 · Multiple choice

Question

A net of a cube is shown below. Which of the following could be a possible view of the cube?

Cube net with black diamond, three-lines, arrow/mushroom, teardrop, hexagon, and cross faces, with four possible 3D cube views labelled A to D

Options

  • A.A
  • B.B
  • C.C
  • D.D

Correct answer

A.A

Explanation

Step 1 — Rotate the given net.

Rotated version of the net: left column has arrow face (top), three-lines face (middle), diamond face (bottom); right row extends with teardrop, hexagon, and cross faces

Step 2 — Identify opposite faces using the colour-coded folding diagram.

Colour-coded folding sequence: green pair, blue pair, and pink pair become opposite faces when the T-shaped net is folded into a cube

Opposite face pairs:

  • 🟢 Arrow (mushroom) and diamond are opposite.
  • 🔵 Three-lines face and hexagon are opposite.
  • 🩷 Teardrop and cross are opposite.

Step 3 — Confirm with coloured arcs on the rotated net.

Rotated net with green, blue, and pink arcs connecting the opposite face pairs: green = arrow ↔ diamond, blue = three lines ↔ hexagon, pink = teardrop ↔ cross

Since opposite faces cannot appear together in one view, apply elimination:

  • Option C: Shows the diamond and the arrow in the same view. These are opposite faces — impossible. ❌ Eliminated.

  • Option B: Shows the arrow pointing toward the three-lines face. On the net, the arrow does not point toward the three-lines face — the orientation is wrong. ❌ Eliminated.

  • Option D: Shows the arrow pointing toward the teardrop. On the net, the arrow faces away from the teardrop. ❌ Eliminated.

By elimination, Option A is the only view consistent with the net — it correctly shows the three-lines face on top with the diamond and teardrop on adjacent faces in valid orientations.

The answer is A.

Core Competencies

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

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