This publication assists applicants for Year 7 entry to selective high schools to become more

familiar with the Selective High School Placement Test. Some of the items have not been included
for copyright reasons. In the actual Selective High School Placement Test there are 45 questions
in reading, 40 in mathematics and 60 in general ability.
The Selective High School Placement Test measures ability and is set to discriminate at a very
high level. Students who are accustomed to answering most questions in tests correctly should not
be discouraged if they get a number of questions wrong. It is very rare for even the highest scoring
candidates to score full marks on all components of the Selective High School Placement Test.
Selective high school entry does not depend entirely on a student's performance in the Selective
High School Placement Test as school assessment scores in English and mathematics are
provided by the primary schools.
It is important to note that selection committees and appeals panels will not accept students'
performance in this past paper as evidence of academic merit for the purposes of entry into a
selective high school in any future year.

Session

2
SELECTIVE HIGH SCHOOL PLACEMENT TEST
SAMPLE
TEST 3
GENERAL ABILITY
DO NOT OPEN THIS SECTION UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD
INSTRUCTIONS
1

You have 40 minutes to complete the General Ability test. It contains 60 questions.

Mark your answer to each question by colouring A, B, C or D in pen in the General

Ability section of your answer booklet.

If you decide to change your answer, cross it out with X and mark your new answer
clearly.

If you want to work anything out, you may write in this question booklet, but remember
to show your answer in the answer booklet NOT in this question booklet.

In the tests you will find Answer Check boxes like this:
ANSWER CHECK (General Ability No. 1)
Look at your answer booklet was the last bubble you filled in for Question 15?
If it was, keep going. If it wasnt, put your hand up now for help.
This is to ensure you are answering the question in the right answer bubble.

6 Wait for instructions to begin the General Ability test.

Published by the Australian Council for Educational Research

Prospect Hill Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124.
Copyright 2014 NSW Department of Education and Communities.

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G1

1047923_Cs4.indd 1

13/02/14 4:30 PM

Which one does not belong?

SCISSORS PIN KNIFE AXE

A
B
C
D

A
B
C
D

AXE
KNIFE
PIN
SCISSORS
7

What group of letters comes next in this

series?
EG

FH

A
B
C
D

JK
JL
KM
LN

____

UNFRIENDLY
UNFAIR
DEPRESSED
AFRAID

What group of letters comes next in this

series?
LCW

HOW
LOT
PLY
STY

2 kilograms
4 kilograms
6 kilograms
8 kilograms

Trevor
Nadine
Samira
Daniela

The word HOSTILE is most nearly the

same as
A
B
C
D

SQUARE
POLYGON
OCTAGON
PENTAGON

Trevor is taller than Daniela, and Nadine

is taller than Hamish. If Samira and
Nadine are both shorter than Daniela,
who is second-tallest?
A
B
C
D

RAPID
HURTFUL
RECKLESS
ACCIDENTAL

A case of fruit weighs 53 kilograms, and

another weighs 41 kilograms. How much
weight must be removed from the rst
case and placed in the second so that they
are both of equal weight?
A
B
C
D

36

IK

In a certain code, VEDCXJKISWTO

means EXIT. In the same code, what does
PHSLOTYWY mean?
A
B
C
D

HJ

The word CAREFUL is most nearly the

opposite of
A
B
C
D

GI

THREE is to TRIANGLE as FIVE is to

A
B
C
D

10

MEU

NGS

OIQ

____

QKO
PLR
RLR
PKO

If 10 hens can lay 100 eggs in 10 days,

how long would it take 4 hens to lay 28
eggs?
A
B
C
D

1 day
7 days
14 days
28 days

11

The numbers in each of the three patterns

follow the same rule. Find the missing
number.

6
2

9
5

A
B
C
D

15

A gure is missing in the following

sequence. Which one of the answer
gures would best replace the question
mark?

21
7

7
8
9
10
A

12

SUBTRACTION

DIVISION

MULTIPLICATION
A
B
C
D

13

SUBTRACT
DIVIDE
__________

16

MULTIPLES
MULTIPLICITY
MULTIPLE
MULTIPLY

DEFINE
DESCRIBE
RECOGNISE
DETERMINE

What group of letters comes next in this

series?

The word ARID is most nearly the

opposite of
A
B
C
D

The word IDENTIFY means most nearly

the same as
A
B
C
D

14

These words run in pairs. Insert the

missing word to complete the third pair.

17

DESERT
MOIST
OILY
REGULAR

If the word SHAVING is coded 7392410

then the word VANISH would be coded
A
B
C
D

294173
291437
291743
291473

JLP LNR NPT PRV ____

A
B
C
D

RVX
STX
RTX
SVZ

37
37

18

Sheng thinks of a number, doubles it,

then subtracts half the original number,
then adds three.

21

He nishes with the number 39.

A
B
C
D

Shengs original number was

A
B
C
D

19

21
24
27
36

90

A
B
C
D

20

22

The numbers in each of the three patterns

follow the same rule. Find the missing
number.

64

9
3

121
7

11

8
9
10
11

my like belong chips the computer I in

only

38

b
c
l
t

K
R
E
S

The word VINDICATE is most nearly the

same as
A
B
C
D

23

If you arrange the words below to make

the best sentence, what letter would the
LAST word begin with?

A
B
C
D

Add one letter to the word HIRES.

Rearrange the letters to make a word
meaning scream. The added letter is

JUSTIFY
IMPROVE
SPICE
SATISFY

What group of letters comes next in this

series?
AZB EDF IHJ MLN ____
A
B
C
D

PRQ
POS
QPR
QPS

24

A gure is missing in the following

sequence. Which one of the answer
gures would best replace the question
mark?

27

A
B
C
D

28

?
B

A
B
C
D

26

741390827
741930287
751309827
751930287

30

Michael was 1.0 metres tall, and could

only reach up to the 1st oor lift button.
From the 1st oor, he had to walk up 100
steps to reach the 6th oor.

A
B
C
D

90
80
70
50

PUFF
BLOW
DRIFT
GALE

Four parcels have a total weight of

22 kilograms. Parcel 1 is four times the
weight of Parcel 3. Parcel 4 is half the
weight of Parcel 2.
If Parcel 1 weighs 8 kilograms, how much
does Parcel 4 weigh?
A
B
C
D

Vinh was 1.4 metres tall, and could reach

the 5th oor button. He had to walk up
20 steps to reach the 6th oor.
Lucy was 1.1 metres tall. To reach the
6th oor, how many steps did she have to
walk up?

OS
OSL
ON
CON

BREEZE is to WIND as WIND is to

A
B
C
D

SOMERSAULT is to 9271894530 as
MAELSTROM is to

AUNT
NIECE
UNCLE
DAUGHTER

Remove some letters from the word

CONSOLE. Rearrange the letters to make
a word meaning to shut. The removed
letters are
A
B
C
D

29
25

MOTHER is to SISTER as
GRANDMOTHER is to

31

3 kilograms
4 kilograms
6 kilograms
12 kilograms

LEVER is to REVEL as DRAWER is to

A
B
C
D

CUPBOARD
PAINT
REWARD
WRITER

39
39

32

Add one letter to the word REIGNS.

Rearrange the letters to make a word
meaning choir. The added letter is
A
B
C
D

36

What does YVZW mean?

A
B
C
D

E
L
R
S
37

33

What group of letters comes next in this

series?
CEF
A
B
C
D

GIJ

KMN

OQR

BELT
BEAT
BEAD
BART

What group of letters comes next in this

series?
ABL

____

A
B
C
D

TVW
UWX
STU
SUV
38

34

In a certain code DZMG means WANT.

A gure is missing in the following

sequence. Which one of the answer
gures would best replace the question
mark?

BCH

CDD

DEZ

____

EFV
FGW
EGT
EFW

A gure is missing in the following

sequence. Which one of the answer
gures would best replace the question
mark?

?
A

35

The word FEEBLE is most nearly the

opposite of
A
B
C
D

40

ANGRY
STRONG
VIOLENT
GENUINE

39

In a foreign language,

41

TAYO YETI means OLD MAN,

ALI SOTI means YOUNG WOMAN,
and ALI YETI means OLD WOMAN.

A gure is missing in the following

sequence. Which one of the answer
gures would best replace the question
mark?

What is the foreign word for YOUNG?

A
B
C
D

40

ALI
TAYO
SOTI
YETI

Use each of the numbers 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and

9 once only. Fill the empty squares so that
each row, column and diagonal adds up to
15.

42

In a certain code,
I WANT TO BE
becomes
O TNEW UT IB.
In this code the message
HOW MANY TIMES would become

The numbers that add up to 15 are

A
B
C
D

row 1

row 2

row 3

618
816
816
618

753
753
357
354

942
492
492
972

A
B
C
D

43

WOH YNAM SEMIT

WUH YNEM SIMOT
WUH YNEM SOMIT
HUW MENY TOMIS

Christins age is equal to three times her

age in 3 years time minus three times her
age 3 years ago.
How old is Christin?
A
B
C
D

10
12
15
18

41
41

44

STUPID is to ASTUTE as CLUMSY is to

A
B
C
D

45

46

The word CORPULENT is most nearly

the same as
A
B
C
D

50

GENEROUS
DELIBERATE
ANGRY
HELPFUL

INTERIOR
BLOODY
CORRUPT
FLESHY

The numbers in each of the three brackets

follow the same rule. Find the missing
number.
[10, 50, 15] [37, 120, 23] [16, 56, ?]
A
B
C
D

The word DESTINY is most nearly the

opposite of
A
B
C
D

47

AWKWARD
SKILLED
DENSE
ABILITY

The word WILFUL is most nearly the

same as
A
B
C
D

49

CHOICE
CHANGE
FATE
FINISH

51

8
10
12
14

A gure is missing in the following

sequence. Which one of the answer
gures would best replace the question
mark?

Stephen is 18 years old. In 14 years time

hell be half the age his father will be
then.

How old is his father now?

A
B
C
D

48

48
50
58
64

These words run in pairs. Insert the

missing word to complete the third pair.
MEMORY
FAMILIAR
DEFIANT
A
B
C
D

42

DEFIANCE
DEFENCE
DEFY
DEFEND

MEMORISE
FAMILIARISE
_____________

52

In a certain code TGFYWOAG means

SECURITY.
In the same code what does GGHHGGJS
mean?
A
B
C
D

FINANCES
CARRIAGE
RETAINER
FEEDBACK

53

The word DETRIMENT is most nearly

the opposite of
A
B
C
D

54

[19, 25, 3] [4, 26, 11] [?, 51, 9]

55

20
31
33
34

SHOUT is to TALK as TALK is to

A
B
C
D

CHALLENGE
IMPROVEMENT
CONSUMPTION
DEPARTURE

The numbers in each of the three brackets

follow the same rule. Find the missing
number.

A
B
C
D

57

58

SPEAK
CRY
LAUGH
WHISPER

If you arrange the words below to make

the best sentence, what letter does the
LAST word begin with?
the below roof the carpet leaked onto the
through rain
A
B
C
D

b
c
l
t

Which one does not belong?

HEAT TEPID COLD FREEZING
A
B
C
D

56

END OF GENERAL ABILITY

SAMPLE QUESTIONS
LOOK BACK OVER YOUR WORK

TEPID
HEAT
FREEZING
COLD

A gure is missing in the following

sequence. Which one of the answer
gures would best replace the question
mark?

?
A

43
43

NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

SELECTIVE HIGH SCHOOLS TEST

TEST 4
WRITTEN EXPRESSION
INSTRUCTIONS
This booklet contains one writing task. You are to write in response to the topic
in the space provided in the booklet.
You have 20 minutes to complete the task.
When you are told, open the booklet and begin.
There is blank planning space in the answer booklet where you may jot ideas or
make a plan.
Remember the amount you write is not as important as the quality of what you
write.
If you finish writing before time is up, use the rest of the time to go over your
work and to make changes you feel might improve it.

Sample test paper

DO NOT OPEN THIS BOOKLET UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD

Writing task
Write a response to the following question about changes you would like to see.

What changes would you like to see in your neighbourhood,

suburb, town, or in Australia as a whole?
Your writing will be judged on:
what you have to say
how well you organise the way you say it and
how clearly and effectively you express yourself.
You are encouraged to use the blank space for planning and rough work.
Work on this page will not be marked.
START YOUR RESPONSE ON THE NEXT PAGE.
44

SELECTIVE HIGH SCHOOLS TEST SAMPLE QUESTIONS: ANSWERS

READING
No. Answer
1
C
2
C
3
B
4
A
5
B
6
B
7
C
8
D
9
A
10
C
11
C
12
B
13
C
14
C
15
A
16
B
17
C
18
C
19
C
20
C
21
D
22
D
23
A
24
B
25
A
26
D
27
C
28
B
29
A
30
C
31
C
32
A
33
A
34
C
35
B

MATHEMATICS
No. Answer
1
B
2
B
3
C
4
B
5
B
6
D
7
C
8
C
9
A
10
A
11
B
12
D
13
A
14
C
15
B
16
C
17
D
18
D
19
A
20
B
21
D
22
D
23
A
24
D
25
B
26
A
27
C
28
D
29
B
30
C
31
B
32
C
33
A
34
C
35
D
36
A
37
A
38
D

GENERAL
ABILITY
No. Answer
1
C
2
B
3
C
4
A
5
C
6
D
7
D
8
A
9
D
10
B
11
C
12
D
13
C
14
C
15
C
16
B
17
D
18
B
19
A
20
B
21
A
22
A
23
C
24
B
25
A
26
B
27
A
28
C
29
D
30
B
31
C
32
D
33
D
34
C
35
B
36
C
37
A
38
D
39
C
40
C
41
A
42
B
43
D
44
B
45
B
46
A
47
B
48
C
49
D
50
C
51
C
52
D
53
B
54
C
55
B
56
D
57
D
58
A

47
47

General ability
Item
Key
1
C
2
B
3
C
4
A
5
C
6
D
7
D
8
A
9
D
10
B
11
C
12
D
13
C
14
C
15
C
16
B
17
D
18
B
19
A
20
B
21
A
22
A
23
C
24
B
25
A
26
B
27
A
28
C
29
D
30
B
31
C
32
D
33
D
34
C
35
B
36
C
37
A
38
D
39
C
40
C
41
A
42
B
43
D
44
B
45
B
46
A
47
B
48
C
49
D
50
C
51
C
52
D
53
B
54
C
55
B
56
D
57
D
58
A