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

CACTUS is to DESERT as FISH is to

A
B
C
D

Which one of these figures is the odd

one out?

SAND
CORAL
WATER
SEA WEED
A

Rearrange the words below to make the

best sentence. Which is the last word in
the sentence?

communication telephones very make

easy mobile
A
B
C
D

PQ

A
B
C
D

TU
UV
VW
WV

10

QUESTIONABLE
DUBIOUS
CERTAIN
INDETERMINATE

BOOK is to PAPER as WALL is to

A
B
C
D

Which letters are missing in this series?

GROSS
STERN
LEERING
SEVERE

Three of the following words have

similar meanings. Which word has a
different meaning?
A
B
C
D

CRETINOUS
MORONIC
IDIOTIC
SAGE

The word GRIEVOUS is nearest in

meaning to
A
B
C
D

Three of the following words have

similar meanings. Which word has a
different meaning?
A
B
C
D

EASY
MOBILE
TELEPHONES
VERY

FLOOR
PATH
BRICK
CEILING

Which two of the following statements

together prove that
SOME MAMMALS LAY EGGS?

ENVY is to JEALOUSY as REGRET

is to
A
B
C
D

JOY
DISGUST
REMORSE
RELAXATION

This test contains security features to protect against illegal use

G2

I.
II.
III.
IV.

Monotremes lay eggs.

Echidnas are mammals.
Monotremes are mammals.
Echidnas are monotremes.

A
B
C
D

I and III
I and IV
II and IV
III and IV

11

The word DIAGNOSIS is nearest in

meaning to

Which of these figures is the odd one out?

CURE
DISEASE
DISTRESS
ANALYSIS

A
B
C
D

12

14

A
15

A figure is missing in the following

sequence.

EF

13

A
B
C
D

PACIFY
EXCITE
TRANQUILIZE
PLACATE

18

ANSWER CHECK
(General Ability No. 1)
Look on your Answer Sheet the last
question you answered should have been
Question 13
If it was, keep going.
If it wasnt, put your hand up for help.

COVER is to BOOK as SHEATH is to

GUN
CASE
KNIFE
PAINTING

A figure is missing in the following

sequence.

Which of the answer figures would best

replace the question mark?

A
This test contains security features to protect against illegal use

G3

WX

ARID
FERTILE
SCARCE
NUTRITIOUS

A
B
C
D

Three of the following words have

similar meanings. Which word has a
different meaning?

JK

The word ABUNDANT is most clearly

the opposite in meaning to
A
B
C
D

17

NO
OP
PQ
QR

A
B
C
D

Which of the answer figures would best

replace the question mark?

Which letters are missing in this series?

AB

16

19

Bob has saved $24. If Kylie saves another

$4 she will have half as much as Bob.

24

In the same code, what is OPAL

represented by?

How much does Kylie have?

A
B
C
D

20

A
B
C
D

21

A
B
C
D

GH

KLM

25

YZABC

ALANNAH IS ALLOWED TO
SERVICE THE PHOTOCOPIER?

PQRS
PQRST
QRST
QRSTU

Everyone who has completed a

training course is allowed to service
the photocopier.

II

You are not allowed to service the

photocopier unless you have
completed a training course.

III Alannah has recently completed a

training course.

FAMOUS
RELIABLE
NEGATIVE
DISHONEST

IV Alannah knows how the

photocopier works.
A
B
C
D

Three of the following words have

similar meanings. Which word has a
different meaning?
A
B
C
D

OZKL
LZKO
LKZP
LKZO

Which two of the following statements

together prove that

The word DUBIOUS is most clearly the

opposite in meaning to
A
B
C
D

22

$8
$10
$12
$20

Which group of letters is missing in

this series?
E

In a certain code, TIVZG means GREAT.

AFFIRM
DENY
DECLARE
ASSERT

26

I and III
II and III
I and IV
III and IV

The number codes 6432, 7236 and 5764

represent three of the four letter groups
LRST, EALR, ATSL and RAES.
The number code 4532 represents the
word

23

One jug contains 1.8 litres of juice.

Another jug contains 2.4 litres of juice.

A
B
C
D

How much juice must be poured from

one jug to the other so that they contain
the same amount?
A
B
C
D

0.3 litres
0.4 litres
0.6 litres
2.1 litres

This test contains security features to protect against illegal use

27

The word CONGEAL is nearest in

meaning to
A
B
C
D

G4

ALES
SEAT
TALE
REST

COAGULATE
CONDENSE
SHRED
SEPARATE

28

In a certain code, RRXUN means

STAYS.

32

Using the same code, what does

OMHAM mean?

29

The number code for LARGE is

OKKER
POKER
POKES
POLES

A
B
C
D

The number codes 6387, 7843 and 4586

represent three of the four words
LARD, DEAR, GLAD and RAGE.

A
B
C
D

A figure is missing in the following

sequence.

33

45837
57834
58743
67843

In three minutes Gabrielle can walk 300

metres. In five minutes Mara can walk
600 metres. They started walking at the
same time along the same track.
How far apart were they after 4
minutes?

Which of the answer figures would best

replace the question mark?

A
B
C
D

D
34

30

Three of the following words have

similar meanings. Which word has a
different meaning?
A
B
C
D

31

The word HYPOCRISY is most clearly

the opposite in meaning to
A
B
C
D

UNIFORM
HOMOGENEOUS
CONSISTENT
VARIABLE

35

The word OBSOLETE is nearest in

meaning to
A
B
C
D

80 metres
100 metres
120 metres
300 metres

Three of the following words have

similar meanings. Which word has a
different meaning?
A
B
C
D

INNOVATIVE.
OUTMODED.
PRECIOUS.
ANTIQUE.

DISHONESTY
ARROGANCE
DISBELIEF
SINCERITY

VITAL
GRAVE
PETTY
GREAT

ANSWER CHECK
(General Ability No.2)
Look on your Answer Sheet the last
question you answered should have been
Question 35
If it was, keep going.
If it wasnt, put your hand up for help.

This test contains security features to protect against illegal use

G5

36

There were 29 children on the school

bus. After 3 boys got on the bus and 5
girls got off, there were twice as many
boys left on the bus as there were girls.

40

Emily is coming home from a holiday

on Sunday, four days from now. She left
four days ago, when it was very hot.
Therefore

How many of the original 29 children

were boys?
A
B
C
D

A
B
C

14
15
18
27

41
37

The number codes 5231, 1523 and 2543

represent three of the four words GRIN,
IRON, LONG and RING.

A
B
C
D

38

39

72314
73214
42714
43714

42

Three of the following words have

similar meanings. Which word has a
different meaning?
A
B
C
D

SCORN
RIDICULE
CONTEMPT
RECOGNITION

43

SERIOUS.
RELAXED.
IRRATIONAL.
HUMOROUS.

The number codes 6732, 5647 and 3542

represent three of the four letter groups
LROT, UXLT, RUOX and TOXU.
The number code for ROUT is
A
B
C
D

CRUDE
CLEVER
UNKNOWN
OPTIMISTIC
44

A
B
C
D

G6

4572
5462
5467
6427

Which letter is missing in this series?

T

This test contains security features to protect against illegal use

OBSTINATE
STUBBORN
WILFUL
COOPERATIVE

The word FLIPPANT is most clearly

the opposite in meaning to
A
B
C
D

The word SUBTLE is most clearly the

opposite in meaning to
A
B
C
D

Three of the following words have

similar meanings. Which word has a
different meaning?
A
B
C
D

The number code for LINGO is

today is Thursday.
it was very hot last Saturday.
Emily left on her holiday last
Monday.
it was very hot yesterday.

Q
I
J
K
L

O L

45

Which two of the following statements

together prove that

48

ALL CREATURES WITH HEARTS

HAVE KIDNEYS?
I

III
IV

Any creature with kidneys is

a renate.
Any creature with a heart
is cordate.
All renates have hearts.
All cordates have kidneys.

A
B
C
D

I and III
I and IV
II and III
II and IV

II

46

A
B
C
D

49

50

51

A
B
C
D

RELAXED
WEALTHY
CHEERFUL
COMPASSIONATE

In a certain code, TRLGG means

GHOST.
In the same code, what is PUMP
represented by?

P
Q
R
S

A
B
C
D

52

ANSWER CHECK
(General Ability No.3)
Look on your Answer Sheet the last
question you answered should have been
Question 47
If it was, keep going.
If it wasnt, put your hand up for help.

This test contains security features to protect against illegal use

Souad
Yan
Ada
Carl

The word BENEVOLENT is nearest in

meaning to
A
B
C
D

1400 metres
600 metres
400 metres
300 metres

Which letter is missing in this series?

Z

Six people are sitting around a table.

Carl is sitting opposite Yan. Jim is on
the left of Ada. Souad is between Bea
and Carl. Ada is not next to Yan.

A
B
C
D

How far from the start is she?

47

EXTENSIVE
HARD
SUPPLE
ROBUST

Who is on the left of Bea?

Rita walks 300 metres East, then 100

metres North, then 200 metres South,
then 300 metres West then 500 metres
North.

A
B
C
D

The word FRAIL is most clearly the

opposite in meaning to

G7

KENQ
KFLQ
KENJ
KFNJ

The word SPORADIC is most clearly

the opposite in meaning to
A
B
C
D

INTERMITTENT.
CONTINUOUS.
WORTHLESS.
PRECIOUS.

53

Which group of letters is missing in this

series?
FU

SH

A
B
C
D

MN
NM
NO
LM

JQ

OL

57

KP

A
B
C
D

58
54

Three of the following words have

similar meanings. Which word has a
different meaning?
A
B
C
D

RASH
IMPETUOUS
CAUTIOUS
HEEDLESS
59

55

Freda is facing East and Ang is facing

South. They both make a half turn to
their left.

B
C
D

56

Freda makes a quarter turn to

her right
Freda makes a quarter turn to
her left
Ang makes another half turn to
his left
Ang makes a half turn to his right

The number codes 6578, 7548 and 4897

represent three of the four words
DEAR, RODE, SODA and SORE.
The number code for ADORE is
A
B
C
D

60

PROTEST
CAPTURE
DIALOGUE
PUNISHMENT

Which letter is missing in this series?

H

A
B
C
D

R
S
T
U

The word LATENT is most nearly the

opposite in meaning to
A
B
C
D

What does one of them need to do so

that they both face North?
A

The word DISSENT is nearest in

meaning to

SECRET
EVIDENT
IMPRESSIVE
HIDDEN

The number codes 2765, 9742 and 4675

represent three of the four letter groups
ATLR, ELAS, SLTR and SRTE.
The number code 5469 represents
the word
A
B
C
D

LEAD
EAST
ALES
RATE

ANSWER CHECK
(General Ability No.4)
Look on your Answer Sheet the last
question you answered should have been
Question 60
If it wasnt, put your hand up for help.

63457
63458
64578
94578

END OF TEST.
LOOK BACK OVER YOUR WORK
IF YOU HAVE TIME.
This test contains security features to protect against illegal use

G8

General ability
No
KEY

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60

C
A
D
B
C
B
D
C
C
A
D
C
B
A
C
C
C
A
A
C
B
B
A
D
A
D
N/A
B
C
D
B
C
A
D
C
B
A
D
A
B
D
A
B
B
D
C
B
D
A
D
C
B
B
C
A
D
A
D
B
D