You will have 30 minutes to answer 25 questions. You will have to work very quickly in all sections.

The test includes multiple-choice questions. However, the NSW Opportunity Class Test also includes  other question types which change from section to section. At the time of writing the format is as follows:

• Literary texts—multiple-choice questions about two different texts or about different stages of one text
• Poetry—multiple-choice questions about one or more poems
• Factual texts—a cloze task which asks you to place sentences or phrases into an information text in a way that makes sense
• Varied short texts—matching statements to four short texts on the same general theme. 

You will have to answer questions about narrative stories, poems and factual texts. The factual texts could be, for example, reports, instructions or explanations, biographies, interviews or diary entries.

The texts cover a wide range of topics, including personal feelings and experiences, family life, different cultures, animals and plants, history, the environment, science and technology, art and music.

No. The topics will be general interest and all the information you need to answer the questions will be in the texts. The questions test how you read, not how much you know. 

The questions cover a range of reading skills and strategies.

Some will ask you to find particular facts. Some will ask you to work out the meanings of a word or phrase. Some will require you to think about main ideas. Others will ask you to draw a conclusion based on what you have read. This means the answer won’t be clearly given to you in the text—you will have to use the text to work out the answer (e.g. to predict what is going to happen).

Some questions may ask you to look more at the way the text is written (e.g. to identify words that express emotion or opinion).

Yes, you should try to answer every question but you may run out of time. You will have to work very quickly to answer all the questions. If you can, put an answer for each question. 

Here are some tips to help you with the Reading comprehension questions and to make the best use of your time.

• Quickly skim the text to get a general idea of the topic and type of text (e.g. instructions, story, description) and then quickly look at the questions.
• Read the text carefully but quickly.
• For multiple choice, choose the answer you think is best. Cross out the ones that look obviously wrong as soon as you see them.
• For the new question types in the Opportunity Class tests, you will find advice in the Key Points for those sections.
• Be sure to look back at the text to answer the questions. Don’t just answer it from memory!
• Also, look again at the question to make sure you have not made a silly mistake when reading it.
• Don’t waste too much time on any one question. If you are not sure, guess the answer but mark it so you can come back to it later if you have time. If it seems impossible to choose, select the answer you first thought was right.
• If you have time to spare, go over your answers. Sometimes you will realise the correct answer to a question after answering other questions.

All tests use multiple-choice questions. This means you are given a question and have to choose the best answer from four or five possibilities. The tests vary in the way you record your answers but most ask you to mark your answers on a separate answer sheet. You don’t have to write any words.

As the tests are multiple choice, you will need pencils and erasers. Calculators, rulers and geometrical instruments are not allowed, so you need to be good at mental calculations and estimating length and angles.

The tests include questions involving Number, Patterns, Measurement, Geometry, Statistics, Probability and Working Mathematically. This means you will be familiar with the topics covered in the test but the questions may be more difficult or of a type you may not have seen before.

No. The best preparation is to know what to expect on the day of the test and to practise the types of questions in the test.

You will be given some information and asked one question about it. The information might be given in words or might involve a diagram, graph or table.

You will be familiar with most question types from classroom work and from other tests you have done, such as the NAPLAN tests.

Most tests have a question booklet and a separate answer sheet. Many of the questions are so difficult you will need to write down some working to help you find your answer. You can use space on the booklet near the question.

Yes, you should try to answer every question. However, it is possible you will not have time to do them all. Some questions will take less than one minute to answer, while others will take longer. You will have to work quite quickly to answer all the questions. Many students don’t manage to do this.

Here are a few tips to help you get through the test, and to make the best use of your time.

• Don’t waste too much time on any one question. If you are not sure, guess the answer but mark it so that you can come back to it later (if you have time). If it seems impossible to choose, select the answer you first thought was right.
• Answer every question. Don’t leave any out. You’ll have a one in four (or five) chance of getting the right answer, even if you guess.
• If you do have some time to spare, go over your answers. Sometimes you will realise the correct answer to a question after answering other questions.

The NSW Opportunity Class Placement Test for Thinking Skills has 30 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 30 minutes. You will be given four choices and you’ll need to choose the best answer. The test assesses your ability to think critically and problem solve.

Thinking skills questions will test your ability to think and reason. They cover the topics of literacy (language skills), numeracy (mathematics), spatial awareness (visualising) and logic (reasoning), and often integrate some basic general knowledge. To answer critical-thinking questions you need to read and understand the information provided in the texts and understand the language of the questions, including the grammar.

You might use a mixture of the following thinking skills:

• identifying the main idea in an argument
• drawing a conclusion from information provided
• identifying an assumption that has led to a conclusion
• identifying a mistaken assumption
• assessing evidence
• applying reasoning as well as detecting errors in reasoning
• eliminating conclusions that cannot be correct because the evidence does not support them
• evaluating statements in order to judge the ones which strengthen or weaken arguments.

Problem-solving questions will test a wide range of reasoning skills and strategies based on general literacy, numeracy and visualising shapes, patterns and relationships. They will also require students to manipulate words, numbers and shapes. There may also be questions about something completely unusual or different. These will require you to use logic and apply common sense.

No. There is no body of knowledge to study for the Thinking Skills test. You need to work out the answer from the information provided. Practising with the sample questions in this book will help you learn about the types of questions you can expect in the test and how to work out the answers.

Yes, you should try to answer every question but it is quite possible you will not have time to do them all. You will have to work quite quickly to answer all the questions.

Thinking Skills testing depends on speed. The smarter the student, the faster they will be able to reason correctly and do the test, and the higher their score will be.

The questions and tests in this book provide you with the opportunity to maximise your speed in answering Thinking Skills questions by making you familiar with the style and format, and with some of the types of questions you may encounter in such tests.

Here are some tips to help you with the Thinking Skills questions and to make the best use of your time.

• Read the questions carefully but quickly. Make sure you know what the question is asking. Don’t jump to conclusions based on a word or phrase you recognise.
• Attempt the questions one at a time and choose the answer you think is best.
• Look again at the question to make sure you have not made a silly mistake when reading it. There are answers that seem correct if you have not read the question carefully.
• Don’t waste too much time on any one question. If you are not sure, make an intelligent guess but mark the question so that you can come back to it later (if you have time). If it seems impossible to choose, choose the answer you first thought was right.
• Answer every question. Don’t leave any out. You’ll have a one in four chance of getting the right answer, even if you guess. You do not lose marks for incorrect answers.
• If you do have some time to spare, go over your answers. Sometimes you will realise what the correct answer to a question is after answering other questions.