BSHS Year 7 sample questions with worked solutions

Brisbane State High School (BSHS) uses the ACER Higher Ability Selection Test (HAST) for selective entry into Year 7. Year 5 candidates sit HAST-P; Year 6 candidates sit the full HAST with an additional abstract reasoning section. The items in the printable pack mirror those section types.

How to use these questions

Ask your child to attempt each question first, then read the worked solution together and discuss where their reasoning matched or differed. One or two questions per session is enough — the goal is to practise explaining method under time pressure.

Sample question — reading inference

Passage: Leo folded the BSHS application reminder face-down on the kitchen bench and asked his father whether they could walk along the river instead of talking about practice tests that evening.

Question: Which statement is most strongly supported by the passage?

Look for actions that suggest intent. Folding the reminder away and redirecting to a walk both suggest avoidance of the exam topic. The worked solution in the PDF explains why “Leo is avoiding discussing exam preparation with his father” is the best answer.

Sample question — vocabulary in context

Passage: The coordinator described the trial timetable as provisional — families would receive a final version after the first week of sessions.

Question: What does provisional most nearly mean in this passage?

Use the surrounding context. A final version will come later, so the current timetable is not fixed. The PDF includes the full worked solution and common traps.

Sample question — mathematical reasoning

Question: A fundraising stall sells lemonade and iced tea in the ratio 3 : 2. If 450 mL of lemonade is poured, how much iced tea is needed?

Scale the ratio: 450 mL is 3 parts, so 1 part = 150 mL and 2 parts = 300 mL. The PDF walks through the method and explains why adding 150 mL to 450 mL is a common trap.

How your child can check their own work

Before reading the solutions, ask: “Which option did you eliminate first, and why?” For numerical items, estimate whether the answer should be larger or smaller than the starting numbers. For reading, point to the exact phrase that supports the chosen answer.

Next step

For a wider view of preparation, see our BSHS preparation strategies and the BSHS course outline. The downloadable PDF includes sample items across all sections with full worked solutions.