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Free HSPT Practice Test: 10 Questions Explained

The HSPT is 298 questions in 2 hours 21 minutes, much faster than the TACHS, and at schools such as Xavier and Fordham Prep it decides merit scholarships. These ten are from our full-length HSPT forms.

Take these as an interactive quiz The full HSPT exams

Question 1

frugal means the opposite of
  1. A. fruitful
  2. B. wasteful
  3. C. careful
  4. D. thrifty
Show the answer

The answer is B.

  • A is wrong: fruitful looks like frugal rather than opposing it.
  • C is wrong: careful means cautious, and being frugal is being cautious with money, so it points the same way as frugal rather than against it. The opposite of frugal is wasteful.
  • D is wrong: thrifty means careful with money, which is exactly what frugal means, so it points the same way as frugal rather than against it. The opposite of frugal is wasteful.

Question 2

tranquil means the opposite of
  1. A. peaceful
  2. B. transparent
  3. C. agitated
  4. D. tremendous
Show the answer

The answer is C.

  • A is wrong: peaceful means calm and quiet, the same idea as tranquil, so it points the same way as tranquil rather than against it. The opposite of tranquil is agitated.
  • B is wrong: transparent looks like tranquil rather than opposing it.
  • D is wrong: tremendous is unrelated to tranquil: it means very large. The opposite of tranquil is agitated.

Question 3

Which word does not belong with the others?
  1. A. apple
  2. B. carrot
  3. C. peach
  4. D. plum
Show the answer

The answer is B.

  • A is wrong: apple belongs with the group: the others are fruits; a carrot is a vegetable. The odd one out is the one that does not.
  • C is wrong: peach belongs with the group: the others are fruits; a carrot is a vegetable. The odd one out is the one that does not.
  • D is wrong: plum belongs with the group: the others are fruits; a carrot is a vegetable. The odd one out is the one that does not.

Question 4

What number is 9 less than the square of 9?
  1. A. 90
  2. B. 9
  3. C. 81
  4. D. 72
Show the answer

The answer is D.

  • A is wrong: This adds 9 where the question says "less than".
  • B is wrong: This doubles 9 instead of squaring it. 9 squared is 81, not 18.
  • C is wrong: This is the square alone, before the subtraction.

Question 5

What number is 6 less than one third of 21?
  1. A. 15
  2. B. 7
  3. C. 1
  4. D. 13
Show the answer

The answer is C.

  • A is wrong: This subtracts 6 from 21 itself instead of from one third of it.
  • B is wrong: This is one third of the number, before the subtraction.
  • D is wrong: This adds 6 where the question says "less than".

Question 6

How many feet are there in 11 yards?
  1. A. 14
  2. B. 36
  3. C. 33
  4. D. 4
Show the answer

The answer is C.

  • A is wrong: This adds the two numbers instead of multiplying them.
  • B is wrong: This counts one extra unit.
  • D is wrong: This divides. Going to the smaller unit means multiplying.

Question 7

59 pencils are packed into boxes of 8. How many pencils are left over once every full box is packed?
  1. A. 3
  2. B. 7
  3. C. 4
  4. D. 5
Show the answer

The answer is A.

  • B is wrong: This is the number of full boxes, not the pencils left over. 59 ÷ 8 = 7 remainder 3; the question asks for the remainder.
  • C is wrong: This is one more than the remainder — check the subtraction.
  • D is wrong: This is how many MORE pencils would be needed to fill one more box (8 − 3), not how many are left over.

Question 8

What is 2⁄5 of 30?
  1. A. 6
  2. B. 18
  3. C. 10
  4. D. 12
Show the answer

The answer is D.

  • A is wrong: This is one part out of 5. The question asks for 2 of them.
  • B is wrong: This takes one part too many.
  • C is wrong: This multiplies the two numbers in the fraction instead of using them on the total.

Question 9

Choose the best way to write the underlined part: the book laying on the desk
  1. A. the book is laying on it
  2. B. the book laid on the desk
  3. C. (No change)
  4. D. the book lying on the desk
Show the answer

The answer is D.

  • A is wrong: the book is laying on it is not standard English either. Lie means to rest; lay needs something being laid down.
  • B is wrong: the book laid on the desk is not standard English either. Lie means to rest; lay needs something being laid down.
  • C is wrong: Leaving it as the book laying on the desk keeps the mistake. Lie means to rest; lay needs something being laid down.

Question 10

Choose the best way to write the underlined part: if I was taller
  1. A. if I would be taller
  2. B. if I were taller
  3. C. if I am taller
  4. D. (No change)
Show the answer

The answer is B.

  • A is wrong: if I would be taller is not standard English either. A hypothetical takes the subjunctive were.
  • C is wrong: if I am taller is not standard English either. A hypothetical takes the subjunctive were.
  • D is wrong: Leaving it as if I was taller keeps the mistake. A hypothetical takes the subjunctive were.
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