LEARN ABOUT NATIONAL TALENT SEARCH EXAMINATION

Learn About the National Talent Search Test

It is always best to know as much as possible about the test before you take it.
The National Talent Search Examination will be conducted for students studying at
class VIII level. The examination consists of two tests namely the Mental
Ability Test (MAT) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Each test consists of 90
multiple choice type questions.

Each question has four alternatives marked 1,2,3 and 4. The candidate has to select
one correct answer from the given alternatives and mark its number in the answersheet. Each correct answer carries one mark. Thus the total score of a candidate in a
test is equal to the number of questions answered correctly by him/her.
To make the candidates acquainted with the questions in the above tests, some
sample questions in each of the two tests are given below. These questions will give
the candidate, a feel of the nature and level of the questions expected in the test. The
answer for each question is provided at the end. The rationale has also been given for
some questions, which will help you to understand the logic of the correct answer.
Mental Ability Test Items

This test is given to the candidates to judge their power of reasoning, ability to think,
ability to judge, evaluate or discriminate, ability to visualize in the space, spatial
orientation, etc. A variety of questions e.g. analogies, classification, series, pattern
perception, hidden figures, coding-decoding, block assembly, problem solving etc. are
used for this purpose. To acquaint the candidates with such questions, some examples
are given below. The rationale to find the answer to each question is given at the end.
The candidates are advised to try to solve these questions themselves first. Later on,
they may look at the solutions to find their correct answer and the rationale. 2
Sample Questions for Mental Ability Test (MAT)

1-3. There is some relationship between the two terms (figures/letters) on the left
side of the sign (::). The same relationship exists between the two terms on the
right of the sign (::) of which one is missing. Find the missing one from the
given four alternatives.

1. L L M O : M M N O : : A A B D : ?
1. B B C E
2. B B C D
3. A A B D
4. A B B C

2. 9 : 25 : : 49 : ?
1. 36
2. 81
3. 64
4. 100

4 – 5 The capital letters in each of the following words are coded and written in
small letters on the right side of each word, but the small letters do not appear in the
same order as the letters in the word. Find out the codes for letters and answer the
questions that follow.
K I N G : b d m e
R I N G : d e o b
I N K : e m b
I R K : o e m 3

4. Which is the code for letter K?
1. e
2. m
3. d
4. b

5. What would be the code (in correct order) for the word K I N ?
1. e m b
2. m b e
3. o m e
4. m e b

6.– 8 Study the following number line and answer the questions that follow .
7 5 9 5 2 3 5 9 4 8 5 9 5 4 5 9 3 5 5 9 5 3 5 9 4 5 2 5 3 5 6 5 9 .

7. How many times is ‘5’ is followed by ‘9’? But in such pairs, ‘3’ should not
come before ‘5’.
1. 3
2. 4
3. 5
4. 6

8. How many times do the two consecutive numbers (numbers one after the
other) have a difference of 2?
1. 5
2. 7
3. 9
4. 8

.9 If ÷ means ×, × means − , + means × and − means ÷ , then
2 + 8 × 16 − 4 ÷ 2 = ?
1. 4
2. 8
3. 10
4. 12

10. A boy started from his home. After walking for 5 km towards east, he turned to
his right and walked for 8 km. Then he again turned to his right and walked for
10 km.. In which direction was he from his house?
1. West
2. South-West
3. North
4. North – West


Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)

Below are given sample questions on SAT in different subjects. These
questions are basically multiple-choice questions where one alternative is
correct. However, some questions are of different types like matching type,
arrange the sequence, true and false statements and questions based on passages
apart from simple multiple choice questions. After the questions, the key has
been provided for each question. The rationale of some questions has also been
given which will help you to solve these questions. The rest of the questions,
you solve yourself by exercising your thinking, reasoning ability and logic.
Sample Questions in Social Sciences

1. Which of the following pairs is correctly matched?
1. ILO - London
2. ICJ - Hague
3. UNESCO - Washington
4. WHO - Paris

2. Arrange the following Indo-Pak events in correct chronological order.
A. Creation of Bangladesh
B. Tashkant Declaration
C. Simla Agreement
D. Lahore Declaration
Which order is correct?
1. A C D B
2. B A C D
3. D B A C
4. A B C D

3-4 Direction: Read the following statement and answer the questions that follow.
"India with over 2 percent of the world's geographical area is inhibited by
16 percent of the world population".

3. From the above statement, it is inferred that in the world population almost every

1. 5th person is Indian

2. 6thperson is Indian

3. 7thperson is Indian

4. 8thperson is Indian
10
4. Which of the following countries fits in a completely reverse position explained in
the above statement?
1. China
2. Bangladesh
3. United Kingdom
4. Australia

5. Which pairs are correctly matched? Select the correct alternative.
a. Brahmo Samaj - Dayanand Saraswati
b. Arya Samaj- Vivekananda
c. Ramakrishna Mission - Raja Ram Mohan Roy
d. Aligarh Movement - Syed Ahmed Khan
e. Veda Samaj - Cembeti Sridharlu Naidu
1. a and d
2. b and e
3. d and e
4. c and d

6. Some persons and events are stated below:
A. Warren Hastings I Theosophical Society of India
B. Col. Olcott II Duel Government in Bengal
C. Lord Ripon III The French Revolution
D. Tipu Sultan IV The Local Self Government
Which of the following indicates the correct matching of the above
7
1. A I B. II C. Ill D. IV
2. A II B. III C. II D. I
3. A II B. I C. IV D. III
4. A IV B. II C. I D. III

7. Stated below are some statements.
a. The Modern Age suddenly came into existence
b. The Renaissance emphasized the value of reason and scientific temper in life.
c. The Industrial Revolution in England led to the decline of Cottage Industries in
India.
Which statements are true?
1. a and b
2. b and c
3. a and c
4. a, b and c 11

8-9. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.
The later part of the eighteenth century saw two revolutions, which played an
important role in the making of the modem world.
The first one involved English Government against its thirteen colonies. Most of
the people settled in these colonies had come from England.
8. The passage is referring to two revolutions. Which of the following are these?
1. Russian Revolution and French Revolution
2. American Revolution and French Revolution
3. American Revolution and Chinese Revolution
4. French Revolution and Chinese Revolution

9. Which of the following Revolutions is related to the thirteen English Colonies?
1. Russian Revolution
2. American Revolution
3. Industrial Revolution
4. French Revolution

10. A volcano erupts on the ocean floor and a ship is located on the oceanic surface
very close to the epicentre. Which one of the following conditions will the ship
face?
1. get toppled
2. drift away
3. wreck
4. not much of a change

11. Read the following statements
A. The towns in Canadian prairies developed after the construction of
Canadian Pacific Railway.
B. Most of the Cities of India were connected by railways after these had
already developed.
Which one of the following is correct?
1. A is true, B is false
2. A is false, B is true
3. Both A and B are true
4. Both A and B are false 1

12. Which one of the following sequences of the atmospheric layers will a space shuttle
encounter while returning to the earth?
1. Ionosphere, Mesosphere, Stratosphere, Troposphere
2. Mesosphere, Stratosphere, Ionosphere, Troposphere
3. Stratosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere, Troposphere
4. Ionosphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Troposphere

13. Given below are some characteristics of a region.
a. Rainfall is scanty
b. Difference between day and night temperature is high
c. Very little vegetation is found
Which of the following regions has all these features?
1. coasts
2. deserts
3. plateaus
4. plains

14. Read the following:
a. 80% of forests have been cleared.
b. A quarter of world's mammals are at risk of extinction.
c. Global warming will trigger a devastating rise in sea levels.
Which of the following best explains all of the above?
1. Increasing industrialization
2. Large scale urbanization
3. Increased human activity
4. Large scale mechanization