I. Test Your Mind—See How It Works

A good way to begin a thinking skills program is to take stock of your own thinking habits and compare them to those of other people. On page 3 you’ll find a test called the Whimbey Analytical Skills Inventory (WASI). The WASI is the type of test you might take in applying for a job or college program. If you are using this book in a class, your instructor will ask you to take the WASI and make an extra copy of your answers. Then he will collect one copy.

Here is how the WASI differs from other tests. Usually when you take such tests you don’t get a chance to discuss your answers. Sometimes you don’t even find out what your scores are. But with the WASI you will spend several days in class debriefing—going over the test item by item. For each question, your instructor will call on different students to explain how they handled it. In that way, students can compare their problem-solving strategies. Furthermore, if students answered questions incorrectly when they took the test, the instructor may ask them to explain the method they employed that led to the wrong answer. Pay special attention to these explanations of errors, since they will show you how not to deal with such problems. Learning to recognize and avoid ineffective problem-solving methods is an important part of the training. Also notice the sequences of thoughts used by students who answered the question successfully. Compare the approaches leading to the correct answer with those leading to incorrect answers. Pinpoint how the approaches differ. Most importantly, for every question that you answer incorrectly, be sure you understand exactly why the error occurred, and how you can avoid such an error in the future.

If you are not using this book in a class, have a brother, sister, parent or some other friend take the WASI and then compare your answers and strategies.

Asking people to explain their answers to the test questions, and then to compare the explanations with those of others, accomplishes two things. First, it takes the mystery out of mental tests, making them less threatening should you be required to take such tests in the future. Second, research shows that this is an excellent way for people to improve their problem-solving skills. When they work through a test together, explaining and comparing their methods of solution, they learn from each other. They come to recognize ineffective methods, dead ends, and pitfalls. They also come to understand how to attack problems effectively and reach correct answers.

Taking the WASI and then discussing it can be a highly valuable learning experience. When your instructor sets aside several class hours for this, use the time and opportunity to your greatest advantage.

WASI Test
Whimbey Analytical Skills Inventory

Instructions

This inventory consists of 38 questions. Some of the questions are multiple choice, while others are more complex. For each of the multiple choice questions, circle the answer which you think is correct.

Here are two sample questions. Please try to answer them.

1.   If you started with $25.00 and then spent $3.00 to go to a movie, how much would you have left?

a.  $23.00

b.  $22.00

c.  $21.00

d.  $12.00

2.   Circle the fifth word in this sentence.

For the first sample question you should have circled alternative b., since $22.00 are left after spending $3.00 for the movie. With the second question you should have circled the word “in,” because it is the fifth word in the sentence.

If you have any questions, please ask your instructor to answer them. Otherwise, wait until your instructor asks you to turn the page, then begin.

1.   Which word is different from the other 3 words?

a.  yell

b.  talk

c.  pencil

d.  whisper

2.   Which letter is as far away from K in the alphabet as J is from G?

a.  K

b.  M

c.  N

d.  G

e.  I

3.   If you are facing east and turn left, then make an about-face and turn left again, in which direction are you facing?

a.  east

b.  north

c.  west

d.  south

e.  southwest

4.   Which pair of words fits best in the blanks?

Arm is to wrist as _____ is to _____.

a.  leg: foot

b.  thigh: ankle

c.  leg: ankle

d.  leg: knee

5.   20 is related to 30 as 10 is related to _____?

a.  5

b.  25

c.  60

d.  15

e.  10

6.   Which set of letters is different from the other 3 sets?

a.  EFGE

b.  BCDB

c.  KLML

d.  OPQO

7.   In a different language liro cas means “red tomato,” dam cas dan means “big red barn” and xer dan means “big horse.” What is the word for barn in this language?

a.  dum

b.  liro

c.  cas

d.  dan

e.  xer

8.   Write the 2 letters which should appear next in the series.

9.   There are 3 separate, equal-size boxes, and inside each box there are 2 separate small boxes, and inside each of the small boxes there are 4 even smaller boxes. How many boxes are there altogether?

a.  24

b.  13

c.  21

d.  33

e.  some other number

10.   Ten full crates of walnuts weigh 410 lb, while an empty crate weighs 10 lb. How much do the walnuts alone weigh?

a.  400 lb

b.  390 lb

c.  310 lb

d.  320 lb

e.  420 lb

11.   One number in the series below is incorrect. What should that number be?

a.  33

b.  7

c.  24

d.  31

e.  32

12.   The first figure is related to the second figure in the same way that the third figure is related to one of the answer choices. Pick the answer.

13.   Which pair of words best fits the meaning of the sentence?

__________ the dog was big, he was __________ heavy.

a.  Since—not

b.  Although—very

c.  Although—not

d.  Because—nevertheless

14.   Write the 2 numbers which should appear next in the series.

15.   An orthopedist is a ________ specialist.

a.  brain

b.  heart

c.  ear and throat

d.  lung

e.  bone

16.   An equivocal statement is _______.

a.  relevant

b.  equivalent

c.  credible

d.  somewhat loud

e.  ambiguous

17.   Three empty cereal boxes weigh 9 ozs and each box holds 11 ozs of cereal. How much do 2 full boxes of cereal weigh together?

a.  20 ozs

b.  40 ozs

c.  14 ozs

d.  28 ozs

e.  15 ozs

18.   Cross out the letter after the letter in the word pardon which is in the same position in the word as it is in the alphabet.

19.   A journey always involves a _________?

a.  person

b.  destination

c.  distance

d.  preparation

20.   In how many days of the week does the third letter of the day’s name immediately follow the first letter of the day’s name in the alphabet?

a.  1

b.  2

c.  3

d.  4

e.  5

21.   Which pair of words is different from the other 3 pairs?

a.  walk—slowly

b.  speak—loud

c.  read—book

d.  lift—quickly

22.   The top 4 figures form a series which changes in a systematic manner according to some rule. Try to discover the rule and choose from among the alternatives the figure which should occur next in the series.

23.   Which number is repeated first in the following series?

a.  7

b.  8

c.  6

d.  4

e.  5

24.   Which pair of words fits best in the blanks?

Oven is to bake as _________ is to _________.

a.  automobile: carry

b.  dishwasher: dishes

c.  food: ice

d.  vacuum cleaner: rug

25.   Write the 3 letters which should come next in this series.

26.   One third is related to 9 as 2 is related to _____.

a.  6

b.  18

c.  36

d.  54

e.  99

27.   Elephant is to small as _________ is to _________.

a.  large: little

b.  hippopotamus: mouse

c.  turtle: slow

d.  lion: timid

28.   Which word means the opposite of demise?

a.  hasty

b.  birth

c.  accept

d.  embrace

28.   Which set of letters is different from the other 3 sets?

a.  HRTG

b.  NOMP

c.  XACW

d.  LDFK

30.   Hospital is to sickness as _______ is to _______.

a.  patient: disease

b.  jail: prisoner

c.  doctor: patient

d.  school: ignorance

e.  nurse: illness

31.   A train travels 50 mi while a car travels 40 mi. How many miles will the train travel while the car travels 60 mi?

a.  60

b.  50

c.  70

d.  75

e.  80

32.   Heretic is to religious as ________ is to________.

a.  disbelief: faith

b.  adversary: cooperative

c.  sinner: punishment

d.  disrespectful: pious

33.   How many sixths are in 12/2?

a.  6

b.  1

c.  36

d.  4

e.  24

34.   2, 9, 3, 5, 1, 8, 4. Take the difference between the second number and the next-to-last number, then add it to the fourth number. If this sum is less than 6, write the word “go” in this space ________; otherwise, write the word “stop” in this space ________.

35.   Which word is different from the other 3 words?

a.  peregrination

b.  pilgrimage

c.  outlandish

d.  promenade

36.   3, 6, 4, 2, 5, 9, 1. Add the second number to the sixth number, then divide by 3 and write the quotient, unless it is greater than 5; in this case add the first number to the next-to-last number and divide by 4. What is your final answer?

a.  3

b.  5

c.  2

d.  4

e.  some other number

37.   Select the answer which is most nearly equivalent in meaning to the following statement.

a.  The works of great scholars should be read and studied.

b.  A man can be judged by his works.

c.  A man can be judged by those he emulates.

d.  Each human being has his own unique worth.

38.   Optimist is to pessimist as _________ is to _________.

a.  solace: morose

b.  sanguine: morose

c.  benefactor: patron

d.  eulogy: gloomy

END.          When you are finished, check back over your work.