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HAST Higher Ability Selection Test — VIP Practice Exam
HAST — The HAST (Higher Ability Selection Test) is produced by ACER (Australian Council for Educational Research) and used primarily in South Australia and Tasmania to identify high-ability Year 5–6 students for selective academic enrichment programs; it comprises four separately timed sections — Written Expression, Reading, Mathematics, and Thinking Skills — with no fixed pass/fail threshold, as candidates are ranked competitively for limited places. This practice exam covers the three multiple-choice sections at equivalent difficulty.
45
Questions
90m
Time Limit
70.00%
To Pass
Question 1 of 45👑 VIP
READING SECTION — Questions 1 to 13 Read the following passage carefully, then answer the questions that follow. — THE DISAPPEARING COASTLINES — Mangrove forests fringe tropical and subtropical coastlines around the world, forming one of Earth's most productive and biologically diverse ecosystems. These remarkable trees thrive in conditions that would kill most plants: waterlogged, oxygen-poor soils flooded twice daily by saltwater tides. Their tangled, stilted roots filter out sediment, protecting coastlines from erosion, and provide critical nursery habitat for fish, crustaceans, and hundreds of bird species. Despite their ecological importance, mangrove forests have declined dramatically over recent decades. Globally, an estimated 35 percent of mangrove cover has been lost since 1980, primarily due to coastal development, aquaculture expansion, and timber harvesting. In some countries, shrimp farms have replaced vast stretches of mangrove forest to meet international demand for seafood. The loss of mangroves carries consequences that reach far beyond the coast. When mangrove roots are removed, sediment that was once trapped begins flowing freely into nearby coral reefs, smothering them and blocking the sunlight that reef-building corals need to survive. Meanwhile, coastal communities that once relied on mangrove forests for protection from storm surges find themselves increasingly vulnerable. Studies suggest that mangroves reduce wave energy by up to 70 percent, acting as a natural buffer during cyclones and tsunamis. Scientists are now exploring mangroves' potential role in combating climate change. Mangrove soils store carbon at rates up to four times greater than tropical rainforests, making them among the most carbon-dense ecosystems on the planet. Preserving and restoring mangrove forests could therefore make a significant contribution to global carbon reduction targets — provided that restoration efforts are guided by ecological principles rather than simply planting as many trees as possible in the wrong locations. --- Question 1: What is the MAIN PURPOSE of this passage?
Questions 2–45 and full explanations are VIP-exclusive.