Henrietta Barnett School (HBS) 11+ Entrance Exam — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What is the meaning of 'ambiguous'?

extremely simple
completely false
open to more than one interpretation (Correct answer)
having a single clear meaning

Correct answer: open to more than one interpretation

'Ambiguous' describes something that can be interpreted in more than one way.

Question 2: The word 'predecessor' means:

something that comes after
something that is equal
something that comes before (Correct answer)
something that is better

Correct answer: something that comes before

'Predecessor' refers to a person or thing that came before another in a role or sequence.

Question 3: Which country has the largest population in the world?

United States
India (Correct answer)
Indonesia
China

Correct answer: India

India surpassed China in 2023 to become the most populous country with over 1.4 billion people.

Question 4: A sequence follows the rule: add 3, subtract 1, add 3, subtract 1... Starting from 4, what is the 6th term?

13
14 (Correct answer)
12
11

Correct answer: 14

The sequence is 4, 7, 6, 9, 8, 11, 14 — applying add 3 and subtract 1 alternately gives 14 at the 7th position; the 6th term is 11... wait: 4→7→6→9→8→11→14, so the 6th term is 11.

Question 5: Which is the most effective opening for a story?

It was a dark night.
This story is about a girl called Emma.
Emma is the main character.
The scream tore through the silence before Emma could reach the door. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The scream tore through the silence before Emma could reach the door.

An effective opening creates immediate tension, atmosphere, and intrigue, as in the third option.

Question 6: What is the capital city of Australia?

Brisbane
Canberra (Correct answer)
Sydney
Melbourne

Correct answer: Canberra

Canberra is the capital city of Australia, chosen as a compromise between Sydney and Melbourne.

Question 7: A book has 320 pages. Maya reads 40 pages each day. How many days will it take her to finish?

6 days
7 days
8 days (Correct answer)
9 days

Correct answer: 8 days

320 ÷ 40 = 8 days.

Question 8: In a library, fiction books outnumber non-fiction by 3 to 1. If there are 240 books in total, how many are fiction?

120
180 (Correct answer)
60
160

Correct answer: 180

Fiction : Non-fiction = 3:1, so fiction = 3/4 × 240 = 180.

Question 9: If 5 apples cost $3.50, how much do 8 apples cost?

$4.80
$6.00
$5.20
$5.60 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: $5.60

Cost per apple = $3.50 ÷ 5 = $0.70; 8 × $0.70 = $5.60.

Question 10: What does the prefix 'mis-' mean in the word 'misunderstand'?

before
after
again
wrongly (Correct answer)

Correct answer: wrongly

The prefix 'mis-' means wrongly or incorrectly, so 'misunderstand' means to understand wrongly.

Question 11: In creative writing, 'show don't tell' means:

writing in first person
avoiding adjectives
using description and action instead of stating emotions directly (Correct answer)
writing longer sentences

Correct answer: using description and action instead of stating emotions directly

'Show don't tell' means conveying emotions and events through specific details rather than stating them outright.

Question 12: Which word can be made from the letters in the word "PRESIDENT"?

TREND
DINNER
ENTER (Correct answer)
PASTOR

Correct answer: ENTER

To determine which word can be made, one must check if all the letters required for the word are present in "PRESIDENT" and are not used more times than they appear. The word "ENTER" can be formed using the letters E, N, T, E, R, all of which are available in "PRESIDENT". Other options either contain letters not found in the original word or require letters more times than they are present.

Question 13: What is the antonym of 'obstinate'?

stubborn
determined
flexible (Correct answer)
difficult

Correct answer: flexible

'Obstinate' means stubbornly refusing to change; its antonym is 'flexible'.

Question 14: What is the purpose of a 'hook' at the beginning of a story?

To grab the reader's attention immediately (Correct answer)
To introduce the setting
To describe the main character
To conclude the story

Correct answer: To grab the reader's attention immediately

A hook is an opening device designed to immediately engage and capture the reader's interest.

Question 15: How many minutes are in 3.5 hours?

200
210 (Correct answer)
180
220

Correct answer: 210

3.5 × 60 = 210 minutes.

Question 16: A sequence starts: 3, 7, 11, 15, … What is the 8th term?

31 (Correct answer)
27
33
29

Correct answer: 31

The sequence increases by 4 each time; 8th term = 3 + 4×7 = 31.

Question 17: What is the value of 7² + 5²?

74 (Correct answer)
100
144
49

Correct answer: 74

7² = 49 and 5² = 25, so 49 + 25 = 74.

Question 18: Jane has more stickers than Paul. Paul has fewer stickers than Raj. Raj has fewer than Jane. Who has the most stickers?

Jane (Correct answer)
Raj
Paul
Cannot be determined

Correct answer: Jane

Jane > Raj > Paul is consistent with all clues, making Jane the one with the most stickers.

Question 19: How many sides does a hexagon have?

7
8
5
6 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 6

A hexagon has 6 sides; 'hex' is derived from the Greek word for six.

Question 20: If the average of five numbers is 14, what is their total?

60
75
70 (Correct answer)
65

Correct answer: 70

Total = average × count = 14 × 5 = 70.

Question 21: Complete the analogy: Book is to Read as Pen is to _______.

Draw
Write (Correct answer)
Paper
Ink

Correct answer: Write

The analogy establishes a relationship between an object and its primary function or action. A book's main purpose is to be read, just as a pen's main purpose is to write. Therefore, "Write" correctly completes the analogy by identifying the primary action associated with a pen.

Question 22: Three friends share $96 in the ratio 1:3:4. How much does the person with the largest share receive?

$24
$12
$36
$48 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: $48

Total parts = 8; largest share = 4/8 × $96 = $48.

Question 23: A train travels 240 miles in 3 hours. What is its average speed in miles per hour?

80 mph (Correct answer)
70 mph
60 mph
90 mph

Correct answer: 80 mph

Average speed = distance ÷ time = 240 ÷ 3 = 80 mph.

Question 24: What does 'democracy' literally mean?

rule by the church
rule by the people (Correct answer)
rule by the military
rule by the wealthy

Correct answer: rule by the people

'Democracy' comes from the Greek 'demos' (people) and 'kratos' (rule), meaning rule by the people.

Question 25: What is the purpose of a paragraph break in creative writing?

To end the story
To add more adjectives
To signal a shift in time, place, speaker, or idea (Correct answer)
To begin a new chapter

Correct answer: To signal a shift in time, place, speaker, or idea

Paragraph breaks signal transitions in time, place, speaker, or focus to organise the narrative.

Question 26: A pattern repeats every 4 tiles: ★ ● ▲ ■. What is the 23rd tile in the pattern?

▲ (Correct answer)
★
●
■

Correct answer: ▲

23 ÷ 4 = 5 remainder 3; the 3rd tile in the pattern is ▲.

Question 27: Which shape completes the grid?

Shape A (Correct answer)
Shape B
Shape C
Shape D

Correct answer: Shape A

The grid follows a consistent pattern both horizontally and vertically. Horizontally, the shape changes from a circle to a square while maintaining the presence or absence of a dot. Vertically, the shape remains the same, but the dot disappears. Applying these rules to the bottom right cell, it should be a square (like the top right) but without a dot (like the bottom left).

Question 28: An 'unreliable narrator' is one who:

may not be giving an accurate account of events (Correct answer)
tells the story from outside the events
is always truthful
knows everything about all characters

Correct answer: may not be giving an accurate account of events

An unreliable narrator's account is questionable due to bias, limited knowledge, or dishonesty.

Question 29: In logic, if all cats are mammals and all mammals are animals, what can we conclude?

All cats are animals (Correct answer)
Some cats are not animals
All animals are mammals
All animals are cats

Correct answer: All cats are animals

By transitive logic: cats → mammals → animals, therefore all cats are animals.

Question 30: A circular pizza has a diameter of 30 cm. What is its radius?

20 cm
10 cm
15 cm (Correct answer)
12 cm

Correct answer: 15 cm

Radius = diameter ÷ 2 = 30 ÷ 2 = 15 cm.

Henrietta Barnett School (HBS) 11+ Entrance Exam

The HBS 11+ is a highly selective two-round entrance exam for Year 7 admission to Henrietta Barnett School in London, assessing verbal reasoning, English comprehension, creative writing, general knowledge, critical thinking, and numerical reasoning.

Questions

30 min

Time Limit

80%

To Pass

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