Free Resource · Western Australia

Free GATE Practice Questions — Try a Mini ASET Sample Test

10 questions · all four ASET sections · answers & full explanations · no sign-up needed

Preparing for the GATE selective entry exam in Western Australia? Below are 10 free practice questions written by Iris Tutoring in the style of the ASET (Academic Selective Entrance Test) — covering Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning and Written Expression. Click an answer to check it instantly and read the worked explanation.

How to use this page: treat it like a mini test. Aim for about 90 seconds per question, answer before peeking, and read every explanation — including for questions you got right.
Section 1 · Reading Comprehension

In the real ASET you'll read passages and answer questions on main idea, inference and vocabulary — about one minute per question.

THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER'S LAST SHIFT

For forty-one years, Edith Marsh climbed the ninety-seven steps of the Point Carey lighthouse twice a day. She had outlasted three head keepers, two cyclones and one government inquiry that had recommended — in polite, typewritten paragraphs — that the light be automated. Tonight, the recommendation had finally become an instruction. A technician from the city had installed a small grey box that would do her job forever, without tea breaks and without complaint. Edith polished the great lens one last time, though no one had asked her to. "Machines keep the light burning," she told the empty stairwell, "but they don't keep watch." Below, the sea went on saying the only thing it ever said.
Question 1
Why does Edith polish the lens even though "no one had asked her to"?
Answer: C. The passage stresses her 41 years of devotion and her belief that keeping watch means more than keeping the light burning. Polishing the lens unasked is symbolic care, not a practical or requested act — so A, B and D all add motives the text never supports.
Question 2
Edith's remark that machines "don't keep watch" suggests she believes:
Answer: B. This is an inference question. Edith accepts that machines can keep the light burning (their technical job) but contrasts this with "keeping watch" — the human vigilance she provided. She never claims the machine will fail (A), attacks the inquiry's honesty (C), or dismisses lighthouses (D).
Question 3
In the final sentence, "the sea went on saying the only thing it ever said" is best understood as:
Answer: D. The sea is given a human action ("saying") — personification. Its unchanging repetition contrasts with the upheaval in Edith's life, underlining that nature is indifferent to human change. Nothing signals literal voices, a storm, or hallucination.
Section 2 · Quantitative Reasoning

ASET quantitative questions are multi-step problems — ratios, percentages, timetables and logical deduction — not just arithmetic.

Question 4
A recipe uses flour and sugar in the ratio 5 : 2. Maya bakes a full batch using 350 g of flour, then bakes a second batch that is half the size of the first. How much sugar does she use in total?
Answer: C. Ratio 5 : 2 means sugar = (2 ÷ 5) × flour. First batch: 350 ÷ 5 = 70, so sugar = 2 × 70 = 140 g. Half-size batch: 70 g of sugar. Total = 140 + 70 = 210 g. Option A is the trap for stopping after the first batch.
Question 5
A ferry departs every 40 minutes. The first ferry of the day leaves at 8:20 am. Lena arrives at the wharf at 11:05 am. How long does she wait for the next ferry?
Answer: C. List the departures: 8:20, 9:00, 9:40, 10:20, 11:00, 11:40. Lena arrives at 11:05 — she has just missed the 11:00 ferry. The next is 11:40, so she waits 35 minutes. Writing out the timetable beats trying to divide in your head.
Question 6
Four friends finished a running race. Tom finished before Sara but after Amy. Ben finished last. Who came second?
Answer: B. "Tom before Sara but after Amy" gives the chain Amy → Tom → Sara. Ben is last, so the full order is Amy, Tom, Sara, Ben — Tom is second. For ordering puzzles, always sketch the chain rather than juggling it mentally.
Question 7
A bookshop reduces a $48 book by 25% in a sale. A member's card then takes a further $3 off the sale price. What does a member pay?
Answer: B. 25% of $48 = $12, so the sale price is $36. The member pays $36 − $3 = $33. Watch the order of operations: the $3 comes off after the percentage, not before.
Section 3 · Abstract Reasoning

Abstract reasoning uses shapes and figures — work out the rules governing the 3×3 grid, then choose the option that completes it. These three questions are taken directly from our Advanced Abstract Reasoning set.

Question 8 · Complete the Pattern
GATE abstract reasoning practice question — 3x3 shape matrix with rotating polygons, complete the pattern
Which option (A–D) most logically completes the grid?
Answer: D. Four rules run at once: the polygon gains sides down the rows (triangles → squares → pentagons); it rotates 30° more per column; column 1 is plain, column 2 grey-filled, column 3 thick-outlined; and the inner symbol depends on position — a dot on the diagonal, a plus above it, a square below it. The missing cell (row 3, column 3) must be a pentagon, rotated 60°, thick outline, with a dot — only D. A has column-2's grey fill, B uses column-2's rotation, C is a square.
Question 9 · Complete the Pattern
GATE abstract reasoning practice question — 3x3 matrix of dials with tick marks and rotating pointers
Which option (A–D) most logically completes the grid?
Answer: A. Three rules: the tick marks around each circle are set by the row (4, then 6, then 8); the pointer rotates 90° clockwise per column (up → right → down); and the central symbol follows the diagonal rule (dot on the diagonal, plus above, square below). The missing cell needs 8 ticks, a downward pointer and a central dot — only A has all three. B points the wrong way, C has only 6 ticks, D swaps the dot for a plus.
Question 10 · Complete the Pattern
GATE abstract reasoning practice question — 3x3 matrix of circles with shaded quadrants and satellite dots
Which option (A–D) most logically completes the grid?
Answer: C. The number of shaded quadrants equals the row (1, 2, then 3), shading clockwise; the starting quadrant rotates 90° clockwise per column; and the satellite dot sits at 45° × (row + column − 2) counter-clockwise from east. Row 3, column 3 needs three quadrants shaded from the bottom-left and the dot due west — that's C. A starts in the wrong quadrant, B shades only two, D places the dot at 135°.
Section 4 · Written Expression

The ASET ends with a timed creative writing task. There's no multiple choice here — set a 25-minute timer and try this prompt under real conditions.

Practice Writing Prompt · 25 minutes

At the end of the school library there is a door that nobody has ever opened. Today, it is slightly ajar. Write a story about what happens next. Build tension, use the senses, and end with a moment that surprises the reader.

How markers assess GATE writing

Strong responses spend 5 minutes planning (character, problem, ending), slow down at one dramatic moment with sensory detail, use varied sentence lengths, and finish with a controlled ending — not "it was all a dream". Accuracy matters: leave 3 minutes to fix punctuation and repeated words.

Want structured feedback on your child's writing? Our ASET writing guide breaks down the full 25-minute method.

Ready for the full exam experience?

These 10 questions are a taste. The Iris GATE Practice Portal includes full-length timed mock exams across all four ASET sections, a 100+ question practice bank with explanations, brain trainers, writing feedback and parent progress reports.

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GATE & ASET — quick answers for WA parents

What is the GATE exam in Western Australia?
GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) is WA's selective entry program for public schools. Students apply — most commonly in Year 6 for Year 7 entry — and sit the ASET (Academic Selective Entrance Test), administered by ACER on behalf of the Department of Education.
What sections are in the ASET?
Four components: Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning, and a timed Written Expression (creative writing) task. The multiple-choice sections are strictly timed — speed and accuracy both matter.
When is the test held?
Applications typically open early in the school year, with the ASET usually sat in the first term of the year before entry. Dates change, so always confirm the current timeline on the WA Department of Education website. Our step-by-step application walkthrough covers the process.
How should my child prepare?
Short, consistent, timed practice across all four sections; reviewing every mistake; regular writing with feedback; and at least two or three full-length mock exams under exam conditions before test day. Read how our top-in-state students prepared.
Are these practice questions the real ASET questions?
No — real ASET papers are confidential. These are original questions written by Iris Tutoring in the same style, difficulty range and format, designed for realistic practice.