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FOR NATIONAL TALENT SEARCH (FIRST STAGE) EXAM

SAMPLE PAPER ON MENTAL ABILITY TEST (MAT) FOR CLASS VIII
INSTRUCTIONS TIME ALLOWED: 90 Minutes
1. Read the instructions carefully before answering the question.
2. Since all questions are compulsory, do not try to read through the whole question paper before
beginning to answer.
3. Begin with the first question and keep on trying one question after another till you finish all the
questions.
4. If you do not know the answer to any question, do not spend much time on it but pass on to the
next one. Time permitting, you can come back to the questions which you have left in the first
instance and try them again.
5. Answer to each question is to be indicated by tick-mark of the correct choice.

Directions:{Q.Nos.1 - 3}: In the following questions there are some relationship between the two terms to
the left of :: and the same relationship between the two terms to its right. To the right of :: one terms is
missing. Find out the terms amongst the alternatives.

1. ADE : EGI : : LMP : ?

(1) LMO (2) PST (3) PPT (4) BNO (5) OMS

2. ABD : FEH : : KOC : ?

(1) RPH (2) PRO (3) RGS (4) RGC (5) PRG

3. EGL : HKQ : : LNP : ?

(1) RPU (2) ORU (3) UST (4) RON (5) NST

4. If ‘+’ means ‘÷’, − means ‘X’, ‘÷’ means ‘+’ and ‘X’ means ‘−’, then 36 X 12 + 4 ÷ 6 + 2 – 3 = ?
(1) 2 (2) 18 (3) 36 (4) 42 (5) 44

Directions:{Q.Nos.6 - 9}: In each of the following questions a number of series is given with one terms
missing. Choose the correct alternative that will continue the same pattern and replace the question mark.

5. 1, 9, 25, 49, ?, 121

(1) 64 (2) 81 (3) 91 (4) 100 (5) 56

6. 4, 7, 12, 19, 28, ?

(1) 30 (2) 36 (3) 39 (4) 49 (5) 40

7. 6, 12, 21, ? , 48
(1) 32 (2) 38 (3) 40 (4) 45 (5) 33

8. 2, 5, 9, ?, 20, 27
(1) 14 (2) 16 (3) 18 (4) 24 (5) 19

9. A is the sister of B, B is the brother of C, C is the son of D. How is D related to A?

(1) Mother (2) Daughter (3) Son (4) Uncle (5) None

Directions:{Q.Nos.10 – 14}: Alphabet is given below in question but the given series of words are related to
one of the words given in the options in a particular manner. Find the correct option.

10. If PORTER can be coded as MBNZQN, then how can REPORT be written?
(1) NQMNBZ (2) NQMBNZ (3) NDBFMA (4) NQBMNZ (5) NBMQZN

11. If STOVE is written as FNBLK, how will VOTES be written in the same code?
(1) FLKBN (2) LBNKF (3) LKNBF (4) LNBKF (5) FLBNK
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12. If TEACHER is coded as LMKJNMP, then how will HEART be coded?
(1) NMAPL (2) NMOPKL (3) NMKML (4) NMKPL (5) NPMKL

13. If POPULAR is coded as QPQVMBS, which word would be coded as GBNPVT?

(1) FARMER (2) FAMOUS (3) FRAMES (4) FARMES (5) FAMOTH

14. If MACHINE is coded as LBBIHOD, which word would be coded as SLTMFNB?

(1) RKSLEMA (2) TKULGMC (3) RMSNEOA (4) TMUNGOC (5) TMUNGMS

Directions:{Q.Nos.15 -18}: In each of the questions arrange the given words in a meaningful sequence and then
choose the most appropriate sequence from amongst the alternatives provided below each question.

15. (1) College (2) Child (3) Salary (4) School (5) Employment
(1) 1,2,4,3,5 (2) 2,4,1,5,3 (3) 4,1,3,5,2 (4) 5,3,2,1,4 (5) 2,4,5,3,1

16. (1) Mother (2) Child (3) Milk (4) Cry (5) Smile
(1) 1, 5, 2,4,3 (2) 2,4,3,1,5 (3) 2,4,1,3,5 (4) 1,2,3,4,5 (5) 5,4,3,2,1

17. (1) Stem (2) Flower (3) Root (4) Leaves (5) Fruits
(1) 2,5,4,3,1 (2) 4,2,5,3,1 (3) 5,4,3,2,1 (4) 1,2,3,4,5 (5) 3,1,4,2,5

18. (1) Doctor (2) Fever (3) Prescribe (4) Diagnose (5) Medicine
(1) 2,1,3,4,5 (2) 1,2,3,4,5 (3) 5,4,3,2,1 (4) 2,1,4,3,5 (5) 1,3,2,4,5

19. How many squares are there in the following figure?

(1) 4 (2) 6 (3) 7 (4) 8 (5) 9

20. How many squares are there in the following figure?

(1) 16 (2) 15 (3) 25 (4) 27 (5) 29

21. How many rectangles are there in the following figure?

(1) 6 (2) 7 (3) 8 (4) 9 (5) 10

22. How many circles are there in the following figure?

(1) 11 (2) 12 (3) 13 (4) 14 (5) 15

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23. How many triangles are there in the following figure?

(1) 14 (2) 15 (3) 16 (4) 17 (5) 18

Directions:{Q.Nos.24 - 27}: Four of the following five are alike in a certain way and so form a group. Choose the
one that does not belong to the group.

24. (1) Leaf (2) Flower (3) Root (4) Bud (5) Fruit

25. (1) Apple (2) Berry (3) Grapes (4) Mango (5) Potato

26. (1) Lake (2) Sea (3) River (4) Pool (5) Pond

27. (1) Goat (2) Dog (3) Sheep (4) Cow (5) Camel

Directions:{Q.No.28 – 31}: The real alphabets in a word are replaced by certain other alphabets according to a
specific rule to form its code. Find the rule and answer the questions accordingly.

28. If DOCUMENT is written as MENTDOCU, then COMPUTER may be written as _________

(1) UTERPOMC (2) RETUCOMP (3) UTERCOMP (4) RETUPMCO (5) UTERMPCO
29. If GAME is written as HZND, then WIND may be written as _____
(1) XJOC (2) XGOE (3) XGOC (4) YJOE (5) YJOC

30. If FOX is coded as GHPQYZ, how would you write SHIP in the same code?
(1) TUIHJKQR (2) UTHIKJRQ (3) RQKJIUTS (4) QRFGGHNO (5) DCPOMNZY

31. If CREAM is coded as MAERC, how would you write BREAD in the same code?
(1) RBAED (2) ADERB (3) DAERB (4) DABER (5) DAREB

Directions:{Q.Nos.32 – 36}: In the following questions some letters are missing. The missing letters are in a
proper sequence as one of the alternatives among the five given under each question. Find the alternative in each
case.

32. a_ b b c_ a a b_ c c a_ b b c c
(1) b a c b (2) a c b a (3) a b ba (4) c a b a (5) a c b c

33. a a_ a a a _ a a a a _ a a a a _ b
(1) b a a a (2) b b a a (3) b b b b (4) b b b a (5) b b a b

34. a_bb_aab_cca_bbcc
(1) b a c b (2) acba (3) abba (4) caba (5) cbac

35. a _ b a _ c b a a c _ a a _b a
(1) c c b b (2) c a b c (3) c b c a (4) b bc c (5) a b a a

36. H —J H —I J H H I — H H — J H
(1) I H I J (2) I H I J (3) H J I H (4) I H J I (5) H I J I

Directions:{Q.Nos.37 – 40}: Each of the following questions consists of give figures marked A, B, C, D and
E called the Problem Figures followed by five other figures marked 1,2,3,4 and 5 called the Answer figures.
Select a figure from amongst the Answer Figures which will continue the same series as established by the five
Problem Figures.
PROBLEM FIGURE ANSWER FIGURE
37.
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PROBLEM FIGURE ANSWER FIGURE

38.

39.

40.

Directions:{Q.Nos.41– 44}:Each of the following questions consists of two sets of figures. Figures A, B,
C and D constitute the Problem set while figures 1, 2,3,4 and 5 constitute the Answer set. There is a definite
relationship between figures between C and D by choosing a suitable figure (D) from the Answer set.
PROBLEM FIGURES ANSWER FIGURES
41.

42.

43.

44.

Directions:{Q.Nos.45 – 48}: Out of the five figures (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) given in each question, four are
similar in a certain way. However, one figure is not like the other four. Choose the figure which is different from the
rest.
45.
.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

46.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

47.
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(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

48.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Directions:{Q.Nos.49 - 51}: In each of the following question, you are given Problem Figures followed by five
Answer Figures (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5). Choose the correct alternative which most closely resembles the mirror
image of the given combination.
PROBLEM FIGURE ANSWER FIGURES
49.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

50.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

51.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Directions:{Q.Nos.52 - 54}: In each of the following question, you are given Problem Figures followed by five
Answer Figures (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5). Choose the correct alternative which most closely resembles the water
image of the given combination.
PROBLEM FIGURE ANSWER FIGURES
52.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

53.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

54.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

55. Starting from the point X, Jayant walked 15 m towards west. He turned left and walked 20 m. He then turned
left and walked 15 m. After this he turned to his right and walked 12 m. How far and in which directions is now
Jayant from X?
(1) 32 m. South (2) 38 m. South (3) 38 m. North (4) 32 m. North (5) 42 m West

56. If the day after tomorrow is Friday, what day will third day after the tomorrow be?
(1) Friday (2) Saturday (3) Sunday (4) Wednesday (5) Monday
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Directions:{Q.Nos.57 - 58}: Six friends A, B, C, D, E and F are seated in a circle facing the centre. E is to the left
of D. C is between A and B. F is between E and A.

57. Who is to the left of B?

(1) A (2) B (3) C (4) D (5) E

58. Who is to the right of C?

(1) A (2) B (3) C (4) D (5) E

Directions:{Q.Nos.59 - 60}: In a school, there were five teachers. A and B were teaching Hindi and English. C and
B were teaching English and Geography. D and A were teaching Maths and Hindi. E and B were teaching History and
French.

59. Who among the teachers was teaching maximum number of subjects?
(1) A (2) B (3) C (4) D (5) E

60. D, B, and A were teaching which of the following subjects?

(1) Hindi Only (2) English & Hindi (3) English only (4) English & (5) Maths &
Geography Hindi

61. Five men P, Q, R, S and T read a newspaper. The one who reads first gives it to R. The one who reads last
taken from P. T was not the first or last to read. There were two readers between Q and P. Who reads the
newspaper last?
(1) P (2) Q (3) R (4) S (5) T

62.

(1) 1 (2) 2 (3) 3 (4) 4 (5) 5

63.

(1) 1 (2) 2 (3) 3 (4) 4 (5) 5

Directions: {Q Nos. 64 – 67}: In each of the following questions, complete the missing portion of the given pattern
by selecting from the given alternatives (1),(2),(3),(4) and (5).
PROBLEM FIGURE ANSWER FIGURE
64.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

65.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

66.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

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PROBLEM FIGURE ANSWER FIGURE
67.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Directions:{Q. Nos. 68 – 70}:The questions that follow contain a set of three figures X, Y and Z showing a
sequence of folding of a piece of paper. Fig. (Z) shows the manner in which the folded paper has been cut. These
three figures are followed by five answer figures from which you have to choose a figure which would most closely
resemble the unfolded form of fig. (Z).
68.

ANSWER FIGURES

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

69.

ANSWER FIGURES

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

70.

ANSWER FIGURES

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Directions:{Q.Nos.71 – 72}: Each of the following contains three items. Using the relationship between these
items, match each question with the most suitable diagram. Choose the answer is the number denoting that diagram.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

71. Tiger , Fox, Carnivorous
72. Uncles, Parents, Friends
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Directions:{Q.Nos.73 – 75}: In the figure given below, the circle represents young persons, the triangle represents
uneducated persons and the rectangle represents employed persons. Study the figure and answer the questions given
below.

73. Which region represents young, uneducated and employed persons?

(1) 6 (2) 5 (3) 4 (4) 3 (5) 2

74. Which region represents young, educated and unemployed persons?

(1) 7 (2) 4 (3) 1 (4) 5 (5) 3
75. Which region represents young, uneducated and unemployed persons?
(1) 1 (2) 2 (3) 6 (4) 3 (5) 5
Directions:{Q.Nos.76 – 78} : Study the questions carefully and answer the questions given below.
76.

Find the number of dots on the face opposite the face bearing 3 dots.

(1) 5 (2) 6 (3) 4 (4) 7 (5) Cannot be determined

77. The six faces of a die have been marked with alphabets A, B, C, D, E and F respectively. This die is rolled down
three times. The three positions are shown as :

Find the alphabet opposite A.

(1) B (2) C (3) D (4) E (5) F
78. Shown below are four different positions of the same dice. Find the number on the face opposite the face
showing 6.

(1) 1 (2) 2 (3) 4 (4) 5 (5) 3

Directions:{Q.Nos.79 – 81} : Study the following arrangement carefully and answer the questions given below.
7 R E T 4 A 9 % D F1U # B @ 8 H I © W N M ∗ 3 2 V $ 5 N P 6 Q

79. How many such consonants are there in the above arrangement, each of which is immediately preceded by
a consonant and immediately followed by a number?
(1) One (2) Two (3) Three (4) Four (5) None

80. How many such numbers are there in the above arrangement, each of the which is immediately preceded by a
letter but not immediately followed by a symbol?
(1) One (2) Two (3) Three (4) Four (5) None

81. How many such vowels are there in the above arrangement, each of which is immediately followed by a symbol?
(1) One (2) Two (3) Three (4) Four (5) None
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Directions:{Q.Nos.82 – 83 }: Find the missing number in the place of ? .

82.
3 10 ?
6 2 6
2 3 1
121 225 100
(1) 9 (2) 10 (3) 5 (4) 3 (5) 4

83.
7 12 6
5 8 11
10 ? 9
(1) 1 (2) 4 (3) 3 (4) 13 (5) 5

Directions: {Q.Nos.84 – 85}: Find out the set of numbers amongst the five sets of numbers given in the
alternatives which is most similar to the set given in the question.

84. [63, 8, 3]
(1) [80, 3, 2] (2) [8, 3, 2 ] (3) [ 24, 5, 9] (4) [120, 7, 4] (5) [16, 6, 9]

85. [3, 18, 36 ]

(1) [2, 10, 16 ] (2) [12, 72, 96] (3) [4, 24, 48] (4) [6, 42, 48] (5) [3, 9, 81 ]

Directions:{Q.Nos.86 – 90}: All the six members of a family M, N, O, P, Q and R are traveling together. N is the
son of O but O is not the mother of N. M and O are a married couple. Q is the brother of O. P is the daughter of M.
R is the brother of N.

86. How many male members are there in the family?

(1) One (2) Two (3) Three (4) Four (5) Five

87. Who is the mother of N ?

(1) P (2) R (3) Q (4) M (5) O

88. How many children does M have?

(1) One (2) Two (3) Three (4) Four (5) Five

89. Which of the following is a pair of females?

(1) ME (2) NP (3) MP (4) PR (5) MO

90. How is Q related to P?

(1) Father (2) Brother (3) Uncle (4) Aunt (5) Sister
KEY
Q.No. Ans. Q.No. Ans. Q.No. Ans. Q.No. Ans. Q.No. Ans. Q.No. Ans.
1 3 2 5 3 2 4 4 5 2 6 3
7 5 8 1 9 3 10 2 11 2 12 4
13 2 14 3 15 2 16 2 17 5 18 4
19 5 20 4 21 4 22 3 23 3 24 3
25 5 26 3 27 2 28 3 29 1 30 1
31 3 32 2 33 4 34 2 35 2 36 4
37 4 38 3 39 3 40 1 41 3 42 1
43 5 44 4 45 5 46 2 47 5 48 5
49 3 50 4 51 4 52 2 53 1 54 3
55 1 56 3 57 4 58 1 59 2 60 1
61 4 62 4 63 1 64 1 65 4 66 3
67 4 68 4 69 2 70 2 71 2 72 1
73 4 74 1 75 4 76 2 77 4 78 3
79 2 80 3 81 2 82 4 83 2 84 2
85 3 86 4 87 4 88 3 89 3 90 3