Test of Reasoning for All Competitive Examinations

DETAILS : 

• Author: Edgar Thorpe
  
• Publisher: ‎ McGraw Hill Education
  
• Publication date: ‎ 25 January 2017
  
• Edition: ‎ Sixth
  
• Language: ‎ English
  
• Print length: ‎ 976 pages
  
• ISBN-10: ‎ 9352604954
  
• ISBN-13: ‎ 978-9352604951
  
• Item Weight: ‎ 1900 g

ABOUT THE BOOK

Test of Reasoning for All Competitive Examinations, authored by the highly distinguished educationist and assessment expert Edgar Thorpe, is a definitive, time-tested masterpiece in the domain of psychometric testing and mental aptitude. Published by Pearson Education, this comprehensive manual serves as an indispensable cornerstone for millions of candidates preparing for elite competitive assessments across India, including UPSC Civil Services (CSAT), Bank PO/Clerk, SSC, MBA entrance tests (CAT, XAT), and Campus Recruitment Exams. The core philosophy of this text centers on moving students away from rote memorization toward building structured cognitive agility. Thorpe treats reasoning not as an innate, unchangeable trait, but as a systematic trainable skill governed by recognizable structural rules, mathematical logic, and deductive precision.

The manual is structurally organized into distinct, highly specialized modules that mirror the exact patterns of modern competitive examinations. It begins with an exhaustive treatment of Verbal Reasoning, systematically breaking down syllogisms, blood relations, coding-decoding, ranking tests, and direction senses. The middle sections dive deep into Analytical and Critical Reasoning, guiding the candidate through complex data arrangements, logical deductions, input-output tracking, and the evaluation of statements, assumptions, and courses of action. The final segments are dedicated to Non-Verbal Reasoning, featuring thousands of high-clarity visual patterns, mirror images, cube folding matrices, and series completions. Rather than offering superficial shortcut tricks that fail under exam pressure, the book stands out by introducing foundational conceptual frameworks followed by graded exercises ranging from basic practice questions to advanced, high-difficulty puzzle sets.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Edgar Thorpe is an elite corporate trainer, aptitude specialist, and prolific author whose educational materials have shaped competitive exam preparation in India and abroad for decades. Known for his methodical and scientifically structured approach to psychometric evaluation, he has authored numerous bestselling references, including the General Knowledge Manual and various targeted test-prep modules for Pearson.

Thorpe’s pedagogical and instructional style is characterized by remarkable clarity, rigorous logical progression, and a reassuring, peer-to-peer preparatory tone. Writing as a veteran examiner who understands the exact psychological traps and time constraints students face in a testing hall, he strips away confusing semantic clutter to present shortcuts anchored firmly in conceptual rules. By balancing deep theoretical explanations with strategic time-management tips and exhaustive question banks, his collective literature remains an enduring national benchmark for educators, career counselors, and competitive aspirants looking to maximize their analytical scores.