Learning to Keep Your Cool during Tests

　　Have you ever felt so ‵anxious｜during an examination｜that you couldn't ‵even put down the answers｜you knew? If ‵so, you were suffering from｜what is known as test anxiety.

　　According to psychologist｜Ralph Trimble, test anxiety｜is a ‵very real problem｜for many people. When you're worried over your performance｜on an exam, your heart ‵beats faster｜and your pulse speeds up. These reactions start others:① You ‵may sweat more than normal｜or suffer from a stomachache or headache. Your ‵field of vision narrows｜and becomes tunnel-like. ‵Before you know it, you're having difficulty focusing.

　　As a student｜you must ‵also realize｜that if you leave too much studying｜until a day or two before the examination, you ‵can't do the impossible｜and learn it all. Instead; ‵concentrate on what you can do｜and try to think what questions are likely to be asked｜and what you can do｜in the time left for studying.

　　When you ‵sit down to study, set a moderate pace｜and vary it by reading, writing notes, and going over any papers you have already written for the course, as well as the textbooks and notes｜you took in class. ‵Review what you know. Take ‵breaks and go to sleep early enough｜to get a goodnight's rest before the exam. You should ‵also eat a moderate breakfast or lunch, avoiding drinks like coffee｜and stay away from fellow students who get tense. ‵Panic spreads easily.

　　‵Get to the exam room｜a few minutes early｜so that you will have a chance to familiarize yourself｜with the surroundings｜and get out your supplies. When the ‵examination is handed out, read the directions twice and underline the significant instructions, ‵making sure you understand them. ‵Ask the teacher to explain｜if you don't. ‵First answer the easiest questions, and then go back to the more difficult.

　　On ‵essay questions, instead of starting｜right away, take a ‵few minutes｜to organize your thoughts, make a ‵brief outline, and then start off｜with a summary sentence. ‵Keep working steadily, and｜ ‵even when time starts to run out, don't speed up. [359 words]