Preparing for Tests What you need to underst

Preparing for Tests
    Good morning, everybody. The topic of today’s lecture is preparing for Tests. You need to understand the importance of Tests, the best method for preparation, the common sense required for both a physical and a mental approach to them, how to read instructions and questions correctly, and how to answer the way the Test or teacher expects you to answer. This is one of the most valuable psychological benefits that can come from your education.
    People have different attitudes towards Tests. Do you ever consider the Test or examination as a personal battle which the teacher wages (发动) in an attempt to defeat you, or do you see it as a contest in which one tries to outwit (智胜) the other? The difference in attitude can be seen in the difference between two questions: "Why did you take off points on this question?" and "What should I have included that I did not?"
    Another attitude that you should avoid is that of fear. Fear of taking Tests results in tension and disturbed thinking. Students who are afraid start in a state of confusion and disorder. Thus they throw away the advantages they have gotten by preparation. Students who approach Tests with fear are almost always characterized by the following: 1) Their grade is considerably lower than their daily recitation grades, sometimes as much as twenty points. 2) They complain about the teacher— insufficient explanation, lack of detailed review, etc. 3) They find fault with the Test material—it is too long, not the type of questions expected and studied for; they didn’t understand the wording of questions. 4) Fear drives these students to study for the Test with another student who has the same attitude of fear and whose knowledge of the subject is only equal to, or perhaps less than, their own. A third attitude is wholly positive. It is the attitude of challenge, self-confidence and content reliability. This attitude requires the relationship between student and teacher, and question and answer, must always be one of cooperative production rather than competitive destruction. To adopt a positive attitude of challenge and self-confidence towards Tests, you must first understand the reasons for Tests. First, the motivation. From the students’ point of view, the first reason for Tests is motivation. Few of us are self-disciplined and motivated enough to educate ourselves without direction and requirements.
    A second reason for Tests is that they provide students with a chance to show how much they have learned. Daily recitation cannot provide such an opportunity. A third reason is that students gain an insight into what the teacher considers the most important. If Tests ask for main topics and essential principles, the students can accurately estimate the nature of what will be required in future and larger examinations. A fourth important reason is that students can discover both their shortcomings and the extent of their progress. They can carefully study their errors and the general areas in which they occur.
    Now that you understand the reasons for Tests, and how they benefit both students and teachers, you should not groan (抱怨，发牢骚) when a Test is announced. If you manage this, your grade will manage itself. That’s all for today’s lecture.