7.The answer is usually wrongif it contains “all,” “always,”
“never,” or “none.” I repeat, usually.
8.The answer contains a great chance of being rightif it has
“sometimes,” “probably,” or “some.”
9.When you don’t know the right answer, seek out the wrong
ones.
10.Don’t eliminate an answer unless you actually know what
every word means.
11.Don’t seek out answer patterns. Just because answer “C”
has appeared three times in a row doesn’t mean “C” isn’t the
correct answer to the fourth question. Trust your knowledge.
12.Read every answer before you pick one. A sneaky test-maker
will place a decoy answer that’s almostright first, tempting
you before you’ve even considered the other choices.
13.On a standardized test, consider transferring all the answers
from one section to the answer sheet at the same time. This
can save time. Just be careful: Make sure you’re putting each
answer in the right place.
14.The longest and/or most complicated answer to a question
is often correct—the test-maker has been forced to add
qualifying clauses or phrases to make that answer complete
and unequivocal.
15.Be suspicious of choices that seem obvious to a two-year-old.
Why would the teacher give you such a gimme? Maybe she’s
not, that trickster!
16.Don’t give up on a question that, after one reading, seems
hopelessly confusing or hard. Looking at it from another angle,
restating it in your own words, or drawing a picture may help
you understand it after all.192 How to Study