Don’t fall into the “answer daze,” that blank stare some students get
when they can’t think of an answer—for 10 minutes. Do something.
Better to move on and get that one question wrong than waste
invaluable time doing nothing.
All or None?
Some teachers have fallen in love with “all of the above” and “none
of the above.” You can’t take one of their tests without those phrases
appearing in every other question.
“All of the above” is often the right answer if it is an option. Hopethat
you see it as a potential answer to everyquestion because it gives you
a much better chance to do better on the test than your mastery of the
material (or lack thereof) might normally warrant. Why? Because you
don’t have to be really sure that “all of the above” is correct to choose
it. All you have to be is prettysure that twoanswers are correct (and
equally sure the others are not necessarily wrong). As long as you
believe there is more than one correct answer, then “all of the above”
mustbe the right choice!
Likewise, you don’t have to be convinced that “none of the above” is
the right answer, just reasonablysure that none of the other answers
is absolutely correct.
Reading Comprehension Questions
This is the portion of the test where you find a short essay followed
by several questions. You are supposed to find the answers to those
questions in the essay. Unlike the multiple-choice questions, where
the answer is actually right in front of you, the answers to the essay
questions may well be hidden in one fashion or another.
Chapter 8 ■ How to Study for Tests 195