Exam Skills: Try a Short Reading Test

Reading skills can definitely make a difference in an exam. Let’s do a little test. Pretend that you’re under pressure and in a rush. Quickly read the following statement and write down how many F’s it contains. That’s right . . . the number of F’s. Do it quickly. Ready, here goes:

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If you got 10, 11 or 12, your brain was snoozing for 25% to 30% of the time. If 13 or 14, it was just taking a micro nap. Now, slow it down and count again. The right answer: 16. One of your problems is that you probably missed some or all the of’s. That’s because they sounded like ov’s and our brain didn’t count them. Don’t let your brain miss important words on your exam. Be methodical; read slowly and carefully.