你在考試前都做哪些準備工作？提前復習、背重點、充分備考還是寄希望于“考試運”？一些英國學生依賴考試當天穿一件自己幸運的衣服去獲得自信心和高分。你覺得這靠譜嗎？

課文內容

詞匯: Anxiety 焦慮

Exam day - what do you do? I take a ring my grandfather gave me to the exam. It's a reminder of his affection and gives me a sense of security and calms my nerves. My brother makes a fuss about wearing his green underwear.

He's not alone in placing his hopes in a garment. One in three students admitted to wearing 'good luck underwear' to try to boost exam chances, according to a poll for pen makers, Bic.

The same poll suggested that 60% of students change their diet before a test in the hope that it can increase their brain power and memory – oily fish and fruit and vegetables are at the top of the list. This is good as long as you don't stuff your face with junk food all year long and decide to go healthy just for the exam.

Making the extra effort to succeed is good but if you haven't put in the hours of study, nothing will help you. Patrick Wilson, former teacher and founder of a private tuition firm, says: "The best way to feel truly confident and help beat that stomach-churning exam angst is to prepare for each exam in advance, making sure you have a dedicated structure for your revision schedule."

Wilson helped to create a guide for avoiding the last-minute jitters. It advises the revision timetable to start up to ten weeks before the exam, dividing learning into chunks. Don't overload yourself. Students should also give themselves regular rewards and breaks during revision. People learn things in different ways and this should be taken into account. I learn better by reading things out loud. Some colleagues believe colour-coordinating notes according to subject can produce good results too.

But there's a consensus against spending the night before the exam studying. If you don't get enough sleep, not even good luck underwear will help you pass the test.

詞匯 表

to calm my nerves 鎮定我緊張的神經
to make a fuss 大驚小怪，大做文章
to boost 提升
brain power 腦力，智力
memory 記憶力
to stuff your face 胡吃海塞
stomach-churning 令人反胃的
angst 焦慮，擔心
revision 復習
jitters （考試前的）焦慮，緊張
overload 使超載，超負擔太重
rewards 小獎勵
colour-coordinating （根據不同課程）色彩協調的課堂筆記
consensus 共識，一致

測驗與練習 

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. Why does the author want to take jewellery to his exam?
2. True or false? More students change their diet than choose 'good luck underwear' before exams.
3. What does the author mean when he writes 'putting in the hours'?
4. Why are students advised to divide their learning into chunks?
5. Which piece of advice in the article do most people agree with?

2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。從每個表格中選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. If you study hard you will not have the _________ when you sit your exam.

revision      rewards      consensus      jitters

2. Do you want to know how many students have breaks during revision? Organise _________.

a guide      chunks      a poll      colourful notes

3. You have to leave home about one hour before the exam. Even if the venue is not far from here, you should _________ into account the time it'll take for you to find the correct room.

take      think      make      calculate

4. You've got a good mark so you _________. I'll take you to a fancy bar for a drink.

stuff your face      deserve a reward      made a fuss      wear underpants

5. You should change your _________ or you're going to get fat.

fruit      junk food      diet      health

答案

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. Why does the author want to take jewellery to his exam?
He takes a ring his grandfather gave him to the exam because it makes him feel secure.

2. True or false? More students change their diet than choose 'good luck underwear' before exams.
True. The article says one in three students choose 'good luck underwear', so it's around 33%. The number of people changing their diet is 60%.

3. What does the author mean when he writes 'putting in the hours'?
He means spending many hours studying.

4. Why are students advised to divide their learning into chunks?
Because if they don't, they might overload their mind with too much to study.

5. Which piece of advice in the article do most people agree with?
The advice not to spend the night before the exam revising, because it is necessary to sleep well. Students should go to an exam feeling rested.

2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。從每個表格中選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. If you study hard you will not have the jitters when you sit your exam.

2. Do you want to know how many students have breaks during revision? Organise a poll.

3. You have to leave home about one hour before the exam. Even if the venue is not far from here, you should take into account the time it'll take for you to find the correct room.

4. You've got a good mark so you deserve a reward. I'll take you to a fancy bar for a drink.

5. You should change your diet or you're going to get fat.