Ms. Bismark's Test Taking Skills

What does Ms. Bismark always ask you to do before getting help with a question?

• Read the entire question

• Cross out two wrong answers

• Look back at the text

• Complete five jumping jacks

Who is your friend?

• Process of elimination
• Look for evidence

• The person sitting next to you

What should you do if the test asks you to compare two texts?

• Answer the best you can based on what you remember about the texts - who has time to go back and check?

• Pick the answer based on one of the texts - why bother with reading through both texts again?

• Go back and confirm each option to make sure it's true or not. We all forget details about what we've read.

• Scan the text for key words without reading the sentence around the key word. If it's mentioned anywhere in the text, it MUST be the answer!

You should always read all the way to the end of each option in multiple choice questions. TRUE or FALSE?

• FALSE: It's not even important to read the option, just look for important key words.

• FALSE: If the beginning part of the option is correct, the the whole thing is correct.

• TRUE: It's irresponsible to not read the whole option

• TRUE: There might be something at the end of the option that is wrong or untrue

If the question asks you to pick the option that happens FIRST, it means for you to ____

• Pick the option that happened farthest back in time, no matter where that option is within the text

• Pick the event that happens in the first paragraph of the text

• Pick the event that happens last in the text

• Pick the event that happens in the middle of the text

What should you do if you get bored? (Pick two good options)

• Click through the answers quickly. Tests don't matter much.

• Ask to take a stretch break or shake it off and get back to work. Even if you finish early, you'll still just be sitting there bored.

• Zone out and wish you were somewhere else. What is time anyway?

• Have a sip of water, let your mind wander for five minutes, then refocus on the test. It's important to show what you have learned this year.

What should you do if you really don't know the answer to a question? (Pick ALL good options)

• FREAK OUT!!

• Slow down and try using process of elimination. Remember: it's often easy to see the correct answer when there are only two of them.

• Look at each option and go back and look at the text to see which one looks the best. Remember: you know more than you think you know.

• Try to answer it as best you can, then move on. Don't let one hard question discourage you! You got this!