Anne Whitney, a sophomore(大学二年级学生) at Colorado State University, first had a problem with taking tests when she began college. “I was always well prepared for my tests. Sometimes I studied for weeks before a test. Yet I would go in to take the test, only to find I could not answer the questions correctly. I would blank out because of nervousness and fear. I couldnh't think of the answers.”
The young student was experiencing something called test anxiety. Because a student worries and is uneasy about a test, his or her mind does not work as well as it usually does. The students cannot write or think clearly because of the GREat nervousness. Although poor scores are often results of poor study habits, sometimes test anxiety causes low scores. Recently test anxiety has been recognized as a real problem, not just an excuse or a false explanation of lazy students.
Special university counseling(辅导) courses try to help students. In these courses, counselors try to help students by teaching them how to manage test anxiety. At some universities, students take tests to measure their anxiety. If the tests show their anxiety is high, the students can take short courses to help them deal with their nervousness. These courses teach students how to relax their bodies. By controlling their nervousness, they can let their minds work at ease and learn information which then comes out without difficulty in a test.
An expert at the University of California explains, “With almost all students, relaxation is felt after taking our program. Most of them have better control during their tests. Almost all have some improvements. With some, the improvement is very GREat.”
1. The underlined phrase“blank out” is probably _________.
A. to be sure of an answer
B. to be like a blanket
C. to be unable to think clearly
D. to show knowledge to the teacher
2. Poor scores are usually the results of _________, but can also be caused by test anxiety.
A. inability to form good study habits
B. lack of sleep
C. poor health
D. poor hygienic(卫生的) habits
3. To deal with the problem of anxiety, students can _________.
A. read about anxiety
B. take a short course on anxiety
C. take tests to prove they are not anxious
D. understand their anxiety
4. As an expert of the University of California said, _________.
A. students found it easy to relax as soon as they entered the University of California counseling courses
B. students found it difficult to improve even though they had taken a special test anxiety course
C. all students could overcome the anxiety after taking a special test anxiety program
D. almost all students felt less nervous after taking a University of California counseling course
参考答案：1.C。这是一道猜测词义题，从后面“由于紧张和害怕而想不出答案”，可以猜出“blank out”应是“大脑一片空白”的意思。2.A。这是一道细节题，由第二段第四句可知。3.B。这是一道细节题，由第三段可知。4.D。由最后一段可知。
