Brilliant Verbal Reasoning Tests

CHAPTER 2

Practice makes

perfect

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R

ight, let’s get down to work. First think about how much

time you can spare for practising. Then set aside the time

so you can conduct as many reading and practice sessions

as possible over a period of several weeks or months. This is

preferable to reading through this book in two or three sittings.

You may like to set aside a particular time at the weekend, or a

time of day when your mind is most

alert. Once you’ve committed to a

practice session, make sure you stick

to it. Go on – start practising as soon

as you can!

Why should I practise?

Does a virtuoso violinist ever quit practising? Of course not, she

keeps practising so as to stay at the top of her game.There’s a lot

of truth to the old adage ‘Practice makes perfect’. You’re not

striving for perfection here, but practising questions is known to

significantly improve your chances of passing a verbal reasoning

test. Try to squeeze in as much advance practice as possible.

Make a commitment to practise as much as you can to improve

your confidence and help you keep a clear head on the day.

Continually review what you have learnt from previous practice

test sessions so that you use your time most effectively.

start practising as soon

as you can!

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18 brill iant verbal reason ing

How much practice do I need?

That depends on why you are taking the test and your current

skill level.Your verbal reasoning test may be a key to a new stage

in your life, such as joining the Armed Forces or studying for a

medical degree. You may be seeking promotion or going for a

great new job. Let’s face it – whatever the scenario, you want to

pass that test! Even if the outcome is not solely dependent on

your verbal reasoning test score it is worth maximising your

practice opportunities when entry to a future profession is at

stake.

The time required to improve your verbal reasoning testing per-

formance will vary between a few hours for those who are just a

little bit rusty to several days for less experienced readers.

Although they will need to put in more work, those who have not

taken a verbal reasoning test before may well see the most dra-

matic improvement through practice.

brilliant

tip

If you don’t already know exactly what type of verbal reasoning test

you will be taking, you should find out as your first step. That way

you will know what type of questions you need to practise.

Practice strategy

I suggest breaking down each prac-

tice session into three linked stages:

1 before taking a practice test

2 during the practice test

3 after taking a practice test

break down each

practice session into

three linked stages

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Before taking a practice test

G Plan which questions you are going to answer. Then you

can get going straight away instead of wasting time flicking

through the book.

G Identify a quiet place to work where you are unlikely to be

disturbed. It is important to find an environment where you

can read quietly and really concentrate.

G Set aside at least 40 minutes to work your way through a

large number of the practice questions.

G Sit at a desk and clear away anything that may distract you

before starting.

G Turn your mobile phone off.

G Have a clock or watch handy to time how quickly you work.

During the practice test

G Treat it as a real test session to help you get into the right

mindset. This will help reduce any nerves on the test day,

even if that day will certainly be more stressful!

G Motivate yourself to answer each question as effectively as

you can.

G Work systematically through all the questions in the relevant

section.You need to attempt every question: do not cherry

pick or randomly select questions. The reason for this is

simple.You need to identify whether there are specific types

of questions where your performance would benefit from

further practice.

Practice makes perfect 19

brilliant

tip

If you finish earlier than you expected then – just as you would in

the real test – use this extra time as an ideal opportunity to go

back and double-check any questions you were unsure about.

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