Anne Whitney, a student at Colorado State University, first had a problem 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 couldn’t think of the answer. My low grades on the tests did not show what I knew to the teacher. ” Another student had similar experiences. He said, “My first chemistry test was very difficult. Then, on the second test, I sat down to take it, and I was so nervous that I was shaking. My hands were moving up and down so quickly that it was hard to hold my pencil .I knew the material and I knew the answers. Yet I couldn’t even write them down.”

These two young students were 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 student cannot write or think clearly because of the extreme nervousness. Although poor grades are often a result of poor study habits, sometimes test anxiety causes the low grades. 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. Students are trained to become calm in very tense situations. By controlling their nervousness, they can let their minds work at ease. Learned information then comes out without difficulty on a test.

An expert at the University of California explains , “With almost all students , relaxation（轻松）and less stress（压力）are felt after taking our program . Most of them experience better control during their tests . Almost all have some improvement . With some , the improvement is very great .”

58. To “blank out” is probably _____________.

A. to be like a blanket

B. to be unable to think clearly

C. to be sure of an answer

D. to show knowledge to the teacher

59. Test anxiety has been recognized as _____________.

A. an excuse for laziness

B. the result of poor study habits

C. a real problem

D. something that cannot be changed

60. To deal with this problem, students had better _____________ .

A. takes a short course on anxiety

B. read about anxiety

C. understand their anxiety

D. takes tests to prove they are not anxious

61. A University of California counselor said ______________.

A. all students could get rid of their anxiety after taking a special test anxiety program

B. almost all students felt less stress after taking a University of California counseling course

C. students found it difficult to improve even though they had taken a special test anxiety course

D. students found it easy to relax as soon as they entered a University of California counseling course