TEXT NO 6• Mr. Faugel was convinced that student nervousness had

affected their scores; to reduce the anxiety of these students who had already been tested, he gave 22 of them a beta blocker before readministration of the test. Their scores improved significantly. The other 8 students (who did not receive the beta blockers) improved only slightly. Second-time test- takers nationwide had average improvements which were similar to those in Faugel's non-

• beta blocker group. Beta blockers are prescription drugs which have been around for 25 years. These medications, which interfere with the effects of adrenalin, have been used for heart conditions and for minor stress such as stage fright. Now they are used for test anxiety. These drugs seem to help test-takers who have low scores because of test fright, but not those who do not know the material. Since there can be side effects from these beta blockers, physicians are not ready to prescribe them routinely for all test-takers.

Question 1

• In line 2, "reduce" most nearly means

• (A) increase.• (B) maximize.• (C) lessen.• (D) build up.

• (C) "Lessen" is the correct response. To reduce an item means to decrease it. Choices (A)-increase, (B)-maximize, and (D)-build up are all the opposite of the context of the sentence. The students did not need to have their anxiety increased, but decreased.

Question 2

• Beta blockers have been around since approximately what year?

• (A) 1790• (B) 1907• (C) 1950• (D) 1970

• (D) The first sentence of the second paragraph says that beta blockers have been around for approximately 25 years. Simple subtraction from the current year puts the approximate date at choice (D)-1970. The other choices are too far in the past to be correct.

Question 3

• Where is the only place a person can obtain beta blockers?

• (A) Supermarket• (B) Convenience store• (C) Stationary store• (D) Doctor's office

• prescription drugs which have been around for 25 years." If a drug is obtained through a prescription, then it can only be obtained from a doctor. Therefore, choice (D)-doctor's office is correct. The other choices do not involve doctors, therefore, they are incorrect.

Question 4

• In line 8, "interfere" most nearly means

• (A) hinder.• (B) aid.• (C) help.• (D) prescribe.

• (A) "Hinder" is the correct response. To interfere is to prevent something from doing what it is doing or expected to do. Choice (B)-aid and (C)-help are opposites of what is intended of the sentence. Choice (D) is incorrect in this sentence.

Question 5

• Why are beta blockers not prescribed regularly?

• (A) Students are expected to do poorly.

• (B) There are side effects.

• (C) The drugs are only 25 years old.

• (D) They cause test anxiety.

• be side effects from these beta blockers, physicians are not ready to prescribe them routinely for all test-takers." Choice (A) is not mentioned in the passage. Choice (C) is accurate in describing the drug, but is not the answer to the question. Choice (D) is the opposite effect of what the drug does.

Question 6

• According to the passage

• (A) all people can take beta blockers.

• (B) beta blockers are widely prescribed.

• (C) beta blockers work only on test anxiety.

• (D) beta blockers work only to improve test scores if she test-taker truly knows the material.

• work with test-takers who know the material. The last sentence implies that (A) "all people" and (B) "are not widely prescribed" are not correct. The second sentence of the second paragraph, "have been used for heart conditions..." shows that (C) "work only on test anxiety" is not correct.

Question 7

• . "Readministration" in this passage refers to

• (A) giving the test again to people without administering beta blockers.

• (B) giving the test again to both groups after beta blockers have been administered to one group.

• (C) giving the test to both groups of test-takers and then giving them beta blockers.

• (D) giving the beta blockers without retesting.

• (B) Improvements are noted in both groups, indicating all people were retested whether or not they took the beta blockers. (A) "without beta blockers" and (C) "testing and then giving beta blockers" are incorrect. (D) "without retesting" is incorrect.

Question 8

• What possible use for beta blockers was NOT discussed in this passage?

• (A) Test anxiety• (B) Pain relief• (C) Minor stress• (D) Heart conditions

• (B) Pain relief is the only one not discussed. All other answers (A) "test anxiety (C) "minor stress," and (D) "heart conditions" were discussed.

Question 9

• Beta blockers work on some physical and emotional symptoms because they

• (A) fool a person into a healthier stance.

• (B) interfere with the side effects of adrenalin.

• (C) produce side effects worse than the symptoms

• (D) primarily change human thought processes.

• (B) "Interfere with the effects of adrenalin" is mentioned in the second sentence of the second paragraph. (A), (C), and (D) are not presented or explained fully.

Question 10

• Faugel's research showed that beta blockers given to his sample

• (A) increased scores less than the national average.

• (B) increased scores the same as the national average.

• (C) decreased scores.• (D) increased scores

much more than the national average.

• in their test scores. It also states that the non-beta blocker group showed only a slight improvement, which was similar to the nationwide average for second-time test-takers. From this it can be determined that the beta blockers "increased scores much more than the nationwide average." Choices (A), (B), and (C) are incorrect.