In the article, “Up Your Grades: How to Turn Those Bs and Cs into As and Bs---In a Hurry” written by Marty Nemko, many examples prove that the reader could use some of the techniques mentioned in one’s life. For one, after observing helpful tips that could come in handy for studying and learning material before a test, Nemko documents to the reader, “Pace the floor while studying hard stuff... Walking increases circulation to the brain” (4). This shows that certain activity during studying can stimulate a way to help one study and remember the material for longer. This is important because many people may have a difficult time studying if someone is doing something during one’s studying time, or if one could hear something distracting that could irk one going on such as fighting, loud music, or incessant vacuuming.…
The poem “Pass/Fail” by Linda Pastan addresses exam anxiety. In the poem the author talks about examination dreams. These dreams are a reflection on the individual’s lack of confidence and incapability to advance to the next stage in life. In the dreams no matter what a person do, the answer is always wrong and he or she is guaranteed to fail in the dream. In real life, one either pass an exam or fail it. If one fails, they can often retake the exam and pass it. However, no matter what a person do, they are never going to escape from their examination dreams. These dreams will continue throughout their life.…
Pass/Fail is a poem written by Linda Pastan that is about the nightmare of test taking. There is always anxiety that accompanies a big exam, and sometimes it will affect our sleeping habits, self-confidence, plague our thoughts and haunt our dreams. Pastan explores this unpleasant experience in her short poem and uses several techniques to convey her speakers thought process.…
Shannon Nichols “Proficiency”, describes her own struggle in taking a proficiency test that’s given by her high school. This specific test is considered a college based test that requires a passing score to be able to graduate high school. Shannon takes the test two time her ninth-grade year and one time her twelfth-grade year. She fails the first two attempts which makes her very uneasy and disappointed. Luckily, she passed the twelfth-year test but the psychological damage had already been done. She begins to doubt herself and her ability to write which puts the idea of deterrents in education in the readers mind. When people set themselves on a path towards education, there may be obstacles that seem unattainable. Unfortunately, depending on the mind of the individual, failing tests, low self-esteem, losing hope, and the loss of satisfaction while writing can become deterrents to attaining an education.…
After reading Malcolm x’s “Learning to Read” essay, I remember when I overcame my challenge through hard work and sticking to my Goal. It was when I first came to America I was in 6th grade. I didn’t really know English very well at that time, so it was hard for me to read and comprehend certain things taught…
Me being the impatient but helpful person I am I said “yeah sure”. So I moved this little box that any kid in my class could have easily moved outside of her moving it herself. She stopped what she was doing at her cabinet and she showed me my final exam grade and it said 89% B+. A surprised me began smiling excited that I would pass the class with almost a B average for the year. She looked at me and said “T, you are smart. You have given me 40% effort and still somehow you still have managed to pass my class, I struggle dealing with students who are incapable but try hard every single day and you don't show me any effort and still manage to do have a decent grade…” “Why are you afraid? You are easily one of the most gifted students I have encountered and you show no effort?”. I just sat there lost and confused and wondered how she knew and wonder why I had wasted all this time not living up to my full potential, I had let my fear of failure keep me from being the best student I could be. I now look at it and regret the decisions I made in the past. Everyday i have learned to allow myself have higher expectations than I have before. There was a lesson in what my teacher said to me and I will…
The day to take the test approached quickly. In a panic, I decided to take the same pretest over again. This time, I finished with a 70% instead. I was petrified at first. Regaining…
Presently, I find myself enjoying setting down on my free time to write. The frustration and fear I had once thought of writing have gone away. At last, I can enjoy the process of writing, coming up with my own ideas and concepts to express my thoughts. Brainstorming, free writing, Star bursting is some of the techniques that have helped me to generate ideas to write papers. These techniques can help me make good argumentative papers for readers, write descriptive papers, narrative, and illustration papers. With this class I have learned how much, I love to write. I have made it a point to communicate my thought and believe through my writing. This English course helped built up my confidences in my own writing for that I am high appreciative of my instructor.…
When we arrived to school our teacher, Mrs.Brooks, told us to clear our desks so we could commence the exam as soon as possible. I was so nervous my hands were trembling uncontrollably. This test could either go in two directions , I could pass the class with a solid B or flunk the class and would have to attend summer school. I repetitively…
I was scared shook the day of my test. I tried being positive, but I felt in my heart that I was not going to pass. Besides, I did not spend any time practicing for the hardest part of the test, parallel parking. I couldn’t sleep the night before as I turned restless on my bed. I woke up as early as 6 am, maintaining my thoughts on the test I was going to take. I was already skipping school for the test, but I was not focused on school or how lucky I was at that point.…
My heart was racing, palms sweating, anyone could sense my nervous energy as I walked into Professor Roth’s 1301 English class. Writing has never been my area of expertise and I often struggle with proper grammar. Professor Roth has helped me improve my writing tremendously in the short eight-week span we have been in class. I have gained knowledge of the writing process, improved my sentence-level writing skills, and collaboratively worked with fellow classmates to achieve common goals. Over the eight weeks, I have acquired substantial fundamental aspects of writing in English 1301. Writing is an interactive process and there is always room for improving.…
One of my more enriching experiences occurred during my freshman year of high school. For years, I strove for straight A's, and for years I received them. Over time I constructed a mentality, and underlying self-confidence that I would receive an A no matter what. Due to my over-confidence, I was under the impression that I would not have to put forth much effort; however, near the conclusion of the second semester, I had a B in Pre-AP English 9. Despite my last push to earn a 90% in the class with the concluding assignments of the semester, my grade was finalized lower than I had wished for. It felt as if a five pound ball of lead materialized in the pit of my stomach. This experience, at first, devastated me to the fullest extent, and I…
I met my English teacher that same year and her class was centered around writing, my weakness. Since I would still mix up words, I thought I wouldn’t be able to live up to my potential and I was worried that she would see my flaws. I was wrong with my preconceptions because I was constantly doing well with writing in her class. She helped me tremendously and we bonded over my improving grades. I no longer saw myself as a failure and neither did she. To her, I wasn’t the girl who had inadequate writing and comprehension skills. I was the girl who wanted to succeed. I was the girl who saw, for the first time, letters and numbers as separate…
I am truly dedicated to improving my writing skills. Last summer I took an eight-week UC San Diego Extension course that focused on grammar. On June 1, 2016, I participated in a Fred Pryor workshop that focused on grammar and proofreading. I will continue to develop my writing skills every day and I am open to other workshops, seminars, or courses that will help refine my writing. It is important to me as a communicator that I have excellent writing skills.…
Earning a 5 on the AP English Language and Composition Exam was my most memorable experience in English. The test required three hours of multiple choice questions and timed essays, and it left me feeling both exhausted and validated. While passing the test was a serious accomplishment, it was not an isolated act. Much of my growth and success came before the exam, rather than after it. I attribute my score to a year of hard work and learning in my AP English class, which greatly enriched my life.…