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Two things

1) I took yesterday off to relax and today I took the September 2009 practice test. I could not focus for some reason and felt out of it. I just didn't have the energy I usually have. I was even having problems understanding answer choices because of this lack of focus. My brain was just unwilling to wrap itself around ideas that would usually not seem so hard. I don't know how to explain this because I was definitely relaxed and well-rested. Maybe it's because I didn't do any warmup questions? I do them sometimes before practice tests, but not always.

Also, usually I play "The final countdown" 10 minutes before I start a test and it gets me semi-pumped. I didn't do that today and I started the test in a lethargic mood. Could this be the reason?

Anyway I got a 163 which is a good score but it's a significant decrease from my last few scores so I was very disappointed. What could explain this drop?

2) I am averaging 1-3 problems wrong on logical reasoning, which I am content with, but I am mostly missing problems between 4 and 9! What could be the reason for why I am missing the ones that are supposed to be easy and nailing the ones that are supposed to be difficult???

iwanta170 wrote:Two things
Also, usually I play "The final countdown" 10 minutes before I start a test and it gets me semi-pumped. I didn't do that today and I started the test in a lethargic mood. Could this be the reason?

yes

TCScrutinizer wrote:

iwanta170 wrote:Two things
Also, usually I play "The final countdown" 10 minutes before I start a test and it gets me semi-pumped. I didn't do that today and I started the test in a lethargic mood. Could this be the reason?

yes

do you do something similar and notice it helps?

iwanta170 wrote:

TCScrutinizer wrote:

iwanta170 wrote:Two things
Also, usually I play "The final countdown" 10 minutes before I start a test and it gets me semi-pumped. I didn't do that today and I started the test in a lethargic mood. Could this be the reason?

yes

do you do something similar and notice it helps?

It's probable that your lethargic mood was responsible for you not bothering to listen, not the other way around.

I'd chalk it up to a bad day and just keep testing. There are outliers in every data set.

Also, if you consistently find yourself missing questions earlier in the section, then I think you clearly benefit from a bit of "rev-up." Rather than listening to Europe, try reading a WSJ article or doing a set of logic games before sitting down to do the test. More to the point, try to finish your LR section with a few minutes to spare so you can review the first 10 or so questions before time expires.

TCScrutinizer wrote:It's probable that your lethargic mood was responsible for you not bothering to listen, not the other way around.

I'd chalk it up to a bad day and just keep testing. There are outliers in every data set.

You're probably right. I don't know why I was lethargic though. I definitely didn't intend to be for this particular test. I wanted to own this one.

TCScrutinizer wrote:Also, if you consistently find yourself missing questions earlier in the section, then I think you clearly benefit from a bit of "rev-up." Rather than listening to Europe, try reading a WSJ article or doing a set of logic games before sitting down to do the test. More to the point, try to finish your LR section with a few minutes to spare so you can review the first 10 or so questions before time expires.

Perhaps I should've done some warmup. I always try to get through a LR section as fast as I can. Sometimes I get through it with a few minutes to spare and other times I stumble on a problem or two between 4-9 and take longer than i should (which are ultimately the problem(s) i get wrong so not only do they kill time but the time is wasted for nothing) and when that happens i barely finish on time.