The $1,000,000 Mistake: Misreading the Question
The Three Traps: Negative Words, Units, and Graphs
Candidates often rush and miss small but critical details. The most frequent traps are negative words, unit conversions, and misinterpreting graph axes. Let's break them down.
| Type of Trap | What the Question Says | What Students Think It Says | Correct Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Negative Words | "Which of the following is NOT a prime number?" | Find a prime number. | Find the composite number (e.g., 9). |
| Unit Mismatch | "A car travels 0.5 km in 60 seconds. What is its speed in m/s?" | Speed = 0.5 / 60 (forgetting km to m). | Convert 0.5 km to 500 m. Speed = 500/60 = 8.33 m/s. |
| Graph Axes | A graph shows "Time (minutes)" on the x-axis and "Distance (km)" on the y-axis. The slope represents speed. | Assuming x-axis is seconds or y-axis is meters. | Reading the axes labels carefully to calculate the correct slope. |
Real Exam Scenario: The Case of the Missing "Except"
Imagine a biology exam question: "All of the following are mammals EXCEPT for: a) Dolphin, b) Whale, c) Shark, d) Bat." A hurried student who reads "All of the following are mammals" will quickly select "Dolphin" as the first correct mammal and move on, losing the point. The correct answer is c) Shark, because a shark is a fish. This example shows that one small word, "EXCEPT," changes everything. To avoid this, always circle or underline negative words in the question before looking at the answer choices.
When reading a question, use your finger or a ruler to cover the answer choices. Read the question stem twice. Uncover the choices only after you are 100% sure what the question is asking. This prevents the answer choices from confusing you.
Important Questions About This Error
A: This is often due to "confirmation bias." Your brain sees what it expects to see. If you expect a question about mammals, your brain ignores the word "EXCEPT." The solution is to read the question aloud in your head and physically point to each word.
A: During review, ask yourself: "Did I answer the question they asked, or the question I thought they asked?" Re-read the question without looking at your answer. If it's a math problem, do a quick "unit sanity check" – if you're calculating speed, does your answer make sense in km/h or m/s?
Conclusion: Slow Down to Speed Up
Footnote
[1] Confirmation Bias: The tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms or supports one's prior beliefs or expectations.
[2] Unit Sanity Check: A quick mental check to see if the unit of your answer (like kg, m, or $) makes sense for the question being asked.