Test your memory first before I give you the lessons
Few people ever put their memories to the immediate test, and it is
for this reason that most are unaware of the false limits, the habits
and potential of their minds. Because of the way we are trained (or
not trained) in school, the simple tasks you will soon attempt will
in some cases prove very difficult and in others almost impossible.
Yet these tasks are perfectly within the capacity of the average
human brain. Do not worry about poor performance, however,
since it is the purpose of this book to make memorisation, such as
is required in the following tests, an easy and enjoyable exercise.
Link Test
Read the following list of twenty items through once only, trying
to memorise both the items and the order in which they are
listed. Then later to test yourself and for scoring
instructions.
Wallpaper
Mountain
Skirt
String
Ice cream
Scissors
Nail
Watch
Nurse
Perfume
Elephant
Jail
Mirror
Suitcase
Plant
Power
Safe
Melon
Mongrel
Engraving
Peg Test
Give yourself sixty seconds to memorise this second list of twenty
items. The aim in this test is to remember the items in order.
1 Atom
2 Tree
3 Stethoscope
4 Sofa
5 Alley
6 Tile
7 Windscreen
8 Honey
9 Brush
10 Toothpaste
11 Glitter
12 Heater
13 Railway
14 Lighter
15 Wart
16 Star
17 Peace
18 Button
19 Pram
20 Pump
Number Test
Look at the four 15-digit numbers printed below, giving not more
than a half-minute to each. At the end of each half-minute section
turn to page 24 and write down the number as best you can.
1 798465328185423
2 493875941254945
3 784319884385628
4 825496581198762
Telephone Number Test
The following is a list often people and their telephone numbers.
Study the list for not more than two minutes and attempt to
remember all the phone numbers.
Your health-food shop 787-5953
Your tennis partner 640-7336
Your local weather bureau 691-0262
Your local newsagent 242-9111
Your local florist 725-8397
Your local garage 781-3702
Your local theatre 869-9521
Your local discotheque 644-1616
Your local community centre 457-8910
Your favourite restaurant 354-6350
Card Test
This test is designed to exercise your present capacity in remembering
cards and their sequence. The list below contains all
fifty-two cards of the regular pack in numbered order. Your task is
to spend not more than three minutes looking at this list, and then
to recall it in reverse order.
1 Ten of diamonds
2 Ace of spades
3 Three of hearts
4 Jack of clubs
5 Five of clubs
6 Five of hearts
7 Six of hearts
8 Eight of clubs
9 Ace of clubs
10 Queen of clubs
11 King of spades
12 Ten of hearts
13 Six of clubs
14 Three of diamonds
15 Four of spades
16 Four of clubs
17 Queen of hearts
18 Five of spades
19 Jack of diamonds
20 Seven of hearts
21 Nine of clubs
22 King of diamonds
23 Seven of clubs
24 Two of spades
25 Jack of hearts
26 King of clubs
27 Four of hearts
28 Two of diamonds
29 Jack of spades
30 Six of spades
31 Two of hearts
32 Four of diamonds
33 Three of spades
34 Eight of diamonds
35 Ace of hearts
36 Queen of spades
37 Queen of diamonds
38 Six of diamonds
39 Nine of spades
40 Ten of clubs
41 King of hearts
42 Nine of hearts
43 Eight of spades
44 Seven of spades
45 Three of clubs
46 Ace of diamonds
47 Ten of spades
48 Eight of hearts
49 Seven of diamonds
50 Nine of diamonds
51 Two of clubs
52 Five of diamonds
Dates Test
This is your last test: listed below are ten fairly important historical
dates. Give yourself two minutes to remember them all perfectly.
1 1666 Great Fire of London
2 1770 Beethoven's birthday
3 1215 Signing of Magna Carta
4 1917 Russian Revolution
5 1454 First printing press
6 1815 Battle of Waterloo
7 1608 Invention of the telescope
8 1905 Einstein's theory of relativity
9 1789 French Revolution
10 1776 American Declaration of Independence
Dates Test
This is your last test: listed below are ten fairly important historical
dates. Give yourself two minutes to remember them all perfectly.
1 1666 Great Fire of London
2 1770 Beethoven's birthday
3 1215 Signing of Magna Carta
4 1917 Russian Revolution
5 1454 First printing press
6 1815 Battle of Waterloo
7 1608 Invention of the telescope
8 1905 Einstein's theory of relativity
9 1789 French Revolution
10 1776 American Declaration of Independence
Back to home page to continue
Now take a piece of paper try to write down all the lists " in order " without looking at the list. If you can finish 75%, that good.