By the time he reached the second page, Michael knew the previous evening's hotpot excursion had been a mistake. What had begun with ominous grumbling sounds during the listening exercises was morphing now into an internal offensive of a entirely different nature. The characters on the paper before him began to dissolve and swim around each other as his concentration wavered. Who could focus on grammar at a time like this?

HSK Tip no. 192: avoid Sichuan food the night before the exam.