What this warm-up is, in plain English
A warm-up set is a short routine you do just before the exam to switch your speech and reading systems from cold to ready. In the speaking part, you train thought groups (4 to 7 word chunks with one idea), a single tonic syllable (the pitch move that carries meaning) and clean linking between words. In reading, you hunt for anchors (names, dates, numbers, rare terms) that let you find evidence fast, and you track ROT (return on time, answers per minute).

The 8-minute BD routine

Part A — 3 minutes: Voice ignition

Minute 1: Air and placement

• 3 nose breaths, silent, shoulders still.
• Hum on m for 5 seconds, feel vibration in lips and cheekbones.
• Say “mmm-ah” three times, then “ma-na-la-ra” once, smooth and light.

Minute 2: Groups, peaks, finishes

• Read this line twice with slashes and arrows.
  / i USUally STUdy at HOME ↑ / beCAUSE it SAVES TIME ↓ / but for EXams ↑ / i GO to the LIbrary ↓ /
  Aim for one focus word per group and a clean final fall.

Minute 3: Linking and clarity

• Vowel-vowel links: go‿on, do‿it, see‿it.
• Consonant-vowel links: take‿it, hand‿over, build‿in.
• Final stops: map, fact, back, hold the stop before a pause, release before a vowel.

Targets

• Pace 110 to 150 words per minute.
• One tonic per group.
• Final falls on finished statements.

Part B — 5 minutes: Reading sprint

Minute 1: Triage skim

• Title, first lines, and contrast words (however, yet).
• Circle anchors: names, dates, numbers, terms in quotes.

Minute 2: Question map

• Identify set types fast: Headings, TF or NG, Y or N or NG, Matching.
• Decide order: do Headings early while gist is fresh, park any out-of-order Matching for later.

Minute 3: Anchor scan

• Pick one set. For each item, scan by anchor, not by keyword echo.
• Use the proof rule for NG: you must find one sentence that would make it True and one that would make it False. If neither exists, choose NG.

Minute 4: Citation match habit

• If the passage uses author-date or bracket numbers, tie each factual clause to its citation.
• Separate writer stance (the author’s own view) from source stance (what a study reports).

Minute 5: Speed check and reset

• Answer 3 items cleanly, then stop. Do not chase a stubborn question beyond 45 seconds. Note ROT and move on.

Reading targets

• 8 to 12 anchors marked per passage in under 90 seconds.
• 80 percent accuracy on your first 6 items.
• ROT stable at 1 to 1.5 answers per minute during warm-up.

Example 1 — 60-second speaking script you can whisper

/ the BUS lanes ↑ / have CUT travel TIME ↓ / for many COMmuters ↓ / in the city CENter ↓ /
Coach notes: rise on the first group to signal more is coming, clear falls on finished ideas, link have‿cut and many‿commuters, keep one peak per group.

Self-score

• Peaks per group: 4 of 4.
• Final falls: 3 of 3.
• Filler words: 0.

Example 2 — 90-second reading sprint, anchors first

Mini-passage: “Sensors recorded lower particulates after bus lanes were introduced. However, weekend spikes near the stadium persisted.”

• Anchors: sensors, particulates, bus lanes, weekend, stadium.
• Q: Did weekend pollution improve more than weekday pollution
  A: Not Given. The text confirms spikes persisted but does not compare which improved more.
• Q: Did levels fall after bus lanes
  A: Yes. Recorded lower particulates is a factual anchor.

Mini case — Sazia in Dhaka

Problem: Sazia arrived tense after a long bus ride, spoke flatly in Part 2, then wasted time in Reading chasing tricky Matching items.
Routine adopted: 3 minute voice ignition plus 5 minute sprint in the waiting area. She tracked two numbers: peaks per group in a 30 second read-aloud and ROT on a 5-item set.
Result in two weeks of mocks: peaks per group rose from 50 to 88 percent, ROT from 0.7 to 1.2 answers per minute, and she finished all sections on time.

Measurable drills before test day

• 30-second peak check: read any paragraph, mark slashes, cap one focus word per group. Target one peak per group for 90 percent of groups.
• Anchor hunt: in 60 seconds, circle at least 8 anchors on a science-style passage.
• ROT ladder: solve 5 questions, time yourself, then repeat aiming for the same accuracy with 10 percent less time.
• Final-fall reps: speak 5 finished statements with a clean falling tone. Record and verify endings.

Common mistakes

• Over-stretching: long tongue twisters that tire the mouth. Keep the set short.
• Rising endings: every sentence rises and sounds unsure. Force a fall on completed ideas.
• Keyword echo: matching words instead of meaning in Reading. Scan by anchors and gist, not single word matches.
• Sticking to one item: more than 45 seconds on a single question kills ROT. Park it.

Edge cases and safe fixes

• Noise in the corridor: put one earbud in with brown-noise or a quiet news clip and whisper the script.
• Dry throat: small sips of water and a lip trill, not sugary drinks.
• Late arrival: skip extras, run the 3-minute voice ignition only.
• Accent drift under stress: reset with the script’s arrows and one finger tap on the focus word.

Tips and tricks

• Print a micro-card: one script line, one linking row, and your 5 reading anchors.
• Use tiny up and down arrows over words to visualise melody.
• Smile when giving positive claims. It naturally stabilises breath and lifts tone.
• In Reading, read first and last sentences of a paragraph before diving in. Many stance cues live there.

To avoid

• Coffee overload right before speaking. Warm water is safer.
• New sources on test day. Use clips and texts you have shadowed before.
• Off-topic small talk that speeds you up and spoils pacing.

Glossary

Warm-up set: a short routine that prepares voice and attention for the exam.
Thought group: a 4 to 7 word chunk that carries one idea.
Tonic syllable: the syllable carrying the main pitch change in a group.
Linking: smooth connection across word boundaries.
Anchor: a concrete locator like a name, date, number, or rare term.
ROT: return on time, answers per minute.

Next steps
Prepare one 60-second script and one 150-word passage with clear anchors. The night before the test, mark slashes, focus words, and arrows on the script and highlight anchors in the passage. On exam morning, run the full 8-minute routine and log two numbers: peaks per group and ROT.

1. Actionable closing — Case study then lessons

Case study: Arif’s exam-day reset
Arif reached the centre late, heart racing. He ran the 3-minute voice ignition in the queue, then a 5-minute reading sprint with a printed paragraph. In the speaking room he used the same slash-and-arrow pattern. In Reading he circled anchors first and parked one stubborn item. He reported steadier tone, fewer fillers, and finishing with 3 minutes to spare.

Lessons you can apply now

1. Keep a fixed 8-minute routine and protect it from last-minute panic.
2. Measure two things only: peaks per group and ROT.
3. Start Reading with anchors and gist, not keyword echoes.
4. Park any question after 45 seconds and return later.
5. Use one script you know well, not a new one on test day.

CTA: Print your micro-card now. Tomorrow morning, run the complete 8-minute warm-up and record peaks per group plus ROT. Repeat twice this week and raise one metric by 10 percent before your test.