Know what is tested. The Terra Nova tests basic math, reading, science and social studies. Read the description of the CTB/McGraw-Hill Terra Nova Third Edition, available online at the publisher's website, including which skills are tested in each subject area.
Know the types of questions that are most employed on the exam. Every standardized test has questions that are frequently asked, e.g., questions about the main idea or the best way to paraphrase the message in a reading passage. Become familiar with these questions and how they are phrased to be able to move quickly through an examination.
Take practice examinations. Some publishers have developed workbooks that provide practice simulating the Terra Nova examination. Purchase the workbooks or look for copies at the public library. Practice taking the exam under strict testing conditions.
Find a tutor to help find strategies for approaching test questions. Test-taking skills are not innate and must be taught. Tutors can help improve test-taking skills; there are also some school districts that offer after-school programs to help learning-challenged students improve testing skills.