The document outlines three stages of stress when preparing for and taking an academic test: 1) Alarm, where initial anxiety and physical symptoms occur along with slight increases in concentration, logical thinking, and memory recall; 2) Fear, where additional physical symptoms appear and abilities start decreasing slightly; 3) Full-blown test anxiety, where intense negative feelings and further physical symptoms emerge alongside a great decrease in concentration, logical thinking, and memory recall, making it seldom manageable during the test.