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Abstract
Reading Comprehension (RC) plays a significant role in any academic field, especially in TEFL. This study
aimed to illuminate and investigate one psychological and crucial factor influencing RC performance: Test
Anxiety (TA). Furthermore, this study intended to probe into the role of lexical knowledge in RC. An attempt
was made to assess the relationship among TA, LK, and RC. In so doing, after homogenizing the students as
intermediate ones via a placement test, a valid questionnaire of TA (Richmond, Wrench, & Gorham, 2001) and
also a Cambridge Lexical Knowledge Test were administered to the 38 intermediate students. Having
administered the tests, the researcher asked the subjects to take part in a reading comprehension IELTS mock
test. Based on the test, the subjects were divided into four groups: 1) High TA, High LK, 2) High TA, Low LK,
3) Low TA, High LK, and 4) Low TA, Low LK. The data collected from the questionnaire and also the
vocabulary test as well as the scores given to their reading comprehension performances was analyzed through
SPSS (21.00). Results indicated that there were statistically significant differences between the two groups of
High LK, Low TA and the other three groups. This group outperformed the other groups. The Low LK, High
TA group received the lowest scores in their reading comprehension performances. This proved the belief that
those benefiting from a high mastery of lexical knowledge and lacking test apprehension while sitting for a test
could attain the best records among all. The outcomes of this study can have benefits for both foreign language
teachers and learners. They both can attain better results by focusing more on the psychological factor of TA
in their roles. The findings of the present study demonstrated that more concentration ought to be placed on
enhancing LK and lowering TA in order to augment students’ reading comprehension performances.