The third attempt

The previous two attempts had ended at the same stage. This time I had practised that section until the sequence no longer required a whispered list of instructions. Even so, I noticed my hands becoming damp while I waited. I was more afraid of repeating a familiar mistake than of meeting something new. The assessor greeted me without referring to my earlier results, and that helped. For the first time that morning, I could imagine being judged on what I did next rather than on what I had done before.

In your own words, explain the writer's thoughts and feelings before the assessment begins.