Save for a few snide interstitial remarks — "Hello, Coachella"; "Is everyone networking successfully?" — Tillman gamely played his best-known songs, but at a slightly slower tempo, as though testing his ability to play through inattention.
More recently, John Banville's critique of Ian McEwan's Saturday in the New York Review suggests the literary equivalent of basketball's one-on-one: a writer testing his style of play against another's.
Mr. Johnson, whose relationship with Mr. Belichick had already been strained by a contract dispute, said he interpreted the scene as Mr. Belichick's testing his desire to play, and that he might be cut and lose his $1.1 million salary — N.F.L. contracts are not guaranteed — if he did not follow orders.
During his nine years at Massillon, Brown invented the playbook, a detailed listing of formations and set plays, and tested his players on their knowledge of it.
After reuniting with Faraday, she tests his memory with playing cards, noting he has made progress when he can remember two out of three cards.
Rylance also warned against making pupils read Shakespeare and be tested about his plays in schools because it was "disrespectful to the author".
Kyle Catanzaro, 14, was there to play-test his game Monaxem, which he loosely translates to "chuck" in Latin (Marmota monax being the scientific name of the woodchuck).
Jeter admitted that he was nervous when he tested his abdominal muscle while playing for Class A Tampa on Friday night, but the fears vanished after he roped two hits in three at bats and felt no more pain.
Will Upton, who will bat third for the Angels, be ready for Thursday's regular-season opener at Oakland? Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager, who is recovering from elbow and hip surgeries, was feeling good after playing seven innings in his third exhibition start and making a series of defensive plays that tested his range and readiness.
INSIDE PITCH The Yankees will give ANDY PETTITTE an extra day of rest before he tests his tender left elbow by playing catch tomorrow.
