模擬試験に何回も失敗して、実際に受けてみたら思わぬ結果が出た。

Having failed my mock examinations any number of times, when I actually tried taking it the result was nothing I'd imagined.

私たちは砂漠でオアシスとおぼしきものを見た。

We saw what looked like an oasis in the desert.