Table of Contents
Introduction 1
About This Book 1
A Few Assumptions 2
Icons Used in This Book 2
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 3
Part 1 Getting Started with the GED Test 5
Chapter 1 A Quick Glance at the GED Test 7
What to Expect: The Testing Format 8
Reviewing the Test Sections 8
Reasoning through Language Arts test 9
Social Studies test 10
Science test 11
Mathematical Reasoning test 12
It's a Date: Scheduling the Test 13
Determining whether you're eligible 13
Knowing when you can take the test 14
Taking the GED Test When English Is Your Second Language 15
What You Have to Score to Pass the GED Test 16
Identifying how scores are determined 16
Knowing what to do if you score poorly on one or more tests 16
Chapter 2 The Ins and Outs of the Computerized GED Test 17
Familiarizing Yourself with the Computer 17
Typing on the keyboard 18
Clicking and dragging with the mouse 19
Recognizing What the Questions Look Like on the Computer Screen 21
Reasoning through Language Arts test 21
Social Studies test 27
Science test 30
Mathematical Reasoning test 31
Flag for Review button 35
Chapter 3 The GED Test's Four Sections and You 37
Examining the Reasoning through Language Arts Test 37
The reading section 38
The grammar and language section 41
Handling the Social Studies Test 44
Knowing How to Grapple with the Science Test 45
Conquering the Mathematical Reasoning Test 46
Chapter 4 Succeeding on the GED Test 49
Leading Up to Test Time 49
Using Practice Tests to Your Advantage 50
Finding Out What to Take to the GED Test 51
Making Sure You're Comfortable Before the Test Begins 52
Discovering Important Test-Taking Strategies 53
Watching the clock: Using your time wisely 53
Addressing and answering questions 54
Guess for success: Using intelligent guessing 54
Leaving time for review 55
Keeping Your Head in the Game 56
Part 2 Minding Your PS and QS: The Reasoning through Language Arts Test 57
Chapter 5 Preparing for the Reasoning through Language Arts Test 59
Grasping What's on the Grammar and Language Component 60
Looking at the skills the Grammar and Language component covers 60
Understanding the format of the Grammar and Language component 62
Rocking the Reading Comprehension Component 62
Looking at the skills the Reading component covers 62
Understanding the format of the Reading component 63
Identifying the types of passages and how to prepare for them 63
Preparing for the RLA Test with Tactics That Work 65
Developing skills to read well 65
Improving your mastery of grammar and language skills 66
Learning about the format and content of each test section 67
Chapter 6 RLA Question Types and Solving Strategies 69
Tackling Grammar and Language Questions 69
Choosing Wisely in the Reading Component 72
Dealing with multiple-choice Reading questions 72
Dealing with drag-and-drop Reading questions 73
Dealing with questions with multiple passage sets 74
Chapter 7 Working through Some Practice RLA Questions 77
RLA Grammar and Language Practice Questions 77
The questions 78
The answers 84
RLA Reading Comprehension Practice 87
The questions 87
The answers 94
Chapter 8 Preparing for the Extended Response Component 97
Examining the Extended Response Item 97
Looking at the skills the Extended Response covers 98
Understanding the Extended Response format 98
Preparing to succeed on the Extended Response 99
Writing the RLA Extended Response 101
Managing your time 101
Putting together a winning essay 103
Chapter 9 Writing an Extended Response Item 105
Getting Familiar with RLA Extended Response 105
A Sample Extended Response Prompt 106
Evaluating Your Response 107
Checking Out a Sample Response 107
Part 3 Finding Your Way: The Social Studies Test 109
Chapter 10 A Graph, a Map, and You: Getting Ready for the Social Studies Test 111
Looking at the Skills the Social Studies Test Covers 112
Understanding the Social Studies Test Format and Content 114
Checking out the subject areas on the test 114
Identifying the types of passages 115
Examining Preparation Strategies That Work 115
Chapter 11 Social Studies Question Types and Solving Strategies 117
Answering Questions about Text and Visual Materials 117
Questions about text passages 118
Questions about visual materials 118
Acing the Social Studies Items 121
Choosing an answer from multiple choices 121
Coming up with an answer for fill-in-the-blank questions 123
Dragging and dropping answers where they belong 124
Choosing from a drop-down menu 125
Managing Your Time for the Social Studies Test 125
Chapter 12 Practicing Social Studies Questions 127
Social Studies Practice Questions 127
Answers and Explanations 145
Part 4 Peering at Your Specimen: The Science Test 151
Chapter 13 From Aardvarks to Atoms: Confronting the Science Test 153
Looking at the Skills the Science Test Covers 154
Understanding the Test Format and What Topics Are Covered 154
Examining Preparation Strategies That Work 156
Chapter 14 Science Question Types and Solving Strategies 159
Tackling the Science Test Questions 159
Questions about text passages 160
Questions about visual materials 160
Practicing with Sample Items 163
Multiple-choice questions 163
Fill-in-the-blank questions 164
Drag-and-drop questions 165
Drop-down menu questions 166
Managing Your Time for the Science Test 167
Chapter 15 Sampling Some Science Practice Questions 169
Science Practice Questions 169
Answers and Explanations 189
Part 5 Counting All the Possible Solutions: The Mathematical Reasoning Test 193
Chapter 16 Safety in Numbers: Facing the Mathematical Reasoning Test 195
Looking at the Skills the Math Test Covers 195
Understanding the Test Format 197
Revealing Some Helpful Prep Pointers 197
Chapter 17 Mathematical Reasoning Question Types and Solving Strategies 201
Perfecting Your Approach with Sample Questions 201
Making the most of multiple-choice questions 202
Providing the answer in fill-in-the-blank items 204
Answering other special item types 204
Using the Mathematical Reasoning Test's Special Features 205
Solving questions with and without a calculator 206
Refreshing your memory with the formula sheet 206
Inserting special symbols 207
Managing Your Time for the Math Test 207
Chapter 18 Practicing Sample Mathematical Reasoning Problems 209
Mathematical Reasoning Practice Questions 210
Answers and Explanations 220
Part 6 Putting Your Skills to the Test: GED Practice Test 1 225
Chapter 19 Practice Test 1: Reasoning through Language Arts 227
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 1, Reasoning through Language Arts 228
Extended Response 241
Chapter 20 Answers for Practice Test 1, Reasoning through Language Arts 245
Answers and Explanations 246
Sample Extended Response 250
Answer Key 251
Chapter 21 Practice Test 1: Social Studies 253
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 1, Social Studies 254
Chapter 22 Answers for Practice Test 1, Social Studies 271
Answers and Explanations 272
Answer Key 277
Chapter 23 Practice Test 1: Science 279
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 1, Science 280
Science Test 281
Chapter 24 Answers for Practice Test 1, Science 297
Answers and Explanations 298
Answer Key 303
Chapter 25 Practice Test 1: Mathematical Reasoning 305
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 1, Mathematical Reasoning 306
Chapter 26 Answers for Practice Test 1, Mathematical Reasoning 321
Answers and Explanations 322
Answer Key 332
Part 7 Getting More Test Practice: GED Practice Test 2 333
Chapter 27 Practice Test 2: Reasoning through Language Arts 335
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 2, Reasoning through Language Arts 336
Extended Response 349
Chapter 28 Answers for Practice Test 2, Reasoning through Language Arts 355
Answers and Explanations 356
Sample Extended Response 360
Answer Key 361
Chapter 29 Practice Test 2: Social Studies 363
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 2, Social Studies 364
Chapter 30 Answers for Practice Test 2, Social Studies 377
Answers and Explanations 378
Answer Key 382
Chapter 31 Practice Test 2: Science 383
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 2, Science 384
Chapter 32 Answers for Practice Test 2, Science 399
Answers and Explanations 400
Answer Key 404
Chapter 33 Practice Test 2: Mathematical Reasoning 405
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 2, Mathematical Reasoning 406
Chapter 34 Answers for Practice Test 2, Mathematical Reasoning 421
Answers and Explanations 422
Answer Key 429
Part 8 The Part of Tens 431
Chapter 35 Ten Surefire Ways to Prepare for the GED Test 433
Strategizing Where and When You Will Test 433
Taking Practice Tests 434
Studying Subject-Matter Books 434
Enrolling in a GED Test Preparation Class 435
Setting a Time and a Place to Study 436
Getting Familiar with the Computer, Calculator, and Formula Sheet 436
Preparing for the Test in Your Mind 437
Getting Good Rest the Week before the Test 437
Making Sure You Have Proper Identification 437
Setting Up Your Test Area or Getting to the Test Site 437
Chapter 36 Ten Tips for Surviving Test Day 439
Wear Comfortable Clothes 439
Arrive at the Test Site Early 440
Keep Conversations Light and Short 440
Arrange Your Work Area 441
Relax and Breathe 441
Stay Focused on the Task at Hand 442
Look at Only Your Test 442
Start with the Easy Questions 443
Write Clearly and Carefully 443
Do Your Best, No Matter What 443
Appendix: Practicing Basic Computer Skills for the GED Test 445
Index 453
