Introduction 1
About This Book 1
A Few Assumptions 2
Icons Used in This Book 2
Beyond the Book 2
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 159
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 219
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 243
Chapter 20: Answers for Practice Test 1, Reasoning through Language Arts 247
Answers and Explanations 248
Sample Extended Response 252
Answer Key 254
Chapter 21: Practice Test 1: Social Studies 255
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 1, Social Studies 256
Chapter 22: Answers for Practice Test 1, Social Studies 271
Answers and Explanations 272
Answer Key 276
Chapter 23: Practice Test 1: Science 277
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 1, Science 278
Science Test 279
Chapter 24: Answers for Practice Test 1, Science 293
Answers and Explanations 294
Answer Key 298
Chapter 25: Practice Test 1: Mathematical Reasoning 299
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 1, Mathematical Reasoning 300
Chapter 26: Answers for Practice Test 1, Mathematical Reasoning 319
Answers and Explanations 320
Answer Key 328
Part 7: Getting More Test Practice: GED Practice Test 2 329
Chapter 27: Practice Test 2: Reasoning through Language Arts 331
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 2, Reasoning through Language Arts 332
Extended Response 345
Chapter 28: Answers for Practice Test 2, Reasoning through Language Arts 351
Answers and Explanations 352
Sample Extended Response 356
Answer Key 357
Chapter 29: Practice Test 2: Social Studies 359
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 2, Social Studies 360
Chapter 30: Answers for Practice Test 2, Social Studies 373
Answers and Explanations 374
Answer Key 378
Chapter 31: Practice Test 2: Science 379
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 2, Science 380
Chapter 32: Answers for Practice Test 2, Science 395
Answers and Explanations 396
Answer Key 400
Chapter 33: Practice Test 2: Mathematical Reasoning 401
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 2, Mathematical Reasoning 402
Chapter 34: Answers for Practice Test 2, Mathematical Reasoning 417
Answers and Explanations 418
Answer Key 425
Part 8: The Part of Tens 427
Chapter 35: Ten Surefire Ways to Prepare for the GED Test 429
Strategizing Where and When You Will Test 429
Taking Practice Tests 430
Studying Subject-Matter Books 430
Enrolling in a GED Test Preparation Class 431
Setting a Time and a Place to Study 432
Getting Familiar with the Computer and Calculator 432
Preparing for the Test in Your Mind 433
Getting Good Rest the Week before the Test 433
Making Sure You Have Proper Identification 433
Setting Up Your Test Area or Getting to the Test Site 433
Chapter 36: Ten Tips for Surviving Test Day 435
Wear Comfortable Clothes 435
Arrive at the Test Site Early 436
Keep Conversations Light and Short 436
Arrange Your Work Area 437
Relax and Breathe 437
Stay Focused on the Task at Hand 438
Look at Only Your Test 438
Start with the Easy Questions 439
Write Clearly and Carefully 439
Do Your Best, No Matter What 439
Chapter 37: Ten Ways to Use Your GED After You Pass the Test 441
Getting a Job 441
Getting a Promotion 441
Updating Your Resume 442
Showing Others What You Can Achieve 442
Proving You’re Ready for Further Education 442
Setting an Example for Your Kids 442
Enhancing Your Wall Décor and Social Media 443
Making You Feel like Part of a Select Group 443
Motivating Yourself 443
Improving Your Self-Esteem 443
Appendix A: Practicing Basic Computer Skills for the GED Test 445
Using a Mouse 445
Making selections 446
Moving around the page 446
Editing your text 448
Using the calculator 448
Finding math formulas and symbols 449
Practicing Your Typing on a Keyboard 450
Index 453
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