Ged Test for Dummies

by Shukyn, Murray; Burstein, Jane R.

• ISBN13: 9781119287209
• ISBN10: 1119287200
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2017-01-30
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

Score high on the GED Test

In today's job environment, it's usually the better-educated person who gets the position, promotion, or raise. Scoring high on the GED Test can give you an edge over the competition—whether it's to get a brand-new job or advance in the one you already have. If you're preparing for the exam and want to increase your odds of scoring higher, GED Test For Dummies gets you up and running with everything you need to know for test day.

Inside, you'll find valuable, easy-to-digest information for navigating your way through tests on Language Arts, Social Studies, Mathematical Reasoning, and Science. Whether you're looking to perfect your grammar and punctuation skills, put the social in your studies, take the fear out of math and science, get familiar with different types of fiction and nonfiction passages, or answer every multiple-choice question with confidence, GED Test For Dummies makes it not only possible, but easy for you to score high on this life-changing exam.

• Fully updated to reflect the latest version of the GED test
• Includes two full-length practice tests with answers and detailed explanations
• Provides vital information and test-taking tips to help maximize your score
• Includes special considerations for those whose first language isn't English

Feel good about yourself knowing that you accomplished something amazing. Get GED Test For Dummies and put yourself on the road to greater success.

Author Biography

Murray Shukyn was a lifelong teacher, with students at every level, from elementary to adult. He designed learning programs and teaching materials for GED Test preparation.
Jane Burstein has taught high school and college for many years. She is the coauthor of several test prep books, covering the SAT, ACT, ASVAB, GMAT, and GRE.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Foolish Assumptions 2

Icons Used in This Book 2

Where to Go from Here 3

Part 1: Getting Started with the GED Test 5

Chapter 1: Taking a Quick Glance at the GED Test 7

What to Expect: The New 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 12

Determining whether you’re eligible 13

Knowing when you can take the test 13

Signing up 15

Working with unusual circumstances 15

Taking the GED Test When English Is Your Second Language 15

Figuring Out What You Have to Score to Pass the GED Test 16

Identifying how scores are determined 17

Knowing what to do if you score poorly on one or more tests 17

Chapter 2: Examining the Ins and Outs of the New Computerized GED Test 19

Familiarizing Yourself with the Computer 19

Typing on the keyboard 20

Clicking and dragging with the mouse 21

Recognizing What the Questions Look Like on the Computer Screen 23

Reasoning through Language Arts test 23

Social Studies test 29

Science test 31

Mathematical Reasoning test 34

Chapter 3: The GED Test’s Four Sections and You 39

Examining the Reasoning through Language Arts Test 39

The reading section 40

The writing section 43

Handling the Social Studies Test 47

Knowing How to Grapple the Science Test 49

Conquering the Mathematical Reasoning Test 50

Chapter 4: Succeeding on the GED Test 55

Leading Up to Test Time 55

Using Practice Tests to Your Advantage 56

Finding Out What to Take to the GED Test 57

Making Sure You’re Comfortable before the Test Begins 58

Discovering Important Test-Taking Strategies 59

Watching the clock: Using your time wisely 59

Evaluating the different questions 60

Addressing and answering questions 62

Guess for success: Using intelligent guessing 62

Leaving time for review 63

Keeping Your Head in the Game 64

Part 2: Minding Your Ps and Qs: The Reasoning through Language Arts Test 65

Chapter 5: Preparing for the Reasoning through Language Arts Test 67

Grasping What’s on the Grammar and Writing Component 68

Looking at the skills the grammar and writing component covers 68

Understanding the format of the grammar and writing component 69

Rocking the Reading Comprehension Component 70

Looking at the skills the reading component covers 70

Understanding the format of the reading component 71

Identifying the types of passages and how to prepare for them 71

Examining the Extended Response Item 73

Looking at the skills the Extended Response covers 73

Understanding the Extended Response format 74

Preparing to succeed on the Extended Response 75

Preparing for the RLA Test with Tactics That Work 76

Developing skills to read well 76

Navigating text to comprehend 77

Chapter 6: RLA Question Types and Solving Strategies 79

Tackling Items in the Writing Component 79

Mastering traditional multiple-choice questions 80

Deciding on drop-down menu items 81

Dealing with drag-and-drop items 82

Filling the blank with the correct answer 83

Choosing Wisely in the Reading Component 83

Writing the RLA Extended Response 85

Managing your time 86

Putting together a winning essay 88

Chapter 7: Working through Some Practice RLA Questions 91

RLA Writing Skills Practice 91

The questions 92

The answers 100

RLA Extended Response Practice 102

A sample Extended Response prompt 103

Evaluating your response 104

Checking out a sample response 105

RLA Reading Skills Practice 106

The questions 106

The answers 112

Part 3: Finding Your Way: The Social Studies Test 115

Chapter 8: A Graph, a Map, and You: Getting Ready for the Social Studies Test 117

Looking at the Skills the Social Studies Test Covers 118

Understanding the Social Studies Test Format 119

Checking out the subject areas on the test 120

Identifying the types of passages 120

Examining Preparation Strategies That Work 121

Chapter 9: Social Studies Question Types and Solving Strategies 123

Answering Questions about Text and Visual Materials 124

Questions about text passages 124

Questions about visual materials 124

Acing the Social Studies Question-Answer Items 127

Choosing an answer from multiple choices 127

Coming up with an answer for fill-in-the-blank questions 129

Dragging and dropping answers where they belong 130

Identifying the hot spot 131

Managing Your Time for the Social Studies Test 132

Chapter 10: Getting Some Practice on Social Studies Questions 135

Social Studies Practice Questions 135

Answers and Explanations 153

Part 4: Peering at Your Specimen: The Science Test 159

Chapter 11: From Aardvarks to Atoms: Confronting the Science Test 161

Looking at the Skills the Science Test Covers 161

Understanding the Test Format and What Topics Are Covered 162

Examining Preparation Strategies That Work 164

Chapter 12: Science Question Types and Solving Strategies 165

Tackling the Science Test Questions 165

Questions about text passages 166

Questions about visual materials 166

Practicing with Sample Items 168

Multiple-choice questions 169

Fill-in-the-blank questions 169

Drag-and-drop questions 170

Drop-down menu questions 171

Hot-spot questions 171

Short Answer item 172

Managing Your Time for the Science Test 173

Chapter 13: Building Your Skills with Some Science Practice Questions 175

Science Practice Questions 175

Answers and Explanations 196

Part 5: Counting All the Possible Solutions: The Mathematical Reasoning Test 201

Chapter 14: Safety in Numbers: Facing the Mathematical Reasoning Test 203

Looking at the Skills the Math Test Covers 203

Understanding the Test Format 205

Revealing Some Helpful Prep Pointers 205

Chapter 15: Mathematical Reasoning Question Types and Solving Strategies 207

Perfecting Your Approach with Sample Problems 207

Making the most of multiple-choice questions 208

Providing the answer in fill-in-the-blank items 210

Using the Mathematical Reasoning Test’s Special Features 211

Solving questions with and without a calculator 211

Refreshing your memory with the formula sheet 212

Inserting special symbols 212

Managing Your Time for the Math Test 212

Chapter 16: Practicing Sample Mathematical Reasoning Problems 215

Mathematical Reasoning Practice Questions 215

Answers and Explanations 225

Part 6: Putting Your Skills to the Test: GED Practice Test 1 231

Chapter 17: Practice Test 1: Reasoning through Language Arts 233

Extended Response 249

Chapter 18: Answers for Practice Test 1, Reasoning through Language Arts 253

Answers and Explanations 254

Sample Extended Response 259

Answer Key 261

Chapter 19: Practice Test 1: Social Studies 263

Answer Sheet for Practice Test 1, Social Studies 264

Social Studies Test 265

Chapter 20: Answers for Practice Test 1, Social Studies 277

Answers and Explanations 278

Answer Key 282

Chapter 21: Practice Test 1: Science 283

Answer Sheet for Practice Test 1, Science 284

Science Test 285

Short Answer #1 298

Short Answer #2 299

Chapter 22: Answers for Practice Test 1, Science 301

Answers and Explanations 302

Answer Key 308

Chapter 23: Practice Test 1: Mathematical Reasoning 309

Answer Sheet for Practice Test 1, Mathematical Reasoning 310

Mathematics Formula Sheet 311

Mathematical Reasoning Test 312

Chapter 24: Answers for Practice Test 1, Mathematical Reasoning 325

Answers and Explanations 326

Answer Key 334

Part 7: Getting More Test Practice: GED Practice Test 2 337

Chapter 25: Practice Test 2: Reasoning through Language Arts 339

Answer Sheet for Practice Test 2, Reasoning through Language Arts 340

Reasoning through Language Arts Test 341

The Extended Response 352

Chapter 26: Answers for Practice Test 2, Reasoning through Language Arts 357

Answers and Explanations 357

Answer Key 363

Chapter 27: Practice Test 2: Social Studies 365

Answer Sheet for Practice Test 2, Social Studies 366

Social Studies Test 367

Chapter 28: Answers for Practice Test 2, Social Studies 379

Answers and Explanations 380

Answer Key 384

Chapter 29: Practice Test 2: Science 385

Answer Sheet for Practice Test 2, Science 386

Science Test 387

Short Answer #1 398

Short Answer #2 400

Chapter 30: Answers for Practice Test 2, Science 403

Answers and Explanations 404

Answer Key 409

Chapter 31: Practice Test 2: Mathematical Reasoning 411

Answer Sheet for Practice Test 2, Mathematical Reasoning 412

Mathematics Formula Sheet 413

Mathematical Reasoning Test 414

Chapter 32: Answers for Practice Test 2, Mathematical Reasoning 425

Answers and Explanations 426

Answer Key 434

Part 8: The Part of Tens 435

Chapter 33: Ten Surefire Ways to Prepare for the GED Test 437

Selecting the Best-Possible Test Date 437

Taking Practice Tests 437

Studying Subject-Matter Books 438

Enrolling in a GED Test Preparation Class 439

Scheduling Time to Study 439

Getting Familiar with the Computer 440

Preparing for the Test in Your Mind 440

Getting Good Rest the Week before the Test 440

Making Sure You Have Proper Identification 440

Practicing Your Route to the Test Site 441

Chapter 34: Ten Ways to Survive Test Day 443

Wear Comfortable Clothes 443

Arrive at the Test Site Early 444

Keep Conversations Light and Short 444

Get Comfortable 445

Relax and Breathe 445

Stay Focused on the Task at Hand 446

Look at Only Your Test 446

Start with the Easy Questions 446

Write Clearly and Carefully 447

Do Your Best, No Matter What 447

Chapter 35: Ten Ways to Use Your GED after You Pass the Test 449

Getting a Job 449

Being Promoted 449

Showing Others What You Can Achieve 450

Including Your GED in Your College Portfolio 450

Proving You’re Ready for Further Education 450

Setting an Example for Your Kids 450

Enhancing Your Wall Décor 451

Making You Feel like Part of a Select Group 451

Motivating Yourself 451

Improving Your Self-Esteem 451

Appendix: Practicing Basic Computer Skills for the GED Test 453

Using a Mouse 453

Making selections 453

Moving around the page 455

Editing your text 456

Using the calculator 456

Finding math formulas and symbols 457

Practicing Your Typing on a Keyboard 458

Index 461