Elizabeth Chesla is the author of many reading and writing guides for students, including TOEFL Exam Success.
She is from South Orange, NJ.
Jelena Matic is a chemist and contributing science writer for ACT Exam Success. She is from Queens, NY.
Maxwell Antor is a high school math teacher and math writer for SAT Exam Success. He is from Oakland, CA.
Margaret Muirhead was social studies contributor for this book and is a history and career writer from
Arlington, MA.
About the Contributors
v
PART I Preparing for the GED 1
Chapter 1 All about the GED 3
Chapter 2 Study Skills 11
Chapter 3 Learning Strategies 17
Chapter 4 Test-Taking Strategies 23
PART II The GED Language Arts, Writing Exam 29
Chapter 5 About the GED Language Arts, Writing Exam 35
Chapter 6 Sentence Structure 41
Chapter 7 Usage 49
Chapter 8 Mechanics 61
Chapter 9 Organization 69
Chapter 10 Writing an Effective Essay 75
Chapter 11 Tips and Strategies for the GED Language Arts, Writing Exam 87
Chapter 12 GED Language Arts, Writing Practice Questions 91
PART III The GED Social Studies Exam 123
Chapter 13 About the GED Social Studies Exam 129
Chapter 14 World History 133
Chapter 15 Civics and Government 143
Chapter 16 Economics 147
Chapter 17 Geography 151
Chapter 18 Tips and Strategies for the GED Social Studies Exam 155
Chapter 19 GED Social Studies Practice Questions 171
Contents
vii
–
CONTENTS
–
viii
PART IV The GED Science Exam 203
Chapter 20 About the GED Science Exam 209
Chapter 21 Unifying Concepts and Processes 213
Chapter 22 Science as Inquiry 217
Chapter 23 Physical Science 223
Chapter 24 Life Science 233
Chapter 25 Earth and Space Science 239
Chapter 26 Science and Technology 245
Chapter 27 Personal and Social Perspectives in Science 249
Chapter 28 History and Nature of Science 257
Chapter 29 Tips and Strategies for the GED Science Exam 261
Chapter 30 GED Science Practice Questions 265
PART V The GED Language Arts, Reading Exam 297
Chapter 31 About the GED Language Arts, Reading Exam 303
Chapter 32 Reading Comprehension Strategies 307
Chapter 33 Reading Literature 317
Chapter 34 Fiction 321
Chapter 35 Poetry 327
Chapter 36 Drama 331
Chapter 37 Nonfiction 337
Chapter 38 Tips and Strategies for the GED Language Arts, Reading Exam 341
Chapter 39 GED Literature and the Arts, Reading Practice Questions 347
PART VI The GED Mathematics Exam 379
Chapter 40 About the GED Mathematics Exam 385
Chapter 41 Measurement and Geometry 389
Chapter 42 Number Operations and Number Sense 405
Chapter 43 Algebra, Functions, and Patterns 411
Chapter 44 Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability 417
Chapter 45 GED Mathematics Practice Questions 423
APPENDIX A Online Resources 459
APPENDIX B Print Resources 461
ACING THE
GED EXAMS
1
PART
I
Preparing for
the GED
C
ongratulations on your decision to take the GED, tests that can make
a dramatic difference in your life. Of course, you want to be prepared for
these important tests—that’s why you bought this book. There’s a lot more
to good preparation than just taking a practice exam or two. That’s why this book gives you
the opportunity to review the knowledge and build the skills you will need for the exams.
But first things first. Before you being studying the different subjects tested on the GED,
you need to learn as much as you can about the tests. That way, you will know exactly how
to prepare. Chapter 1 will tell you all about the GED, including the structure of the exams,
eligibility requirements, testing information, scoring, and fees.
Your time is valuable, and you will want to make the most of your study time. That’s
why the rest of this section is devoted to study strategies and test-taking skills. Chapter 2
reviews basic, effective study techniques. Chapter 3 shows you how to better learn and
remember material. Chapter 4 provides tips and strategies for tackling standardized tests
like the GED. Read the chapters in this section carefully so you can create an effective study
plan and study wisely.
Edward dropped out of high school at 16 when his mother became ill and could no longer work or take care of
Edward and his younger brother. He began working full time and never finished high school.
Rajesh came to America with the equivalent of a tenth-grade education from his native country. He dreamed
of becoming a computer programmer but had to work full time. He often worked extra shifts to help make ends
meet.
Marie was a certified nurse in her native Caribbean country. But when she immigrated, she found out her nurs-
ing certification was not valid in the United States. She could not apply to a U.S. nursing program without a
high school diploma.
T
oday, after taking the GED and earning their high school diplomas, Edward, Rajesh, and Marie—
like thousands of others who take the GED each year—are able to pursue the education and careers of
their dreams. For more than half a century, the GED diploma has given millions of people the opportu-
nity to find better employment, enroll in colleges and training programs, improve their standard of living, and feel
better about themselves and their futures.
3
CHAPTER
1
All about
the GED
PLANNING TO take the GED? Here’s what you need to know to
get started. This chapter covers the basic information about these
important exams. You will learn how the tests are structured, how to
register, and how the tests are scored.
What the Tests Are About
The General Educational Development (GED) exami-
nation is a series of tests covering the broad range of
knowledge and skills students are expected to master in
high school. They are tests for people who wish to earn
a high school diploma but who have been unable to
graduate in the traditional manner. Passing the GED cer-
tifies that you have a high school level education and
entitles you to a GED diploma, the equivalent of a high
school diploma. For hundreds of thousands of people
each year, the GED is an important stepping stone to a
better job and continued education.
Did You Know?
The GED was originally developed for veterans
returning from World War II to help them
complete their educations and earn their high
school credentials. The first test was adminis-
tered more than 60 years ago, in 1942. Since
then, an estimated 15.2 million people have
taken the GED.
The GED is jointly administered by the General Edu-
cation Development Testing Service, a program of the
American Council on Education (ACE) Center for Adult
Learning and Education Credentials, and the education
department of each participating state or province. The
GED exams are actually a battery of five tests that meas-
ure knowledge in five content and skills areas: writing,
reading comprehension (understanding literature), social
studies, mathematics, and science.
GED Components
The GED examinations are actually a battery of
five separate tests:
➧
Language Arts, Writing (Parts I and II)
➧
Social Studies
➧
Science
➧
Language Arts, Reading
➧
Mathematics (Parts I and II)
The complete battery of GED exams takes a total of
seven hours and five minutes. The level of difficulty is set
so that only two-thirds of traditional high school seniors
will pass. On average, at least two-thirds of adults who
take all five exams earn their diploma, and many states
report even higher pass rates. In Utah, for example,
nearly three-quarters (74%) of GED test takers passed
the exam last year. And Iowa boasts a remarkable 95%
pass rate for 2001.
In many testing centers, you can take the GED one test
at a time until you complete all five exams. In others,
you must take the entire battery of tests in one or two
sessions.
The questions on the GED are all multiple choice with
two important exceptions. Part II of the Language Arts,
Writing Test requires you to write an essay, and about
25% of math questions are “alternate format” questions
that may include short written responses. You will learn
details about each exam, including the specific material
covered and the kind of questions to expect, throughout
the rest of this book.
GED Fact Box
According to the American Council on Educa-
tion, which oversees the GED Testing Service:
➧
Over 860,000 adults around the world take
the GED tests each year.
➧
Test takers who pass the GED outperform
40% of high school seniors on the exam.
➧
Approximately 14% of the high school
diplomas distributed each year in the
United States are issued to adults who
pass the GED.
➧
Over 95% of U.S. colleges accept students
with GED credentials, and over 95% of
U.S. employers offer GED graduates the
same hiring, compensation, and promotion
opportunities as employees with a tradi-
tional high school diploma.
➧
Approximately 1 in 20 first-year college
students are GED graduates.
–
ALL ABOUT THE GED
–
4
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