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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Bildung
- Sprache: Englisch
Read and write your way to excellence on the GED RLA Test
Does the thought of taking the GED RLA Test make you red in the face? Fear not! With the help of GED RLA Test For Dummies, you'll get up to speed on the new structure and computer-based format of the GED and gain the confidence and know-how to pass the RLA Test like a pro. Packed with helpful guidance and instruction, this hands-on test-prep guide covers the concepts covered onthe GED RLA Test and gives you ample practice opportunities to assess your understanding of the Language Arts, Writing, and Language Arts Reading sections of the exam.
Designed to test your understanding of reading, writing, and editing skills, the GED RLA Test can be tough for the uninitiated. Luckily, this fun and accessible guide breaks down each section of the exam into easily digestible parts, making everything you'll encounter on exam day feel like a breeze! Inside, you'll find methods to sharpen your reading and language arts test skills, tips on how to approach GED RLA question types and formats, practice questions and study exercises, and a full-length practice test to help you pinpoint where you need more study help.
- Presents reviews of the GED RLA test question types and basic computer skills
- Offers passages and questions that assess reading comprehension, language conventions, and usage
- Includes one full-length GED RLA practice test
- Provides scoring guidelines and detailed answer explanations
Even if reading, writing, and editing have never been your strong suit, GED RLA Test For Dummies makes it easy to pass this crucial exam and obtain your hard-earned graduate equivalency diploma.
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Seitenzahl: 470
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015
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GED® RLA Test For Dummies®
Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Trademarks: Wiley, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and may not be used without written permission. The 2014 GED® Test Item Samplers are the intellectual property of GED Testing Service LLC. ©2014 GED Testing Service LLC. All rights reserved. GED® and GED Testing Service® are registered trademarks of the American Council on Education (ACE). They may not be reproduced without the express written permission of ACE or GED Testing Service. The GED® and GED Testing Service® brands are administered by GED Testing Service LLC under license from American Council on Education. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2015946516
ISBN 978-1-119-03005-8 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-03007-2 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-03006-5 (ebk)
GED® Reasoning Through Language Arts Test For Dummies®
Visit http://www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/gedrlatest to view this book's cheat sheet.
Table of Contents
Cover
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part I: Getting Started with the GED RLA Test
Chapter 1: Taking a Quick Glance at the GED RLA Test
Knowing What to Expect: The GED Test Format
Reviewing the GED RLA Test
It’s a Date: Scheduling the Test
Taking the GED Test When English Isn’t Your First Language
Taking Aim at Your Target Score
Chapter 2: Prepping for the RLA Test
Grasping What’s on the Grammar and Writing Component
Rocking the Reading Comprehension Component
Examining the Extended Response Item
Preparing for the RLA Test with Tactics That Work
Chapter 3: Uncovering Your Strengths and Weaknesses with a Diagnostic Test
Taking the Diagnostic Test
Answer Sheet for RLA Diagnostic Test
Reasoning Through Language Arts Diagnostic Test
The Extended Response
Reviewing Answers and Explanations
Sample Extended Response
Scoring Your Extended Response
Chapter 4: Succeeding on the GED RLA Test
Gearing Up for Test Time
Using the Diagnostic and Practice Tests to Your Advantage
Packing for Test Day
Getting Comfortable before the Test Begins
Brushing Up on Test-Taking Strategies
Sharpening Your Mental Focus
Part II: Enhancing Your RLA Skills
Chapter 5: Understanding the Written Word
Recognizing and Ordering the Sequence of Events
Drawing Inferences
Analyzing Relationships among Ideas
Deriving Meaning from Context
Figuring Out the Function of Details
Comparing Points of View
Appreciating the Importance of Word Choice
Extracting Meaning from Flow
Comparing Two Passages
Chapter 6: Analyzing Arguments and Weighing Evidence
Identifying and Summarizing the Main Idea
Digging into the Details
Rooting Out Premises and Assumptions
Comparing Two Arguments
Chapter 7: Mastering Language Conventions and Usage
Correcting Errors in Agreement
Choosing the Right Words
Fixing Broken Sentences
Tweaking the Text: Capitalization, Contractions, Possession, and Punctuation
Chapter 8: Penning Powerful Prose for the Extended Response
Wrapping Your Brain around the Extended Response Guidelines
Choosing a Side
Writing a Clear, Direct Thesis Statement
Structuring Your Argument
Considering Your Purpose, Audience, and Message
Writing and Revising Your Essay
Part III: Putting Your RLA Knowledge and Skills to the Test
Chapter 9: Taking an RLA Practice Test
Answer Sheet for Reasoning Through Language Arts Practice Test
Reasoning Through Language Arts Test
The Extended Response
Chapter 10: Answers and Explanations for the RLA Practice Test
Answers and Explanations
Answer Key
Part IV: The Part of Tens
Chapter 11: Ten Tips for Faster Reading and Improved Comprehension
Understanding Words from Context
Balancing Speed and Comprehension
Skimming on a Computer Screen
Remembering the Essay Models
Detecting Bias and Faulty Logic
Reading for Details (Picking Out Key Words)
Tracking Tone in Longer Passages
Paraphrasing
Practicing Under Pressure
Maintaining Focus
Chapter 12: Avoiding Ten Tricky Writing Errors
Misusing Words
Overlooking Subject-Verb Disagreement
Mixing Verb Tenses
Using the First or Second Person in Analysis
Missing and Misplacing Commas
Being Inconsistent
Writing in Non-Standard English
Creating a Choppy Progression
Building Your Essay on Sloppy Thinking
Ignoring Proofreading Errors
About the Authors
Cheat Sheet
Advertisement Page
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Begin Reading
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Introduction
You’ve decided to take the General Education Development (GED) test to earn the equivalent of a high school diploma. Congratulations! You’re about to clear a major hurdle standing between you and your educational and professional goals. But now you realize that you need extra guidance in reading and writing to tackle the GED Reasoning Through Language Arts test. Perhaps you took the test once or even twice and didn’t do so well. Perhaps you’ve done an honest self-assessment and now realize that English was never your favorite or best subject. Whatever the reason, you need to quickly review the essentials and practice answering questions like those you’ll encounter on the test. You want to know what to expect so you’re not blindsided on test day.
Welcome to GED RLA Test For Dummies — your key to excelling on the GED Reasoning Through Language Arts test. Here, you find everything you need to do well on the test, from guidance on how to improve reading speed and comprehension to how to analyze arguments. We also bring you up to speed on proper English conventions and usage and explain how to write a top-notch essay for the Extended Response portion of the test. Along the way, you find plenty of practice questions to reinforce your newly acquired knowledge and skills.
About This Book
As we were writing GED Test For Dummies, 3rd edition (Wiley), we didn’t have the space to cover all four sections of the GED test in great detail. In that book, we provided a general overview of the GED test and two full-length practice tests that covered all four sections — Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA), Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies.
Knowing that each section of the GED test can be taken separately and that test-takers probably need more guidance in some subject areas than in others, we decided to develop a separate workbook for each section — four workbooks, each with a balance of instruction and practice. In this book, we focus exclusively on the GED Reasoning Through Language Arts test. Our goal is twofold: to prepare you to answer correctly any RLA question you’re likely to encounter on the test so that you receive a high score and to help you do well on your Extended Response essay.
We begin by giving you a sneak peek at the test format and an overview of what’s on the GED RLA test. We then provide a diagnostic test that presents you with RLA questions, which challenge your reading and reasoning knowledge and skills and identify your unique strengths and weaknesses. The diagnostic test and the self-assessment form following the test guide you to specific chapters for instruction and practice. When you feel ready, you can then tackle the full-length Reasoning Through Language Arts practice test in Chapter 9 and turn to Chapter 10 for answers and explanations. Check the answers even for questions you answered correctly because the answers do provide additional learning materials.
We wrap up with two Part of Tens chapters — one that presents ten tips to improve your reading speed and comprehension and another that helps you steer clear of ten common writing errors.
Foolish Assumptions
When we wrote this book, we made a few assumptions about you, dear reader. Here’s who we think you are:
You’re serious about earning a high-school diploma or GED endorsement for existing qualifications as quickly as you can.
You’re looking for additional instruction and guidance specifically to improve your score on the GED Reasoning Through Language Arts test, not the Math, Science, or Social Studies test.
You’ve made earning a high-school diploma and an endorsement a priority in your life because you want to advance in the workplace or move on to college.
You’re willing to give up some activities so you have the time to prepare, always keeping in mind your other responsibilities, too.
You meet your state’s requirements regarding age, residency, and the length of time since leaving school that make you eligible to take the GED test. (See
Chapter 1
for details.)
You have sufficient English language skills to handle the test.
You want a fun and friendly guide that helps you achieve your goal.
If any of these descriptions sounds like you, welcome aboard. We’ve prepared an enjoyable tour of the GED test.
Icons Used in This Book
Icons – little pictures you see in the margins of this book — highlight bits of text that you want to pay special attention to. Here’s what each one means:
Whenever we want to tell you a special trick or technique that can help you succeed on the GED RLA test, we mark it with this icon. Keep an eye out for this guy.
This icon points out information you want to burn into your brain. Think of the text with this icon as the sort of stuff you’d tear out and put on a bulletin board or your refrigerator.
Take this icon seriously! Although the world won’t end if you don’t heed the advice next to this icon, the warnings are important to your success in preparing to take the GED RLA test.
We use this icon to flag example questions that are much like what you can expect on the actual GED Reasoning Through Language Arts test. So if you just want to get familiar with the types of questions on the test, this icon is your guide.
Beyond the Book
In addition to the book content, you can find valuable free material online. We provide you with a Cheat Sheet that addresses things you need to know and consider when getting ready for the GED Reasoning Through Language Arts test. You can access this material at www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/gedrlatest.
We also include additional articles at www.dummies.com/extras/gedrlatest that provide even more helpful tips and advice to help you score your best on the GED Reasoning Through Language Arts test.
Where to Go from Here
Some people like to read books from beginning to end. Others prefer to read only the specific information they need to know now. Here we provide a road map so you can find your way around.
Chapter 1 starts off with an overview of the GED test and how to register for the exam. Chapter 2 brings you up to speed on what the Reasoning Through Language Arts test covers. Chapter 3 is a must-read — a diagnostic test followed by a self-assessment to target areas where you need the most guidance and practice. Based on your self-assessment, you’ll know which chapters to focus on in Part II of this book.
The chapters in Part II are the meat and potatoes — instruction and practice that covers reading comprehension, argument analysis, Standard English language conventions, and writing:
Reading comprehension:
The RLA test is essentially an open-book test in that it provides the content on which questions are based. That said, you have to be a very good and careful reader to identify the main ideas and pick out details from the reading passages on the test. In
Chapter 5
, we help you develop your reading comprehension skills.
Argument analysis:
The RLA test challenges your ability not only to read and understand the written word but also to evaluate arguments in terms of logic and supporting evidence. In
Chapter 6
, we explain how to pick apart arguments and separate fact from opinion.
English language conventions:
A significant portion of the GED RLA test presents you with writing errors in grammar, spelling, usage, punctuation, and other conventions and challenges you to choose the correction. In
Chapter 7
, we address the most common errors and explain how to correct them.
Extended Response:
Chapter 8
turns your attention to writing. Here, you find out what the Extended Response portion of the test is all about, how to compare two passages and determine which is most effective, and how to write an essay that clearly states your point of view and supports it with plenty of evidence in a well-reasoned persuasive essay.
When you’re ready to dive into a full-length practice test that mimics the real GED Reasoning Through Language Arts test, check out Part III. After the test, you can check your answers with the detailed answer explanations we provide. (But be sure to wait until after you take the practice test to look at the answers!).
If you need a break, turn to the chapters in Part IV, where you can find ten tips to improve your reading speed and comprehension and descriptions of ten writing errors to avoid.
Part I
Getting Started with the GED RLA Test
For Dummies can help you get started with lots of subjects. Visit www.dummies.com to learn more and do more with For Dummies.
In this part…
Get oriented to the test format, question types, test scheduling, and scoring and find out what steps to take if English isn’t your first language.
Find out what’s on the GED Reading Through Language Arts test and the knowledge and skills it requires you to demonstrate.
Take a diagnostic test to identify your strengths and weaknesses and highlight the areas where you may need additional practice.
Prepare for the actual test day and find out what you should or shouldn’t do on the day(s) before and the day of the test, including during the exam.
Chapter 1
Taking a Quick Glance at the GED RLA Test
In This Chapter
Warming up to the GED test format
Checking out what’s on the GED RLA test
Registering for the test and choosing a test date
Completing the GED test when English is your second language
Understanding what your score means and how it’s determined
The GED test offers high-school dropouts, people who leave school early, and people who were educated outside the United States an opportunity to earn the equivalent of a United States (U.S.) high-school diploma without the need for full-time attendance in either day or night school. The GED test is a recognized standard that makes securing a job or college placement easier.
The GED test complies with current Grade 12 standards in the U.S. and meets the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education. The GED test also covers the Common Core Standards, used in most states in the United States. These standards are based on the actual expectations stated by employers and postsecondary institutions.
The GED test measures whether you understand what high-school seniors across the country have studied before they graduate. Employers need better-educated employees. In addition, some colleges may be uncertain of the quality of foreign credentials. The GED provides those assurances. When you pass the GED test, you earn a high-school equivalency diploma. That can open many doors for you — perhaps doors that you don’t even know exist at this point.
You’re permitted to take the GED in sections, so you can take the Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA), Math, Science, and Social Studies tests in separate testing sessions. This flexibility enables you to focus your studies and practice on one section of the test at a time, and this book supports your efforts to do just that.
Ready to get started? This chapter gives you the basics of the GED RLA test: how the test is administered, what the RLA test section looks like, how to schedule the test (including whether you’re eligible), and how your score is calculated (so you know what you need to focus on to pass).
Knowing What to Expect: The GED Test Format
A computer administers the GED test. That means that all the questions appear on a computer screen, and you enter all your answers into a computer. You read, evaluate, analyze, and write everything on the computer. Even when drafting an essay, you don’t use paper. Instead, the test centers provide you with an erasable tablet. If you know how to use a computer and are comfortable with a keyboard and a mouse, you’re ahead of the game. If not, practice your keyboarding. Also, practice reading from a computer screen, because reading from a screen is very different from reading printed materials. At the very least, you need to get more comfortable with computers, even if that means taking a short course at a local learning center. In the case of the GED test, the more familiar you are with computers, the more comfortable you’ll feel taking the computerized test.
Under certain circumstances, as a special accommodation, the sections are available in booklet format. Check with the GED Testing Service to see what exceptions are acceptable.
The computer-based GED test allows for speedy detailed feedback on your performance. When you pass (yes, we said when and not if, because we believe in you), the GED Testing Service provides both a diploma and a detailed transcript of your scores, similar to what high-school graduates receive. They’re now available online at www.gedtestingservice.com within a day of completing the test. You can then send your transcript and diploma to an employer or college. Doing so allows employers and colleges access to a detailed outline of your scores, achievement, and demonstrated skills and abilities. This outline is also a useful tool for you to review your progress. It highlights those areas where you did well and areas where you need further work. If you want to (or have to) retake the test, these results will provide a detailed guide to what you should work on to improve your scores. Requests for additional copies of transcripts are handled online and also are available within a day.
Reviewing the GED RLA Test
The Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) test is one long test that covers all the literacy components of the GED test. The 150-minute test is divided into three sections. First, you have 35 minutes on all content in question-and-answer format, then 45 minutes for the Extended Response (essay), followed by a 10-minute break, and then another 60 minutes for more general test items.
Time for the Extended Response can’t be used to work on the other questions in the test, nor can you use leftover time from the other sections to work on the Extended Response.
Here’s what you can expect on the RLA test:
The literacy component asks you to correct text, respond to writings, and generally demonstrate a critical understanding of various passages. This task includes demonstrating a command of proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
The Extended Response item, also known as “the essay,” examines your skills in organizing your thoughts and writing clearly. Your response will be based on one or two source text selections, drawing key elements from that material to prepare your essay.
The essay is evaluated both on your interpretation of the source texts and the quality of your writing. You type on the computer, using a tool that resembles a word processor. It has neither a spell-checker nor a grammar-checker. How well you use spelling and grammar as you write is also part of your evaluation. You’ll have an erasable tablet on which to prepare a draft before writing the final document.
The scores from both components will be combined into one single score for the RLA test.
The question-answer part of this test consists mainly of various types of multiple-choice questions (also called items) and the occasional fill-in-the-blank question. Most items will be in the traditional multiple-choice format with four answer choices, but you’ll also see drag-and-drop and drop-down menu items. For details on the different question types, see Chapters 2 and 3.
These items are based on source texts, which are materials presented to you for your response. Some of this source material is nonfiction from science and social studies content as well as from the workplace. About 25 percent is based on literature. Here’s a breakdown of the materials:
Workplace materials:
These documents include work-related letters, memos, and instructions that you may see on the job.
U.S. founding documents and documents that present part of the Great American Conversation:
These bits may include extracts from the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and other historical documents. They also may include opinion pieces on relevant issues in American history and civics.
Informational works:
These texts include documents that present information (often dry and boring information), such as the instructional manual that tells you how to set up an Internet connection on your tablet. They also include materials that you may find in history, social studies, or science books.
Literature:
These sources include extracts from novels, plays, and similar materials.
You find a variety of problems in the RLA test, including the following:
Correction:
In these items, you’re asked to correct sentences presented to you.
Revision:
In these items, you’re presented with a sentence that has a word or phrase underlined. If the sentence needs a correction, one of the answer choices will be better than the words or phrase underlined. If no correction is needed, either one of the answer choices will be the same as the underlined portion or one of the choices will be something like “no correction needed.”
Construction shift:
In these types of problems, you have to correct a sentence by altering the sentence structure. The original sentence may not be completely wrong, but it can be improved with a little editing. In these cases, the question presents you with optional rewording or allows you to change the sentence order in a paragraph.
Text analysis:
These problems require you to read a passage and respond in some manner. It may be an analysis of the content, a critique of the style, review for biases or other influences, or responses to something in the content.
Because the computerized GED test is new and still evolving as we write this book, be sure to check out the latest and greatest about the GED test at www.gedtestingservice.com.
If you can’t wait to get started practicing for the RLA test, you may skip to Chapter 3 to take a diagnostic version of the test or check out the chapters in Part 5 that cover the skills and knowledge required in greater detail.
It’s a Date: Scheduling the Test
To take the GED test, you schedule it based on the available testing dates. Each state or local testing center sets its own schedule for the GED test, which means that your state decides how and when you can take each section of the test. It also determines how often you can retake a failed section and how much such a retake will cost. Because a computer administers the test, many testing centers schedule an individual appointment. Your test starts when you start and ends when your allotted time is completed. The test centers are small computer labs, often containing no more than 15 seats, and actual testing facilities are located in many communities in your state.
You book your appointment through the GED Testing Service (www.gedtestingservice.com). Your local GED test administrator can give you all the information you need about scheduling the test. In addition, local school districts and community colleges can provide information about local test centers in your area.
Sending a specific question or request to the website may come with a charge for the service. To save money, you’re better off asking a person at your local testing center. That way, you don’t have to pay for the privilege of asking a question, and your answer will be based on rules and conditions specific to your area.
The following sections answer some questions you may have before you schedule your test date, including whether you’re even eligible to take the test, when you can take the test, and how to sign up to take the test.
Determining whether you’re eligible
Before you schedule your test, make sure you meet the requirements to take the GED test. You’re eligible to apply to take the GED test only if
You’re not currently enrolled in a high school.
If you’re currently enrolled in a high school, you’re expected to complete your diploma there. The purpose of the GED test is to give people who aren’t in high school a chance to get an equivalent high-school diploma.
You’re not a high-school graduate.
If you’re a high-school graduate, you should have a diploma, which means you don’t need to take the GED test. However, you can use the GED to upgrade or update your skills and to prove that you’re ready for further education and training.
You meet state requirements regarding age, residency, and the length of time since leaving high school.
Check with your local GED test administrator to determine your state’s requirements concerning these criteria. Residency requirements are an issue, because you may have to take the test in a different jurisdiction, depending on how long you’ve lived at your present address.
Recognizing when you can take the test
If you’re eligible, you can take the GED test whenever you’re prepared. You can apply to take the GED test as soon as you want. Just contact your local testing center or www.gedtestingservice.com for a test schedule. Pick a day that works for you.
You can take all four sections of the GED test together. That takes about seven hours. However, the test is designed so that you can take each section separately, whenever you’re ready. In most areas, you can take the test sections one at a time, in the evening or on weekends, depending on the individual testing center. If you pass one test section, that section of the GED test is considered done, no matter how you do on the other sections. If you fail one section, you can retake that section of the test. The scheduling and administration of the test vary from state to state, so check with the GED Testing Service site or your local high-school guidance office.
Because the test starts when you’re ready and finishes when you’ve used up the allocated time, you should be able take it alone and not depend on other people. For you, that means you may be able to find locations that offer the testing in evenings or on weekends as well as during regular business hours. Even better, because you don’t have to take the test with a group, you may be able to set an individual starting time that suits you.
If circumstances dictate that you must take the paper version of the test, you’ll probably have to forgo the flexibility afforded by the computer. Check well in advance to see what the rules are for you.
You can also apply to take the test if you’re not prepared, but if you do that, you don’t stand a very good chance of passing. If you do need to retake any section of the test, use your time before your next test date to get ready. You can retake the test three times in a year without waiting, but after the third failed attempt you must wait 60 days. In most jurisdictions, taking the test costs money (check with your local testing center to find out specifics for your area). The GED Testing Service does offer a discounted retake up to twice a year, but these promotions change. Some states include free retakes in the price of the test. Check with the GED Testing Service or your state when ready about what special discounts may be available. To save time and money, prepare well before you schedule the test. Refer to the later section “Knowing what to do if you score poorly on one or more tests” for details.
Are special accommodations available?
If you need to complete the test on paper or have a disability that makes it impossible for you to use the computer, your needs can be accommodated. However, other specifics apply: Your choice of times and testing locations may be much more restricted, but times to complete a test may be extended. Remember also that the GED testing centers will ask for documentation of the nature of the accommodation required.
The GED testing centers make every effort to ensure that all qualified people have access to the tests. If you have a disability, you may not be able to register for the tests and take them the same week, but, with some advanced planning, you can probably take the tests when you’re ready. Here’s what you need to do:
Check with your local testing center or check out www.gedtestingservice.com/testers/accommodations-for-disability.Contact the GED Testing Service or your local GED test center and explain your disability.Request any forms that you have to fill out for your special circumstances.Ensure that you have a recent diagnosis by a physician or other qualified professional.Complete all the proper forms and submit them with medical or professional diagnosis.Start planning early so that you’re able to take the tests when you’re ready.Note that, regardless of your disability, you still have to be able to handle the mental and emotional demands of the test.
The GED Testing Service in Washington, D.C., defines specific disabilities, such as the following, for which it may make special accommodations, provided the disability severely limits your ability to perform essential skills required to pass the GED test:
Medical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or blindnessPsychological disabilities, such as schizophrenia, major depression, attention deficit disorder, or Tourette’s syndromeSpecific learning disabilities, including perceptual handicaps, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasiaSigning up
When you’re actually ready to sign up for the test, follow these steps:
Contact your local GED test administrator to make sure you’re eligible.
Refer to the earlier section “Determining whether you’re eligible” for some help.
Ask the office for an application (if needed) or an appointment.
Complete the application (if needed).
Return the application to the proper office, with payment, if necessary.
The fees vary state by state, so contact your local administrator or testing site to find out what you have to pay to take the tests. In some states, low-income individuals may be eligible for financial assistance.
Note: You can also do all of this online, including submitting the payment, with your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Go to www.gedtestingservice.com to start the process.
Never send cash by mail to pay for the GED test. Most local administrators have payment rules and don’t accept cash.
Working with unusual circumstances
If you feel that you may have a special circumstance that prevents you from taking the GED test on a given day, contact the GED test administrator in your area. If, for example, the test is going to be held on your Sabbath, the testing center may make special arrangements for you.
When applying for special circumstances, keep the following guidelines in mind:
Document everything in your appeal for special consideration.
Contact the GED test administrator in your area as early as you can.
Be patient. Special arrangements can’t be made overnight. The administrator often has to wait for a group with similar issues to gather so he can make arrangements for the entire group.
Ask questions. Accommodations can be made if you ask. For example, special allowances include extended time for various disabilities, large print and Braille for visual impairments, and age (for individuals older than 60 who feel they may have a learning disability).
Taking the GED Test When English Isn’t Your First Language
English doesn’t have to be your first language for you to take the GED test. The GED test is offered in English, Spanish, and French. If you want to take the test in Spanish or French, contact your local GED test administrator to apply. Individuals who speak other languages as their first language, however, must take the test in English. If that is you, you should take a test of your English skills before taking the GED test.
If English, Spanish, or French isn’t your first language, you must decide whether you can read and write English as well as or better than 40 percent of high-school graduates, because you may be required to pass an English as a Second Language (ESL) placement test. If you write and read English well, prepare for and take the test (either in English or in Spanish or French). If you don’t read or write English well, take additional classes to improve your language skills until you think you’re ready. An English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) is also available for people who completed their education in other countries. For more information about the language component of the GED test, check out www.gedtestingservice.com/testers/special-test-editions.
In many ways, the GED test is like the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) comprehension test. If you’ve completed the TOEFL test with good grades, you’re likely ready to take the GED test. If you haven’t taken the TOEFL test, enroll in a GED test-preparation course to see whether you have difficulty understanding the subjects and skills assessed on the test. GED test courses provide you with some insight into your comprehension ability with a teacher to discuss your skills and struggles.
Websites that can help you plan to take the GED test
The Internet is a helpful and sometimes scary place. Some websites are there to help you in your GED test preparation, while others just want to sell you something. You have to know how to separate the good from the bad. Here are a couple of essential ones (most are accessible through www.gedtestingservice.com):
adulted.about.com/od/gettingyourged/a/stateged.htm is a website that links to the GED test eligibility requirements and testing locations in your state.usaeducation.info/Tests/GED/International-students.aspx is a site that explains GED test eligibility for foreign students.If you’re curious and want to see what’s out there, type “GED test” into any search engine and relax while you try to read about 22 million results, ranging from the helpful to the helpless. We suggest leaving this last activity until after you’ve passed the tests. As useful as the Internet can be, it still provides the opportunity to waste vast amounts of time. And right now, you need to spend your time preparing for the test — and leave the rest for after you get your diploma.
Taking Aim at Your Target Score
To pass, you need to score a minimum of 150 on each section of the test, and you must pass each section of the test to earn your GED diploma. If you achieve a passing score, congratulate yourself: You’ve scored better than at least 40 percent of today’s high-school graduates, and you’re now a graduate of the largest virtual school in the country. And if your marks are in the honors range (any score over 170), you’re ready for college or career training.
Be aware that some colleges require scores higher than the minimum passing score. If you plan to apply to postsecondary schools or some other form of continuing education, check with their admissions office for the minimum admission score requirements.
The following sections address a few more points you may want to know about how the GED test is scored and what you can do if you score poorly on one or more of the test sections.
Identifying how scores are determined
Correct answers may be worth one, two, or more points, depending on the item and the level of difficulty. The Extended Response, the essay, is scored separately. However, the Extended Response is only part of the RLA and Social Studies sections. On each test section, you must accumulate a minimum of 150 points.
Because you don’t lose points for incorrect answers, make sure you answer all the items on each test. After all, a correct guess can get you a point. Leaving an answer blank, on the other hand, guarantees you a zero. The information and practice in this book provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to answer most questions on the RLA section with confidence and to narrow your choices when you’re not quite sure which answer choice is correct.
Knowing what to do if you score poorly on one or more tests
If you discover that your score is less than 150 on any test section, start planning to retake the test(s) — and make sure you leave plenty of time for additional study and preparation.
As soon as possible after obtaining your results, contact your local GED test administrator to find out the rules for retaking the failed section of the test. Some states may ask that you wait a certain amount of time and/or limit the number of attempts each year. Some may ask that you attend a preparation course and show that you’ve completed it before you can retake the GED. Some may charge you an additional fee. However, you need to retake only those sections of the test that you failed. Any sections you pass are completed and count toward your diploma. Furthermore, the detailed evaluation of your results will help you discover areas of weakness that need more work before repeating any section of the test.
One advantage of taking the GED test on a computer is that you can receive, within a day, detailed feedback on how you did, which includes some specific recommendations of what you need to do to improve your scores.
No matter what score you receive on your first round of the section, don’t be afraid to retake any section that you didn’t pass. After you’ve taken it once, you know what you need to work on, and you know exactly what to expect on test day.
Chapter 2
Prepping for the RLA Test
In This Chapter
Getting familiar with the writing and grammar component of the RLA test
Developing your reading and comprehension skills
Gearing up to write an essay
Discovering strategies to help you succeed
The Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) test evaluates your skills in comprehending and applying concepts in grammar and writing. (Grammar is the basic structure of language — you know: subjects, verbs, sentences, fragments, punctuation, and all that.) Most of what you’re tested on (both in writing and grammar) is stuff you’ve picked up over the years, either in school or just by speaking, reading, and observing, but, to help you prepare better for this test, we give you some more skill-building tips in this chapter.
The RLA test is divided into three sections. You start off with a 35-minute question-and-answer section that focuses on writing and reading comprehension, and then you spend 45 minutes writing an Extended Response (the essay). After a 10-minute break, you finish with a 60-minute question-and-answer section that presents more questions on reading and writing. The length of the two question-and-answer sections may vary slightly, but the overall time is always 150 minutes, including the 10-minute break.
In this chapter, we provide all you need to know to prepare for the RLA test and its different components. From reading everything you can to practicing your writing, grammar, and spelling to improving your reading comprehension and speed, this chapter, along with those in Part II, equip you with what you need to nail the test.
Grasping What’s on the Grammar and Writing Component
Although the GED test doesn’t label question sets with the words writing or grammar, the concepts are worked into almost everything on the test. To pass this component of the RLA test, you need to demonstrate that you have a command of the conventions of Standard English. You need to know the appropriate vocabulary to use and avoid slang. Texting shortcuts may save you time while communicating with your friends, but they’re not acceptable in formal writing. You need to be able to spell, identify incorrect grammar, and eliminate basic errors, including such common errors as run-on sentences or sentence fragments.
To help you succeed, we provide insightful information in the following sections about what skills this part of the test covers, what you can do to brush up on those skills, and how the questions are presented. With this information in hand, you can be confident in your ability to tackle any type of grammar or writing question on test day.
Looking at the skills the grammar and writing component covers
The grammar and writing component of the RLA test evaluates you on the following types of skills related to grammar. Note that unlike the other GED test sections, this component of the RLA test expects that you know or at least are familiar with the rules of grammar. Just looking at the passages provided won’t do you much good if you don’t understand the basics of these rules already.
Mechanics:
You don’t have to become a professional grammarian to pass this test, but you need to know or review basic grammar. Check out
Chapter 7
to review what you should know or may have forgotten. The mechanics of writing include the following:
Capitalization:
You have to recognize which words should start with a capital letter and which words shouldn’t. All sentences start with a capital letter, but so do titles, like
Miss, President,
and
Senator,
when they’re followed by a person’s name. Names of cities, states, and countries are also capitalized.
Punctuation: This area of writing mechanics includes everyone’s personal favorite: commas. (Actually, most people hate commas because they aren’t sure how to use them, but the basic rules are simple.) The more you read, the better you get at punctuation. If you’re reading and don’t understand why punctuation is or isn’t used, check with your grammar guidebook or the Internet.
A general rule: Don’t use a comma unless the next group of words is a complete sentence. For example: “As agonizing as it was to leave her friends, college was what she wanted.” College was what she wanted is a complete sentence and can stand alone, so using a comma here is correct.
Spelling:
You don’t have to spot a lot of misspelled words, but you do have to know how to spell contractions and possessives and understand the different spellings of
homonyms
— words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings, like
their
and
there.
Contractions: This area of writing mechanics has nothing to do with those painful moments before childbirth! Instead, contractions are formed when the English language shortens a word by leaving out a letter or a sound. For example, when you say or write can’t, you’re using a shortened form of cannot. In this example, can’t is the contraction.
The important thing to remember about contractions is that the apostrophe (that’s a single quotation mark) takes the place of the letter or letters that are left out.
Possessives:
Do you know people who are possessive? They’re all about ownership, right? So is the grammar form of possessives.
Possessives
are words that show ownership or possession, usually by adding an apostrophe to a person’s or object’s name. If Marcia owns a car, that car is
Marcia’s
car. The word
Marcia’s
is a possessive. Make sure you know the difference between singular and plural possessives. For example: “The girl’s coat is torn.” (
Girl
and
coat
are singular, so the apostrophe goes before the
s.
) “The girls’ coats are torn.” (
Girls
and coats are plural, so the apostrophe goes after the
s.
) When working with plural possessives, form the plural first and then add the apostrophe.
Organization:
On the test, you’re asked to correct passages by changing the order of sentences or leaving out certain sentences when they don’t fit. You have to work with passages to turn them into logical, organized paragraphs. You may be asked to work with paragraphs to form a better composition by changing them around, editing them by improving or adding topic sentences, or making sure that all the sentences are about the same topic. The important thing to remember is that the questions all offer you a choice of answers. That means you have only a limited number of options for making the passages better. Read the questions carefully, and you should have no problems.
Sentence structure:
Every language has rules about the order in which words should appear in a sentence. You get a chance to improve sentences through your understanding of what makes a good sentence. Extensive reading before the test can give you a good idea of how good sentences are structured and put together. The advice here is read, read, and read some more.
Usage:
This broad category covers a lot of topics. Grammar has a wide variety of rules, and these questions test your knowledge and understanding. Subjects and verbs must agree. Verbs have tenses (for example, present and future) that must be consistent. Pronouns must refer to nouns properly. If the last three sentences sound like Greek to you, make sure you review grammatical usage rules. Usage also covers vocabulary and acceptable Standard English usage. People have become very comfortable with short forms used in texting, but “LOL” and “C U L8R” aren’t acceptable in formal writing.
Having a firm grasp of these writing mechanics can help you get a more accurate picture of the types of questions you’ll encounter on this part of the test. The chapters in Part II of this book help you master the basics.
Understanding the format of the grammar and writing component
The grammar and writing component consist of a set of questions, mainly multiple-choice but also drag-and-drop or other technologically enhanced question formats and the occasional fill-in-the-blank question. One type of question asks you to read, revise, and edit documents that may include how-to info, informational texts, and workplace materials. Don’t worry; almost all of the questions are some form of multiple-choice, which means you don’t have to come up with the answers all on your own. And the best part: Practicing for this component helps you understand the grammar and other language skills needed for the Extended Response. It even carries over to the other GED test sections.
To answer the questions in this part of the RLA test, read the information presented to you carefully. Reading the questions before reading the entire text is often helpful because then you know what to look for. And because you’re dealing with grammar, as you read each passage, you can ask yourself, “Can I correct this passage? If so, how?”
Rocking the Reading Comprehension Component
You may not understand why the GED test examines your knowledge of literature comprehension. However, in today’s society, being able to comprehend, analyze, and apply something you’ve read is the strongest predictor of career and college readiness and an important skill set to have. In the following sections, we explore the four aspects of good reading skills: comprehension, application, analysis, and synthesis.
Checking out the skills required for the reading component
The questions on the RLA reading portion of the test focus on the following skills, which you’re expected to be able to use as you read both fiction and nonfiction passages:
Comprehension:
Questions that test your
comprehension
skills assess your ability to read a source of information, understand what you’ve read, and restate the information in your own words. If you understand the passage, you can rephrase what you read while retaining the meaning of the passage. You can also create a summary of the main ideas presented in the passage and explain the ideas and implications of the passage.
Application:
Questions that test your
application
skills assess your ability to use the information you read in the passage in a new situation, such as when you’re answering questions. Application-focused questions are most like real life because they often ask you to apply what you read in the passage to a real-life situation. Being able to read and understand a users’ manual in order to use the product it came with is a perfect example of using your application skills in real life.
Analysis:
Questions that test your
analysis
skills assess your ability to draw conclusions, understand consequences, and make inferences after reading the passage. To answer these questions successfully, you have to make sure your conclusions are based solely on the written text in the passage and not on outside knowledge or the book you read last week. Questions that focus on your ability to analyze what you read try to find out whether you appreciate the way the passage was written and see the cause-and-effect relationships within it. They also expect you to know when a conclusion is being stated and analyze what it means in the context of the passage.
Synthesis:
Questions that test your
synthesis
skills assess your ability to take information in one form and in one location and put it together in another context. Here, you get a chance to make connections between different parts of the passage and compare and contrast them. You may be asked to talk about the tone, point of view, style, or purpose of a passage — and saying that the purpose of a passage is to confuse and confound test-takers isn’t the answer.
Some reading-comprehension questions on the test may ask you to use information in the source text passages combined with information from the text in the questions to answer them. So make sure you read everything that appears on-screen — you never know where an answer may come from.
Breaking down the format of the reading component
The RLA reading comprehension section measures your ability to understand and interpret fiction and nonfiction passages. It’s plain and simple — no tricks involved. You don’t have to do any math to figure out the answers to the questions. You just have to read, understand, and use the material presented to you to answer the corresponding questions.
The passages in this test are similar to the works a high-school student would come across in English class. To help you feel more comfortable with the RLA reading comprehension, we’re here to give you a better idea of what this test looks like on paper.
Most source texts (the reading passages) are presented on the left side of a split screen, with the question on the right. A source text or passage will be between 450 and 900 words. The passages in this test may come from workplace (on-the-job) materials or from academic reading materials. Seventy-five percent of the source text will be from informational texts — nonfiction documents. The remaining 25 percent is based on literary texts, including plays, poetry, short stories, and novels. With each source text, you have to answer four to eight questions.
Text passages are text passages. Although the next section describes what types of passages appear on the RLA test to help you prepare, don’t worry so much about what type of passage you’re reading. Instead, spend your time understanding what information the passage presents to you.
