POSTTEST
Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA)
This Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) Posttest is designed to help you determine how well you have mastered this GED® test subject area and whether you are ready to take the real GED® RLA test.
This test has 64 items in multiple-choice or other formats and one extended-response question. The question formats are the same as the ones on the real exam and are designed to measure the same skills. Most of the questions are based on reading passages that are selections from either fiction selections or nonfiction sources. Most of the questions are in multiple-choice format, but you will also see questions in other formats, such as fill-in-the-blank items and simulated click-and-drag and drop-down items. On the real GED® test, you will indicate your answers by clicking on the computer screen. For this paper-and-pencil practice test, mark your answers directly on the page. Type or write your extended response on a separate sheet of paper.
To get a good idea of how you will do on the real exam, take this test under actual exam conditions. Complete the test in one session and follow the given time limit. If you do not complete the test in the time allowed, you will know that you need to work on improving your pacing.
Try to answer as many questions as you can. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so guess if you have to. In multiple-choice questions, if you can eliminate one or more answer choices, you can increase your chances of guessing correctly.
After you have finished the test, check your answers in the Answers and Explanations section that follows the posttest. Then use the Evaluation Chart at the end of the Answers and Explanations section to determine the skills and content areas in which you need more practice.
Now turn the page and begin the Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) Posttest.
POSTTEST
Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA)
Part 1: Multiple Choice
22 questions 
35 minutes
Use the excerpt for Items 1 through 5:
Excerpt Adapted from A Village Singer
1 The trees were in full leaf, a heavy south wind was blowing, and there was a loud murmur among the new leaves. The people noticed it, for it was the first time that year that the trees had so murmured in the wind. The spring had come with a rush during the last few days.
2 The murmur of the trees sounded loud in the village church, where the people sat waiting for the service to begin. The windows were open; it was a very warm Sunday for May.
3 The church was already filled with this soft sylvan music—the tender harmony of the leaves and the south wind, and the sweet, desultory whistles of birds—when the choir arose and began to sing.
4 In the center of the row of women singers stood Alma Way. All the people stared at her, and turned their ears critically. She was the new leading soprano. Candace Whitcomb, the old one, who had sung in the choir for forty years, had lately been given her dismissal. The audience considered that her voice had grown too cracked and uncertain on the upper notes. There had been much complaint, and after long deliberation the church officers had made known their decision as mildly as possible to the old singer. She had sung for the last time the Sunday before, and Alma Way had been engaged to take her place. With the exception of the organist, the leading soprano was the only paid musician in the large choir. The salary was very modest; still, the village people considered it large for a young woman. Alma was from the adjoining village of East Derby; she had quite a local reputation as a singer.
5 Now she fixed her large solemn blue eyes; her long, delicate face, which had been pretty, turned paler; the blue flowers on her bonnet trembled; her little thin gloved hands, clutching the singing book, shook perceptibly; but she sang out bravely. The most formidable mountain height of the world, self-distrust and timidity, arose before her, but her nerves were braced for its ascent. In the midst of the hymn she had a solo; her voice rang out piercingly sweet; the people nodded admiringly at one another; but suddenly there was a stir; all the faces turned toward the windows on the south side of the church. Above the din of the wind and the birds, above Alma Way’s sweetly straining tones, arose another female voice, singing another hymn to another tune.
6 “It’s her,” the women whispered to each other; they were half aghast, half smiling.
7 Candace Whitcomb’s cottage stood close to the south side of the church. She was playing on her parlor organ, and singing, to drown out the voice of her rival.
8 Alma caught her breath; she almost stopped; the hymn book waved like a fan; then she went on. But the long husky drone of the parlor organ and the shrill clamor of the other voice seemed louder than anything else.
9 When the hymn was finished, Alma sat down. She felt faint; the woman next to her slipped a peppermint into her hand. “It ain’t worth minding,” she whispered, vigorously. Alma tried to smile; down in the audience a young man was watching her with a kind of fierce pity.
10 In the last hymn Alma had another solo. Again the parlor organ droned above the carefully delicate accompaniment of the church organ, and again Candace Whitcomb’s voice clamored forth in another tune.
11 After the benediction, the other singers pressed around Alma. She did not say much in return for their expressions of indignation and sympathy. She wiped her eyes furtively once or twice, and tried to smile. William Emmons, the choir leader, elderly, stout, and smooth-faced, stood over her and raised his voice. He was the old musical dignitary of the village, the leader of the choral club and the singing schools. “A most outrageous proceeding,” he said. People had coupled his name with Candace Whitcomb’s. The old bachelor tenor and old maiden soprano had been wont to walk together to her home next door after the Saturday-night rehearsals, and they had sung duets to the parlor organ. People had watched sharply her old face, on which the blushes of youth sat pitifully, when William Emmons entered the singing seats. They wondered if he would ever ask her to marry him.
12 And now he said further to Alma Way that Candace Whitcomb’s voice had failed utterly of late, that she sang shockingly, and ought to have had sense enough to know it.
13 When Alma went down into the audience room, in the midst of the chattering singers, who seemed to have descended, like birds, from song flights to chirps, the minister approached her. He had been waiting to speak to her. He was a steady-faced, fleshy old man, who had preached from that one pulpit over forty years. He told Alma, in his slow way, how much he regretted the annoyance to which she had been subjected, and intimated that he would endeavor to prevent a recurrence of it. “Miss Whitcomb—must be—reasoned with,” said he; he had a slight hesitation of speech, not an impediment. It was as if his thoughts did not slide readily into his words, although both were present. He walked down the aisle with Alma, and bade her good morning when he saw Wilson Ford waiting for her in the doorway.
1. What does Candace Whitcomb do to upset Alma Way?
A. She sings over her.
B. She interrupts the service.
C. She comes into the church.
D. She watches her sing.
2. Which quotation from the passage supports the idea that Alma Way is nervous?
A. “The murmur of the trees sounded loud in the village church, where the people sat waiting for the service to begin.”
B. “Now she fixed her large solemn blue eyes; her long, delicate face, which had been pretty, turned paler; the blue flowers on her bonnet trembled; her little thin gloved hands, clutching the singing book, shook perceptibly; but she sang out bravely.”
C. “In the midst of the hymn she had a solo; her voice rang out piercingly sweet; the people nodded admiringly at one another; but suddenly there was a stir; all the faces turned toward the windows on the south side of the church.”
D. “Again the parlor organ droned above the carefully delicate accompaniment of the church organ, and again Candace Whitcomb’s voice clamored forth in another tune.”
3. What can be inferred about Candace Whitcomb?
A. She is angry that she had been replaced.
B. She wants to show that her voice is as good as ever.
C. She is happy that she has more free time for herself.
D. She thinks that her organ is better than the church organ.
4. Why does the woman give Alma Way a peppermint?
A. to show support
B. to help her voice
C. to give her energy
D. to share her candy
5. Why is it surprising that William Emmons spoke critically of Candace Whitcomb to Alma Way?
A. He was the leader of the choir.
B. He was against having Alma Way perform.
C. He was with Candace Whitcomb when she sang.
D. He was linked romantically to Candace Whitcomb.
6. The following memo contains several numbered blanks, each marked “Select. . . .” Beneath each one is a set of choices. Indicate the choice from each set that is correct and belongs in the blank. (Note: On the real GED® test, the choices will appear as a “drop-down” menu. When you click on a choice, it will appear in the blank.)
From: Rosemarie Kelder
To: All Employees
Subject: Company Fundraiser
We are organizing a company fundraiser to benefit Habitat for Humanity. We will be having a silent auction at the Oceanic Resort on June 1, and we will need volunteers to help organize and run the event as well as individuals to seek donations for our silent auction.
The benefit is a terrific opportunity for many of you to give back to the community. As you know, 
that become homes to people who never thought they would be able to afford one.
They include coupons from restaurants, beauty salons, and retail shops as well as from artists and craftspeople. If any of you has a connection with a possible donor, please do your best to convince your connection that this is a worthy cause.
Perhaps you have something that you could donate 
I, for instance, am donating a week’s stay at my condo in Puerto Rico. Some of you may be willing to buy tickets to theater productions and donate them. If you come up with any idea, please do participate.
We will need people to set up and then oversee the auction and, of course, break everything down at the end of the evening.
Food and drink will be provided by our company, so attendees will have an enjoyable time.
because there will be so many items that you will want to bid on as well.
Use the following two excerpts for Items 7 through 16:
The Emancipation Proclamation
1 Whereas, on the twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, to wit:
2 “That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.
3 “That the Executive will, on the first day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be in rebellion against the United States; and the fact that any State, or the people thereof, shall on that day be, in good faith, represented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualified voters of such State shall have participated, shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such State, and the people thereof, are not then in rebellion against the United States.”
4 Now, therefore I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-Chief, of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, do, on this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days, from the day first above mentioned, order and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof respectively, are this day in rebellion against the United States, the following, to wit:
5 Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, (except the Parishes of St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James Ascension, Assumption, Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans, including the City of New Orleans) Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkley, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Ann, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth[)], and which excepted parts, are for the present, left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued.
6 And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.
7 And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-defence; and I recommend to them that, in all cases when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages.
8 And I further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.
9 And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God.
10 In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
11 Done at the City of Washington, this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the eighty-seventh.
12 By the President: ABRAHAM LINCOLN
12 WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.
President Barack Obama’s Proclamation on the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation
1 On December 31, 1862, our Nation marked the end of another year of civil war. At Shiloh and Seven Pines, Harpers Ferry and Antietam, brother had fought against brother. Sister had fought against sister. Blood and bitterness had deepened the divide that separated North from South, eroding the bonds of affection that once united 34 States under a single flag. Slavery still suspended the possibility of an America where life and liberty were the birthright of all, not the province of some.
2 Yet, even in those dark days, light persisted. Hope endured. As the weariness of an old year gave way to the promise of a new one, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation—courageously declaring that on January 1, 1863, “all persons held as slaves” in rebellious areas “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” He opened the Union Army and Navy to African Americans, giving new strength to liberty’s cause. And with that document, President Lincoln lent new moral force to the war by making it a fight not just to preserve, but also to empower. He sought to reunite our people not only in government, but also in freedom that knew no bounds of color or creed. Every battle became a battle for liberty itself. Every struggle became a struggle for equality.
3 Our 16th President also understood that while each of us is entitled to our individual rights and responsibilities, there are certain things we cannot accomplish on our own. Only a Union could serve the hopes of every citizen, knocking down the barriers to opportunity and giving each of us the chance to pursue our highest aspirations. He knew that in these United States, no dream could ever be beyond our reach when we affirm that individual liberty is served, not negated, by seeking the common good.
4 It is that spirit that made emancipation possible and codified it in our Constitution. It is that belief in what we can do together that moved millions to march for justice in the years that followed. And today, it is a legacy we choose not only to remember, but also to make our own. Let us begin this new year by renewing our bonds to one another and reinvesting in the work that lies ahead, confident that we can keep driving freedom’s progress in our time.
5 Now therefore, I, Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 1, 2013, as the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation and reaffirm the timeless principles it upheld.
6 In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.
7. What was the purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation?
A. to allow formerly enslaved people to own property
B. to free enslaved people in areas that were then in rebellion
C. to fine the states that continued to permit slavery
D. to free enslaved people everywhere in the United States
8. Which description expresses the main idea of the Emancipation Proclamation?
A. The United States will expel from the country all the states and parts of states where slavery still exists.
B. The United States will allow formerly enslaved people to join the military only if they are from states that allow slavery to exist.
C. The United States will institute lawsuits against the areas where slavery is still practiced in order to have it declared illegal.
D. The United States declares that in the areas then in rebellion, all people who have been enslaved are henceforth free.
9. What is President Obama’s viewpoint on the Emancipation Proclamation?
A. The Emancipation Proclamation was not actually written by President Lincoln.
B. The United States is a better country because of the Emancipation Proclamation.
C. The Emancipation Proclamation is actually less important than was once thought.
D. The Emancipation Proclamation should not have been issued during wartime.
10. Why does President Obama mention that the Emancipation Proclamation allowed African Americans to serve in the Union army and navy?
A. to contrast the differences between the Union army and navy
B. to suggest that the Union army and navy were short of volunteers
C. to show that the Proclamation applied to both soldiers and civilians
D. to point out that the freed slaves aided the Union war effort
Use this excerpt for Item 11:
“It is that belief in what we can do together that moved millions to march for justice in the years that followed.”
11. Why does President Obama include this sentence in his proclamation?
A. to criticize modern Americans for their failure to live up to the spirit of the Emancipation Proclamation
B. to make young Americans more aware of their individual rights and responsibilities
C. to point out that the Emancipation Proclamation has been an important inspiration for later generations of Americans
D. to support his view that the Emancipation Proclamation was overly idealistic
12. Which sentence from President Obama’s proclamation is evidence that he thinks there is more to do to achieve the goal of freedom?
A. “At Shiloh and Seven Pines, Harpers Ferry and Antietam, brother had fought against brother.”
B. “Yet, even in those dark days, light persisted.”
C. “Let us begin this new year by renewing our bonds to one another and reinvesting in the work that lies ahead, confident that we can keep driving freedom’s progress in our time.”
D. “I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation and reaffirm the timeless principles it upheld.”
13. Indicate where each sentence belongs in the chart. (Note: On the real GED® test, you will click on each sentence and “drag” it into position in the chart.)
14. How does the tone of President Obama’s proclamation differ from that of the Emancipation Proclamation? President Obama’s proclamation is
A. angrier in tone than the Emancipation Proclamation.
B. less emotional in tone than the Emancipation Proclamation.
C. more inspirational in tone than the Emancipation Proclamation.
D. more formal in tone than the Emancipation Proclamation.
15. Which of the following is an important difference between the Emancipation Proclamation and President Obama’s proclamation?
A. The Emancipation Proclamation is an official government document, but President Obama’s proclamation is only a private letter.
B. The Emancipation Proclamation contains threats of war, but President Obama’s proclamation is a call for peace.
C. The Emancipation Proclamation applied only to members of the military, but President Obama’s proclamation applies to everyone.
D. The Emancipation Proclamation is an official order, but President Obama’s proclamation is merely an appeal.
16. Both President Lincoln and President Obama are concerned with the fight for freedom. How do their perspectives differ?
A. President Lincoln says that the fight is just beginning; President Obama believes that the fight is won.
B. President Lincoln is focused on immediate measures; President Obama is focused on the longer term.
C. President Lincoln believes that the Emancipation Proclamation will abolish slavery; President Obama thinks that it was a failure.
D. President Lincoln wants all citizens to have equal civil rights; President Obama thinks that economic equality is more important.
17. The following memo contains several numbered blanks, each marked “Select. . . .” Beneath each one is a set of choices. Indicate the choice from each set that is correct and belongs in the blank. (Note: On the real GED® test, the choices will appear as a “drop-down” menu. When you click on a choice, it will appear in the blank.)
To: All Employees
From: Charles Houston, Chief Security Officer
Subject: Security Changes
While it has been our practice to issue ID swipe cards that could be used on a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week basis, this policy will no longer be in effect. 
We have made the change because it has come to our attention that some swipe cards are being used inappropriately, and this will ensure that does not happen in the future.
While we have had a lax attitude about having employees wear their ID swipe cards, this is to be changed as well. We are now asking employees to wear their ID swipe cards at all times for easier verification of employment.
changes are being made to the way visitors are admitted into the building.
Starting immediately, all visitors to our facility will be required to sign in at the reception area prior to meeting up with the appropriate party. While on-site, guests must wear 
visitor cards at all times.
Visitor cards will only work during business hours. Visitors must return their visitor cards before leaving the building. If they should forget, they will face a fine.
While it might seem clear enough from a security perspective, we remind all employees that they should not let anyone into the building who does not have an ID swipe card on his or her person. Instead, employees should ask the person who they are here to see and offer to call that person for them. 
We are sure that these new security measures will make for a safer work area.
Use the excerpt for Items 18 through 22:
Adapted Excerpt from “Gift of the Magi”
1 One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all and sixty cents of it was in pennies. Three times Della counted it: one dollar and eighty-seven cents, and the next day would be Christmas.
2 Della stood by the window and looked out. Tomorrow would be Christmas Day, and she had only $1.87 with which to buy Jim a present. She had been saving every penny she could for months, with this result.
3 Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim’s gold watch that had been his father’s and his grandfather’s. The other was Della’s hair. Had the queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window someday to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty’s jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy.
4 So now Della’s beautiful hair fell about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters. It reached below her knee. And then she did it up again nervously and quickly. Once she faltered for a minute and stood still while a tear or two splashed on the worn red carpet.
5 On went her old brown jacket; on went her old brown hat. She fluttered out the door and down the stairs to the street. Where she stopped the sign read: “Mne. Sofronie. Hair Goods of All Kinds.” One flight up Della ran, and collected herself, panting.
6 “Will you buy my hair?” asked Della.
7 “I buy hair,” said Madame. “Take yer hat off and let’s have a sight at the looks of it.”
8 Down rippled the brown cascade.
9 “Twenty dollars,” said Madame, lifting the mass with a practiced hand.
10 “Give it to me quick,” said Della.
11 Oh, and the next two hours she spent ransacking the stores for Jim’s present.
12 She found it at last. It surely had been made for Jim and no one else. It was a platinum fob chain simple and chaste in design. It was even worthy of The Watch. As soon as she saw it she knew that it must be Jim’s. Grand as the watch was, he sometimes looked at it on the sly on account of the old leather strap that he used in place of a chain.
13 When Della reached home she got out her curling irons and lighted the gas and went to work repairing the ravages made by generosity added to love.
14 Within forty minutes her head was covered with tiny, close-lying curls that made her look wonderfully like a truant schoolboy.
15 At 7 o’clock the coffee was made and the frying-pan was on the back of the stove hot and ready to cook the chops.
16 Jim was never late. She heard his step on the stair away down on the first flight, and she turned white for just a moment. She whispered: “Please God, make him think I am still pretty.”
17 The door opened and Jim stepped in and closed it. He looked thin and very serious. Poor fellow, he was only twenty-two—and to be burdened with a family!
18 Jim stopped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail. His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her. It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for.
19 “Jim, darling,” she cried, “don’t look at me that way. I had my hair cut off and sold because I couldn’t have lived through Christmas without giving you a present. It’ll grow out again—you won’t mind, will you? My hair grows awfully fast. Say ‘Merry Christmas!’ Jim, and let’s be happy. You don’t know what a nice—what a beautiful, nice gift I’ve got for you.”
20 “You’ve cut off your hair?” asked Jim, laboriously, as if he had not arrived at that patent fact yet even after the hardest mental labor.
21 “Cut it off and sold it,” said Della. “Don’t you like me just as well, anyhow?” Out of his trance Jim seemed quickly to wake. He enfolded his Della.
22 Jim drew a package from his overcoat pocket and threw it upon the table.
23 “Don’t make any mistake, Dell,” he said, “about me. I don’t think there’s anything in the way of a haircut that could make me like my girl any less. But if you’ll unwrap that package you may see why you had me going a while at first.”
24 White fingers and nimble tore at the string and paper. And then an ecstatic scream of joy; and then, alas! a quick change to tears and wails. For there lay The Combs—the set of combs, side and back, that Della had worshipped long in a Broadway window. They were expensive combs, she knew, and her heart had simply craved and yearned over them without the least hope of possession. And now, they were hers, but the tresses that should have adorned the coveted adornments were gone. And then Della leaped up like a little singed cat and cried, “Oh, oh!”
25 Jim had not yet seen his beautiful present. She held it out to him eagerly upon her open palm. “Isn’t it a dandy, Jim? I hunted all over town to find it. Give me your watch. I want to see how it looks on it.”
26 Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch and put his hands under the back of his head and smiled. “Dell,” said he, “let’s put our Christmas presents away and keep ’em a while. They’re too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on.”
18. Which event develops the theme of “Gift of the Magi”?
A. Della selling her hair.
B. Della curling her hair.
C. Della counting her money.
D. Della putting on her jacket.
19. Which quotation from the passage supports the idea that Della had mixed feelings about selling her hair?
A. “She had been saving every penny she could for months, with this result.”
B. “Once she faltered for a minute and stood still while a tear or two splashed on the worn red carpet.”
C. “Oh, and the next two hours she spent ransacking the stores for Jim’s present.”
D. “Within forty minutes her head was covered with tiny, close-lying curls that made her look wonderfully like a truant schoolboy.”
20. What effect does the phrase rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters in paragraph 4 have?
A. It shows that Della had brown hair.
B. It tells the reader that Della’s hair was long.
C. It suggests that Della may have dyed her hair.
D. It helps the reader realize how beautiful Della’s hair is.
21. Indicate where each sentence belongs in the chart. (Note: On the real GED® test, you will click on each sentence and “drag” it into position in the chart.)
22. What is the purpose of Jim saying to “put the chops on” in paragraph 26?
A. It shows he wants to get on with life.
B. It shows that he has eaten very little.
C. It shows he is displeased with his wife.
D. It shows he does not know how to cook.
THIS IS THE END OF PART 1. BEGIN PART 2 NOW.
Part 2: Extended Response
1 question 45 minutes
Use the following two excerpts for Item 1:
Excerpt Adapted from a Speech by Senator Richard Durbin
1 First, the Electoral College is undemocratic and unfair. It distorts the election process, with some votes by design having more weight than others. Imagine for a moment if you were told as follows: We want you to vote for President. We are going to give you one vote in selection of the President, but a neighbor of yours is going to have three votes in selecting the President.
2 You would say that is not American, that is fundamentally unfair. We live in a nation that is one person—one citizen, one vote.
3 But that is exactly what the Electoral College does. When you look at the states, Wyoming has a population of roughly 480,000 people. In the State of Wyoming, they have three electoral votes. So that means that roughly they have 1 vote for President for every 160,000 people who live in the state of Wyoming—1 vote for President, 160,000 people. My home State of Illinois: 12 million people and specifically 22 electoral votes. That means it takes 550,000 voters in Illinois to vote and cast 1 electoral vote for President. Comparing the voters in Wyoming to the voters in Illinois, there are three times as many people voting in Illinois to have 1 vote for President as in the State of Wyoming.
4 On the other hand, the philosophical underpinning of a direct popular election system is so clear and compelling it hardly needs mentioning. We use direct elections to choose senators, governors, congressmen, and mayors, but we do not use it to elect a President. One-person, one-vote, and majority rule are supposedly basic tenets of a democracy.
5 Second, while it appears smaller and more rural states have an advantage in the Electoral College, the reality of modern presidential campaigns is that these states are generally ignored.
6 One of my colleagues on the floor said: I will fight you, Durbin, on this idea of abolishing the Electoral College. I come from a little state, and if you go to a popular vote to elect a President, presidential candidates will pay no attention to my little state.
7 I have news for my colleagues. You did not see Governor Bush or Vice President Gore spending much time campaigning in Rhode Island or Idaho. In fact, 14 states were never visited by either candidate during the campaign, while 38 states received 10 or fewer visits. The more populous contested states with their large electoral prizes, such as Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Wisconsin, really have the true advantage whether we have a direct election or whether we have it by the Electoral College.
8 Third, the Electoral College system totally discounts the votes of those supporting the losing candidate in their state. In the 2000 presidential race, 36 states were never really in doubt. The average percentage difference of the popular vote between the candidates in those states was more than 20 percent. The current system not only discounts losing votes; it essentially adds the full weight and value of those votes to the candidate those voters oppose.
9 Fourth, the winner-take-all rules greatly increase the risk that minor third party candidates will determine who is elected President. In the Electoral College system, the importance of a small number of votes in a few key states is greatly magnified. In a number of U.S. presidential elections, third-party candidates have affected a few key state races and determined the overall winner.
Excerpt from a Speech by U.S. Representative Ron Paul
1 Today’s presidential election is likely to be relatively close, at least in terms of popular vote totals. Should either candidate win the election but lose the overall popular vote, we will be bombarded with calls to abolish the Electoral College, just as we were after the contested 2000 presidential election. After all, the pundits will argue, it would be “undemocratic” to deny the presidency to the man who received the most votes.
2 This argument is hostile to the Constitution, however, which expressly established the United States as a constitutionally limited republic and not a direct democracy. The Founding Fathers sought to protect certain fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of speech, against the changing whims of popular opinion. Similarly, they created the Electoral College to guard against majority tyranny in federal elections. The president was to be elected by the 50 states rather than the American people directly, to ensure that less populated states had a voice in national elections. This is why they blended Electoral College votes between U.S. House seats, which are based on population, and U.S. Senate seats, which are accorded equally to each state. The goal was to balance the inherent tension between majority will and majority tyranny. Those who wish to abolish the Electoral College because it’s not purely democratic should also argue that less populated states like Rhode Island or Wyoming don’t deserve two senators.
3 A presidential campaign in a purely democratic system would look very strange indeed, as any rational candidate would focus only on a few big population centers. A candidate receiving a large percentage of the popular vote in California, Texas, Florida, and New York, for example, could win the presidency with very little support in dozens of other states. Moreover, a popular vote system would only intensify political pandering, as national candidates would face even greater pressure than today to take empty, middle-of-the-road, poll-tested, mainstream positions. Direct democracy in national politics would further dilute regional differences of opinion on issues, further narrow voter choices, and further emasculate political courage.
4 Those who call for the abolition of the Electoral College are hostile to liberty. Not surprisingly, most advocates of abolition are statist elites concentrated largely on the east and west coasts. These political, economic, academic, media, and legal elites overwhelmingly favor a strong centralized federal government, and express contempt for the federalist concept of states’ rights. They believe in omnipotent federal power, with states acting as mere glorified federal counties carrying out commands from Washington.
5 The Electoral College threatens the imperial aims of these elites because it allows the individual states to elect the President, and in many states the majority of voters still believe in limited government and the Constitution. Voters in southern, midwestern, and western states—derided as “flyover” country—tend to value family, religion, individual liberty, property rights, and gun rights. Washington elites abhor these values, and they hate that middle and rural America hold any political power whatsoever. Their efforts to discredit the Electoral College system are an open attack on the voting power of the pro-liberty states.
6 Sadly, we have forgotten that states created the federal government, not the other way around. The Electoral College system represents an attempt, however effective, to limit federal power and preserve states’ rights. It is an essential part of our federalist balance. It also represents a reminder that pure democracy, mob rule, is incompatible with liberty.
1. Extended response
While Senator Richard Durbin argues that the Electoral College system used in the election of presidents should be changed, U.S. Representative Ron Paul argues that it should continue to be the law of the land.
In your response, analyze both speeches to determine which position is best supported. Use relevant and specific evidence from both sources to support your response.
Write your response in the box on the following page. This task may require approximately 45 minutes to complete.
THIS IS THE END OF PART 2. YOU MAY TAKE A 10-MINUTE BREAK.
Part 3: Multiple Choice
42 questions 60 minutes
Use the excerpt for Items 1 through 10:
Adapted Excerpt from Indian Boyhood
1 It will be no exaggeration to say that the life of the Indian hunter was a life of fascination. From the moment that he lost sight of his rude home in the midst of the forest, his untutored mind lost itself in the myriad beauties and forces of nature. Yet he never forgot his personal danger from some lurking foe or savage beast, however absorbing was his passion for the chase.
2 The Indian youth was a born hunter. Every motion, every step expressed an inborn dignity and, at the same time, a depth of native caution. His moccasined foot fell like the velvet paw of a cat—noiselessly; his glittering black eyes scanned every object that appeared within their view. Not a bird, not even a chipmunk, escaped their piercing glance.
3 I was scarcely over three years old when I stood one morning just outside our buffalo-skin teepee, with my little bow and arrows in my hand, and gazed up among the trees. Suddenly the instinct to chase and kill seized me powerfully. Just then a bird flew over my head and then another caught my eye, as it balanced itself upon a swaying bough. Everything else was forgotten and in that moment I had taken my first step as a hunter.
4 There was almost as much difference between the Indian boys who were brought up on the open prairies and those of the woods, as between city and country boys. The hunting of the prairie boys was limited and their knowledge of natural history imperfect. They were, as a rule, good riders, but in all-round physical development much inferior to the red men of the forest.
5 Our hunting varied with the season of the year, and the nature of the country which was for the time our home. Our chief weapon was the bow and arrows, and perhaps, if we were lucky, a knife was possessed by someone in the crowd. In the olden times, knives and hatchets were made from bone and sharp stones. . . .
6 We hunted in company a great deal, though it was a common thing for a boy to set out for the woods quite alone, and he usually enjoyed himself fully as much. Our game consisted mainly of small birds, rabbits, squirrels and grouse. Fishing, too, occupied much of our time. We hardly ever passed a creek or a pond without searching for some signs of fish. When fish were present, we always managed to get some. Fish-lines were made of wild hemp, sinew or horse-hair. We either caught fish with lines, snared or speared them, or shot them with bow and arrows. In the fall we charmed them up to the surface by gently tickling them with a stick and quickly threw them out. We have sometimes dammed the brooks and driven the larger fish into a willow basket made for that purpose.
7 It was part of our hunting to find new and strange things in the woods. We examined the slightest sign of life; and if a bird had scratched the leaves off the ground, or a bear dragged up a root for his morning meal, we stopped to speculate on the time it was done. If we saw a large old tree with some scratches on its bark, we concluded that a bear or some raccoons must be living there. In that case we did not go any nearer than was necessary, but later reported the incident at home. An old deer-track would at once bring on a warm discussion as to whether it was the track of a buck or a doe. Generally, at noon, we met and compared our game, noting at the same time the peculiar characteristics of everything we had killed. It was not merely a hunt, for we combined with it the study of animal life. We also kept strict account of our game, and thus learned who were the best shots among the boys.
8 I am sorry to say that we were merciless toward the birds. We often took their eggs and their young ones. My brother Chatanna and I once had a disagreeable adventure while bird-hunting. We were accustomed to catch in our hands young ducks and geese during the summer, and while doing this we happened to find a crane’s nest. Of course, we were delighted with our good luck. But, as it was already midsummer, the young cranes—two in number—were rather large and they were a little way from the nest; we also observed that the two old cranes were in a swampy place nearby; but, as it was moulting-time, we did not suppose that they would venture on dry land. So we proceeded to chase the young birds; but they were fleet runners and it took us some time to come up with them.
9 Meanwhile, the parent birds had heard the cries of their little ones and come to their rescue. They were chasing us, while we followed the birds. It was really a perilous encounter! Our strong bows finally gained the victory in a hand-to-hand struggle with the angry cranes; but after that we hardly ever hunted a crane’s nest. Almost all birds make some resistance when their eggs or young are taken, but they will seldom attack man fearlessly.
1. Why does the narrator describe the Indian boy’s foot as the velvet paw of a cat in paragraph 2?
A. to explain what a moccasin is like
B. to show that Indian boys liked cats
C. to tell why an Indian boy wears moccasins
D. to suggest how quiet an Indian boy’s step is
2. Fill in the blank.
One type of bird that will attack a man if it thinks its young are at risk is the ___________________.
3. In what way does the information about the narrator when he was three support the main idea? It shows that
A. Indian boys are poor marksmen.
B. Indian boys are not interested in wildlife.
C. many Indian boys are not interested in hunting.
D. the hunting instinct is natural to an Indian boy.
4. Which quotation from the passage supports the idea that the Indian boys studied animal life?
A. “Just then a bird flew over my head and then another caught my eye, as it balanced itself upon a swaying bough.”
B. “We have sometimes dammed the brooks and driven the larger fish into a willow basket made for that purpose.”
C. “An old deer-track would at once bring on a warm discussion as to whether it was the track of a buck or a doe.”
D. “Meanwhile, the parent birds had heard the cries of their little ones and come to their rescue.”
5. What was the main weapon that Indian boys used?
A. sticks
B. knives
C. hatchet
D. bow and arrow
6. Why does the narrator include details about the way in which Indian boys caught fish? The narrator wants readers to
A. learn how to catch fish themselves.
B. know how inventive the Indian boys were.
C. recognize how strong the Indian boys were.
D. understand that fish were a staple for the Indians.
7. Indicate each word that DESCRIBES the narrator. (Note: On the real GED® test, you will click on the words you choose and “drag” each one into position in one of the blank ovals.)
8. At what time of day would the Indian boys get together and discuss their game?
A. at noon
B. at sundown
C. in the evening
D. early in the morning
9. Why did the narrator and his brother stay away from baby cranes for the most part?
A. They were not tasty to eat.
B. They were impossible to catch.
C. The adult cranes would attack them.
D. They were considered sacred by the tribe.
10. What were the knives and hatchets that the Indian boys had made from?
A. clay
B. wood
C. bear claws
D. bone and stones
11. The following letter contains several numbered blanks, each marked “Select. . . .” Beneath each one is a set of choices. Indicate the choice from each set that is correct and belongs in the blank. (Note: On the real GED® test, the choices will appear as a “drop-down” menu. When you click on a choice, it will appear in the blank.)
Dear New Vista Green Member:
As a new member of Vista Green Resort Club, we welcome you and congratulate you on your extraordinarily excellent taste. As you know we have a wonderful facility here, complete with tennis courts, pools, putting green, spa, horse stables, premier golf course, and business center. But I neglect what is most likely your favorite spot to relax—
Palm Tree Beach, which is just steps from your unit.
We hope you will be staying with us on a regular basis. By joining the club, you are guaranteed the best price for units as long as you commit for at least one 
per year.
Of course you have the option of staying here much more frequently than that. Just call our reservation desk and book your space. We’ll find you an excellent facility at the best available price.
Because you have recently joined our club, we want to reward you with a $50 gift certificate to our lovely Italian Restaurant, Addesso. 
This fine eatery offers exquisite Northern Italian cuisine, so we know you will be pleased to dine there. It is on the top floor of the main building and offers spectacular views as well as delicious food.
You could choose to tour the observatory in town or our neighboring city of Humacao or take the tour of old San Juan, with its wonderful shops and restaurants. In addition, fishing expeditions as well as scuba diving outings can be arranged.
If you should require anything out of the ordinary during your stay here, please contact me personally and I will ensure that any of your needs are met. 
Again, please drop by my office and say hello. I enjoy meeting all our guests.
Sincerely,
Carlos Julio
Manager
Vista Green Resort Club
Use the following two excerpts for Items 12 through 19:
Excerpt from the Inaugural Address of President Harry S. Truman
1 I accept with humility the honor which the American people have conferred upon me. I accept it with a deep resolve to do all that I can for the welfare of this Nation and for the peace of the world.
2 In performing the duties of my office, I need the help and prayers of every one of you. I ask for your encouragement and your support. The tasks we face are difficult, and we can accomplish them only if we work together.
3 Each period of our national history has had its special challenges. Those that confront us now are as momentous as any in the past. Today marks the beginning not only of a new administration, but of a period that will be eventful, perhaps decisive, for us and for the world.
4 It may be our lot to experience, and in large measure to bring about, a major turning point in the long history of the human race. The first half of this century has been marked by unprecedented and brutal attacks on the rights of man, and by the two most frightful wars in history. The supreme need of our time is for men to learn to live together in peace and harmony.
5 The peoples of the earth face the future with grave uncertainty, composed almost equally of great hopes and great fears. In this time of doubt, they look to the United States as never before for goodwill, strength, and wise leadership.
6 It is fitting, therefore, that we take this occasion to proclaim to the world the essential principles of the faith by which we live, and to declare our aims to all peoples.
7 The American people stand firm in the faith which has inspired this Nation from the beginning. We believe that all men have a right to equal justice under law and equal opportunity to share in the common good. We believe that all men have the right to freedom of thought and expression. We believe that all men are created equal because they are created in the image of God.
8 From this faith we will not be moved.
9 The American people desire, and are determined to work for, a world in which all nations and all peoples are free to govern themselves as they see fit, and to achieve a decent and satisfying life. Above all else, our people desire, and are determined to work for, peace on earth—a just and lasting peace—based on genuine agreement freely arrived at by equals.
10 In the pursuit of these aims, the United States and other like-minded nations find themselves directly opposed by a regime with contrary aims and a totally different concept of life.
11 That regime adheres to a false philosophy which purports to offer freedom, security, and greater opportunity to mankind. Misled by this philosophy, many peoples have sacrificed their liberties only to learn to their sorrow that deceit and mockery, poverty and tyranny, are their reward.
12 That false philosophy is communism.
13 Communism is based on the belief that man is so weak and inadequate that he is unable to govern himself, and therefore requires the rule of strong masters.
14 Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with reason and justice.
15 Communism subjects the individual to arrest without lawful cause, punishment without trial, and forced labor as the chattel of the state. It decrees what information he shall receive, what art he shall produce, what leaders he shall follow, and what thoughts he shall think.
16 Democracy maintains that government is established for the benefit of the individual, and is charged with the responsibility of protecting the rights of the individual and his freedom in the exercise of his abilities.
17 Communism maintains that social wrongs can be corrected only by violence.
18 Democracy has proved that social justice can be achieved through peaceful change.
Excerpt Adapted from the Inaugural Address of President Theodore Roosevelt
1 We have become a great nation, forced by the fact of its greatness into relations with the other nations of the earth, and we must behave as beseems a people with such responsibilities. Toward all other nations, large and small, our attitude must be one of cordial and sincere friendship. We must show not only in our words, but in our deeds, that we are earnestly desirous of securing their goodwill by acting toward them in a spirit of just and generous recognition of all their rights. While ever careful to refrain from wrongdoing others, we must be no less insistent that we are not wronged ourselves. We wish peace, but we wish the peace of justice, the peace of righteousness. We wish it because we think it is right and not because we are afraid. No weak nation that acts manfully and justly should ever have cause to fear us, and no strong power should ever be able to single us out as a subject for insolent aggression.
2 Our relations with the other powers of the world are important; but still more important are our relations among ourselves. Such growth in wealth, in population, and in power as this nation has seen during the century and a quarter of its national life is inevitably accompanied by a like growth in the problems which are ever before every nation that rises to greatness. Power invariably means both responsibility and danger. Our forefathers faced certain perils which we have outgrown. We now face other perils, the very existence of which it was impossible that they should foresee. Modern life is both complex and intense, and the tremendous changes wrought by the extraordinary industrial development of the last half century are felt in every fiber of our social and political being. Never before have men tried so vast and formidable an experiment as that of administering the affairs of a continent under the forms of a Democratic republic. The conditions which have told for our marvelous material well-being, which have developed to a very high degree our energy, self-reliance, and individual initiative, have also brought the care and anxiety inseparable from the accumulation of great wealth in industrial centers. Upon the success of our experiment much depends, not only as regards our own welfare, but as regards the welfare of mankind. If we fail, the cause of free self-government throughout the world will rock to its foundations, and therefore our responsibility is heavy, to ourselves, to the world as it is to-day, and to the generations yet unborn. There is no good reason why we should fear the future, but there is every reason why we should face it seriously, neither hiding from ourselves the gravity of the problems before us nor fearing to approach these problems with the unbending, unflinching purpose to solve them aright.
3 Yet, after all, though the problems are new, though the tasks set before us differ from the tasks set before our fathers who founded and preserved this Republic, the spirit in which these tasks must be undertaken and these problems faced, if our duty is to be well done, remains essentially unchanged. We know that self-government is difficult. We know that no people needs such high traits of character as that people which seeks to govern its affairs aright through the freely expressed will of the freemen who compose it. But we have faith that we shall not prove false to the memories of the men of the mighty past. They did their work, they left us the splendid heritage we now enjoy. We in our turn have an assured confidence that we shall be able to leave this heritage unwasted and enlarged to our children and our children’s children. To do so we must show, not merely in great crises, but in the everyday affairs of life, the qualities of practical intelligence, of courage, of hardihood, and endurance, and above all the power of devotion to a lofty ideal, which made great the men who founded this Republic in the days of Washington, which made great the men who preserved this Republic in the days of Abraham Lincoln.
12. Which quotation from President Truman’s excerpt supports the idea that the United States is built on the belief that all people have certain equal rights?
A. “Each period of our national history has had its special challenges.”
B. “We believe that all men have the right to freedom of thought and expression.”
C. “Above all else, our people desire, and are determined to work for, peace on earth—a just and lasting peace—based on genuine agreement freely arrived at by equals.”
D. “Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with reason and justice.”
13. What can be inferred about President Truman’s attitude toward Communism?
A. He believes that it might work in some foreign countries.
B. He thinks it a dangerous philosophy.
C. He believes that someday all countries will adopt it.
D. He thinks that it fails to work because people are selfish.
14. What is the meaning of the word unprecedented as it is used in paragraph 4 of President Truman’s speech?
A. impossible to foresee
B. not permitted by law
C. not like anything previously known
D. based on no apparent reason
15. At the beginning of his speech, how does President Roosevelt say the United States should act toward other countries?
A. It should be friendly toward them.
B. It should ignore them.
C. It should assist them.
D. It should be suspicious of them.
16. Which quotation from President Roosevelt’s speech supports the idea that he believes the nation is facing a great challenge?
A. “We have become a great nation, forced by the fact of its greatness into relations with the other nations of the earth, and we must behave as beseems a people with such responsibilities.”
B. “While ever careful to refrain from wrongdoing others, we must be no less insistent that we are not wronged ourselves.”
C. “Our relations with the other powers of the world are important; but still more important are our relations among ourselves.”
D. “If we fail, the cause of free self-government throughout the world will rock to its foundations, and therefore our responsibility is heavy, to ourselves, to the world as it is to-day, and to the generations yet unborn.”
17. Based on the information in the speeches, what viewpoint do President Truman and President Roosevelt share?
A. Communism is a threat to democracy.
B. America’s democratic form of government will last indefinitely.
C. The problems facing the founding fathers were very different from the ones the country faces today.
D. The founding fathers foresaw the many political issues that have arisen over the years.
18. How is the tone of President Truman’s speech different from the tone of President Roosevelt’s speech? President Truman’s speech is more
A. focused on dangers threatening the United States.
B. optimistic about the future.
C. unhappy about missed opportunities.
D. angry about continued opposition to his policies.
19. In what way are the speeches by President Truman and President Roosevelt similar in style?
A. They both use satire to make a point.
B. They both use dramatic language to reinforce their ideas.
C. They both use humor to engage their audience.
D. They both make heavy use of metaphors and similar literary devices.
20. The following letter contains several numbered blanks, each marked “Select. . . .” Beneath each one is a set of choices. Indicate the choice from each set that is correct and belongs in the blank. (Note: On the real GED® test, the choices will appear as a “drop-down” menu. When you click on a choice, it will appear in the blank.)
To: All Students in Class 201
Re: Summer Employment
From: Professor Esposa
You probably will be looking for a summer job, so I thought I would give you some handy tips on how to apply for one. The 
a competitive place, so it’s a good idea to be prepared in every way.
Write an excellent resume. Keep it brief, just one page. Open with a statement about your talents and your goals. List any past experience you have had and explain briefly what each position consisted of. Add information about your education and any volunteer activities that you do. 
Before you go on an interview, make sure to find out everything you can about the company. What are the company’s leaders’ goals? What are their needs? How can you be of help to 
When you go for your interview, be confident. Dress comfortably but professionally. 
Smile and make eye contact. Be alert and be prepared to tell your interviewer why you would be an asset to this company.
One frequent question that interviewers like to ask is for you to name your best and worst trait. Give this some thought before you are interviewed. Try to come up with a positive trait that will impress the interviewer, such as being very thorough. You could also use that for your worst trait—being too thorough, which actually isn’t that bad anyway. Just don’t tell the interviewer that you hate to work. That would be a mistake.
I feel confident that if you follow these easy suggestions, you will land the job you want. And this will be a great opportunity to test your interviewing skills before you graduate from State, so that you will have experience on how to deal with other potential interviewers.
Use the excerpt for Items 21 through 27:
Excerpt Adapted from Opening Keynote Address at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students
1 The issue of U.S. global competitiveness continues to be a top priority for the country and across the federal government. The emphasis appears in the directions science funding agencies—the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, for example—have chosen.
2 Sobering statistics help account for the emphasis on competitiveness. Consider information Staples has compiled. It indicates that the United States ranks 21 out of 30 developed nations on student achievement, as measured by international science assessments. . . . We rank 27th among the developed nations in the percentage of college graduates with degrees in the sciences or engineering.
3 But this is no time for reviewing discouraging statistics, for this conference shows faces of encouragement, of not just a belief in possibilities but experiences with success.
4 Instead, I offer three take-home messages—particularly to the undergraduate and graduate students assembled here. First, the global arena is an inviting one. This message alters somewhat the theme of the meeting. Recall that theme: “Increasing Diversity to Improve Global Scientific Competitiveness.” Such a message has been used as a call to action by business leaders, elected representatives and, yes, an organization such as the National Science Foundation.
5 But what might such a message mean to many of you here, who are not yet in the seats of influence you will someday occupy?
6 I suggest that it should encourage you to look beyond the borders of this nation for opportunities and challenges.
7 Yes, your pursuit of the biological and behavioral sciences should indeed improve the competitiveness of the United States. But, if you pursue international research experiences and opportunities, you will contribute substantially to your own development as scientists and that of the nation.
8 Let me elaborate a bit. Global competitiveness requires a science and engineering community that moves easily across borders, taking advantage of developments at the frontier of knowledge, wherever those developments are found. Experiences at the frontier of science are rewarding, both professionally and personally.
9 The second take-home message follows from the first. It is this: Success demands perseverance. How many record books report on those who started but did not complete the race?
10 Third, think of the National Science Foundation as your cheer-leading section, a body that applauds the strides you’re making. We cheer you, given our determination, our path-breaking attempts to broaden participation in the science and engineering enterprise of the nation.
11 Let me recount a story of someone on an educational path like yours. Dr. Jagger Harvey began as an NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellow.
12 He took his fellowship to the United Kingdom—Norwich and Cambridge, specifically—where he undertook research on plant viruses. Ultimately, he made significant progress on anti-viral treatments for plants.
13 His interest in plant genetics, international development, and Africa led him to the International Livestock Research Institute in Nairobi, Kenya, where he is a Research Scientist.
14 He recently served on one of the review panels for NSF’s BREAD program, or, “Basic Research to Enable Agricultural Development.” He is building his career as a biologist both in the United States and in Africa. He’s making a difference through his dedication to science in service to human health and well-being.
15 Examples abound that illustrate the importance of perseverance, of persistence.
16 Let me mention the work of two students who participated in the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes program that NSF sponsors. Timothy Downing, a UC Berkeley student, went to Japan to study stem cells, out of his interest in the regeneration of the spinal cord.
17 Tim is an outstanding scientist, and it was his involvement in college football that inspired his research on peripheral nerve damage and the disabilities that result. He engineered nerve conduits in rats by seeding neural crest stem cells to repair sciatic nerves. The process accelerated regeneration and shows potential for the engineering of tissue for medical application.
18 Let me turn next to Sook-Lei Liew. She traveled to China for an opportunity to conduct research examining the role of experience on neural networks. She used functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore how experience changes neural activity patterns when people view familiar or unfamiliar socially relevant actions.
19 One of the questions she explored was: What happens when we try to understand why someone is doing something?
20 She scanned brain activity of participants as they observed videos of either racially familiar or unfamiliar actors performing familiar or unfamiliar gestures. Her surprising finding: Different regions of the brain were involved in trying to understand unfamiliar in contrast to familiar actions.
21 The processes she observed about how sense-making took place have widespread implications. They give clues, for example, about how a person in an unfamiliar environment may seek to interpret an unknown, culture-specific gesture.
22 Through her journey to a different setting and her perseverance, Lei Liew is now a published author.
23 Let me turn now to my third message: Your success matters greatly to the National Science Foundation.
24 The Foundation has embraced fully the aspirational statement by President Obama to the National Academy of Sciences in 2009. His statement: “Science is more essential for our prosperity, our security, our health, our environment, and our quality of life than it has ever been before. We . . . need to work with our friends around the world.”
25 The National Science Foundation recognizes that wasting talent is not an option—not if we are to meet the economic and other needs of the country, in competition and alliance with others across the globe.
21. Which quotation supports the idea that the National Science Foundation supports helping minority students succeed in science?
A. “The issue of U.S. global competitiveness continues to be a top priority for the country and across the federal government.”
B. “I suggest that it should encourage you to look beyond the borders of this nation for opportunities and challenges.”
C. “Let me mention the work of two students who participated in the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes program that NSF sponsors.”
D. “They give clues, for example, about how a person in an unfamiliar environment may seek to interpret an unknown, culture-specific gesture.”
22. What do the statistics show about people graduating with degrees in science?
A. Science is a popular field for American students.
B. Foreign schools are more appealing to American students.
C. The United States ranks poorly in the number of science students.
D. Science students are studying abroad rather than in the United States.
23. Which word is closest in meaning to the word peripheral in paragraph 17?
A. central
B. habitual
C. secondary
D. rational
24. What is the purpose of Dr. Marrett’s speech?
A. to stress that the NSF cannot take sides politically because of its mission statement
B. to express her feelings about the rankings of the United States for students of science
C. to show that the NSF is introducing new programs to help minority students study science
D. to encourage her audience to continue to study science in a way that will benefit them and the world
25. In what way does the information about what the students researched support the main idea?
A. It supports the idea that scientists must study everything that they find of interest in the world.
B. It supports the idea that people who study science can make a difference in the world.
C. It supports the idea that many programs exist for minority students who want to study science.
D. It supports the idea that more emphasis on science at the early grades would be productive.
26. Based on the speech, what generalization could be made about the NSF’s attitude toward the United States?
A. The country is failing to encourage talented students to study science.
B. The country is trying hard to improve its education programs to encourage science study.
C. Most people are unaware of the country’s standing in science majors compared to other countries.
D. It is likely that the country will never train as many people in science as other countries will.
27. Why does Dr. Marrett include the quotation from President Obama?
A. to show that the president helps support the NSF
B. to explain why President Obama was returned to office
C. to explain why the NSF supports the Obama administration
D. to show that the president is aware of how important science is
Use the excerpt for Items 28 through 33:
Excerpt Adapted from Main Street
1 The last faculty reception before commencement. In five days they would be in the cyclone of final examinations.
2 The house of the president had been massed with palms suggestive of polite undertaking parlors, and in the library, a ten-foot room with a globe and the portraits of Whittier and Martha Washington, the student orchestra was playing “Carmen” and “Madame Butterfly.” Carol was dizzy with music and the emotions of parting. She saw the palms as a jungle, the pink-shaded electric globes as an opaline haze, and the eye-glassed faculty as Olympians. She was melancholy at the sight of the mousey girls with whom she had “always intended to get acquainted,” and the half dozen young men who were ready to fall in love with her.
3 But it was Stewart Snyder whom she encouraged. He was so much manlier than the others; he was an even warm brown, like his new ready-made suit with its padded shoulders. She sat with him, and with two cups of coffee and a chicken patty, upon a pile of presidential overshoes in the coat-closet under the stairs, and as the thin music seeped in, Stewart whispered:
4 “I can’t stand it, this breaking up after four years! The happiest years of life.”
5 She believed it. “Oh, I know! To think that in just a few days we’ll be parting, and we’ll never see some of the bunch again!”
6 “Carol, you got to listen to me! You always duck when I try to talk seriously to you, but you got to listen to me. I’m going to be a big lawyer, maybe a judge, and I need you, and I’d protect you—”
7 His arm slid behind her shoulders. The insinuating music drained her independence. She said mournfully, “Would you take care of me?” She touched his hand. It was warm, solid.
8 “You bet I would! We’d have, Lord, we’d have bully times in Yankton, where I’m going to settle—”
9 “But I want to do something with life.”
10 “What’s better than making a comfy home and bringing up some cute kids and knowing nice homey people?”
11 It was the immemorial male reply to the restless woman. Thus to the young Sappho spake the melon-venders; thus the captains to Zenobia; and in the damp cave over gnawed bones the hairy suitor thus protested to the woman advocate of matriarchy. In the dialect of Blodgett College but with the voice of Sappho was Carol’s answer:
12 “Of course. I know. I suppose that’s so. Honestly, I do love children. But there’s lots of women that can do housework, but I—well, if you HAVE got a college education, you ought to use it for the world.”
13 “I know, but you can use it just as well in the home. And gee, Carol, just think of a bunch of us going out on an auto picnic, some nice spring evening.”
14 “Yes.”
15 “And sleigh-riding in winter, and going fishing—”
16 Blarrrrrrr! The orchestra had crashed into the “Soldiers’ Chorus”; and she was protesting, “No! No! You’re a dear, but I want to do things. I don’t understand myself but I want—everything in the world! Maybe I can’t sing or write, but I know I can be an influence in library work. Just suppose I encouraged some boy and he became a great artist! I will! I will do it! Stewart dear, I can’t settle down to nothing but dish-washing!”
17 Two minutes later—two hectic minutes—they were disturbed by an embarrassed couple also seeking the idyllic seclusion of the overshoe-closet.
18 After graduation she never saw Stewart Snyder again. She wrote to him once a week—for one month.
19 A year Carol spent in Chicago. Her study of library-cataloguing, recording, books of reference, was easy and not too somniferous. She reveled in the Art Institute, in symphonies and violin recitals and chamber music, in the theater and classic dancing. She almost gave up library work to become one of the young women who dance in cheese-cloth in the moonlight. She was taken to a certified Studio Party, with beer, cigarettes, bobbed hair, and a Russian Jewess who sang the Internationale. It cannot be reported that Carol had anything significant to say to the Bohemians. She was awkward with them, and felt ignorant, and she was shocked by the free manners which she had for years desired. But she heard and remembered discussions of Freud, Romain Rolland, syndicalism, the Confederation Generale du Travail, feminism vs. haremism, Chinese lyrics, nationalization of mines, Christian Science, and fishing in Ontario.
20 She went home, and that was the beginning and end of her Bohemian life.
21 The second cousin of Carol’s sister’s husband lived in Winnetka, and once invited her out to Sunday dinner. She walked back through Wilmette and Evanston, discovered new forms of suburban architecture, and remembered her desire to recreate villages. She decided that she would give up library work and, by a miracle whose nature was not very clearly revealed to her, turn a prairie town into Georgian houses and Japanese bungalows.
22 The next day in library class she had to read a theme on the use of the Cumulative Index, and she was taken so seriously in the discussion that she put off her career of town-planning—and in the autumn she was in the public library of St. Paul.
28. What can be inferred about Carol?
A. She wants to experience life.
B. She wants to live a traditional life.
C. She has little control over her emotions.
D. She has a stubborn streak that can be annoying.
29. Which quotation supports the story’s theme?
A. “But it was Stewart Snyder whom she encouraged.”
B. “‘Stewart dear, I can’t settle down to nothing but dish-washing!’”
C. “After graduation she never saw Stewart Snyder again.”
D. “She went home, and that was the beginning and end of her Bohemian life.”
30. What does Stewart think about Carol?
A. He knows that she is sensitive.
B. He feels she needs more challenges.
C. He understands her need to succeed.
D. He thinks she would be a good housewife.
31. Indicate each word that DESCRIBES Carol and belongs in the character web. (Note: On the real GED® test, you will click on the words you choose and “drag” each one into position in the character web.)
32. What does the author’s use of the words insinuating music in paragraph 7 suggest?
A. It suggests that the music was enjoyable to hear.
B. It suggests that Carol was a lover of classical music.
C. It suggests that the music had an odd rhythm.
D. It suggests that the music was making Carol lose her concentration.
33. Why does Carol go to the Bohemian party?
A. She thinks she might fit in with them.
B. She wants to show them their errors.
C. She hopes to teach them about books.
D. She was doing research for a library course.
34. The following memo contains several numbered blanks, each marked “Select. . . .” Beneath each one is a set of choices. Indicate the choice from each set that is correct and belongs in the blank. (Note: On the real GED® test, the choices will appear as a “drop-down” menu. When you click on a choice, it will appear in the blank.)
Memo: To All Employees
Our company has been going through a growth spurt. And because of this, it has become clear that there is not enough parking for everyone. 
Adding new parking spaces is expensive and environmentally unfriendly. Therefore, Management here at Solsuns 
to take a proactive position regarding carpooling.
There are many advantages to carpooling. It helps the environment; you will use less gas and cause fewer emissions. You will save money; by ride sharing, you will end up purchasing less gasoline. It will resolve the company’s parking problem. And carpooling will enhance the image of Solsuns with our customers and with our community. Let’s set an example and make the concept of driving alone a thing of the past!
Employees who carpool will be given preferred parking spaces. Those who ride the bus will be given rebates toward the cost of the ticket. Bike racks will be installed in the front. We will start construction next week on locker room and shower facilities, and they should be completed in two weeks.
In addition, all employees who participate and use alternative means to driving alone to commute to and from the office will receive a reward equal to 1 percent of their net biweekly income on each paycheck for as long as they continue to participate.
Sign-up sheets are now available. A database will be set up so you can easily find those who live near you, and routes will be mapped. 
We are very excited here at Solsuns about our new carpooling program.
Use the excerpt for Items 35 through 42:
Excerpt Adapted from The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
1 However, walking in the evening by the side of the river, a boat came by, which I found was going towards Philadelphia, with several people in her. They took me in, and, as there was no wind, we row’d all the way; and about midnight, not having yet seen the city, some of the company were confident we must have passed it, and would row no farther; the others knew not where we were; so we put toward the shore, got into a creek, landed near an old fence, with the rails of which we made a fire, the night being cold, in October, and there we remained till daylight. Then one of the company knew the place to be Cooper’s Creek, a little above Philadelphia, which we saw as soon as we got out of the creek, and arriv’d there about eight or nine o’clock on the Sunday morning, and landed at the Market-street wharf.
2 I have been the more particular in this description of my journey, and shall be so of my first entry into that city, that you may in your mind compare such unlikely beginnings with the figure I have since made there. I was in my working dress, my best cloths being to come round by sea. I was dirty from my journey; my pockets were stuff’d out with shirts and stockings, and I knew no soul nor where to look for lodging. I was fatigued with travelling, rowing, and want of rest, I was very hungry; and my whole stock of cash consisted of a Dutch dollar, and about a shilling in copper. The latter I gave the people of the boat for my passage, who at first refus’d it, on account of my rowing; but I insisted on their taking it. A man being sometimes more generous when he has but a little money than when he has plenty, perhaps thro’ fear of being thought to have but little.
3 Then I walked up the street, gazing about till near the market-house I met a boy with bread. I had made many a meal on bread, and, inquiring where he got it, I went immediately to the baker’s he directed me to, in Second-street, and ask’d for biscuit, intending such as we had in Boston; but they, it seems, were not made in Philadelphia. So not considering or knowing the difference of money, and the greater cheapness nor the names of his bread, I made him give me three-penny worth of any sort. He gave me, accordingly, three great puffy rolls. I was surpriz’d at the quantity, but took it, and, having no room in my pockets, walk’d off with a roll under each arm, and eating the other. Thus I went up Market-street as far as Fourth-street, passing by the door of Mr. Read, my future wife’s father; when she, standing at the door, saw me, and thought I made, as I certainly did, a most awkward, ridiculous appearance. Then I turned and went down Chestnut-street and part of Walnut-street, eating my roll all the way.
4 Thus refreshed, I walked again up the street, which by this time had many clean-dressed people in it, who were all walking the same way. I joined them, and thereby was led into the great meeting-house of the Quakers near the market. I sat down among them, and, after looking round awhile and hearing nothing said, being very drowsy thro’ labor and want of rest the preceding night, I fell fast asleep, and continued so till the meeting broke up, when one was kind enough to rouse me. This was, therefore, the first house I was in, or slept in, in Philadelphia.
5 Walking down again toward the river, and, looking in the faces of people, I met a young Quaker man, whose countenance I lik’d, and, accosting him, requested he would tell me where a stranger could get lodging. He brought me to the Crooked Billet in Water-street. Here I got a dinner; and, while I was eating it, several sly questions were asked me, as it seemed to be suspected from my youth and appearance, that I might be some runaway.
6 After dinner, my sleepiness return’d, and being shown to a bed, I lay down without undressing, and slept till six in the evening, was call’d to supper, went to bed again very early, and slept soundly till next morning. Then I made myself as tidy as I could, and went to Andrew Bradford the printer’s. I found in the shop the old man his father, whom I had seen at New York, and who, travelling on horseback, had got to Philadelphia before me. He introduc’d me to his son, who receiv’d me civilly, gave me a breakfast, but told me he did not at present want a hand, being lately suppli’d with one; but there was another printer in town, lately set up, one Keimer, who, perhaps, might employ me; if not, I should be welcome to lodge at his house, and he would give me a little work to do now and then till fuller business should offer.
35. Which quotation supports the idea that Benjamin Franklin had a well-developed system of values?
A. “However, walking in the evening by the side of the river, a boat came by, which I found was going towards Philadelphia, with several people in her.”
B. “The latter I gave the people of the boat for my passage, who at first refus’d it, on account of my rowing; but I insisted on their taking it.”
C. “I was surpriz’d at the quantity, but took it, and, having no room in my pockets, walk’d off with a roll under each arm, and eating the other.”
D. “After dinner, my sleepiness return’d, and being shown to a bed, I lay down without undressing, and slept till six in the evening, was call’d to supper, went to bed again very early, and slept soundly till next morning.”
36. What effect does Franklin hope to achieve by using the word sly in paragraph 5? It shows that
A. he was aware of the intent of the questions.
B. the people asking the questions were impolite.
C. he was being very careful about what he told anyone.
D. the people who asked the questions were not all that interested.
37. Fill in the blank.
Another way to say countenance as it is used in paragraph 5 is ___________________.
38. Why does the author include information about seeing his future wife?
A. to explain how he met his wife
B. to tell a funny story about himself
C. to suggest that his wife was self-absorbed
D. to show that he fell in love with her right away
39. Why was helping to row the ship important to the story? It shows
A. that Franklin could row well.
B. what kind of person Franklin was.
C. how hard it was to travel in the old days.
D. that the ship could keep going without wind.
40. How does the information about Franklin falling asleep in the Quaker meeting hall support the main idea? It shows that
A. Franklin was a person who did whatever it took to reach his goal.
B. Quakers were a friendly group of people who cared about Franklin.
C. Franklin found it hard to make friends in a city where he knew no one.
D. Quakers traveling at the time had few places where they could stay.
41. Fill in the blank.
The Market Street harbor where Franklin arrived was in the city of ___________________.
42. What main idea can be inferred from the passage?
A. Franklin was narrow-minded.
B. Franklin was seeking a new life.
C. Franklin wanted to get married.
D. Franklin was interested in religion.
THIS IS THE END OF THE REASONING THROUGH LANGUAGE ARTS (RLA) POSTTEST.
Answers and Explanations
Part 1
1. Correct answer: A. She sings over her. Alma is clearly upset when she hears Candace Whitcomb singing at the same time she is singing; she can hardly continue because she is so upset.
2. Correct answer: B. “Now she fixed her large solemn blue eyes; her long, delicate face, which had been pretty, turned paler; the blue flowers on her bonnet trembled; her little thin gloved hands, clutching the singing book, shook perceptibly; but she sang out bravely.” This quotation supports the idea that Alma Way is nervous. The others do not.
3. Correct answer: A. She is angry that she had been replaced. The reader can infer from how she behaves that Candace is upset because she has been replaced.
4. Correct answer: A. To show support. The woman tells Alma Way that “It ain’t worth minding.” She is showing her support by giving Alma a candy.
5. Correct answer: D. He was linked romantically to Candace Whitcomb. The narrator tells us that people thought William might marry Candace, so this is the reason that it was surprising for him to speak up against her.
6. Drop-down Select . . . 1–5.
Select 1 correct answer: Habitat does a wonderful job of building and rehabbing houses. In this choice, the verbs building and rehabbing are parallel; they are in the same form. That is not the case in the other choices.
Select 2 correct answer: There are many items that we would like to see obtained for the silent auction. The insertion of There are creates a complete sentence. The other choices are fragments; they do not have a subject and verb.
Select 3 correct answer: yourselves. This is a reflexive pronoun that agrees with the antecedent, you. It is a second person plural form, which is required to correctly edit the sentence.
Select 4 correct answer: There is a sign-up sheet in the lunchroom for those of you who would like to give up your time during the auction itself. The order of the sentence is clear and effective as well as logical.
Select 5 correct answer: Do plan on attending, even if you cannot volunteer time, and please bring your wallets, credit cards, or checkbooks. The verb bring agrees with the subject, you, which is understood and requires a plural verb form in the present tense.
7. Correct answer: B. To free enslaved people in areas that were then in rebellion. This is the reason that President Abraham Lincoln drafted the Emancipation Proclamation; the answer is in the text itself.
8. Correct answer: D. The United States declares that in the areas then in rebellion, all people who have been enslaved are henceforth free. This sums up the main idea of the Emancipation Proclamation; the other choices do not.
9. Correct answer: B. The United States is a better country because of the Emancipation Proclamation. President Obama clearly thinks that Lincoln’s proclamation was a step forward in securing the rights of all people in the United States.
10. Correct answer: D. To point out that the freed slaves aided the Union war effort. President Obama says that when Lincoln permitted the freed slaves to enlist in the Union army and navy, they give “new strength to liberty’s cause.” That is, they aided the Union war effort, and President Obama wants to make sure that their contribution is remembered.
11. Correct answer: C. To point out that the Emancipation Proclamation has been an important inspiration for later generations of Americans. By including this sentence, President Obama is saying that the beliefs underlying the Emancipation Proclamation have inspired Americans of all kinds to demand and fight for civil rights and other causes from that time until our own day.
12. Correct answer: C. “Let us begin this new year by renewing our bonds to one another and reinvesting in the work that lies ahead, confident that we can keep driving freedom’s progress in our time.” This sentence shows that President Obama believes that there is more work to be done to ensure that people have the rights the Constitution gives them.
13. Emancipation Proclamation:
Certain states and parts of states are currently in rebellion against the United States.
The slaves in the rebellious areas must be freed and be paid for their work.
President Barack Obama’s Proclamation:
The Emancipation Proclamation turned the Civil War into a war for liberty and equality.
People who join together can maintain and expand freedom.
14. Correct answer: C. President Obama’s proclamation is more inspirational in tone than the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation is an official document setting forth an act of government in basic legal terms. President Obama’s proclamation, while also an official document, merely asks Americans to observe the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. It uses inspirational language to remind Americans why the Emancipation Proclamation deserves to be commemorated.
15. Correct answer: D. The Emancipation Proclamation was an official order, but President Obama’s proclamation was merely an appeal. Both are government documents, but the Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order with the force of law and tremendous real-world consequences. President Obama’s proclamation, by contrast, is merely an appeal that calls upon Americans to observe an anniversary. There is no expectation that it will be enforced in any way.
16. Correct answer: B. President Lincoln is focused on immediate measures; President Obama is focused on the longer term. In regard to the fight for freedom, President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation is focused on one single step to be taken immediately: freeing the slaves in the areas then in rebellion “as a fit and necessary war measure.” President Obama, on the other hand, takes a longer view, speaking of the spirit that “moved millions to march for justice in the years that followed.”
17. Drop down Select . . . 1–4.
Select 1 correct answer: Instead, employee ID swipe cards will be coded only for the specific hours that an employee is scheduled to work during a week’s period. This editing creates the most straightforward and clear sentence; the other choices do not.
Select 2 correct answer: In addition,. The preceding sentences described a change in the rules regarding use of the employee ID swipe cards. The introductory phrase “In addition,” signals to the reader that the next sentence will describe another new change to the security rules.
Select 3 correct answer: their. This is the way the possessive pronoun is spelled. It makes sense in the sentence.
Select 4 correct answer: Anyone who senses that there is something out of the ordinary should call security. We will handle the problem. The placement of a period between the two complete thoughts, creating two complete sentences, is the edit that is needed to resolve the issue of the run-on sentence.
18. Correct answer: A. Della selling her hair. This event develops the theme of the story, a theme of sacrificing something for love. The other events do not advance the theme.
19. Correct answer: B. “Once she faltered for a minute and stood still while a tear or two splashed on the worn red carpet.” This quotation expresses how mixed Della’s feelings were about selling her hair. The others do not.
20. Correct answer: D. It helps the reader realize how beautiful Della’s hair is. This is the meaning of these figurative words. Her hair seemed like water running down a cascade.
21. Correct order:
Della counts her money.
Della sells her hair.
Della goes shopping.
Della gives Jim his present.
22. Correct answer: A. It shows he wants to get on with life. By saying this, Jim shows that he has accepted what happened and wants to move on. He also suggests that in time they will be able to make use of their gifts.
Part 2
1. Extended response. Decide which of the two arguments you think is stronger. Then support your choice with evidence from the excerpts. In essay questions like this, there is no “right” or “wrong” side.
The two speeches differ in the fact that Paul uses more emotional arguments than Durbin does, including his main point that majority rule is basically mob rule.
Paul argues that abolition of the electoral system would be, in effect, unconstitutional because the country was founded not as a direct democracy but rather as a republic. He points out that the states made the federal government and not the other way around and the Electoral College protects the smaller, less powerful states, often considered “flyover states.” He takes aim at the elites mainly found on the east and west coasts, saying they want a strong federal government and do not believe in states’ rights. He goes so far as to say that pure democracy is incompatible with liberty.
Durbin’s approach is not without emotional statements, but tends to be more down to earth than Paul’s. For instance, Paul says that changing the electoral system would make smaller states less important, but Durbin responds by saying that these smaller states are ignored today in campaigns for the most part anyway. Durbin points out that senators and House representatives are voted directly into office, so why not presidents? He calls the electoral system undemocratic and unfair because a vote in a less populated state carries more weight than one in a populous state such as Illinois. Another point that Durbin makes is that because of the Electoral College system, third-party candidates can have more effect than they could with a direct vote election.
If possible, ask an instructor to evaluate your essay. Your instructor’s opinions and comments will help you determine what skills you need to practice in order to improve your essay writing.
You may also want to evaluate your essay yourself using the checklist that follows. Be fair in your evaluation. The more items you can check, the more confident you can be about your writing skills. Items that are not checked will show you the essay-writing skills that you need to work on.
My essay:
Creates a sound, logical argument based on the passage(s).
Cites evidence from the passage(s) to support the argument.
Analyzes the issue and/or evaluates the validity of the arguments in the passage(s).
Organizes ideas in a sensible sequence.
Shows clear connections between main points and details.
Uses largely correct sentence structure.
Follows Standard English conventions in regard to grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Part 3
1. Correct answer: D. To suggest how quiet an Indian boy’s step is. This is the meaning of the simile.
2. Blank should be filled in with: crane.
3. Correct answer: D. It shows that the hunting instinct is natural to an Indian boy. This choice supports the idea that Indian boys are excellent hunters in spite of their age.
4. Correct answer: C. “An old deer-track would at once bring on a warm discussion as to whether it was the track of a buck or a doe.” This quotation tells about how the Indian boys studied animal life; it shows how they learned from the tracks of a deer.
5. Correct answer: D. Bow and arrow. This information is found in paragraph 5 of the passage.
6. Correct answer: B. The narrator wants readers to know how inventive the Indian boys were. The narrator shows that the Indian boys found various ways to catch the fish; they were inventive.
7. Words that describe the narrator:
Correct answer: careful. From the way the narrator describes himself and the other Indian boys, they are careful when it comes to dangerous animals, such as bears.
Correct answer: quick. The narrator is clearly quick when he hunts or he wouldn’t get his prey.
Correct answer: curious. The narrator is curious about the animals that he hunts, as are the other Indian boys.
8. Correct answer: A. At noon. The narrator tells the reader this in paragraph 7.
9. Correct answer: C. The adult cranes would attack them. This was the point of the story that the narrator tells about the boys’ dealings with cranes.
10. Correct answer: D. Bone and stones. The answer is stated in the text in paragraph 5.
11. Drop down Select . . . 1–5.
Select 1 correct answer: Vista Green’s. This is the correct form for a possessive noun.
Select 2 correct answer: week. This is the correct spelling for a period of seven days.
Select 3 correct answer: This is one of the seven restaurants that the resort boasts. The verb boasts agrees in number with the subject and is in the present tense because the action takes place in the present.
Select 4 correct answer: During your stay, you may want to take one of the many tours that are offered. This is the simplest and most straightforward way of communicating the information in this sentence. The other choices are illogical and/or ungrammatical.
Select 5 correct answer: Remember, our motto here is “The guest comes first.” We intend to stay true to it. This choice has a period between the two complete thoughts, so it is not a run-on sentence.
12. Correct answer: B. “We believe that all men have the right to freedom of thought and expression.” This quotation refers to the fact that the Constitution states that all men are created equal, and that they enjoy certain equal rights.
13. Correct answer: B. He thinks it a dangerous philosophy. Judging from the language that President Truman uses to describe Communism, such as calling it “false” and saying it “misleads,” it would appear he thinks it is dangerous.
14. Correct answer: C. Not like anything previously known. Something that is unprecedented has not happened in the past; nothing like it has ever before occurred. This expression fits into the context of the sentence.
15. Correct answer: A. It should be friendly toward them. The answer is stated in the text. President Roosevelt says that America’s “our attitude must be one of cordial and sincere friendship.”
16. Correct answer: D. “If we fail, the cause of free self-government throughout the world will rock to its foundations, and therefore our responsibility is heavy, to ourselves, to the world as it is to-day, and to the generations yet unborn.” This quotation supports the idea that President Roosevelt believed the nation was facing a great challenge. The other choices do not.
17. Correct answer: C. The problems facing the founding fathers were very different from the ones the country faces today. Both presidents make this point; they note that the founding fathers could not have had any idea of the kind of problems that they are dealing with.
18. Correct answer: A. Focused on dangers threatening the United States. President Truman’s speech is largely about the threat of Communism; there is no support for any of the other choices.
19. Correct answer: B. They both use dramatic language to reinforce their ideas. Both presidents use dramatic words and phrases to get their points across to the audience.
20. Drop down Select . . . 1–4.
Select 1 correct answer: world’s. World’s is a contraction for world is. This is the correct spelling.
Select 2 correct answer: Don’t use jargon. Do use language that is similar to what the job description used. Of the other choices, one uses a colon incorrectly and the other two are run-on sentences that need a period placed between the two complete ideas.
Select 3 correct answer: them?. This is the correct pronoun because it is in the objective case and agrees with the plural antecedent leaders.
Select 4 correct answer: Put out your hand as you enter the room. This is where the word out should go in the sentence. The other choices are incorrect.
21. Correct answer: C. “Let me mention the work of two students who participated in the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes program that NSF sponsors.” This information directly supports the idea that NSF supports helping minority students succeed in science.
22. Correct answer: C. The United States ranks poorly in the number of science students. The information on the ranking of the United States is stated in the text.
23. Correct answer: C. Secondary. This word fits with the context of the sentence and the sentences that follow.
24. Correct answer: D. To encourage her audience to continue to study science in a way that will benefit them and the world. Dr. Marrett is interested in increasing the number of American students who go into the field of science; that is why she presents examples of students who have succeeded in the field.
25. Correct answer: B. It supports the idea that people who study science can make a difference in the world. This helps Dr. Marrett make the point that science is an important field and one where people can make important discoveries.
26. Correct answer: A. That the country is failing to encourage talented students to study science. This is why Dr. Marrett is concerned with the future of the United States and its worldwide standing in terms of the number of science majors.
27. Correct answer: D. To show that the president is aware of how important science is. The quotation shows that the NSF is not the only agency that realizes that in order for the nation to become more competitive, more students need to study science.
28. Correct answer: A. She wants to experience life. Carol knows she does not want to be a traditional housewife; she tries out what it would be like to be a Bohemian. She is curious about life.
29. Correct answer: B. “‘Stewart dear, I can’t settle down to nothing but dish-washing!’” This quotation supports the theme that one must find one’s own way in life.
30. Correct answer: D. He thinks she would be a good housewife. We learn this from his conversation with her in the closet.
31. Words that describe Carol:
Correct answer: intelligent. Carol graduates from college and goes on to study to be a librarian and seems to be doing well at it. She seems intelligent.
Correct answer: determined. Clearly Carol is determined to make a difference in life.
Correct answer: passionate. Carol seems to have deep feelings about her life and about experiencing new things. She is passionate about her life.
32. Correct answer: D. It suggests that the music was making Carol lose her concentration. The music was making Carol less focused and more romantic. The sentence goes on to say that the music “drained her of independence,” so context helps to answer this question.
33. Correct answer: A. She thinks she might fit in with them. Carol fancied herself something of a Bohemian, but she finds that she does not fit in at all with real Bohemians.
34. Drop down Select . . . 1–4.
Select 1 correct answer: Many times employees are forced to park on the grass, which, besides being unattractive, does damage to the ground. The order of the words is logical and the meaning is clear in this choice; the others are not.
Select 2 correct answer: has decided. The verb has decided is in the simple past tense, which is called for in this sentence.
Select 3 correct answer: To that end, we are setting up a system of incentives to reward those who carpool, take a bus, bicycle, or walk to the office. The verbs carpool, take, bicycle, and walk are parallel.
Select 4 correct answer: We need your name, the route you take to work, and your extension. The correct punctuation is to place commas after every item in a series, including the item before the word and.
35. Correct answer: B. “The latter I gave the people of the boat for my passage, who at first refus’d it, on account of my rowing; but I insisted on their taking it.” This quotation directly supports the idea that Franklin’s value system was well developed; even though he rowed, he wanted to pay his passage fee. Fairness was important to him.
36. Correct answer: A. He was aware of the intent of the questions. The questions were sly because the people did not want to offend Franklin, but he realized why they were asking them.
37. Blank should be filled in with: face; or the way the person looks.
38. Correct answer: B. To tell a funny story about himself. Franklin put in many details about how silly he looked and the fact that his future wife thought he looked ridiculous in order to tell a funny story about the time they first saw each other.
39. Correct answer: B. It shows what kind of person Franklin was. The incident showed that Franklin did not put himself above others; he pitched in when it was needed. That was his character.
40. Correct answer: A. It shows that Franklin was a person who did whatever it took to reach his goal. This explanation supports the idea that Franklin was an inventive person who did what he needed to do to reach his goal—in this case to get some sleep.
41. Blank should be filled in with: Philadelphia.
42. Correct answer: B. Franklin was seeking a new life. The fact that he arrived in Philadelphia with little money and visited a printer to find work suggests that he was seeking a new life.
Evaluation Chart
Check the Answers and Explanations section of the RLA Posttest to see which answers you got correct and which ones you missed. For each multiple-choice question that you missed, find the item number in the chart below. Check the column on the left to see the test content area for that item. If you missed questions in a particular content area, you need to pay particular attention to that area as you study for the GED® test. The pages of this book that cover that content area are listed in the column on the right.
