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Acknowledgments
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Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Acknowledgments
Get More (Free) Content

Part I: The GED® Test and You
1 How to Use this Book to Achieve a Passing (or a CollegeReady) Score
2 All About the GED® Test
3 Question Formats

4 The Habits of Effective Test Takers

Part II: Reasoning Through Language Arts: Reading
5 Reading Overview
6 Informational Passages
7 Literary Passages

Part III: Reasoning Through Language Arts: Language
8 Language Overview
9 Language Questions

Part IV: Reasoning Through Language Arts: Extended
Response
10 Extended Response Overview
11 Extended Response Writing


Part V: Mathematical Reasoning
12 Mathematical Reasoning Overview
13 Basic Arithmetic
14 Applied Arithmetic
15 Algebra
16 Geometry

Part VI: Social Studies
17 Social Studies Overview
18 United States History
19 Civics and Government
20 Economics and Geography


Part VII: Science
21 Science Overview
22 Life Science
23 Physical and Earth Sciences

Part VIII: Answer Key to Drills
Part IX: Practice Tests
24 Practice Test 1
25 Practice Test 1: Answers and Explanations
26 Practice Test 2
27 Practice Test 2: Answers and Explanations


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Part I
The GED® Test and You
1 How to Use This Book to Achieve a Passing (or a CollegeReady) Score
2 All About the GED® Test
3 Question Formats
4 The Habits of Effective Test Takers


Chapter 1


How to Use This Book to Achieve a
Passing (or a College-Ready) Score
In this chapter, you will assess your goals and learn how to most
effectively use this book to ensure you perform your best on the GED®
test.


CONGRATULATIONS!

You are reading this book because you want to make a better future for
yourself, and that future begins with obtaining the equivalent of a high
school degree. The doors that will open depend on your personal and
professional goals, as the many successful people who earned a GED®
test degree—including some famous people listed nearby—can tell you.
We admire your motivation and congratulate you on your decision.
We are also delighted that you have chosen to use this book to prepare
for the GED® test. We have helped millions of people achieve their
goals, and we are honored to have the privilege of helping you. Your
road to a passing—or even a College-Ready—score involves a
combination of content, reading skills, writing skills, test-taking skills,
practice, and self-evaluation.
The chapters in this book address the content and skills you need, and
it is your job to learn the content and practice the skills. Most chapters
contain drills that will help you assess your mastery. Answers and
explanations for these drills can be found in Part VIII. Moreover, there
are two full-length practice tests (along with answers and
explanations) in Part IX. While the tests are not computer-based like
the actual GED® test, they are representative of the number and types
of questions you will encounter. You should take these tests under
simulated testing conditions. In the pages that follow, we suggest
when you should take each test.
Of course, we understand that your needs may differ from someone
else’s, and we want to ensure that you get exactly what you need from
this book. To that end, this chapter will guide you on the proper use of
this book based upon your particular knowledge, needs, and goals.
Please begin by answering the three questions below and reading the
study plan that follows.



Famous People Who Earned Their GED® Test
Credential
Wally Amos, founder of Famous Amos Cookies
Augusten Burroughs, bestselling author
Ben Nighthorse Campbell, former U.S. Senator
Dr. Richard Carmona, former U.S. Surgeon General
Michael Chang, tennis champion
Eminem, rapper, actor, and record producer
Drake, rapper, songwriter, and actor
D. L. Hughley, political commentator and comedian
Bishop T. D. Jakes, pastor, author, and filmmaker
Peter Jennings, journalist and news anchor
Honorable Greg Mathis, U.S. District Court judge
Ruth Ann Minner, former Governor of Delaware
F. Story Musgrave, NASA shuttle astronaut
Danica Patrick, auto racing champion
Mary Lou Retton, Olympic gold medalist
Michelle Rodriguez, actor and screenwriter
Chris Rock, comedian and actor
Hilary Swank, Academy Award–winning actor
Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s
Mark Wahlberg, actor and producer

SELF-ASSESSMENT: MY FAMILIARITY WITH
THE GED® TEST
1. I am familiar with the structure of the GED® test, how it is
scored, and how to register for the test. □ Yes □ No
2. I am familiar with the look and feel of the GED® test, including



various functionalities, such as the calculator and review screens.
□ Yes □ No
3. I am familiar with the format of the question types that appear on
the GED® test. □ Yes □ No

Pace Yourself
Doing a little studying each day is much better than
trying to cram it all into one week.

Study Plan
If you answered No to either of questions 1 or 2, read Chapter 2 (or
the relevant parts of Chapter 2) before you complete this chapter.
If you answered No to question 3, read Chapter 3. You may do so
now or after you complete this chapter.
Even if you answered Yes to all three questions, we encourage you
to read the Other Resources section on this page of Chapter 2. You
may do so now or after you complete this chapter.
Next, proceed through the following steps.
Step One: Answer each group of questions below.
Step Two: Take Practice Test 1 (Chapter 24).
Step Three: Review and, if appropriate, change your
answers to the questions below.
Step Four: Read and follow the study plan that follows
each group of questions below.

SELF-ASSESSMENT: MY TEST-TAKING


ABILITIES
4. I want to learn or to improve my ability to apply relevant testtaking strategies that an effective test taker utilizes. □ Yes □ No

5. I want to improve my ability to read and analyze charts, graphs,
and other data-based figures. □ Yes □ No
6. I want to improve my ability to read and understand text,
regardless of which one of the four GED® tests I am taking. □ Yes
□ No

Custom Answer Sheets!
When taking the practice tests, feel free to use the
answer sheets available to print via your Student
Tools when you register your book online (see this
page for details).

Study Plan
If you answered Yes to question 4, complete Chapter 4.
If you answered Yes to question 5, complete the “Understanding
Graphics” tutorial, available for download when you register your
book online.
If you answered Yes to question 6, complete the “Reading
Comprehension” tutorial, also available for download.

SELF-ASSESSMENT: MY LEVEL OF MASTERY
—REASONING THROUGH LANGUAGE ARTS
7. I want to improve my mastery of answering reading questions
relating to informational passages. □ Yes □ No
8. I want to improve my mastery of answering reading questions


relating to literary passages. □ Yes □ No
9. I want to improve my mastery of answering language questions. □
Yes □ No

10. I want to improve my ability to write extended response answers.
□ Yes □ No

Study Plan
If you answered Yes to question 7, complete Chapters 5 and 6.
If you answered Yes to question 8, complete Chapters 5 and 7.
If you answered Yes to question 9, complete Chapters 8 and 9.
If you answered Yes to question 10, complete Chapters 10 and 11.
Even if you answered No to any of questions 7 through 10, we
recommend that you complete Chapters 5, 8, and 10, as well as the
drills in Chapters 6, 7, 9, and 11.

SELF-ASSESSMENT: MY LEVEL OF MASTERY
—MATHEMATICAL REASONING
11. I want to refine my mastery of one or more of the following
concepts of basic arithmetic. □ Yes □ No
• The number line
• Rounding off
• Multiplying positive and negative numbers
• Absolute values
• Order of operations (PEMDAS)
• Commutative and distributive properties
• Factors and multiples
• Fractions
• Decimals
• Percents


12. I want to refine my mastery of one or more of the following
concepts of applied arithmetic. □ Yes □ No

• Setup problems
• Mean, median, mode, range, and weighted mean
• Ratios and proportions
• Rate problems
• Scale and unit conversion
• Charts and graphs
• Exponents
• Radicals
• Scientific notation
• Probability
• Combinations and permutations
13. I want to refine my mastery of one or more of the following
concepts of algebra. □ Yes □ No
• Simple equations
• Inequalities
• Translating English into math
• Polynomials
• Quadratic equations
• Rational expressions
• Simultaneous equations
• Functions
14. I would like to learn a test-taking strategy that may, on certain
algebra problems, make those problems easier to solve. □ Yes □
No
15. I want to refine my mastery of one or more of the following
concepts of geometry. □ Yes □ No
• Lines and angles
• Rectangles and squares
• Triangles and pyramids



• Circles, spheres, cylinders, and cones
• Setup geometry
• Graphing (the coordinate plane)
• Equation of a line

Study Plan
If you answered Yes to question 11, complete Chapter 12 and all or
the relevant parts of Chapter 13.
If you answered Yes to question 12, complete Chapter 12 and all or
the relevant parts of Chapter 14.
If you answered Yes to question 13, complete Chapter 12 and all or
the relevant parts of Chapter 15.
If you answered Yes to question 14, complete the Backsolving
section in Chapter 15.
If you answered Yes to question 15, complete Chapter 12 and all or
the relevant parts of Chapter 16.
Even if you answered No to any of questions 11 through 15, we
recommend that you complete Chapter 12, as well as the drills in
Chapters 13 through 16.

SELF-ASSESSMENT: MY LEVEL OF MASTERY
—SOCIAL STUDIES
16. I want to refine my mastery of United States history. □ Yes □ No
17. I want to refine my mastery of civics and government. □ Yes □ No
18. I want to refine my mastery of economics. □ Yes □ No
19. I want to refine my mastery of geography. □ Yes □ No

Study Plan
If you answered Yes to question 16, complete Chapter 17 and 18.



If you answered Yes to question 17, complete Chapter 17 and 19.
If you answered Yes to question 18, complete Chapter 17 and the
relevant parts of Chapter 20.
If you answered Yes to question 19, complete Chapter 17 and the
relevant parts of Chapter 20.
Even if you answered No to any of questions 16 through 19, we
recommend that you complete Chapter 17, as well as the drills in
Chapters 18, 19, and 20.

SELF-ASSESSMENT: MY LEVEL OF MASTERY
—SCIENCE
21. I want to refine my mastery of one or more of the following
concepts of life sciences. □ Yes □ No
• The scientific method
• Cell theory and the origins of life
• Genetics
• Evolution and natural selection
• Plants
• Ecosystems and food chains
• The human body and human health
• Bacteria and viruses
22. I want to refine my mastery of one or more of the following
concepts of physical and earth sciences. □ Yes □ No
• Energy and heat
• Physical laws, work, and motion
• Waves and radiation
• Solids, liquids, and gases
• Chemical reactions

• The changing earth
• Glaciers, erosion, and the ice ages


• Natural resources and sustainability
• Fossils
• Astronomy

Study Plan
If you answered Yes to question 21, complete Chapter 21 and all or
the relevant parts of Chapter 22.
If you answered Yes to question 22, complete Chapter 21 and all or
the relevant parts of Chapter 23.
Even if you answered No to either question 21 or 22, we
recommend that you complete Chapter 21, as well as the drills in
Chapters 22 and 23.

SELF-ASSESSMENT: MY SCORE GOALS
23. My goal is to achieve a Passing/College-Ready score.

Study Plan
If you answered College-Ready, we recommend that you complete
all chapters in this book, without regard to the study plan above.
After you have completed the chapters according to your study plan,
you should take Practice Test 2 (Chapter 26). If the test indicates areas
on which you should try to further improve, revisit the appropriate
chapters.
Also, remember that you have access to other resources as described
on this page.
If you follow the steps outlined above, are diligent in your work, and

assess your progress throughout your preparation, by the time you sit
for the GED® test, you should find it familiar and manageable, and
you should be able to take it with confidence!


Happy studies and best wishes for a successful future!

Need More Support?
If, after reading through this chapter or skimming
through this book, you’re feeling lost or
overwhelmed, you may want to check out Basic
Skills for the GED® Test, a book we created
especially for students who struggle with typical
study materials.
Basic Skills provides step-by-step instruction in the
foundational skills you’ll need to master before
beginning your GED® test prep: grammar,
language, reading, writing, math, problem-solving,
and graphic analysis.


Chapter 2
All About the GED® Test
This chapter summarizes the structure, scoring, and look and feel of
the GED® test, and provides important information about other
available resources.