The GED Tests

If you left high school without graduating, the GED Tests
provide a way for you to earn your GED high school diploma.
Getting your GED Diploma can make a big difference in your
life. Read this Information Bulletin and learn:

* What is covered on the GED Tests

* How to prepare for the GED Tests

* Where to get help


READ ON!


WHAT IS THE GED TESTING PROGRAM?


The GED testing program offers you an opportunity to earn
a GED high school diploma. Many people who did not finish high
school have knowledge and skills comparable to people who did
graduate. This idea is the basis of the GED testing program.
The GED Tests ask questions about subjects covered in high
school. The GED Tests are given in all 50 states, the District
of Columbia, the U.S. territories, most Canadian provinces, and
the Canadian territories. Each year, about one-half million
people earn their GED Diplomas.

The GED Tests are available in English, Spanish, and
French. Special large-print, audiocassette, and braille
editions of the GED Tests are also available, and adaptations
to testing conditions are permitted for adults with
disabilities.


WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A GED DIPLOMA?


Education


The GED program provides an opportunity for adults to
continue their education. Ninety-three percent of colleges and
universities accept GED graduates who meet their other
qualifications for admission.


Employment


A GED Diploma documents that you have high school-level
skills. Approximately 96 percent of employers accept the GED
Diploma as equivalent to a traditional high school diploma.


Self-Esteem


Many GED graduates say they have feelings of increased
self-esteem and self-confidence.

Once you earn your GED Diploma, it's up to you to pursue
the individual goals you set for yourself.


WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO TAKE THE GED TESTS?


If you left high school without graduating and your high
school class has graduated, you are probably eligible to take
the GED Tests. Contact your nearest GED Testing Center or the
department of education in your state, territory, or province
for specific eligibility requirements. Information on where to
call is given on pages 15 and 16 of this Bulletin.


HOW CAN I DECIDE IF I AM READY TO TAKE THE GED TESTS?


It's a good idea to take the Official GED Practice Tests
before taking the actual GED Tests. Comparing your Practice
Test scores with the minimum scores required in your area will
help you decide whether you are ready to take the full-length
GED Tests. If your scores are high, you have a good chance of
passing the GED Tests. If your Practice Test scores are low,
you will probably need further study in one or more subject
areas. The Official GED Practice Tests are available through
your local adult education program. You can also purchase the
Practice Tests yourself by ordering Form CC of the Official GED
Practice Tests. See order information on the back page of this
Bulletin.


HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR THE GED TESTS?


By Attending Classes...


If you need help deciding whether you're ready to take the
GED Tests or if you want help preparing for the tests, contact
an adult education program in your community. Many programs
that are sponsored by local school districts, colleges, and
community organizations provide GED classes. The teachers at
these adult education programs can help you decide whether you
need to study for all of the tests, or whether you should spend
time brushing up in just a few areas.

To get information regarding a program in your area,
contact your local high school, adult education program, or
community college. Look in the yellow pages of your local
telephone directory under the heading "Schools." Check the
listings for the high schools and community colleges in your
area.

Programs offered by schools and colleges may be listed
under the heading "Adult Education," "Continuing Education," or
"GED." You can also call the general number listed for high
schools, colleges, or your board of education and ask for
information about GED classes.

If you cannot locate an adult education program in your
area, call the number listed for your state, province, or
territory on pages 15 and 16 of this Bulletin.


By Yourself...


After reading this Bulletin and possibly taking the
Official GED Practice Tests, you may decide that you want to
study on your own before you take the actual GED Tests. If you
can't answer some questions in this Bulletin or on the Official
GED Practice Tests correctly because you have not studied these
subjects in a long time, you may be able to improve your skills
by studying on your own. In fact, about 20% of all GED
test-takers prepare for the GED Tests in this way. Many study
materials that are available through libraries, adult education
centers, schools, colleges, and book stores may help you
improve your skills. There is also a television series called
"GED on TV" on The Learning Channel and many public television
stations throughout the country. To find out what channel in
your area carries the "GED on TV" series, call 1-800-354-9067.
You may also call The Learning Line at 1-800-232-2775 to find
out about self-study materials that you may purchase.


WHERE CAN I TAKE THE GED TESTS?


You can take the GED Tests at one of more than 3,000
Official GED Testing Centers in the United States and Canada.
There is probably an Official GED Testing Center not far from
your home. Call your nearest adult education program and ask
for the location and schedule of the testing center near you.
Or contact your state, territorial, or provincial department of
education and ask for the location and schedule of the closest
Official GED Testing Center (see pages 15 and 16 of this
Bulletin).


WHAT ARE THE GED TESTS LIKE?


The GED Tests measure important knowledge and skills
expected of high school graduates. The five GED Tests are:

* Writing Skills

* Social Studies

* Science

* Interpreting Literature and the Arts

* Mathematics

These tests contain multiple-choice questions that test
your ability to understand and use information or ideas. In
many cases, you are asked to use the information provided to
solve a problem, find causes and effects, or make a judgment.
Very few questions ask about narrow definitions or specific
facts. Instead, the focus of questions is on the major and
lasting skills and knowledge expected of high school graduates.

In addition to the multiple-choice questions, the Writing
Skills Test includes an essay section. In this section, you are
given 45 minutes to write an essay on the topic given. The
topics are designed to be very general, so everyone can think
of something to write. More information about the essay is
given later in this Bulletin.

The multiple-choice questions on the five GED Tests are
presented in one of three ways:

* Accompanied by a reading selection that may be as brief as
one or two sentences or as long as 400 words

* Accompanied by a table, graph, chart, or illustration

* Stated as a problem to be solved (this type is most often
used in the Mathematics Test)

Because most material presented in the GED Tests requires
the ability to understand written text, the skill of reading
comprehension is very important.


WHAT SUBJECTS ARE ON THE GED TESTS?



The next section of this Bulletin shows sample questions
from each of the GED Tests, along with explanations of the
correct answers. Read the sample questions to become familiar
with the type of material you will find on the GED Tests.

Do not be discouraged if you feel that the questions are
too hard. Most people who have been out of high school for some
time need to prepare for the GED Tests before taking them.
Adult education programs in your community are specially
designed to help you improve your skills so that you can
succeed on the GED Tests.


TEST ONE: WRITING SKILLS


The GED Writing Skills Test has two parts. Part One
contains multiple-choice questions that require you to correct
or revise sentences that appear in a writing selection. Part
Two asks you to write an essay about a subject or an issue that
is familiar.


Test One, Part One: Multiple-Choice Questions


This section of the Writing Skills Test contains
paragraphs with numbered sentences followed by questions based
on those sentences. Each writing selection contains about 10 to
14 numbered sentences in one or more paragraphs.

Questions in this section cover sentence structure, usage,
and mechanics. You will be asked to identify and correct errors
that occur in sentences throughout the selection.


Directions and Sample Questions for Writing Skills, Part One


Directions: Choose the one best answer to each item.

Items 1 to 3 refer to the following paragraph.

(1) One of the lifelong memories many of us share are the
moment we obtained a driver's license. (2) If we were teenagers
at the time, these licenses signified our passage to adulthood.
(3) We clearly remember practicing to handle a car well in heavy
traffic and learning to parallel park. (4) We also prepared for
the test by studying the driver's booklet, memorizing rules, and
learning road signs. (5) Because we dreaded possible disaster,
the road test seemed worse than the written test. (6) While
conducting these difficult tests, the state driving inspectors
often seemed stern and unyielding. (7) Therefore, when all the
tests were finally over, we felt a real sense of achievement.
(8)Whether or not we have chosen to use our licenses since then,
they remain of enormous value to us. (9) They symbolize our
passport both to independence and to the open road.

1. Sentence 1: One of the lifelong memories many of us share
are the moment we obtained a driver's license.

What correction should be made to this sentence?

(1) change the spelling of memories to memorys

(2) insert a comma after memories

(3) change are to is

(4) change driver's to drivers

(5) no correction is necessary


Correct Answer: 3
Difficulty Level: Moderately difficult


About half of the questions in this section of the test
ask you to find and correct any errors in the sentence. Because
the subject of this sentence is One (not memorieS), the main
verb in the sentence, (are) must agree in number. Thus, the
correct answer is (3) "change are to is." Options 1, 2, and 4
introduce errors into the sentence, so none of these is the
best answer. Notice that this item type has an alternative (5)
"no correction is necessary." Choose this alternative when
there is no error.

2. Sentence 3: We clearly-remember practicing to handle a car
well in heavy traffic and learning to parallel park.

Which of the following is the best way to write the
underlined portion of this sentence? If you think the
original is the best way, choose option (1).

(1) traffic and learning

(2) traffic, but learning

(3) traffic, for learning

(4) traffic, so learning

(5) traffic because learning


Correct Answer: 1
Difficulty Level: Moderately difficult


This question asks you to select the best word to join the
two parts of the sentence. The best answer can be found by
determining which word makes the most sense. Only the word and
produces a sentence in which the meaning is clear: the two
things we remember are practicing to handle a car well and
learning to parallel park. Since the relationship between the
two parts of the sentence is one of addition, and is the best
choice. Note that in this question, the original wording is the
best of the choices given.

3. Sentence 7: Therefore, when all the tests were finally
over, we felt a real sense of achievement.

If you rewrote sentence 7 beginning with

Therefore, we felt a real sense of achievement
the next word should be

(1) or

(2) all

(3) when

(4) while

(5) but


Correct Answer: 3
Difficulty Level: Easy


Questions like this one require you to restate the
original sentence in a particular way, often using a different
type of sentence structure. The important point to remember
here is that the new version must retain the meaning of the
original sentence. In the case of question 3, the position of
the two parts in the sentence is switched. Only the word "when"
keeps the same meaning. Every other choice creates either a
nonsense sentence or one in which the meaning is different from
the original. In these types of questions, it is always useful
to try out each of the alternatives in the new structure. By
reading through the entire revised sentence, you will be better
able to see the effect of each of the options on the meaning of
the sentence.


Test One, Part Two: The Essay


This part of the Writing Skills Test measures your ability
to write an essay about an issue or situation of general
interest. No special or technical knowledge is required to
write on any of the topics. All of the topics used for this
part of the test require you to write an essay that presents
your opinion or explains your views about the topic assigned.


How the Essay Section Is Scored


All essays written for the GED Writing Skills Test are
scored by at least two trained readers who score the essays on
their overall effectiveness. They will judge how clearly you
make the main point of your composition, how thoroughly you
support your ideas, and how clearly and correctly you write.
That is, all of the elements that make up a piece of writing
are taken into consideration. The readers do not count every
spelling and grammar mistake, but a paper with many errors may
not receive a good score.

Essays must be written "on topic" to receive a score. Pay
attention to the topic and to the questions you are asked to
answer about the topic. Plan your essay carefully, and allow
yourself time to read it and make corrections.

After the readers have scored your paper, their combined
score is the total essay score that, together with the score
for the multiple-choice section, is the Writing Skills Test
composite score.


Sample Topic for the Writing Skills Test, Part Two


It always strikes me as a terrible shame to see young
people spending so much of their time staring at television. If
we unplugged all the television sets, our children would grow
up to be healthier, better educated, and more independent human
beings.

Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Write a
composition of about 200 words presenting your opinion and
supporting it with examples from your own experience or your
observations of others.


Description and Sample of Essay


The following paper would receive a rating of 3 (highest
score is 6) based on the scoring guide. This typical paper has
a single purpose or point to make. The supporting ideas are
presented in clear sentences so that the reader understands
what the writer wants to say. The paper would have been
stronger if the writer had given the names of specific
television programs that are informational or entertaining. The
occasional mistakes in the conventions of standard written
English do not interfere with the reader's being able to
understand what is written. These mistakes would have been
corrected by a stronger writer.


Sample Essay


The question of whether or not television is a positive or
negative factor in grow of our children, can have its points
both ways. But I feel that the argument, that all the
televisions sets should be unplugged, so that our children will
grow up to be healthier, better educated, and more independent
human beings, is ridiculous there are many informative, and
educational and fun things to watch on television.

Television offers educational stations, which have very
informative shows and programs, people can learn many things
from some of the programs on television. The television is also
used to translate news and other information to people, without
the news you would not know about the world around you,
politics, big events, weather etc. Even the movies and comedies
provide entertainment and relaxation, and what better place
than in your own home. I agree that some of the television
today is none of the above, but the responsibility of what you
watch is all up to you. Our children can grow up with
television, but adults should help them learn how to choose
shows that are going to be good. Television can be a very
instrumental thing, it can provide fun and entertainment and
also educational shows, that promote learning.

While the person scoring your essay does not count
mistakes, these mistakes do influence the reader's overall
impression of the writing. For this reason, some of the errors
in the sample essay are identified below for you.

The first sentence of the essay is not clear because of
the use of grow for growth. The first sentence of any essay is
the most important one because it states what the rest of the
paper will say. This sentence should be very clear. In the
second sentence, there is no reason or rule for the commas
after "unplugged" and "beings." If you don't know a rule for
the comma, leave it out. Also in the second sentence, the use
of "fun things" is too casual or colloquial compared to the
rest of the words in the essay. Colloquial expressions may be
misunderstood by a reader, so don't use them. The next sentence
which starts with "Television offers" is actually two sentences
or complete ideas joined together by the comma after
"programs." This mistake shows that the writer is not sure
about what a sentence really is. Then are other mistakes like
these in the rest of the essay.

Everyone makes mistakes when they write quickly. Good
writers take the time to go over what is written and correct
mistakes. Your writing will show your best skills if you take
the time to plan what you say and review it to make any needed
corrections.

If you take the Official GED Practice Tests on your own,
we recommend that you ask an adult education teacher to help
you score your essay. The self-scoring answer sheet for Form CC
of the Official GED Practice Tests has an essay scoring guide.
See order information on the back page of this Bulletin.


TEST TWO: SOCIAL STUDIES


The GED Social Studies Test contains multiple-choice
questions drawn from the following content areas.

* History

* Economics

* Political Science

* Geography

* Behavioral Sciences
anthropology
psychology
sociology

(Note that there are different U.S. and Canadian versions
of the GED Social Studies Test.)

Most of the questions in the Social Studies Test refer to
information provided. The information may be a paragraph, or it
may be a chart, table, graph, map, cartoon, or figure. In every
case, to answer the questions in the Social Studies Test, you
must understand, use, analyze, or evaluate the information
provided.


Directions and Sample Questions for Social Studies


Directions: Choose the one best answer to each item.

Items 1 and 2 refer to the following information.

Five amendments to the U.S. Constitution directly affect
voting qualifications.

The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, prohibited
states from using race or color as standards for determining
the right to vote.

The Nineteenth Amendment, ratified in 1920, prohibited the
states from using gender as a voting qualification.

The Twenty-Third Amendment, ratified in 1961, granted the
residents of Washington, D.C., a voice in the selection of the
President and Vice President.

The Twenty-Fourth Amendment, ratified in 1964, outlawed
the state poll tax as a requirement for voting in national
elections.

The Twenty-Sixth Amendment, ratified in 1971, prohibited
states from denying the vote to anyone 18 years old or over.


1. The overall effect of the five amendments was to extend
the vote to


(1) a larger portion of U.S. citizens

(2) a limited number of citizens

(3) tax-paying citizens

(4) citizens qualified by race and gender

(5) those citizens who must pay for the privilege


Correct Answer: 1
Difficulty Level: Easy


To answer question 1 correctly, you must read and
understand all of the information provided regarding the five
amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Then you must decide which
of the options provided best states the overall effect of the
amendments.

A careful reading of the amendments should indicate to you
that, in each case, the effect of the amendment was to extend
voting rights to more citizens. Option (2) is a correct
statement (citizens under 18 are not able to vote), but Option
(2) is not the best answer to the question. The best answer is
Option (1) which describes the overall effect of the five
amendments. The overall effect of these amendments was to
provide voting rights to more citizens.


2. Which statement about the five amendments appears to be
the best summary?


(1) They affirm the right of women to vote.

(2) They limit the right of U.S. citizens to vote according to
where they live.

(3) They prohibit the use of certain requirements as voting
qualifications.

(4) They prohibit some citizens from voting.

(5) They permit certain qualifications to be used in voting.


Correct Answer: 3
Difficulty Level: Difficult


The key word in question 2 is summary. This is important
to recognize, because several of the options present correct
and accurate statements, but only one presents the best
summary.

Remember that an effective summary statement must provide
the main points made by the information. In this case, the
summary statement must address all five of the amendments. Only
option (3) does this by referring to the prohibition of
"certain requirements as voting qualifications."

Item 3 refers to the following information.



3. Which statement is supported by information in the graph?


(1) Most parents are employed.

(2) Most parents are satisfied with their child-care
arrangements.

(3) A group center is the most common arrangement used by
employed parents.

(4) Most employed parents arrange for child care either in
their own home or in someone else's home.

(5) About a quarter of all employed parents use child-care
facilities at their place of work.


Correct Answer: 4
Difficulty Level: Moderately difficult


About one out of every three or four questions in the
Social Studies Test will refer to a map, figure, chart, or
graph.

This question requires you to evaluate each of the
statements to determine which one can be supported by
information in the graph. To do this, you must first understand
what information is being provided in the graph.

Finding the correct answer is then a matter of testing
each of the statements against the graph to see if it can be
supported. In questions like this one, it is most important
that you select your answer only on the basis of the
information provided, not on the basis of opinions or prior
knowledge.

In this case, the statement in option (4) is supported by
the fact that the sections of the graph that relate to the
child's own home or another home add up to 70.8%, which
accounts for most parents.


TEST THREE: SCIENCE


The GED Science Test contains multiple-choice questions
drawn from the following content areas:

* Biology

* Earth Science

* Physics

* Chemistry

All questions in the Science Test require you to use
information provided in the test question or learned through
life experience. The information may be a paragraph, or it may
be a chart, table, graph, map, or figure. In every case, to
answer the questions in the Science Test, you must understand
the information provided or use the information to solve a
problem or make a judgment.


Directions and Sample Questions for Science

Choose the one best answer to each item.

Item 1 is based on the following figure.



1. A large fiberglass tank was placed in a pit as shown in
the diagram above. Before pipes could be attached and the
tank filled with gasoline, the workers were asked to move
the tank to another location.

Which of the following suggestions would be the best way
to raise the tank off the bottom of the pit so cables
could be placed under the tank?

(1) Fill the tank with gasoline.

(2) Fill the tank with water.

(3) Fill the pit with water.

(4) Fill the pit with water and the tank with gasoline.

(5) Fill both the pit and the tank with water.


Correct Answer: 3
Difficulty Level: Easy


Typical of most questions in the Science Test, this
physics question presents a practical problem that must be
solved. To answer the question correctly, you must be able to
understand the key features of the figure and understand the
physical reaction that will result from each of the proposed
solutions.

Option (3) is the best answer because the method it
proposes is most likely to cause the tank to float off the
bottom of the pit. By filling the pit with water and leaving
the tank filled only with air, the tank becomes buoyant and is
likely to rise off the bottom of the pit so that cables can be
placed under the tank.


2. An electric current releases heat to the wire in which it
is traveling.


Which of the following electric appliances would best
illustrate an application of the above statement?

(1) mixer

(2) clock

(3) vacuum

(4) toaster

(5) fan


Correct Answer: 4
Difficulty Level: Easy


Many of the questions in the Science Test, like this one,
provide a scientific principle, followed by a question or
problem regarding its application. Only one of the appliances
named in the options--the toaster--uses heat produced by the
electric current in the wire. In this sense, the toaster best
illustrates an application of the principle. All of the
appliances named in the other options contain wires which
undoubtedly release heat, but the heat is a by-product and not
central to the intended purpose of the appliance.

Item 3 refers to the following graph.



3. According to the graph above, which of the following
colors of light is absorbed the least by a plant?


(1) red

(2) yellow

(3) green

(4) blue

(5) violet


Correct Answer: 3
Difficulty Level: Difficult


To answer this biology question correctly, you must first
read and correctly interpret the graph that is provided. First,
note that the question calls for you to identify the color
absorbed the least. Next, notice the labels that identify the
vertical and horizontal axes of the graph. You must recognize
that the label on the vertical axis, "Percentage of Light
Absorbed," is a measure of the quantity of light absorbed.
Following the line graph to its lowest point, you can see that
that point is closest to the label "green" on the horizontal
axis.


TEST FOUR: INTERPRETING LITERATURE AND THE ARTS


The GED Interpreting Literature and the Arts Test contains
multiple-choice questions drawn from three content areas:

* Popular Literature

* Classical Literature

* Commentary

The questions measure your ability to understand and
analyze what you read.

While most literature selections are drawn from American
authors, English and Canadian authors are also represented, as
are translations of important works from throughout the world.
Popular and classical literature selections include fiction,
prose nonfiction, poetry, and drama. Materials in the
Commentary section include prose excerpts about literature and
the arts.


Directions and Sample Questions for Interpreting Literature and
the Arts


Direction: Choose the one best answer to each item.

Items 1 to 3 refer to the following excerpt from an essay.


WHAT WAS THE AMERICAN SMALL TOWN LIKE?


I'm glad I was born soon enough to have seen the American
small town, if not at its height, at least in the early days of
decline into its present forlorn status as a conduit for cars
and people, all headed for some Big City over the horizon. The
small town was not always a stultifying trap for bright young
people to escape from; in the years before wartime travel
("How're you gonna keep'em down on the farm/After they've seen
Paree?") and the scorn of the Menckens and Sinclair Lewises
made the cities a magnet for farm boys and girls, the town of
five to twenty thousand was a selfsufficient little city-state
of its own.

The main street of those Midwestern towns I remember from
the thirties varied little from one place to another: there
were always a number of brick Victorian buildings, labeled
"Richard's Block" or "Denman Block," which housed, downstairs,
the chief emporia of the town--the stores which made it a shire
town for the surrounding farmlands. Each of these stores was
run according to a very exact idea of the rules of its
particular game. A hardware store, for instance, had to be
densely hung inside with edged tools--scythes, sickles,
saws--of all descriptions. It had to smell of oil, like metal,
and often like the sacks of fertilizer stacked in the back
room. It had to have unstained wood floors, sometimes sprinkled
with sawdust, and high cabinets of small drawers containing
bolts, screws, nails, and small plumbing accessories. It had to
be owned and run by a middle-aged man in a blue apron, assisted
by one up-and-coming young man and one part-time boy in his
middle teens. It had to sell for cash on the barrelhead, and it
did.

The drugstore was a horse of a different color (and
order), but it was circumscribed by equally strict rules. Here
you would ask the white-coated and (often rimless-spectacles)
druggist for aspirin or Four-Way Cold Tablets or Bromo-Seltzer,
or perhaps for paramedical advice, which he was glad to give....

These towns are by and large gone in 1974, their old
stores shut up with dusty windows, or combined, two or three at
a time, to make a superette, a W.T. Grant store, or a
sub-and-pizza parlor. The business has moved to the big
shopping center on the Interstate or on to the city over the
horizon, and the depopulated old towns drift along toward
oblivion, centers of nothing in the middle of nowhere.

From "Int'l Jet Set Hits Watkins Glen" by L.E. Sissman in
Selections From 119 Years of the Atlantic. Copyright
* 1974. Used by permission.


1. According to the essay, what is the major reason for the
decline of the American small town?


(1) Cars made people more mobile.

(2) Lack of variation from one town to another drove people
away.

(3) Big cities drew people away from the towns.

(4) Their main streets were all the same.

(5) Writers criticized small town life.


Correct Answer: 3
Difficulty Level: Easy


Many of the questions on the Interpreting Literature and
the Arts Test are like this one: they require you show that you
understand an important idea contained in the selection. The
idea may or may not be directly stated in the selection.

The information needed to answer this question is
contained mainly in the first paragraph of the selection, where
the author comments briefly on what drew people away from the
small towns. It is here in the first paragraph that the author
refers to the way the cities lured people away from the small
towns.

As stated in option (3), big cities drew people away from
the towns for many reasons; the way small towns were referred
to in writings of the time was only one of the reasons. Option
(3) is the best answer because only this answer offers the
major reason.


2. How does the author feel about the American small town?


(1) angry

(2) nostalgic

(3) spiteful

(4) embarrassed

(5) relieved


Correct Answer: 2
Difficulty Level: Moderately difficult


The writer's attitude toward the subject, or the way he or
she feels about it, is another area about which questions are
asked in the Interpreting Literature and the Arts Test. Rarely
does an author directly state his or her feelings about this
subject. Instead, you must detect or infer those feelings from
the way the author writes about the subject. Answering
questions like this one requires an understanding of the total
selection.

The writer's attitude comes through clearly throughout the
selection. In stating that he was happy to have seen the small
town "at its height," the author is making clear his positive
attitude toward the subject. In addition, the use of the term
"forlorn" in the first sentence suggests a sadness regarding
something wonderful that has passed by. Only option (2),
nostalgic, expresses this attitude towards the subject.


3. Given the descriptions of the small town stores, the
author would most likely view modern shopping malls as
places


(1) catering to small town people

(2) taking over the role of small farm stores

(3) lacking the friendliness of small town stores

(4) providing variety and sophistication to small town clients

(5) carrying on the tradition of small town stores


Correct Answer: 3
Difficulty Level: Difficult


Several questions in the Interpreting Literature and the
Arts Test ask you to use your understanding of the reading
selection to predict how the author or a character will act in
a different situation. The detailed descriptions of small town
stores provided in the second and third paragraphs of the
selection emphasize their neighborliness and emphasis on
personal service. Since the author views the decline of the
small town as a source of regret, it is most likely that he
would view modern shopping malls as places that lack the
features that characterize small town stores. Option (3)
expresses this idea best.


TEST FIVE: MATHEMATICS


The GED Mathematics Test measures the ability to
solve--or find the best method to solve--mathematics problems
typical of those studied in high school mathematics courses.
Subject matter for the GED Mathematics Test questions is drawn
from three areas:

* Arithmetic

measurement
numeration
data analysis

* Algebra

* Geometry


Directions and Sample Questions for Mathematics


Choose the one best answer to each item.


1. If 10% of a town's population of 10,000 people moved away,
how many people remained in the town?


(1) 100

(2) 900

(3) 1000

(4) 9000

(5) 9900


Correct Answer:. 4
Difficulty Level: Moderately Difficult


This is an example of a question involving computations
with percentages. Like most of the questions in the Mathematics
Test, solving the problem involves more than one step.

Here is one method you could use to solve this problem.
First, you must compute 10% of 10,000. You can probably do this
mentally; if not, you could divide 10,000 by 10 or multiply
10,000 by. 10.

Now you know that 1000 people moved, but notice that the
question asks for the number that remained in the town. So, you
must subtract 1000 from the total population of 10,000 to find
the correct answer of 9000 (option 4).

Item 2 is based on the following graph.



2. The figure above shows how the tax dollar was spent in a
given year. According to the figure, what percent of the
tax dollar was left after direct payment to individuals
and national defense expenses?


(1) 3%

(2) 11%

(3) 33%

(4) 67%

(5) 114%


Correct Answer: 3
Difficulty Level: Easy


About one-third of the questions in the Mathematics Test
will refer to charts, tables, or graphic materials like this
one. This question requires, first, that you understand the
information presented in the pie graph and recognize that the
five categories of spending described in the graph equal 100%.
Next, the phrase "was left" in the question should indicate to
you that the problem requires subtraction. The sum of the 42%
indicated as "Direct Benefit Payments to Individuals" and the
25% indicated as "National Defense," is 67%. Subtracting 67%
from 100% yields a result of 33%. Thus, option (3) is the
correct answer.


3. A part-time job pays $6.75 per hour. Which of the
following expressions best represents an employee's total
earnings if the employee works 2 hours on Monday, 3 hours
on Tuesday, 4 hours on Wednesday, 5 hours on Thursday, and
6 hours on Friday?


(1) 2+3+4+5+6

(2) 10 + 6.75

(3) 10(6.75)

(4) 20 + 6.75

(5) 20(6.75)


Correct Answer: 5
Difficulty Level: Easy


Some questions in the Mathematics Test, like this one, do
not ask for a numerical solution to the problem. Instead, they
ask you to select the best method for setting up the problem to
arrive at a correct solution.

The first step here is to identify exactly what answer is
required. In this case, it is the underlined phrase total
earnings. Next, you must understand that total earnings will be
the product (multiplication) of the hourly rate of $6.75 times
the number of hours worked.

Understanding how total earnings is computed Will make
clear to you that the solution to the problem must include the
number 6.75 multiplied by some other number. The other number
is the sum of 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 (the number of hours worked),
or 20. So, option (5) is the correct answer.

Options (1), (2), and (4) do not indicate multiplication
as a function, while option (3) uses an incorrect number of
hours as a multiplier of the hourly rate.


HOW ARE GED SCORES REPORTED?


Separate scores are reported for each of the five GED
Tests. GED Test results are reported on a standard score scale
ranging from 20 (lowest possible score) to 80 (highest possible
score). Your score on the GED Tests is not the number of
correct answers or the percent correct. The Writing Skills Test
score is a statistical combination of the number of questions
answered correctly on the multiple-choice section with the
score on the essay section (see "How the Essay Section Is
Scored" on page 6). The score for all other tests in the GED
battery is based only on the number of multiple-choice
questions answered correctly.


WHAT SCORE DO I NEED TO PASS?


Passing scores for the GED Tests are established by the
states, provinces, and territories that administer the GED
Testing Program. In general, if you answer 60 percent of the
questions correctly on each test, you will earn a passing
score. Your local GED Testing Center or adult education program
can tell you what the minimum required standard scores are for
your area. Most current requirements are set so that GED
examinees must earn scores higher than those of about 30
percent of today's high school graduates to earn a GED Diploma.

Though the score requirements vary from one jurisdiction
to another, most requirements are stated in terms of a minimum
score for each test and/or a minimum average score for all five
tests. For example, a common passing standard score required in
any state, province, or territory is 35 on any one test and an
average of 45 on all five tests. If this were the score
requirement in your area, you would need to achieve a standard
score of at least 35 on each of the five tests and a total of
at least 225 for all five tests to achieve an average of 45.


HOW SHOULD I INTERPRET MY SCORES?


Your GED Test score is an estimate of your knowledge and
skills in the areas tested as compared to the knowledge and
skills of recent high school graduates. As with any test, the
scores are not intended to be a complete and perfect measure of
all you know and can do. Rather, the GED Tests provide an
estimate of your educational achievements, as compared to those
of high school graduates. In fact, if you take a different form
of the test covering the same content areas with slightly
different questions, it is likely that your score will be
slightly different.

If you take the GED Tests and do not achieve the minimum
passing score required by your state, province, or territory,
contact your local adult education center for assistance in
interpreting your scores so that you can improve your
performance in the future.

If you are taking the GED Tests for college or university
admission, check with the institution you plan to attend to
find out the minimum scores required for admission.


WHAT CAN I DO BEFORE TAKING THE TESTS?


Familiarize yourself with the content of the tests. You
can do this in two ways. First, review the content descriptions
and sample test questions in this Bulletin. The questions
included here are typical of the type and difficulty of
questions you will find in the actual GED Tests. Second, take
the Official GED Practice Tests, either through your local
adult education program or by yourself. When you take the
Practice Tests, be sure to follow the time limits given in the
directions. In this way, you will be able to get an accurate
sense of what taking the actual GED Tests will be like, what
the questions will look like, and how much time you'll have to
work on the questions. While working on the Official GED
Practice Tests, try out some of the strategies suggested in
this Bulletin.

* Spend time reading newspapers and news magazines. Many of
the articles in these publications are similar to those
used in the GED Tests.

* Don't worry too much. A little test anxiety is normal and
may be a good thing, because it makes you more alert and
motivates you to do your best. To keep anxiety from
getting out of hand:

-- Become familiar with the content of the tests.

-- Prepare for the tests as fully as you can. When you have
done all you can, relax; if you have prepared well, you
will do well.

-- Remember that there are no "trick" questions on the
tests so you don't have to worry about being "fooled" by
the questions.

-- Remember that you don't have to answer every question
correctly to pass.

* Come to the testing session physically and mentally alert.
The GED Tests are designed to measure skills acquired over
a long period of time. "Cramming" the night before will
probably not help.


WHAT CAN I DO WHILE TAKING THE TESTS?


Try using some of the following strategies to help you do
your best while you are taking the GED Tests.


Test-Taking Strategies


* Answer every question. Scores are based only on the number
of questions answered correctly; there is no penalty for
guessing.

* Read the test directions carefully for each section of the
test.

* Be sure you know what the question asks for before
selecting an answer. Pay particular attention to any
portions of the question that may be underlined or printed
in capital letters.

* Briefly scan the text or figure that accompanies the
question; then read the questions and options to see what
information you will need. Next, return to the text or
figure for a more careful reading.

* Draw figures or charts--or list key facts--on scratch
paper.

* Use your time wisely. Budget your time so that you are
able to finish the test within the time permitted. Skip
difficult questions and return to them near the end of the
testing period.

* Remember that you are looking for the one best answer.

* For the Essay Section of the Writing Skills Test:

-- Organize your essay as a direct answer to the topic
assigned. Your essay should state your answer and then
explain why you answered the way you did.

-- Be sure your explanation supports your answer. For
example, if you were writing on the topic on page 6 in
this Bulletin and your essay included the statement that
too much television is bad for children, you should
provide reasons and examples that show how television
harms children.

-- Use details and examples that show the reader what, why,
and how. The more convincing your essay is, the more
effective it is. Whatever the specific subject of the
essay question may be, think of your essay as an attempt
to convince the reader of the correctness of your
answer.

* For the Mathematics Test:

-- Look over the answer choices before beginning to figure
out the answer. See how exact you need to be. For
example, instead of an answer carried to three decimal
places, the options may simply present whole numbers.
This will save you time in arriving at a solution.

-- Check your answer to see if it "makes sense" in the
context of the problem. For example, if your computation
indicates that a one-pound bag of carrots will cost $25,
you should recognize that you've made an error because
the figure of $25 for a bag of carrots does not make
sense.

-- Use the formulas page provided in the front of the
Mathematics Test. You will need to determine which, if
any, of the formulas to use to solve a problem, but you
do not have to memorize the formulas.

-- Use your personal experience to help solve the problems.
The settings used for the problems in the Mathematics
Test are usually realistic. For example, in a problem
that requires you to compute weekly earnings, ask
yourself, "how would I figure my weekly earnings?"


WHERE TO CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION


UNITED STATES


Alabama
(800) 392-8086 or (205) 242-8182

Alaska
(907) 465-4685

Arizona
(800) 352-4558

Arkansas
(501) 682-1978

California
(916) 657-3346

Colorado
(303) 866-6613 [testing]
(303) 894-0555 [classes-in Denver]
(800) 367-5555 [classes-outside Denver]

Connecticut
(203) 638-4027

Delaware
(800) 464-4357

District of Columbia
(202) 576-6308

Florida
(800) 237-5113 or (904) 487-1619

Georgia
(800) 433-4288
(404) 656-6632 [testing]
(404) 651-6450 [classes]

Hawaii
(808) 395-9451

Idaho
(208) 334-2165 [testing]
(208) 385-3681 [classes]

Illinois
(800) 321-951

Indiana
(800) 624-7585 or (317) 232-0522

Iowa
(515) 281-3636

Kansas
(913) 296-3192

Kentucky
(800) 228-3382 or (502) 564-5117

Louisiana
(504) 342-3510

Maine
(800) 322-5455

Maryland
(410) 333-2280

Massachusetts
(800) 447-8844

Michigan
(517) 373-8439

Minnesota
(800) 222-1990 or (612) 645-3723

Mississippi
(601) 982-6338 or (601) 359-3464

Missouri
(314) 751-3504 [testing]
(800) 521-7323 [classes]

Montana
(406) 444-4438 [testing]
(406) 444-4443 [classes]

Nebraska
(402) 471-2475 [testing]
(402) 471-4830 [classes]

Nevada
(702) 687-3133

New Hampshire
(603) 271-2249 [testing]
(603) 271-2247 [classes]

New Jersey
(609) 777-1050 [testing]
(609) 777-0577, ext. 5 [classes]

New Mexico
(505) 827-6616 [testing]
(505) 827-6675 [classes]

New York
(518) 474-5906 [testing]
(212) 267-6000 [classes-five boroughs of New York City ONLY]
(800) 331-0931 (classes-outside of New York City)

North Carolina
(919) 733-7051, ext. 302

North Dakota
(800) 544-8898 or (701) 224-2393

Ohio
(800) 334-6679

Oklahoma
(405) 521-3321

Oregon
(503) 378-4325 or (503) 378-8585

Pennsylvania
(717) 787-6747 [testing]
(717) 787-5532 [classes]

Rhode Island
(800) 443-1771

South Carolina
(803) 734-8347 or
(800) 922-1109

South Dakota
(605) 773-4463

Tennessee
(800) 531-1515 or (615) 741-7054

Texas
(512) 463-9292 [testing]
(512) 463-9447 [classes]

Utah
(800) 451-9500 or (801) 538-7726

Vermont
(800) 322-4004 or (802) 828-3131

Virginia
(800) 237-0178

Washington
(206) 753-6748

West Virginia
(800) 642-2670 or (304) 558-6315

Wisconsin
(608) 267-9448 [testing]
(608) 266-3497 [classes]

Wyoming
(307) 777-6220 [testing]
(307) 777-6228 [classes]


CANADA


Alberta
(403) 427-0010

British Columbia
(604) 356-7269

Manitoba
(800) 465-9915

New Brunswick
(506) 453-8251 [English]
(506) 453-8238 [French]

Newfoundland (709) 729-2405

Northwest Territories
(403) 920-6218 [testing]
(403) 920-3030 [classes]

Nova Scotia
(902) 424-5805

Prince Edward Island
(902) 368-4693 [testing]
(902) 566-9500 [classes]

Saskatchewan
(306) 787-5597

Yukon
(403) 668-8740


U.S. TERRITORIES and OTHERS


American Samoa
(684) 633-5772 [testing]
(684) 699-9155 [classes]

Guam
(671) 734-4311, ext. 419

Mariana Islands
(670) 234-5224

Marshall Islands
(692) 625-3862

Micronesia
(691) 320-2647

Panama
(507) 52-3107

Puerto Rico
(809) 754-7660

Virgin Islands
(809) 774-0100, ext. 3060-St. Thomas
(809) 773-5488-St. Croix


Take the Official GED Practice Tests at Home!


Now you can take the Official GED Practice Tests at home.
The self-scoring answer sheet will help you decide if you are
ready for the GED Tests or if you need to review certain
subjects.

To order the Official GED Practice Tests developed by the
American Council on Education, send this order form with a
check or money order to:

The Learning Line
P.O. Box 81826
Lincoln, NE 68501 - 1826

* Please send me the Official GED Practice Test form CC
(U.S. edition)--$10.00.

* Please send me the Official GED Practice Test form AA
(Canadian edition)--$11.00 U.S. Dollars.

* Please send me the Official GED Practice Test form AA
(Spanish-language edition)--$ 11.00.


To order, please complete this information:


Name _______________________________________________________

Address/Apt. # _____________________________________________

City, State or Province/Zip or Postal code__________________

Enclosed is my check or money order for $______ or charge my
Visa or Mastercard

Credit Card # ______________________________________________

Expires _____/_____

Exact Name on Card _________________________________________