The GED for Dummies® Book

	Introduction	1
	About This Book	1
	Foolish Assumptions	1
	How This Book Is Organized	2
	Icons Used in This Book	3
	Where to Go from Here	3
Part I	Putting the GED into Perspective	5
Chapter 1	Taking a Quick Glance at the GED	7
	Reviewing the Test Sections	7
	Language Arts, Writing	7
	Social Studies	10
	Science	11
	Language Arts, Reading	12
	Mathematics, Parts I and II	14
	It's a Date: Scheduling the Test	16
	Knowing when you can take the tests	16
	Discovering whether you're eligible	16
	Signing up	17
	Working with unusual circumstances	17
	Taking the test when English is your second language	18
	Knowing How Scores Are Determined	18
	Scoring well	18
	Knowing what to do if you score poorly on one or more tests	18
Chapter 2	Succeeding on the GED	19
	Finding Out What to Take to the GED Tests	19
	Knowing What to Expect When You Get There	20
	Discovering General Test-Taking Strategies	20
	Watching the clock	20
	Guess for success: Using intelligent guessing strategies	21
	Leaving time for review	22
	Reviewing a Few Rules of the Road	22
Part II	Reviewing the Five GED Tests	25
Chapter 3	The Write Stuff: The Language Arts, Writing Test, Parts I and II	27
	Passing Part I	270
	Preparing for Part I	27
	Understanding the Part I test format	28
	Testing your skills for Part I	29
	Reviewing a few rules of the road for Part I	30
	Passing Part II	30
	Preparing for Part II	30
	Understanding the Part II test format	31
	Watching the clock	32
	Testing your writing skills	34
	Reviewing a few rules of the road for Part II	35
Chapter 4	A Graph, a Map, and You: The Social Studies Test	37
	Understanding the Test Format	37
	Preparing for This Test	39
	Working with text passages	39
	Working the visual materials	39
	Looking at Sample Problems	42
	Reviewing a Few Rules of the Road	43
Chapter 5	From Aardvarks to Atoms: The Science Test	45
	Understanding the Test Format	45
	Types of questions	45
	Questions about passages	460
	Questions about tables	46
	Questions about graphs	47
	Questions about diagrams	48
	Questions about maps	48
	Testing Your Ability to Synthesize Science Information	49
	Preparing for This Test	50
	Looking at Sample Problems	50
	Reviewing a Few Rules of the Road	52
Chapter 6	Reading Between the Lines: The Language Arts, Reading Test	53
	Understanding the Test Format	53
	Literary passages	54
	Non-fiction passages	54
	Preparing for This Test	55
	Looking at Sample Problems	56
	Reviewing a Few Rules of the Road	58
Chapter 7	Safety in Numbers: The Mathematics Test, Parts I and II	59
	Understanding the Test Format	59
	Multiple-choice questions	59
	Alternate-format questions	60
	Questions with a calculator	61
	Questions without a calculator	62
	Testing Your Math Skills	63
	Measurement	63
	Number relations	64
	Data analysis	64
	Algebra	65
	Geometry	66
	Preparing for This Test	66
	Reviewing a Few Rules of the Road	67
Part III	A Set of Full-Length Practice Tests	69
Chapter 8	The Language Arts, Writing Test: Parts I and II	71
	Language Arts, Writing, Part I	71
	Language Arts, Writing, Part II	89
Chapter 9	Answers and Explanations for the Language Arts, Writing Tests	93
	Answer Key (for Part I)	93
	Analysis of the Answers for Part I	94
	Sample Essay (for Part II)	97
	Tips and Ideas for Mastering Part II	98
Chapter 10	The Social Studies Test	99
Chapter 11	Answers and Explanations for the Social Studies Test	113
	Answer Key	113
	Analysis of the Answers	114
Chapter 12	The Science Test	117
Chapter 13	Answers and Explanations for the Science Test	137
	Answer Key	137
	Analysis of the Answers	138
Chapter 14	The Language Arts, Reading Test	141
Chapter 15	Answers and Explanations for the Language Arts, Reading Test	157
	Answer Key	157
	Analysis of the Answers	158
Chapter 16	The Mathematics Test: Parts I and II	161
	The Mathematics Test, Part I	161
	The Mathematics Test, Part II	173
Chapter 17	Answers and Explanations for the Mathematics Tests	185
	Answer Key (for Part I)	185
	Analysis of the Answers for Part I	186
	Answer Key (for Part II)	191
	Analysis of the Answers for Part II	192
Part IV	Once More, with Feeling: Another Set of Full-Length Practice Tests	195
Chapter 18	Language Arts, Writing Tests: Parts I and II	197
	Language Arts, Writing, Part I	197
	Language Arts, Writing, Part II	211
Chapter 19	Answers and Explanations for the Language Arts, Writing Tests	215
	Answer Key (for Part I)	215
	Analysis of the Answers for Part I	216
	Sample Essays (for Part II)	219
	Tips and Ideas for Mastering Part II	220
Chapter 20	The Social Studies Test	221
Chapter 21	Answers and Explanations for the Social Studies Test	237
	Answer Key	237
	Analysis of the Answers	238
Chapter 22	The Science Test	241
Chapter 23	Answers and Explanations for the Science Test	265
	Answer Key	265
	Analysis of the Answers	266
Chapter 24	The Language Arts, Reading Test	269
Chapter 25	Answers and Explanations for the Language Arts, Reading Test	283
	Answer Key	283
	Analysis of the Answers	284
Chapter 26	The Mathematics Test: Parts I and II	287
	The Mathematics Test, Part I	287
	The Mathematics Test, Part II	297
Chapter 27	Answers and Explanations for the Mathematics Tests	309
	Answer Key (for Part I)	309
	Analysis of the Answers for Part I	310
	Answer Key (for Part II)	313
	Analysis of the Answers for Part II	314
Part V	The Part of Tens	317
Chapter 28	Ten Ways to Improve Your GED Test Scores	319
	Studying Subject-Matter Books	319
	Enrolling in a Preparation Class	321
	Scheduling Time to Study	322
	Preparing for the Test in Your Mind	322
	Getting Good Rest the Week Before Your Test(s)	322
	Wearing Comfortable Clothes	322
	Making Sure You Have the Proper Identification	323
	Practicing Your Route from Home to the Test Site	323
	Arriving Early	323
	Starting with Easy Questions	323
	Using Relaxation Techniques	324
Chapter 29	Ten Ways to Avoid Messing Up Your GED Tests	325
	Selecting a Test Date During a Busy Time in Your Life	325
	Not Preparing	325
	Worrying about Everything and Anything	325
	Being Late for the Tests	326
	Talking to Strangers on Your Way into the Tests	326
	Letting Your Mind Wander	326
	Looking at your Neighbor's Answer Sheet	326
	Considering Yourself a Failure if You Don't Pass the Tests the First Time	326
Chapter 30	Ten Misguided Rumors about the GED	327
Rumor #1	The GED Tests Are Only for Other People--Not for You	327
Rumor #2	It's Expensive to Take the GED Tests	327
Rumor #3	If You're Not Almost Finished with High School, You Shouldn't Try to Take the Tests	328
Rumor #4	The GED Tests Measure Intelligence	328
Rumor #5	You Can't Study for the GED Tests	328
Rumor #6	You Have to Answer All the Questions to Pass	328
Rumor #7	You Shouldn't Guess at Answers	329
Rumor #8	You Can't Get Into College with a GED	329
Rumor #9	Nobody Important Ever Took the GED	329
Chapter 31	Ten Ways to Use Your GED After You Pass the Tests	331
	A Diploma Helps You Get a Job	331
	A Diploma Helps You Get a Promotion	331
	A Diploma Shows Former Teachers and Classmates That You Can Achieve	331
	A Diploma Becomes an Important Part of Your College Portfolio	332
	A Diploma Proves You're Ready for Further Education	332
	A Diploma Sets an Example for Your Kids	332
	A Diploma Looks Good on Your Wall	333
	A Diploma Makes You Part of a Select Group	333
Appendix	GED Testing Centers	335
	GED State Testing Centers	335
	U.S. Territories and Other Jurisdictions	341
	U.S. Military	342
	Correctional Facilities	342
	Index	343