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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 _________________________________________



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