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P r a c t i c e Te s t s • Reasoning Through Language Arts • Mathematical Reasoning • Science • Social Studies

40 questions Entire Language Arts test is 150 minutes with a 10-minute break. REASONING THROUGH LANGUAGE ARTS Reading Section

5 Practice Test Read the following excerpt from Thomas de Quincey’s essay, “The Vision of Sudden Death.” What is to be thought of sudden death? It is remarkable that, in different conditions of society it has been variously regarded as the consummation of an earthly career most ferventl\�y to be desired, and, on the other hand, as that consummation which is most of all to be deprecated. Caesar the Dictator, at his last dinner party, (cœna,) and the very evening before his assassina- tion, being questioned as to the mode of death which, in his opinion, might seem the most eligible, replied — “That which should be most sudden.” On the other hand, the divine Litany of our English Church, when breathing forth supplications, as if in some representative character for the whole human race prostrate before God, places such a death in the very van of horrors. “From lightning and tempest; from plague, pestilence, and famine; from battle and murder, and from sudden death, — Good Lord, deliver us.” Sudden death is here made to crown the climax in a grand ascent of calamities; it is the last of curses; and yet, by the noblest of Romans, it was treated as the first of blessings. (In that difference, most readers will see little more than the difference between Christianity and Paganism. But there I hesitate. The Christian church may be right in its estimate of sudden death; and it is a natural feeling, though after all it may also be an infirm one, to wish for a quiet dismissal from life — as that which seems most reconcilable with meditation, with penitential retrospects, and with the humilities of farewell prayer. There does not, however, occur to me any direct scriptural warrant for this earnest petition of the English Litany. It seems rather a petition indulged to human infirmity, than exacted from human piety. And, however that may be, two remarks suggest themselves as prudent restraints upon a doctrine, which else may wander, and has wandered, into an uncharitable superstition. The first is this: that many people are likely to exaggerate the horror of a sudden death, (I mean the objec- tive horror to him who contemplates such a death, not the subjective horror to him who suffers it,) from the false disposition to lay a stress upon words or acts, simply because by an accident they have become words or acts. If a man dies, for instance, by some sudden death when he happens to be intoxicated, such a death is falsely regarded with peculiar horror; as though the intoxication were suddenly exalted into a blasphemy. But that is unphilosophic. The man was, or he was not, habitually a drunkard. If not, if his intoxication were a solitary accident, there can be no reason at all for allowing special emphasis to this act, simply because through misfortune it became his final act. Nor, on the other hand, if it were no accident, but one of his habitual transgressions, will it be the more habitual or the more a transgression, because some sudden calamity, surprising him, has caused this habitual transgression to be also a final one? Could \�the man have had any reason even dimly to foresee his own sudden death, there would have been a new feature in his act of intemperance — a feature of presumption and irreverence, as in one that by possibility felt himself drawing near to the presence of God. But this is no part of the case supposed. And the only new element in the man’s act is not any element of extra immorality, but simply of extra misfortune. 1. What is the main idea in this text? A. Death, of any method, is horrible. B. Slow death is preferable to sudden death. C. The positive or negative qualities of sudden death are debatable. D. Sudden death is preferable to slow death.

6 Reasoning Through Language Arts 2. What can you infer about the relationships presented in this text? A. Religion and philosophy agree about the preferential nature of sudden death. B. There is a conflicting viewpoint about death from philosophy and religion. C. Alcohol and death are matters that seem to go hand in hand. D. A pious life determines whether a person will die suddenly or slowly. 3. What is the meaning of the word prostrate ? A. Vertically positioned B. In arms against C. Angrily opposing D. At the mercy of 4. What role does the sentence “What is to be thought of sudden death?” play in the development of the purpose of this text? A. It forces the reader to question this for themselves. B. It lays the premise for the rest of the paragraph’s development of the scope of this idea. C. It lays out the author’s direction of his opinion that sudden death is preferable. D. It implores a more knowledgeable person to answer the question. 5. Which claim is NOT supported by reason? A. “Sudden death is here made to crown the climax in a grand ascent of calami- ties; it is the last of curses; and yet, by the noblest of Romans, it was treated as the first of blessings.” B. “There does not, however, occur to me any direct scriptural warrant for this earnest petition of the English Litany.” C. “The first is this: that many people are likely to exaggerate the horror of a sudden death, (I mean the objective horror to him who contemplates such a death, not the subjective horror to him who suffers it,) from the false disposi- tion to lay a stress upon words or acts, simply because by an accident they have become words or acts.” D. “If a man dies, for instance, by some sudden death when he happens to be intoxicated, such a death is falsely regarded with peculiar horror; as though the intoxication were suddenly exalted into a blasphemy.”

7 Practice Test 6. Which sentence best supports the main idea of this passage? A. “It is remarkable that, in different conditions of society it has been variously regarded as the consummation of an earthly career most fervently to be desired, and, on the other hand, as that consummation which is most of all to be deprecated.” B. “. . . being questioned as to the mode of death which, in his opinion, might \� seem the most eligible, replied — “That which should be most sudden.” C. “From lightning and tempest; from plague, pestilence, and famine; from battle and murder, and from sudden death, — Good Lord, deliver us.” D. “And the only new element in the man’s act is not any element of extra immo- rality, but simply of extra misfortune.” 7. How would the tone of the sentence, “It seems rather a petition indulged to human infirmity, than exacted from human piety.” differ if the word “infirmity” were to be replaced with the word “suffering”? A. By replacing “infirmity” with the weaker word “suffering,” the tone would seem more in favor of the English Litany’s position. B. By replacing “infirmity” with the stronger word “suffering,” the tone would seem more in favor of the English Litany’s position. C. By replacing “infirmity” with the stronger word “suffering,” the tone would seem more condemnation for the English Litany’s position. D. There would be no change in tone. Consider the following two ar ticles, “As Food Impor ts Rise, So Do Safety Concerns” and “Two Concerns Addressed with One Stone” to answer the following questions. As Food Impor ts Rise, So Do Safety Concerns From New Zealand lamb to Mexican papaya and Colombian coffee, your local grocery store pro - vides a truly international experience. And while plantains, eddoes and avocados expand culinary horizons, importing these foods raises legitimate safety concerns. Americans rely heavily on imported food — the U.S. now imports nearly 85 percent of its fish consumption, and fruit and vegetable imports have doubled since 1998. Even products made in the United States may contain foreign products, such as Chinese wheat gluten or Mexican green onions. And while many countries enforce safety standards equal to those used in\� the U.S., newly industrialized or industrializing nations may not have the resources or \�infrastructure to meet safety and quality benchmarks.

8 Reasoning Through Language Arts Unfortunately, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cannot pick up the slack. The FDA reports that, due to its own lack of resources, 99 percent of the imports that enter the U.S. are not inspected. Experts agree that prevention, not inspection, will best ensure food safety. One life sciences company, Global Food Technologies, Inc., has developed an organic processing method that ensures that foods do not become contaminated during processing or packa\�ging. By destroy- ing the microbes in the food without harmful chemicals, the company achieves higher safety standards than the minimum required by law. The processing method, designated by the iPura brand name, is currently being used to produce seafood in several overseas nations. Any product bearing the iPura label is guaranteed to be a result of its comprehensiv\�e Source-to-Retail food safety program. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 325,0\�00 Americans are hos- pitalized and 5,000 die annually from foodborne illnesses. A food company that does not adhere to food safety practices will eventually be driven out of business, a fact that tends to encourage good practices and results in a relatively safe food supply. Yet, reports of new outbreaks continu- ally surface, indicating that more work must be done to safeguard the food supply. Two Concerns Addressed with One Stone A global recession has a wearied public in its grip as consumers tighten\� their belts. Policymakers are engaging in a fierce battle for short-term and long-term solutions\� while ordinary Americans go about their daily lives with hopes that the situation won’t get an\�y worse. Nearly one trillion dollars has been injected into the faltering system, but immediate success has yet to materialize. Fears about the sagging pocketbook are coupled with feelings of insecurity about the safety and quality of products being imported from overseas, especially the food being imported into the U.S. at an unprecedented rate. Americans currently import over 80 percent of seafood meals consumed, while statistics indicate that seafood is the leading cause of foodborne illnesses. With the FDA able to inspect less than one percent of the shipments into U.S. ports, consumers have expressed deep concern about the safety of their families\�. A California-based life sciences company, Global Food Technologies (GFT), is primed to take advantage of the current economic situation by offering its first product\� into the market, iPura. The first of its kind, iPura is a food-safety company with a unique approach combining techno- logical hardware and methods with trained technicians to ensure that the very highest standards have been implemented in the delivery of seafood imported from overseas. Including an organic “clean step” that reduces disease-causing pathogens, iPura escorts the product from foreign-based factories to the U.S.-held fork with a seal of authenticity that includes temperature monitoring, traceability, and full transparency for the consumer.

9 Practice Test “iPura instills confidence in foreign-sourced seafood by giving con\�sumers the peace of mind they deserve,” says President of GFT Keith Meeks. With the wild volatility of most sectors on Wall Street, household goods and staples have not fallen as much as the others, reflective of the trend for consumers to take care of essentials before discretionary purchases such as electronic goods and new automobi\�les. As food safety has become a major concern for food company executives, with 84 percent in a recent survey stating that food safety is their main priority, iPura offers investors a chance to profit in a time of uncertainty and economic downturn by meeting market demand. 8. What thematic idea do these two articles share? A. Foods imported from other countries can be dangerous to Americans’ health. B. The economic crisis has caused Americans to import more foods. C. Imported foods make up the vast majority of our diet. D. Americans cannot produce their own foods fast enough to make enough pro- duce to feed themselves without relying on imports. 9. Short Answer: Both articles use the same facts, but the statistic presented is different. What are the possible reasons for this and what effect does it have? 10. What is one point about which the authors would disagree? A. Imports are responsible for our failing economy. B. Imports have a role in many of our health problems. C. The biggest factor dealing with imported foods is the economy. D. America should do more to increase its own food production.

10 Reasoning Through Language Arts 11. How does the impact of these two pieces differ? A. The first article encourages readers to buy organic foods, while the second article urges readers to consider more healthfully treated foods. B. The first article broadens the scope of imports to many kinds of foods, whereas the second article simply deals with seafood. C. The first article urges Americans to be more health conscious, while the second encourages us to be more fiscally conservative. D. The first article informs readers of the potential impacts of imported food on our health, and the second encourages readers to seek other solutions. 12. How is the idea of iPura differently emphasized in these two articles? A. The first article uses it as a scare tactic, while the second article examines the role it can play in ensuring American safety. B. The first article discusses iPura as a business model, while the second discusses its beneficial qualities as a scientific endeavor. C. The first article mentions it as a new method to ensure safety, and the second article furthers this by using it as a vehicle for helping our failing economy. D. The first article examines it as a business model, and the second article uses it to emphasize the dangers of imported foods. 13. What is the purpose of the first article? A. To warn Americans about the potential hazardous impacts of imported foods. B. To discuss the beneficial qualities of the company iPura. C. To encourage Americans to grow their own food. D. To criticize the FDA for not inspecting our imports. 14. What is the purpose of the second article? A. To applaud iPura for its revolutionary business model. B. To comment on the impacts a failing economy can have on America’s con- sumer habits. C. To inform Americans about alternatives to imported foods. D. To warn Americans about the harmful effects of imported foods.

11 Practice Test 15. What is something these two authors would agree about? A. A struggling economy creates innovative companies. B. Reliance on imported foods should be diminished. C. Health care should be the number one priority when dealing with imported foods. D. Failing health creates innovative companies. Read the following ar ticle, “What Ever y Woman Should Know About Long-Term Care” to answer the questions. With women generally outliving men, planning for long-term care becomes more urgent for them in their pre-retirement years. After all, while longevity definitely has its upside — including more time to enjoy travel and family — there’s no denying its biggest potential downside: the increased risk of health problems that can make caring for oneself difficult. Today, seven in 10 nursing home residents are women. They also represent a whopping 76 percent of assisted living residents, according to the latest statistics, and two-thirds of all home-care recipients. And that care isn’t necessarily what many would consider “affordable” — unless you’re perhaps lucky enough to have the opportunity to enroll in the likes of the Federal Long Term Care Insur - ance Program (FLTCIP). “Like other forms of health care, long-term care is expensive, and costs continually increase,” says Paul Forte, CEO of Long Term Care Partners, which administers the FLTCIP. The program is specifically designed to help current and retired federal employees sa\�feguard their retirement income and savings while maintaining their independence and avoiding rel\�iance on their children. How Will You Pay for Care? The most recent John Hancock Cost of Care Study puts the national average\� cost of a licensed home health aide at $20 per hour, with private and semiprivate nursing home rooms going for $235 and $207, respectively, a day. Those costs aren’t generally covered by health plans such as Medicare, the Defense Department’s TRICARE, TRICARE for Life, or even the regular Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. And as for Medicaid, as Forte notes, “it covers long-term care only for those with very low income and assets, so the responsibility for paying may fall on you.”

12 Reasoning Through Language Arts Now suppose you’re a woman who is eligible for the FLTCIP, but you haven’t yet applied. Ask yourself these four questions:• Considering your health and family history, might you live a long life with health condi- tions that could hinder caring for yourself? • Do you live alone? • If you don’t live alone, how might tending to you disrupt the professional and personal lives of others, and do you wish to be dependent on them? • If you do live alone, will you have the resources not just to pay for care, but to also main- tain a comfortable lifestyle? The Advantages of the FLTCIP Established by an act of Congress in 2000 and overseen by the U.S. Office of Personnel Manage- ment, the program is tailored exclusively to meet the budgetary and lifestyle\� needs of what’s referred to as “the federal family.” And as so often is the case with the federal workforce, the cost to enrollees is surprisingly affordable. How affordable? Well, there’s a choice of four prepackaged plans that combine the most popular progr\�am features, with customizable plans also available. So, say you’re a 45-year-old woman who chooses the FLTCIP’s most popular prepackaged plan (Plan B, with the 4 percent inflation rider). You’d pay a biweekly premium of $33.90 — less than $68 per month, or slightly more than $2 a day — for protection that can save you thousands of dollars in future care costs. The program’s consumer-friendly website lets you calculate the premium rate for your age and choice of plans ( www.LTCFEDS.com/rate ), and view current and past informational webinars ( www.LTCFEDS.com/webinar ). Personal consultants can also walk you through the entire process, including plan design and applications. Again, not everyone is eligible for FLTCIP, and certain medical conditions, or combinations of conditions, will prevent some from being approved for coverage. Premiums are set with the expectation that they’ll suffice, but aren’t guaranteed. While the group policy is in effect, OPM must approve an increase in premium.

13 Practice Test 16. What is the underlying premise of this article? A. Men should take better care of themselves so they can live as long as their female partners. B. The assumption is that women outlive men. C. Without proper planning for the future, people can suffer serious consequences. D. People should find ways to care for themselves rather than moving into assisted living facilities. 17. Which sentence proves the author has taken other, potentially conflicting factors into consideration before making this argument? A. “After all, while longevity definitely has its upside — including more time to enjoy travel and family — there’s no denying its biggest potential downside: the increased risk of health problems that can make caring ‘for oneself difficult.’ ” B. “Today, seven in 10 nursing home residents are women.” C. “Established by an act of Congress in 2000 and overseen by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the program is tailored exclusively to meet the budget- ary and lifestyle needs of what’s referred to as ‘the federal family.’” D. “Again, not everyone is eligible for FLTCIP, and certain medical conditions, or combinations of conditions, will prevent some from being approved for coverage.” 18. Short Answer: How does the author’s structure (specifically subheadings) support the fluid transitions?

14 Reasoning Through Language Arts 19. What is the inherent cause-and-effect argument presented in this article? A. If you do not raise your children properly, they will not take care of you when you are old. B. Longevity will impact choices you will have to make. C. The cost of living will not rise in the future. D. Living longer will not impact the future. 20. How can this information be applied to readers in different situations? A. Readers can be encouraged to make smart decisions (such as saving money) for their future. B. Readers can take more time to spend with their children to ensure a healthier relationship. C. Readers can ensure they take the right steps to care for themselves in the future. D. Readers can visit the websites provided to receive the care mentioned in this article. 21. Drag and drop all the supporting details for the main idea. A. With women generally outliving men, planning for long-term care becomes more urgent for them in their pre-retirement years. B. They also represent a whopping 76 percent of assisted living residents, accord- ing to the latest statistics, and two-thirds of all home-care recipients. C. The program is specifically designed to help current and retired federal employ- ees safeguard their retirement income and savings while maintaining their independence and avoiding reliance on their children. D. The most recent John Hancock Cost of Care Study puts the national average cost of a licensed home health aide at $20 per hour, with private and semipri- vate nursing home rooms going for $235 and $207, respectively, a day. E. And as for Medicaid, as Forte notes, “it covers long-term care only for those with very low income and assets, so the responsibility for paying may fall on you.” F. How affordable? G. Personal consultants can also walk you through the entire process, including plan design and applications. For this paper-and-pencil setting, simply place the letter for your selected answers below.

15 Practice Test Consider the following two pieces of information: the ar ticle, “Crowdfunding Brings Relief to Stu- dent Debt Burden,” and the graph, “Crowdfunded Projects on Kickstar ter, 2012” to answer the following questions. Crowdfunding Brings Relief to Student Debt Burden Whether you’re a supportive parent, an eager high school grad, or an adult looking to return to school, the reality of higher education is gloomy. Tuition keeps climbing, the job market isn’t improving fast enough, and the mountain of student loan debt passed the $1 trillion mile marker and kept on trucking with enthusiasm. Successful entrepreneur and owner of NBA team the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban blogged a great question, “We freak out about the trillions of dollars in debt our country faces. What about the trillion dollar plus debt college kids are facing?” Student debt is a growing problem for more than 37 million Americans. People are falling behind on student loans at a worse level than before. Now, long-term delinquency rates for student loans are higher than delinquency rates for car loans, mortgages, and home equity loans. These dismal statistics aren’t surprising, considering a recent labor analysis by the Associated Press indicating that over half the adults below 25 with a bachelor’s degree are under-employed or can’t find a job at all. “Although the situation is growing worse, the federal government hasn’t been able to find a real solution to the student loan crisis,” says Amy Mintz, founder of Student Body of America Association (SBAA). SBAA is a nonprofit organization that offers information, support, and viable solutions to the student debt crisis and escalating costs of higher educ\�ation through several programs including movie production and disbursement of funds for U.S. students. SBAA is the fiscal sponsor of CrowdFundEDU — a new and potentially integral piece in the student debt puzzle. CrowdFundEDU is a social fundraising platform with tangible results and real-world applications. “CrowdFundEDU is basically Kickstarter for education,” explains Mintz. “People hold an online fundraiser for any education-related goal. That includes tuition, student loans, seminars, equip- ment, study-abroad programs, activities, you name it.” Much like Kickstarter, CrowdFundEDU relies on social networks to stir interest and urge suppor\�t- ers to donate to a good cause. People can make direct contributions to fundraisers or a general donation to SBAA, which is tax-deductible and allocated to student and school fundraisers\�. As with other online fundraisers, seeing strangers and acquaintances alike rally to help someone is

16 Reasoning Through Language Arts inspiring. Get a glimpse of the CrowdFundEDU mentality at www.projectpayitforward.org , SBAA’s documentary film currently in pre-production. CrowdFundEDU can be used for all levels of education, including grades K–12 up to a Ph.D. plus trade school degrees and certifications. But, given the heightened interest in the skyrocketing costs of education, the platform sparked special interest in its potential to alleviate the student debt problem. To learn more about the unsustainable student loan system mired in higher\� educa- tion, visit www.thefallenamericandream.com . 22. How does the information in the chart clarify the information presented in the article? A. The chart negates all information presented in the article because it does not show specific scholarship awards through crowdfunding. B. The chart indicates that only fine arts majors, such as photography, music, and dance, will have any success with Kickstarter. C. Certain Kickstarter projects have made nearly $80 million dollars, which gives proof there is a substantial amount of money to be made through the venue. D. The chart indicates that technology projects receive the highest pledge value, but games have the most interest.

17 Practice Test 23. What is the common theme between the two pieces of information? A. Crowdfunding can help fund major projects. B. Crowdfunding is an unfair and unethical manner to raise money. C. Kickstarter is only successful with independent projects that will yield returns. D. Patrons do not want to support the arts. 24. How will the graph potentially affect the intended audience of the article? A. Students will be incredibly pleased with the graph because it will give them many ideas about the types of projects they can potentially crowdsource. B. Students will be angered by the graph because it indicates that traditional methods of paying for school are no longer available to them. C. Students with full scholarships will not be affected by the graph. D. Students may be disappointed by the information presented by the graph, as it does not show the data regarding educational projects. 25. What conclusions can be drawn from the information presented? A. A person will likely come up against many obstacles when attempting to crowdfund his education. B. Education is becoming more and more costly as times progress. C. Without a college degree, a person cannot be successful in life. D. A person must have the proper tools and motivation to make money off of crowdfunding. 26. How can the overall impact of this information be applied to different situations? A. People looking to crowdfund might find the best opportunities for projects other than education given the information presented in the chart. B. People will find that education is no longer a necessary commodity and will enter the workforce. C. People will learn how to use the internet as a tool to build businesses. D. People will become more interested in attending or supporting projects backed by crowdfunding websites such as Kickstarter.

18 Reasoning Through Language Arts 27. How does the data in the chart support the author’s claims? A. The chart indicates that crowdfunding can be lucrative. B. The chart indicates that many crowdfunded projects fail. C. The chart indicates that education is directly affected by Kickstarter. D. The chart indicates that crowdfunding is a time-consuming effort. 28. What conclusions can be drawn from the article and the chart? A. Kickstarter projects ultimately make people happy. B. Funding through crowdfunding is the solution to trying times in this economy. C. Crowdfunding will pave the way for more independent film projects. D. Crowdfunding is a legitimate option for funding one’s education. Read the following excerpt from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay, “Illusions.” I own, I did not like the cave so well for eking out its sublimities with this theatrical tr\�ick. But I have had many experiences like it, before and since; and we must be content to be pleased without too curiously analyzing the occasions. Our conversation with Nature is not just what it seems. The cloud-rack, the sunrise and sunset glories, rainbows, and northern lights are not quite so spheral as our childhood thought them; and the part our organization plays in them is too large. The senses interfere everywhere, and mix their own structure with all they report of. Once, we fancied the earth a plane, and stationary. In admiring the sunset, we do not yet deduct the rounding, coordinating, pictorial powers of the eye. The same interference from our organization creates the most of our pleas\�ure and pain. Our first mistake is the belief that the circumstance gives the joy which we give to the\� circumstance. Life is an ecstasy. Life is sweet as nitrous oxide; and the fisherman dripping all day over a cold pond, the switchman at the railway intersection, the farmer in the field, the negro in the rice-swamp, the fop in the street, the hunter in the woods, the barrister with the jury, the belle at the ball, all ascribe a certain pleasure to their employment, which they themselves give it. Health and appetite impart the sweetness to sugar, bread, and meat. We fancy that our civilization has got on far, but we still come back to our primers. We live by our imaginations, by our admirations, by our sentiments. The child walks amid heaps of illusions, which he does not like to have disturbed. The boy, how sweet to him is his fancy! how dear the story of barons and battles! What a hero he is, whilst he feeds on his heroes! What a debt is his to imaginative books! He has no better friend or influen\�ce, than Scott, Shakespeare,

19 Practice Test Plutarch, and Homer. The man lives to other objects, but who dare affirm that they are more real? Even the prose of the streets is full of refractions. In the life of the dreariest alderman, fancy enters into all details, and colors them with rosy hue. He imitates the air and actions of people whom he admires, and is raised in his own eyes. He pays a debt quicker to a rich man than to a poor man. He wishes the bow and compliment of some leader in the state, or in society; weighs what he says; perhaps he never comes nearer to him for that, but dies at last better contented for this amusement of his eyes and his fancy. 29. What is the theme of this passage? A. At some point in our lives, we all must grow up and abandon the illusions of our youth. B. Imagination is detrimental to achievement. C. People’s imaginations and attitude are what shape our experience of events. D. Illusions color our perceptions of reality. 30. What is the meaning of the word fop? (This would be a drop-down question type on the GED® test.) A. Goat B. Fancy gentleman C. Angry D. Rubbish 31. What is the author’s attitude toward illusions? A. Illusions are sentimental aspirations, which, while necessary, should be kept separate from our professional lives. B. Illusions are what help us become better people. C. Illusions are only to be embraced because to deny them would be a distraction that will keep us from productivity. D. Illusions are a necessary and integral part of our lives, and grow with us from childhood into adulthood.

20 Reasoning Through Language Arts 32. How does the structure of the sentence “Life is sweet as nitrous oxide; and the fisher- man dripping all day over a cold pond, the switchman at the railway intersection, the farmer in the field, the negro in the rice-swamp, the fop in the street, the hunter in the woods, the barrister with the jury, the belle at the ball, all ascribe a certain pleasure to their employment, which they themselves give it” affect its message? A. The use of figurative language helps to draw the reader into believing that life is very sweet. B. The use of dependent clauses as part of a run-on sentence helps to sway the reader into the melodious nature of imagination. C. The listing employed helps to portray a universal aspect of the idea that all walks of life require imagination and joy. D. The semicolon joins the two sentences together, making them a coherent argument. 33. What is the main rhetorical approach employed by Emerson in this passage? A. Emotional appeal B. Appeal to tradition C. Logical persuasion D. Ethical appeal 34. What is the author’s implicit purpose in this text? A. To encourage readers to reflect on what makes them so lucky in life. B. To encourage readers to embrace imagination and live life joyously. C. To encourage readers to be nicer to each other. D. To encourage readers to live every day as if it was their last. Read the following passage from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it. Millions are condemned to a stiller doom than mine, and millions are in silent revolt against their lot. Nobody knows how many rebellions besides political rebellions ferment in the masses of life which people earth. Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts, as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselv\�es to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn

21 Practice Test them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex. When thus alone, I not unfrequently heard Grace Poole’s laugh: the same peal, the same low, slow ha! ha! which, when first heard, had thrilled me: I heard, too, her eccentric murmurs; stranger than her laugh. There were days when she was quite silent; but there were others when I could not account for the sounds she made. Sometimes I saw her: she would come out of her room with a basin, or a plate, or a tray in her hand, go down to the kitchen and shortly return, generally (oh, romantic reader, forgive me for telling the plain truth!) bearing a pot of porter. Her appearance always acted as a damper to the curiosity raised by her oral oddities: hard-featured and staid, she had no point to which interest could attach. I made some attempts to draw her into conversation, but she seemed a person of few words: a monosyllabic reply usually cut short every effort of that sort. The other members of the household, viz., John and his wife, Leah the housemaid, and Sophie the French nurse, were decent people; but in no respect remarkable; with Sophie I used to talk French, and sometimes I asked her questions about her native country; but she was not of a descriptive or narrative turn, and generally gave such vapid and confused answers as were calculated rather to check than encourage inquiry. October, November, December passed away. One afternoon in January, Mrs. Fairfax had begged a holiday for Adele, because she had a cold; and, as Adele seconded the request with an ardour that reminded me how precious occasional holidays had been to me in my own ch\�ildhood, I accorded it, deeming that I did well in showing pliability on the point. It was a fine, calm day, though very cold; I was tired of sitting still in the library through a whole long morning: Mrs. Fairfax had just written a letter which was waiting to be posted, so I put on my bonnet and cloak and volunteered to carry it to Hay; the distance, two miles, would be a pleasant winter afternoon walk. Having seen Adele comfortably seated in her little chair by Mrs. Fairfax’s parlour fireside, and given her her best wax doll (which I usually kept enveloped in silver paper in a drawer) to play with, and a story-book for change of amusement; and having replied to her “Revenez bientot, ma bonne amie, ma chere Mdlle. Jeannette,” with a kiss I set out. 35. Which of the following has the correct order of events in this passage. (This would be a drop-and-drag question type on the GED® test.) A. Jane discusses the need for women to have an occupation. B. Jane invites Adele for a holiday. C. Jane sees Grace Poole steal beer from the kitchen. D. Jane speaks with Sophie, the French nurse. E. Jane hears the strange laugh of Grace Poole. F. Jane goes for a walk.

22 Reasoning Through Language Arts A. (A), (F), (B), (C), (D), (E) B. (B), (C), (A), (D), (F), (E) C. (E), (B), (C), (A), (D), (F) D. (A), (E), (C), (D), (B), (F) For this paper-and-pencil setting, simply place the letter for your selected answers below. 36. Which sentence best indicates Brontë may be a feminist? A. Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts, as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stag- nation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to mak- ing puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. B. There were days when she was quite silent; but there were others when I could not account for the sounds she made. C. The other members of the household, viz., John and his wife, Leah the house - maid, and Sophie the French nurse, were decent people; but in no respect remarkable; with Sophie I used to talk French, and sometimes I asked her ques- tions about her native country; but she was not of a descriptive or narrative turn, and generally gave such vapid and confused answers as were calculated rather to check than encourage inquiry. D. One afternoon in January, Mrs. Fairfax had begged a holiday for Adele, because she had a cold; and, as Adele seconded the request with an ardour that reminded me how precious occasional holidays had been to me in my own childhood, I accorded it, deeming that I did well in showing pliability on the point. 37. Short Answer: What is Jane’s feeling about Grace Poole?

23 Practice Test 38. What is the effect of the figurative language used in the sentence, “Nobody knows how many rebellions besides political rebellions ferment in the masses of life which people earth.” A. Repeating the word “rebellions” helps to cement the author’s purpose that mutiny is a way of life. B. Using the word “ferment” to describe internal struggles indicates a rising boil of passion within a person, inflaming the audience’s senses. C. The phrase, “masses of life which people earth” is particularly effective in indi- cating the sheer number of people who live on earth. D. No figurative language is used in this sentence. 39. What is the effect of the first paragraph on the rest of the selection? A. It sets the stage for the events to unfold. B. It describes the characters in the rest of the piece. C. It sets the tone for the entire novel. D. It indicates Jane’s fierce independence. 40. What can you conclude about Jane’s character? A. Jane is weak. B. Jane is more interested in the affairs of others than she is in her own. C. Jane is curious and strong-willed. D. Jane is cruel-hearted.

50 questions REASONING THROUGH LANGUAGE ARTS Language Section

25 Practice Test Read the following blog entr y and answer the questions that follow. Today a man actually said, out loud, to me, “Only a woman would be so selfish.” He was talking about my very legal, very public right to park my Vespa — unobtrusively at that — at a bicycle rack on a sidewalk. I suppose it is up for debate whether it is selfish of me to: drive a scooter, take an insignificant and unclaimed slice of the sidewalk, protect my expensive belonging by securing it to an immoveable object designed for such a purpose, live and breathe at all . . . but whether or not my actions caused this guy some inconvenience or strife f\�or which I should have been aware of my need to apologize to him is actually irrelevant. What really startled me, of course, was his blatant sexism.  This man did not appear to be uneducated, in fact, he was really quite dapper, and albeit rotund (so he must be making decent enough money). He wasn’t notably older than me and didn’t have a southern drawl — though DC is still south of the Mason-Dixon line, no matter which way you slice it — so there was no reason to believe he had grown up around such ardently expressed, vocal prejudice. (I only refer to the south as a seed of such sexism because I remember\� my sci- ence teacher in Fayetteville in the 7th grade telling me in front of the class that my ef\�fort to get an A was a waste of time, women belonged in the kitchen.) This was just an average, middle class white guy.  I channeled Esther Greenwood. I have never met a woman-hater before.  So I started thinking, what makes men hate women? Generally, I think it is women who tend to be the ones big on the slandering of the opposite sex. Stereotypically, gals have all the right ammunition to fire against men: rape, oppression, promiscuity, abandonment, blah blah blah . . . But what does our sex, in general, do to paint ourselves as fundamentally selfish to the menfolk?  I did see a special on social networking sites about women searching for\� men to be her “Sugar Daddies,” but it seems to me that this is often a consensual, upfront arrangement, like prostitution (which I’m neither championing nor denouncing, just noting it as a contractual agreement), in which money and goods are exchanged for services. Sure, these “Sugar Babies” may have some pretty questionable motives, but is it necessarily selfish? It seems to me both parties are receiv\�ing benefits. I think women, yes, can be good with manipulation, particularly that of the emotional variety, but that makes us coercive, not selfish. I guess in the past women have typically been the ones to sur - vive off their husband’s much fatter paychecks, but still, they cook, clean, mother children, entertain at least five full-time-stay-at-home-OTHER jobs at that, AND work on a budget of what is allowed them. I don’t really see that as selfish, but I guess some men might.  I wonder if this particular man’s wife left him and took the car and the house in the ’burbs, and that’s why he was at union station in the first place — to take the metro to his measly intern-esque, low-paying job, only to kiss the profit goodbye to pay her alimony and child support \�while she’s off with Mr. Older and Much Richer. That would score him some right to be bitter chips, I guess. But to be bitter to ALL women? Me? I never dated him, never would, actually, and had never given him any reason to judge and exploit my character flaws. Let alone those of my whole sex.

26 Reasoning Through Language Arts Effectively quieting the notion that he may have been speaking to someon\�e else, what further eludes me about this situation is why he would articulate this thought while looking me dead in the eyes. Wouldn’t it have been more productive, if I was indeed BEING selfish, to say something like, Hey. You know, that’s kind of rude, what you’re doing there. I don’t have a bike with me, but if I did, I might like to park it there, instead of at the other, far less accessible to YOU, but not anyone with a bicycle space. Why don’t you move somewhere else? Or, Hey. You’re in the way of my invisible entourage. Move it. I probably would have taken ACTION in his best interest if he had approached me with a more logical and concerted effort. Nope. Instead all I get is snarky bitterness because I’m a woman. Of course, I have to fight the urge to retort with an equally debasing, dehumanizing sexist remark, because I realize: it’s not because he’s a man that he made that remark. It’s because he’s ________. I’ve inserted several colorful invectives in that sentence to pass t\�he time in commute between work and home.  Maybe insult was added to injury because I towered over him. Strong, tall women. Man, we rock. We scare fat balding men into making derogatory comments at us just becau\�se they’re intimidated. 1. How can this sentence be rewritten to avoid the error? “I wonder if this particular man’s wife left him and took the car and the house in the ’burbs, and tha\�t’s why he was at union station in the first place — to take the metro to his measly intern-esque, low-paying job, only to kiss the profit goodbye to pay her alimony and child support while she’s off with Mr. Older and Much Richer.” A. “I wonder if this particular man’s wife left him and took the car and the house in the ’burbs, and that’s why he was at Union Station in the first place — to take the metro to his measly intern-esque, low-paying job, only to kiss the profit goodbye to pay her alimony and child support while she’s off with Mr. Older and Much Richer. B. “I wonder if this particular man’s wife left him and took the car and the house in the ’burbs, and that’s why he was at union station in the first place — to take the metro to his measly intern-esque, low-paying job, only to kiss the profit goodbye to pay her alimony and child support while she’s off with Mr. older and much richer. C. “I wonder if this particular man’s wife left him and took the car and the house in the ’burbs, and that’s why he was at union station in the first place — to take the metro to his measly intern-esque, low-paying job, only too kiss the profit goodbye to pay her alimony and child support while she’s off with Mr. Older and Much Richer. D. No change.

27 Practice Test 2. Short Answer: Rewrite this segment to avoid the fragmentation. “I never dated him, never would, actually, and had never given him any reason to judge and exploit my character flaws. Let alone those of my whole sex.” 3. How can the sentence “I did see a special on social networking sites about women searching for men to be her “Sugar Daddies,” but it seems to me that this is often a consensual, upfront arrangement, like prostitution (which I’m neither championing nor denouncing, just noting it as a contractual agreement), in which money and goods are exchanged for services” be rewritten to avoid the pronoun confusion? A. I did see a special on social networking sites about women searching for men to be her “Sugar Daddies,” but it seems to me that this is often a consensual, upfront arrangement, like prostitution (which I’m neither championing nor denouncing, just noting it as a contractual agreement), when money and goods are exchanged for services. B. I did see a special on Social Networking sites about women searching for men to be her “Sugar Daddies,” but it seems to me that this is often a consensual, upfront arrangement, like prostitution (which I’m neither championing nor denouncing, just noting it as a contractual agreement), in which money and goods are exchanged for services. C. I did see a special on social networking sites about women searching for men to be their “Sugar Daddies,” but it seems to me that this is often a consensual, upfront arrangement, like prostitution (which I’m neither championing nor denouncing, just noting it as a contractual agreement), in which money and goods are exchanged for services. D. No change.

28 Reasoning Through Language Arts 4. How should the sentence “Of course, I have to fight the urge to retort with an equally debasing, dehumanizing sexist remark, because I realize: it’s not because he’s a man that he made that remark,” be written to avoid the subject-verb agreement error? A. “Of course, I have to fight the urge to retort with an equally debasing, dehu- manizing sexist remark, because I realized: it’s not because he’s a man that he made that remark.” B. “Of course, I have to fight the urge to retort with an equally debasing, dehu- manizing sexist remark, because I realize it’s not because he’s a man that he made that remark.” C. “Of course, I had to fight the urge to retort with an equally debasing, dehu- manizing sexist remark, because I realize: it’s not because he’s a man that he made that remark. D. No change. 5. Correctly punctuate: Wouldn’t it have been more productive, if I was indeed BEING selfish, to say something like, Hey. You know, that’s kind of rude, what you’re doing there. I don’t have a bike with me, but if I did, I might like to park it there, instead of at the other, far less accessible to YOU, but not anyone with a bicycle spaces. Why don’t you move somewhere else? Or, Hey. You’re in the way of my invisible entourage. Move it. 6. How can this sentence be rewritten to avoid the informal register? “I wonder if this particular man’s wife left him and took the car and the house in the ‘burbs, and that’s why he was at union station in the first place — to take the metro to his measly intern- esque, low-paying job, only to kiss the profit goodbye to pay her alimony and child support while she’s off with Mr. Older and Much Richer.” A. I wonder if this particular man’s wife left him and took the car and the house in the suburbs, and that’s why he was at Union Station in the first place — to take the metro to his measly intern-style, low-paying job, only to kiss the profit goodbye to pay her alimony and child support while she’s off with Mr. Older and Much Richer. B. I wonder if this particular man’s wife left him and took the car and the house in the ‘burbs, and that’s why he was at Union Station in the first place — to take the metro to his measly intern-esque, low-paying job, only to kiss the profit goodbye to pay her alimony and child support while she’s off with someone else. C. I wonder if this particular man’s wife left him and took the car and the house in the suburbs, and that’s why he was at union station in the first place — to take the metro to his measly intern-esque, low-paying job, only to kiss the profit goodbye to pay her alimony and child support while she’s off with Mr. Older and Much Richer. D. No change.

29 Practice Test 7. Which word should replace the word “their” in the sentence “I guess in the past women have typically been the ones to survive off their husband’s much fatter paychecks, but still, they cook, clean, mother children, entertain at least five full-time-stay-at-home- OTHER jobs at that, AND work on a budget of what is allowed them.” A. they’re B. there C. her D. No change. 8. How should this sentence be written to ensure proper coordination? “I suppose it is up for debate whether it is selfish of me to: drive a scooter, take an insignificant and unclaimed slice of the sidewalk, protect my expensive belonging by securing it to an immoveable object designed for such a purpose, live and breathe at all . . . but whether or not my actions caused this guy some inconvenience or strife for which I should have been aware of my need to apologize to him is actually irrelevant.” A. I suppose it is up for debate whether it is selfish of me to drive a scooter, take an insignificant and unclaimed slice of the sidewalk, protect my expensive belonging by securing it to an immoveable object designed for such a purpose, live and breathe at all . . . but whether or not my actions caused this guy some inconvenience or strife for which I should have been aware of my need to apologize to him is actually irrelevant. B. I suppose it is up for debate whether it is selfish of me to drive a scooter, take an insignificant and unclaimed slice of the sidewalk, protect my expensive belonging by securing it to an immoveable object designed for such a purpose, or live and breathe at all . . . but whether or not my actions caused this guy some inconvenience or strife for which I should have been aware of my need to apologize to him is actually irrelevant. C. I suppose it is up for debate whether it is selfish of me to: drive a scooter; take an insignificant and unclaimed slice of the sidewalk; protect my expensive belonging by securing it to an immoveable object designed for such a purpose; live and breathe at all . . . but whether or not my actions caused this guy some inconvenience or strife for which I should have been aware of my need to apologize to him is actually irrelevant. D. No change.

30 Reasoning Through Language Arts 9. How should this sentence be rewritten to fix the awkward construction? “Effectively quieting the notion that he may have been speaking to someone else, what further eludes me about this situation is why he would articulate this thought while looking me dead in the eyes.” A. Effective to quiet the notion that he may have been speaking to someone else, what further eludes me about this situation is why he would articulate this thought while looking me dead in the eyes. B. Effectively quieting the notion that he may have been speaking to someone else, what further eludes me about this situation is why he would have possibly articulated this thought while looking me dead in the eyes. C. What further eludes me about this situation is why he would articulate this thought while looking me dead in the eyes, effectively quieting the notion that he may have been speaking to someone else. D. No change. Read the following business memo to answer the questions. Yesterday Melanie Harris and I visited Carver High School to investigate \�their LEARN model. They have been working on intervention strategies for 10 years, and are perhaps the most progressive school in the county in terms of being a truly established PLC. It is imperative we change our model to follow theirs. We met with students, teachers, administrators, student services and testing coordinators, and came back with more information than I can share in a succinct email. To put it simply, Carver’s successful plan boils down to three pieces: 1) They use their Success Prep classes to directly intervene with students who are strug- gling. These kids, as it was beautifully put, are the ones they hope become AVID kids. The rules for scheduling students are: no IEPs. 1.5-2.5 GPA, no behavioral problems, no big weakness. SP is a course that organizes binders, checks homework, assigns LEARN, teaches study strategies, etc. They choose their teachers carefully. There are 3 sections arranged by grade level (9, 10 and 11). They are an English teacher, a math teacher and a science teacher, and they are the “jack of all trades” in the departments. They teach IB courses, but CHOOSE to also work with these kids to establish a rapport with the\�m, encourage them and help them succeed. These teacher’s were paid for 8 hours to meet in the summer to plan the year, they all have the same planning block and they have every resource necessary in their classrooms. (10 th grade SP has every 10 th grade textbook, etc.). SP meets the same block so the teachers can send kids to the math expert\� if that is where the student is struggling. The classes started very small (around 7) so students could be added through the year as they were identified. At March they have about 15–20.

31 Practice Test 2) LEARN has two levels of teacher support, advisor and mentor. LEARN has 3 levels of Standing: Good, Monitored, and Supervised. Good students have all Cs or above Moni- tored have 1 D or F and Supervised have multiple Ds and Fs. Carver has PDAs for students to check in, but they do not assign LEARN unless a student is in Supervised Standing\�. They keep records about where everyone goes, though, and once a quarter, the LEARN advisor disseminates a LEARN report along with the interim. This report is created by the Testing Coordinator. The LEARN report shows the child where they have gone, and this is a useful tool for the teacher at parent conferences. Carver has LEARN 4 times a week (not Wednesday, the day the school begins late for teacher collaboration). The students said they hate Wednesdays because they NEEDS LEARN, and that the 36 minutes is not nearly enough time. 3) Carver staffs an IA who runs ISS, but this is an ACADEMIC intervention for the most part, with only occasional behavioral referrals. When kids are not attending assigned LEARN, or when they are chronically Supervised, teachers can send their students to ISS teachers know they are monitored there. The IA is gifted in math, and he establishes a good rapport with the students and forces them to do work. This runs all day. A few things the crew at Carver communicated very strongly: 1) One time a week is not nearly enough to make this model work in any kind of productive fashion. 2) Student choice is very important, and you have to trust the kids to do the right thing so the atmosphere does not become negative. Someone said this profound statement, “Why make a rule that only applies to 10% of the kids that 100% of the people ha\�ve to fol- low?” There was some disagreement about whether or not the Cafeteria should be open to students as a place to hang out, but at first the general sentiment was that it was a good strategy for a reward. Of course, there is a gate keeper, and students not in Good Standing CANNOT enter. This is easy to determine by the PDAs. 3) All the work for success is done on the front end. 4) ILT uses their time to talk about the 10% of kids who keep failing. However, they’ve begun the new LEARN model, they have decreased their failure rate to 8%. They have the highest IB scores in the county, and the largest number of students sitting for exams because their culture is such: give the kids the resources they need to take really hard classes and they will do it. Finally, we learned that Carver is a really excellent school for teachers, parents, administrators and students to be at.

32 Reasoning Through Language Arts 10. Fix the apostrophe in the sentence, “These teacher’s were paid for 8 hours to meet in the summer to plan the year, they all have the same planning block and they have every resource necessary in their classrooms.” A. These teachers’ were paid for 8 hours to meet in the summer to plan the year, they all have the same planning block and they have every resource necessary in their classrooms. B. These teacher’s were paid for 8 hours to meet in the summer to plan the year, they’ll have the same planning block and they have every resource necessary in their classrooms. C. These teachers were paid for 8 hours to meet in the summer to plan the year, they all have the same planning block and they have every resource necessary in their classrooms. D. No change. 11. How should this sentence be written to give it more clarity, “There was some disagree - ment about whether or not the Cafeteria should be open to students as a \�place to hang out, but at first the general sentiment was that it was a good strateg\�y for a reward.” A. At first there was some disagreement about whether or not the Cafeteria should be open to students as a place to hang out, but the general sentiment wa\�s that it was a good strategy for a reward. B. There was some disagreement about whether or not the Cafeteria should be open to students as a place to hang out, but the general sentiment was t\�hat it was a good strategy for a reward at first. C. There was some disagreement about whether or not the Cafeteria should at first be open to students as a place to hang out, but the general sent\�iment was that it was a good strategy for a reward. D. No change.

33 Practice Test 12. How should this sentence be rewritten to avoid the run-on? “When kids are not attend- ing assigned LEARN, or when they are chronically Supervised, teachers can send their students to ISS teachers know they are monitored there.” A. When kids are not attending assigned LEARN or when they are chronically Supervised teachers can send their students to ISS teachers know they are monitored there. B. When kids are not attending assigned LEARN, or when they are chronically Supervised, teachers can send their students to ISS; teachers know they are monitored there. C. When kids are not attending assigned LEARN, or when they are chronically Supervised, teachers can send their students to ISS teachers. Know they are monitored there. D. No change. 13. Correct the punctuation in this sentence, “Good students have all Cs or above Moni- tored have 1 D or F and Supervised have multiple Ds and Fs.” 14. How should this sentence be properly worded? “Finally, we learned that Carver is a really excellent school for teachers, parents, administrators and students to be at.” A. Finally, Carver is a really excellent school for teachers, parents, administrators and students to be. B. Finally, we learned that Carver is a really excellent school for teachers, parents, administrators and students. C. Finally, we learned that Carver is a really excellent school. D. No change. 15. Which word should replace the word “to” in the sentence, “One time a week is not nearly enough to make this model work in any kind of productive fashion.” A. too B. two C. that D. No change.

34 Reasoning Through Language Arts 16. Fix the subject verb agreement in this sentence, “The students said they hate Wednes-days because they needs LEARN, and that the 36 minutes is not nearly eno\�ugh time.” A. The students said them hate Wednesdays because they needs LEARN, and that the 36 minutes is not nearly enough time. B. The students said they hate Wednesdays because they need LEARN, and that the 36 minutes is not nearly enough time. C. The students said they hate Wednesday’s because they needs LEARN, and that the 36 minutes is not nearly enough time. D. No change. 17. What change needs to be made to fix the transitional word in the sentence “However, they’ve begun the new LEARN model, they have decreased their failure rate to 8%”? A. Change “However” to “Since.” B. Change “However” to “Therefore” and remove the comma. C. Change “However” to “Since” and remove the comma. D. No change. 18. Short Answer: Rewrite this sentence to eliminate wordiness. “It is imperative that we must change our model to follow theirs.” Read the following pre-ser vice teacher’s essay to answer the questions. I knew that I wanted to be an English teacher NOT in my English class. I was actually in speech, practicing an oratory about imaginary friends to the sand hills of North\� Carolina just beyond the second story window of my high school. I was very seriously discussing the negative impacts of growing up too quickly when a marvelous event unfolded. The AP Physics teacher ran out of space for a very complicated equation on his chalkboard. It was the first clear and mildly warm day (in February), and they decided to bring his class outside to finish the problem on \�a seem- ingly endless chalkboard: the sidewalk. The commencement of the public chalking intrigued me.

35 Practice Test I stood in awe as I watched the fifteen student’s mark up the sidewalk for the better part of an hour with what looked to me like hieroglyphics. I hate physics. I am no good at math and equations. But this man made me want to drop my other interests, meander outside and take part in finding the solution. In science. I remember thinking to myself — Wow. If that man can make physics — a curriculum in which I have abso- lutely zero interest — look appealing to me, imagine what I could do with English. Being that I wanted to become a high school English teacher, I’ve never forgotten this day. When I was a junior in high school, a purpose for my life began to develop as I watched this teacher change the lives of his students, my peers, heck, even me — the irrelevant spy and innocent bystander, mauled by physics. My purpose was stemmed in an emerging belief, a belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to make meaningful connections to frustrating tasks, and sometimes we require the service of a talented guide to help us make those connections. I am lucky enough to be on the path to becoming one such a guide. In my experience as a Student teacher, I have learned that in my job, content is secondary. I believe that high school English classes are not about Literature with a\� capital L. Reading and writing are merely byproducts of the work we do with kids. In a classroom where we compete with texting, homecoming, budding adulthood, celebrities, fashion and bullying, we have to find ways to use their interests, their problems, their lives to relates to the program of studies we are required to teach. Teaching high school English is about opening students’ minds to possi\�bility. I believe English classes are about preparing students for life outside of\� high school, and if we’re lucky enough, to create one or two English majors along the way. If we’re really lucky, we’ll engender a lifelong love of learning and reading. Our real job is singular: to help them develop their ability to think. Our means are simply works of Literature. 19. Edit to eliminate the fragment in this example, “But this man made me want to drop my other interests, meander outside and take part in finding the solution. In science.” A. “This man made me want to drop my other interests, meander outside and take part in finding the solution. In science.” B. “But this man made me want to drop my other interests, meander outside and take part in finding the solution, in science.” C. “But this man made me want to drop my other interests, and meander outside and take part in finding the solution. In science D. No change.

36 Reasoning Through Language Arts 20. Edit to correct the pronoun agreement in the sentence “It was the first clear and mildly warm day (in February), and they decided to bring his class outside to finish the prob- lem on a seemingly endless chalk board: the sidewalk.” A. Replace “they” with “he.” B. Replace “they” with “him.” C. Replace “his” with “their.” D. No change. 21. Edit the illogical word order in the sentence, “But this man made me want to drop my other interests, meander outside and take part in finding the solution.” A. Replace “meander” with “wander.” B. Replace “other” with “current.” C. Replace “But” with “However.” D. No change. 22. Correct the capitalization in this sentence, “In my experience as a Student teacher, I have learned that in my job, content is secondary.” A. “In my experience as a Student Teacher, I have learned that in my job, Content is secondary.” B. “In my experience as a student Teacher, I have learned that in my job, content is secondary.” C. “In my experience as a student teacher, I have learned that in my job, content is secondary.” D. No change. 23. Correct the awkward wording in the sentence, “Being that I wanted to become a high school English teacher, I’ve never forgotten this day.” A. “Because I wanted to become a high school English teacher, I’ve never forgot- ten this day.” B. “I’ve never forgotten this day, being that I wanted to become a high school English teacher.” C. “I wanted to become a high school English teacher, I’ve never forgotten this day.” D. No change.

37 Practice Test 24. Correct the subject-verb agreement with the interceding phrase, “In a classroom where we compete with texting, homecoming, budding adulthood, celebrities, fash\�ion and bullying, we have to find ways to use their interests, their problems, their lives to relates to the program of studies we are required to teach.” A. In a classroom where we compete with texting, homecoming, budding adult- hood, celebrities, fashion and bullying, we have to find ways to use their interests, their problems, their lives to relates to the program of study we are required to teach B. In a classroom where we compete with texting, homecoming, budding adult- hood, celebrities, fashion and bullying, we have to find ways to use their interests, their problems, their lives to relate to the program of studies we are required to teach C. In a classroom where we compete, we have to find ways to use their interests, their problems, their lives to relates to the program of studies we are required to teach D. No change. 25. Which word should replace “knew” in the sentence, “I knew that I wanted to be an English teacher NOT in my English class”? A. new B. know C. think D. No change. 26. How should the informal use be corrected in the sentence, “When I was a junior in high school, a purpose for my life began to develop as I watched this teacher change the lives of his students, my peers, heck, even me — the irrelevant spy and innocent bystander, mauled by physics.” A. Remove the word “heck” and the comma following it. B. Replace the word “mauled” with “intrigued.” C. Remove the phrase “When I was a junior in high school.” D. No change.

38 Reasoning Through Language Arts Read the following information to answer the questions. Your First Time as a Forensics Judge? Since everyone must start somewhere — here are a few tips . . . • Bring a reliable stopwatch, pen and/or pencils. Arrive at the high school where the tour - nament is being held ON TIME!! Late judges result in fines for the school, and late starts equal long days! • When you arrive, check in with the coaches (usually in the judges’ lounge or near the TAB ROOM). Find out where and when the Judges’ Meeting will be held & GO! • Your coach will give you a judge code. This code is used to identify your judging assign- ments — no switching judge codes! (It results in BIG problems!) • Claim a comfortable spot in the judge’s lounge. So wear comfortable clothing, it can be a long day; bring reading material and food. Some schools feed you like royalty, but others aren’t quite so generous. • After the judges’ meeting, the meet organizer will “post” the Round I listings. If your code is posted go to the Tab Room, or ballot table to pick up your ballots and the list of stu- dents in your room. Go to the room where you’ve been assigned. Tip: go to the restroom on route if in doubt, because it can be a long round. Judging is already difficult to do and much harder when you are uncomfortable. • Review the criteria and ballots — if in doubt, ask another adult before you go to the room, competent. Event rules change from league to league. After you have judged a few times this will become second nature. • Fill out the information on the top parts of each ballot. To save time and prevent hand cramps, some judges ask students to fill it out (that is okay to do). • Start once all students have arrived. Although it is not necessary, most judges have stu- dents sign in on the board with their speaker code, title and author of selection. Some may have signed in on the board with an asterisk (*) or “D.E.” next to their speaker code. This means they are double entered and will return after going to their o\�ther event (or, they may ask to speak first and leave to go to their other event.) • Writing ballots: A good Forensics judge is four main things: 1. S/he is familiar with the rules. 2. S/he is willing to be flexible in accepting the student’s interpretation of a piece of literature.

39 Practice Test 3. S/he is capable of communicating nonverbally during a performance. This is the only form of immediate feedback a student will receive! It is okay to laugh, cry and make eye con- tact, etc. if you feel that it is appropriate. 4. S/he is well-read and familiar with various forms of literature and current events. Focus on the selection choice, how it was prepared and delivered, and how the author’s expres- sion of meaning and feeling was communicated. Justify and support your decisions! Remember it is constructive criticism, and the students are LEARNING! Find a balance between praise and criticism. To receive a rank and score from a judge without any comments to justify or support the decision, nothing is more frustrating! Be consistent! • Have students perform in the order they are listed. Double entered students are the excep - tion. She should perform first and be permitted to leave OR they can perfor\�m when they return. Do NOT give oral critiques. • Keep accurate time and give hand signals. This is essential for Impromptu and Extemp. Most events have a 30 second grace period. • Once all students have performed, they may be dismissed. Finalize your comments and rankings (first through sixth). Make sure your rankings on the individual ballots matches the master ballot. Check it again. • Assign a numeric score (1–100). Scores should NOT go below an 85 (unless it was terrible). No two performers can have the same score or rank. 27. Correct the subordination in this instance, “So wear comfortable clothing, it can be a long day; bring reading material and food.” A. So where comfortable clothing, it can be a long day; bring reading material and food. B. It can be a long day, so wear comfortable clothing; bring reading material and food. C. So wear comfortable clothing, it can be a long day. D. No change. 28. Correct the punctuation in this instance, “If your code is posted go to the Tab Room, or ballot table to pick up your ballots and the list of students in your room.”

40 Reasoning Through Language Arts 29. Correct the possession in this sentence, “Claim a comfortable spot in the judge’s lounge.” A. “Claim a comfortable spot in the judges lounge.” B. “Claim a comfortable spot in the judges’ lounge.” C. “Claim a comfortable spot in the judges lounge’s.” D. No change. 30. Correct the pronoun agreement in this sentence, “She should perform first and be permitted to leave OR they can perform when they return.” A. Replace “She” with “They.” B. Replace “they” with “she.” C. Replace “they” with “them.” D. No change. 31. Correct the misplaced modifier in this sentence, “Review the criteria and ballots — if in doubt, ask another adult before you go to the room, competent.” A. “Review the competent criteria and ballots — if in doubt, ask another adult before you go to the room.” B. “Review the criteria and ballots — if in competent doubt, ask another adult before you go to the room, competent.” C. “Review the criteria and ballots — if in doubt, ask another competent adult before you go to the room.” D. No change. 32. Short Answer: Rewrite this sentence to ensure logical clarity. “To receive a rank and score from a judge without any comments to justify or support the decision, nothing is more frustrating!”

41 Practice Test 33. Which word should replace “matches” in the sentence “Make sure your rankings on the individual ballots matches the master ballot,” to demonstrate proper subject-verb agreement? A. matched B. match C. matching D. No change. 34. Which word should be capitalized in this sentence, “Although it is not necessary, most judges have students sign in on the board with their speaker code, title and author of selection”? A. Judges B. Title C. Author D. No change. Read the following letter of recommendation. To Whom It May Concern: I am writing to recommend Jennifer Fountain for your program. I have known Jennifer since August of this year, when she came to school a week before it began to find out if she was eligible to take IB English. Jennifer was particularly memorable to me not only because of her initiative, but because of her story. She had been homeschooled until this year, and still managed to take and excel in AP courses. She was curious to find out if she could also add the additional burden of IB to her senior year in high school. When I explained all the catching up she would have to do, she did not flinch. She simply responded ecstatically You mean I can still do the IB work I don’t have to be enrolled in regular English 12? I will do anything you ask me to do! To hear that from a parent is one thing, but to hear it from a student is something else entirely. Its novel. I haltingly gave her a book to read for the summer reading assignment, which was due less than a week from the day I was giving it to her. She did not blink. Instead, she read the entire novel over the weekend, and submitted her work first thing with the other students. The behavior impressed me, as did the quality of her work. Indeed, it is rare that I write a recom- mendation for a student in the first quarter of my class for a Novembe\�r deadline if I have not taught her before. Jennifer has done nothing but impress me as good natured, hard-working, thoughtful and diligent.

42 Reasoning Through Language Arts Jennifer takes every opportunity to improve her already excellent work. I allow for re-writes in my class, and Jennifer re-writes everything. This knowledge of the writing process and willingness to improve shows a philosophy it takes most students four years of college to master: writing is re- writing. Jennifer demonstrates an ideology that is the embodiment of the strivin\�g for perfection; though I doubt she would be so cliché as to word it like that. When it is true, though, it is true. She never takes offense, either, when I criticize her work. She is earnest in her desire to improve, and seeks me out for counsel often. Jennifer is brilliant, she tries her best. Jennifer’s accomplishments are not simply limited to the classroom, therefore. I coach volleyball and was surprised to see her leading the way on our track team at after school practices. Though I barely know her, it takes a lot of courage to submerge into public school in the way Jennifer has, I am incredibly proud and in awe of her drive. She is very friendly, and her interests expand beyond school and its sports. She also has experience with the responsibility of caring for horses, teaching lessons and organizing events on a larger scale with her church\� youth group. It is without a moment’s hesitation that I recommend Jennifer Fountain. I finds her competent, capable, enjoyable and exceptionally intrinsically motivated, which I believe is likely from the years of home schooling. Jennifer is a wonderful student, and I am certain she will make a won- derful addition to your University. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about Jennifer. 35. Eliminate the wordiness in this sentence, “I haltingly gave her a book to read for the summer reading assignment, which was due less than a week from the day I was giving it to her.” A. “I gave her a book to read for the summer reading assignment, which was due less than a week from the day I was giving it to her.” B. “I haltingly gave her a book for the summer reading assignment, which was due less than a week from the day I was giving it to her.” C. “I haltingly gave her a book, which was due less than a week from the day I was giving it to her.” D. No change. 36. Which word should replace “therefore” in the sentence “Jennifer’s accomplishments are not simply limited to the classroom, therefore”? A. however B. although C. as such D. no change

43 Practice Test 37. Correct the run-on sentence, “Jennifer is brilliant, she tries her best.” (This might be a drop-down question type on the GED ®test.) A. Jennifer is brilliant, and she tries her best. B. Jennifer is brilliant she tries her best. C. Jennifer is brilliant, tries her best. D. No change. 38. How should this sentence be properly punctuated, “She simply responded ecstatically You mean I can still do the IB work I don’t have to be enrolled in regular English 12? I will do anything you ask me to do!” 39. What should replace “its” in the sentence, “Its novel”? A. A B. It is C. It’s D. No change. 40. How can this sentence “Though I barely know her, it takes a lot of courage to submerge into public school in the way Jennifer has, I am incredibly proud and in awe of her drive” be reworded to avoid the dangling modifier? A. I barely know her, it takes a lot of courage to submerge into public school in the way Jennifer has, I am incredibly proud and in awe of her drive. B. I am incredibly proud and in awe of her drive, though I barely know her, it takes a lot of courage to submerge into public school in the way Jennifer has. C. It takes a lot of courage to submerge into public school in the way Jennifer has, and though I barely know her, I am incredibly proud and in awe of her drive. D. No change.

44 Reasoning Through Language Arts 41. What word should be replaced to avoid informal usage in the sentence “Jennifer dem- onstrates an ideology that is the embodiment of the striving for perfection; though I doubt she would be so cliché as to word it like that”? A. cliché B. ideology C. embodiment D. No change. 42. Correct the subject-verb agreement in the sentence, “I finds her competent, capable, enjoyable and exceptionally intrinsically motivated, which I believe is likely from the years of home schooling.” A. I find her competent, capable, enjoyable and exceptionally intrinsically moti- vated, which I believe is likely from the years of home schooling. B. I found her competent, capable, enjoyable and exceptionally intrinsically moti- vated, which I believe is likely from the years of home schooling. C. I finding her competent, capable, enjoyable and exceptionally intrinsically motivated, which I believe is likely from the years of home schooling. D. No change. Read the following repor t about a blind cook who turned into a Master Chef. If you watched season three of Fox TV’s reality cooking show MasterChef you remember the big smile that lit up Christine Ha’s face every time she impressed the judges with her bold flavors and especially when her threecourse meal of Vietnamese comfort food won Ha the “MasterChef” title. What viewers, casual, may not have realized right away is that the amateur cook from Houston, Texas, is blind. In 2003, Ha was diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica (NMO), a rare neurological condition that deteriorates the optic nerves and spinal cord. By 2007, Ha had lost most of her vision. But she had regained her love of reading, through help from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). “[NLS] reignited my love for literature. It was what kept me sane when I went through my first bouts of NMO,” says Ha, who also authors the blog theblindcook.com . “When I went through some of my worst health issues in 2003 — complete paralysis from my neck down due to spinal inflammation, and complete blindness — all I could do was lie in bed and listen to NLS audiobooks.”

45 Practice Test NLS, part of the Library of Congress, oversees a free reading program for U.S. residents and citi- zens living abroad who are blind, have low vision, or cannot holds a book because of a physical disability. NLS patrons may choose from tens of thousands of books and dozens of magazines in audio and braille — including dozens of cookbooks, such as “O, the Oprah Magazine Cookbook” and titles by Julia Child, James Beard, and other famous foodies. NLS also loans the portable playback equipment needed to read its audiobooks. Computer-savvy patrons’ may access books online through the NLS Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) service. Ha, who is pursuing a master of fine arts degree at the University of Hou\�ston, always has a book checked out from NLS. Recently she was reading Gail Caldwell’s “Let’s take the long way home” in braille. And she currently is working on her “MasterChef” cookbook, which is set for a spring 2013 release. Disabilities do not need to stand in the way of our dreams; this is something that has been proven throughout the ages. If you have a problem, you can always find a way to get over it, get through it, or around it. 43. Correct the subject-verb agreement in this sentence, “NLS, part of the Library of Con- gress, oversees a free reading program for U.S. residents and citizens living abroad who are blind, have low vision, or cannot holds a book because of a physical disability.” A. “NLS, part of the Library of Congress, oversees a free reading program for U.S. residents and citizen living abroad who are blind, have low vision, or cannot holds a book because of a physical disability.” B. “NLS, part of the Library of Congress, oversee a free reading program for U.S. residents and citizens living abroad who are blind, have low vision, or cannot holds a book because of a physical disability.” C. “NLS, part of the Library of Congress, oversees a free reading program for U.S. residents and citizens living abroad who are blind, have low vision, or cannot hold a book because of a physical disability.” D. No change. 44. Which word should replace the word “through” in the sentence, “But she had regained her love of reading, through help from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS).” A. thorough B. threw C. thru D. No change.

46 Reasoning Through Language Arts 45. How should the parallelism be properly written in the sentence “If you have a problem, you can always find a way to get over it, get through it, or around it”? A. “If you have a problem, you can always find a way to get over it, get through it, or get around it.” B. “If you have a problem, you can always find a way to get over it, through it, or get around it.” C. “If you have a problem, you can always find a way to get over it.” D. No change. 46. Correct the capitalization in this sentence, “Recently she was reading Gail Caldwell’s “Let’s take the long way home” in braille.” A. “Let’s Take the long Way Home” B. “let’s take the long way home” C. “Let’s Take the Long Way Home” D. No change. 47. Correct the possession in the following sentence, “Computer-savvy patrons’ may access books online through the NLS Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) service.” A. patron’s B. savvy’s C. patrons D. No change. 48. Insert the proper punctuation marks into this sentence, “If you watched season three of Fox TV’s reality cooking show MasterChef you remember the big smile that lit up Christine Ha’s face every time she impressed the judges with her bold flavors and especially when her threecourse meal of Vietnamese comfort food won Ha the “Master- Chef ” title.”

47 Practice Test 49. Eliminate the wordiness in the sentence “Ha, who is pursuing a master of fine arts degree at the University of Houston, always has a book checked out from NLS.” A. Ha, who is pursuing a master of fine arts degree at the University of Houston, has a book checked out from NLS. B. Ha, pursuing a master of fine arts degree at the University of Houston, always has a book checked out from NLS. C. Ha, who is pursuing a master at the University of Houston, always has a book checked out from NLS. D. No change. 50. Short Answer: Rewrite the sentence “What viewers, casual, may not have realized right away is that the amateur cook from Houston, Texas, is blind” to ensure logical clarity.

45 minutes REASONING THROUGH LANGUAGE ARTS Extended-Response Section

49 Practice Test Read the following excerpt from Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “First Inaugural Address” and the ar ticle, “Making the Right Decision for the Long Term.” Analyze both the speech and the ar ticle to determine how a person can overcome financial hardships in order to plan a bright future. Use relevant and specific references to each text to suppor t your response.“First Inaugural Address” So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is f\�ear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat \�into advance. In every dark hour of our national life, a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is es\�sential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in th\�ese critical days. In such a spirit on my part and on yours we face our common difficulti\�es. They concern, thank God, only material things. Values have shrunk to fantastic levels; taxes have risen; our ability to pay has fallen; government of all kinds is faced by serious curtailment of income; the means of exchange are frozen in the currents of trade; the withered leaves of industrial enterprise lie on every side; farmers find no markets for their produce; and the savings of many years in thousands of families are gone. More important, a host of unemployed citizens face the grim problem of existence, and an equally great number toil with little return. Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment. And yet our distress comes from no failure of substance. We are stricken by no plague of locusts. Compared with the perils which our forefathers conquered, because they believed and were not afraid, we have still much to be thankful for. Nature still offers her bounty and human efforts have multiplied it. Plenty is at our doorstep, but a generous use of it languishes in the very sight of the supply. Primarily, this is because the rulers of the exchange of mankind’s goods have failed, through their own stubbornness and their own incompetence, have admitted their failure, and have abdicated. Practices of the unscrupulous money changers stand indicted in the court\� of public opinion, rejected by the hearts and minds of men. True, they have tried. But their efforts have been cast in the pattern of an outworn tradition\�. Faced by failure of credit, they have proposed only the lending of more money. Stripped of the lure of profit by which to induce our people to follow their false lea\�dership, they have resorted to exhortations, pleading tearfully for restored confidence. They only know the rules of a generation of self-seekers. They have no vision, and when there is no vision the people perish.

50 Reasoning Through Language Arts Yes, the money changers have fled from their high seats in the temple of o\�ur civilization. We may now restore that temple to the ancient truths. The measure of that restoration lies in the extent to which we apply social values more noble than mere monetary profit. Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. The joy, the moral stimulation of work no longer must be forgotten in the mad chase of evanescent profits. These dark days, my friends, will be worth all they cost us if they teach us that our true destiny is not to be ministered unto but to minis\�ter to ourselves, to our fellow men. “Making the Right Decision for the Long-Term” As homeowners struggle with the recession and impact of declining home prices, some are con- sidering whether to continue paying their mortgage or simply walk away from the obligation. As a homeowner, when you contemplate the recent decline in your home’s value, perhaps below your mortgage balance, you may consider options that normally would never have entered your mind. Regardless of what you might hear from relatives, friends or advisors, you need to carefully consider the long-term impact of this important decision. Like selling any asset at a loss during a depressed period, walking away from your property may not be a smart move from a longer-term perspective. While the current housing crisis is severe, past history provides some perspective. Historically, markets have recovered over time. One example of a regional price decline and subsequent recovery was in Southern California, which experienced a severe downturn in the early 1990s that saw home pri\�ces decline by 21 percent from their peak. However, prices recovered at an average rate of 6.9 percent per quarter, annualized for the next 14 quarters. Homeowners who purchased at the peak of the cycle in 1990 recouped their lost capital 10 years after the downturn began. Appreciation rates vary, and markets recover unevenly with some experiencing rapid price appreciation, making it difficult to time the market. Therefore, it’s generally the long-term holder that benefits from appreciation. In many communities, the cost of renting can be more than the after-tax cost of mortgage pay- ments on a house. Renting does not provide the long-term benefits of ownership. These benefits include a forced savings plan (paying down principal and building equity over time) and stability of knowing you will not be forced to move at your landlord’s whim. Unlike other financial assets, homeownership is also tied to factors that should not be underestimated,\� such as the stability of a sustainable home for your children and pets, as well as being part of a community. Even if your home’s value has fallen significantly, tax benefits and compounding appreciation rates can still be on your side. U.S. tax laws still favor homeownership, particularly for those in higher tax brackets. The tax shelter of deducting mortgage interest and property taxes can red\�uce the overall tax burden and enable individuals to keep more of their income.

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