Introduction Welcome to REA's Total Solution for the GED ® Test, your key to passing the 2014 GED® test. Choosing REA as your study partner puts you on a path to join the millions of people who have benefited from the educational and career advantages offered by earning one of America's most recognized credentials. Since its launch in1942, more than 20 million adults have earned their GED® high school credential. You may have heard of some of them actors Nicholas Cage, Christina Applegate, and Kelly McGillis, rock musician David Bowie, former professional boxer Oscar De La Hoya, the late ABC News correspondent Peter Jennings, Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton, former Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner, and rap artists 50 Cent and Eminem. The GED® test has changed with the times. The test is no longer meant to be viewed as an end in itself but rather a springboard for adults looking to move on to college, learn a trade, or land a better-paying job. There's no doubt about it: the GED® high school credential is a major door opener. In fact, more than 98% of colleges and 96% of employers accept the GED® credential in place of a high school diploma.
About This Book + Online Tests Because the 2014 GED® test is dramatically different from its predecessor (known as the 2002 Series), we built our test prep from the ground up. This means our content thoroughly reflects the 2014 GED® Assessment Targets, which span four test sections: Reasoning Through Language Arts, Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies. REA even hired an independent team of correlations experts to verify our alignment with the new test. This book, along with the valuable tools at the online REA Study Center, provides you with everything you need to master the GED® test content. Our GED® test prep package includes: - Detailed coverage of how the new GED® test works - 4 online diagnostic tests (1 for each test section) - Targeted review for all test sections - 2 full-length practice tests (1 test in the book and another test offered as a downloadable PDF) We know your time is valuable and you want an efficient study experience. At the online REA Study Center, you'll get feedback right from the start on what you know and what you don't know. Armed with this information, you can focus your study time on the topics where you need the most help. Here's what you'll find at the online REA Study Center: 4 Diagnostic Exams (1 for each test section) Our online diagnostic exams will identify your knowledge gaps in each of the test sections.
The diagnostic exams are scored automatically and pinpoint the topics where you need the most review. Detailed answer explanations for each question show you why the correct answer is right, and explain why the other answer choices are incorrect. Full-Length Practice Exam Just like our in-book full-length practice test, this full-length exam in PDF format reflects the new question types and is a great way to evaluate what you've learned. To access all these exams and for valuable test information, offers, and updates, visit www.rea.com/GED . What's on the GED® Test? New Item Types The new GED® test is entirely computer-based. Because the test is given on computer, test administrators have added new interactive questions, or as they're known in testing circles, item types.
Learning how these seven item types function is central to understanding the GED® test as a whole: - Drag-and-drop - Hot spot - Fill-in-the-blank - Drop-down - Multiple-choice - Short answer - Extended response It's also important to know that, according to the best information available from test officials, approximately half of the questions on the test will still be in classic multiple-choice format and will have four answers, lettered (A) through (D), from which you will need to choose the best answer. Not sure what a drag-and-drop question looks like? Don't worry. We've included samples of the new question types to familiarize you with what you can expect to see on test day. Drag-and-Drop: Drag-and-drop questions allow you to answer questions by moving objects around on the screen. You "drag" the object or icon where you want it and "drop" it into place. Hot Spot Item: To answer this type of question, you will have to move your computer cursor to a specific "hot spot" on a graphic. Fill-in-the-blank: This type of question asks you to fill in a single blank space (or in some cases, a few blank spaces). You'll use the keyboard to type in your answers.
Drop-down Item: Choose your answer from a drop-down menu embedded in the text. Short Answer & Extended Response Boxes: You will see this screen when you write short-answer items (for the Science section) or for longer extended-response items in the Reasoning Through Language Arts and Social Studies tests. You can view more examples of the types of questions at www.gedtestingservice.com/educators/itemsampler . Now that you know the types of questions you'll see on the GED® test, let's learn more about each test section. The Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) Test The Reasoning Through Language Arts Test focuses on your ability to read closely, write clearly, and edit and understand the use of standard written English in context. The RLA test is split into two sections covering reading and writing.
The reading section includes texts reflecting a variety of subjects and complexity levels. Each text will be approximately 450 to 900 words. You will have 95 minutes to answer the questions on the reading comprehension section. After a 10-minute break, you will take the writing portion of the test. The writing portion of the RLA test integrates reading and writing skills. You will be given 45 minutes to write a 250-word essay on the topic listed in your test booklet. You are expected to follow all of the rules for sentence structure, usage, and mechanics in writing your essay. Your essay will be graded on several factors, including: - how well you addressed and answered the question - how well you organized and developed your essay - if you provided details and examples to support your main idea - how well you followed the rules for standard written English - how varied and appropriate your word choices are The Mathematical Reasoning Test The Mathematical Reasoning Test focuses on quantitative problem solving and algebraic problem solving.
You will have 90 minutes to answer 50 questions. On the day of the test, you are provided with an on-screen calculator (the Texas Instruments TI-30XS MultiView scientific calculator) for use on most of the items on the 2014 GED® Mathematics test. For more information about the calculator, visit: www.gedtestingservice.com . The Science Test The Science Test focuses on science reasoning and three major domains: - Life science (45% of questions) - Physical science (35% of questions) - Earth and space science (20% of questions) The test is 90 minutes in length and features charts, figures, graphs, and information from which to answer the questions. Approximately half of the test is composed of problem-solving questions, and the other half presents conceptual-understanding questions. The Social Studies Test The Social Studies Test focuses on the fundamentals of social studies reasoning and covers four major domains: - Civics and government - United States history - Economics - Geography and the world The test is made up of two sections and is 90 minutes in length.
The first section, which includes most of the questions, is 65 minutes long. The second section, featuring extended-response questions, will last for 25 minutes. There also will be an additional 15 minutes' worth of field-test items; they won't affect your score, but then again, you won't be able to tell the field-test items apart from the scorable questions. So don't concern yourself with them. Timing and the GED® Test The GED® test is given in a computerized, timed format. You will have about seven and one-quarter hours to complete the full exam, but don't worry, you don't have to take the entire test in one day. Actually, most GED® test candidates don't take the whole test in one sitting! Timing is everything, so it's crucial that you budget your time wisely. No matter what section of the test you're taking, you need to answer all the questions before time is up.
Better yet, you should try to finish with time to spare so you can return to questions you weren't sure of or guessed on. In fact, the GED® test is set up to help you do just that. The test's review feature allows you to flag questions so you can go back to them later. At the end of the test, the computer will show you which questions you flagged or didn't answer. Be sure to answer each question even if you have to guess because there is no penalty for guessing. If you work slowly or usually run out of time on tests, then you should practice your pacing. What Score Do I Need to Pass the GED® Test? The passing standard on each test section (or module) is 150 on a scaled score of 100 to 200. Therefore, you will need to score at least.