GED Reasoning Through Language Arts Reading Comprehension 3

Question 1

Read the excerpt: 'While some researchers argue that social media increases loneliness, others point to studies showing it helps people maintain distant relationships and find communities of shared interest.
The full picture is complex and may depend on how and how much individuals use these platforms.' What type of writing structure does this passage demonstrate?

Accepted Answer

Compare and contrast — presenting multiple perspectives on an issue

Answer

Cause and effect — explaining what causes loneliness

Answer

Problem and solution — offering ways to reduce loneliness

Answer

Chronological — describing events in time order

Question 2

Which of the following sentences contains a bias that could affect the reliability of a source?

Accepted Answer

Of course, anyone who disagrees with this policy clearly doesn't care about children.

Answer

Studies show that moderate exercise reduces the risk of heart disease by about 35%.

Answer

Researchers at five universities measured cognitive performance before and after sleep deprivation.

Answer

The survey included responses from 2,400 adults across all 50 states.

Question 3

Read the paragraph: 'Early morning light filtered through the curtains. Coffee gurgled in the kitchen. Somewhere down the hall, a radio played a song she hadn't heard in twenty years. She sat at the edge of the bed, unable to tell if she was waking up or waking back into a dream.' What is the dominant mood of this passage?

Accepted Answer

Dreamlike and disoriented

Answer

Fearful and threatening

Answer

Energetic and optimistic

Answer

Angry and resentful

Question 4

A student reads an article arguing that 'fast food causes obesity.' To evaluate this argument critically, what question should the student ask first?

Accepted Answer

What evidence does the author provide to support the claim, and is it reliable?

Answer

Does the article have photographs to illustrate the issue?

Answer

Is the article interesting and easy to read?

Answer

Does the author write in a formal or informal style?

Question 5

In the sentence 'Despite his initial reluctance, Marcus eventually embraced the new technology with enthusiasm,' what does 'reluctance' most likely mean?

Accepted Answer

Unwillingness or hesitation

Answer

Excitement

Answer

Curiosity

Answer

Confusion

Question 6

A passage states: 'The company's new policy increased employee productivity by 23% and reduced turnover by 18% within one year, according to internal company reports.' What limitation should a critical reader note about this evidence?

Accepted Answer

The data comes from the company's own internal reports, which could be biased

Answer

The statistics are too small to be meaningful

Answer

The timeframe of one year is too long to be relevant

Answer

The policy should have been measured over two years instead of one