GED Reasoning Through Language Arts Reading Comprehension 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A story describes a character who donates anonymously to charity, rescues a stray dog, and stays late to help a struggling colleague. How would you best characterize this person?
- Ambitious and competitive
- Altruistic and compassionate (Correct answer)
- Cautious and reserved
- Impulsive and reckless
Correct answer: Altruistic and compassionate
All three actions involve helping others without personal gain, which defines an altruistic and compassionate character.
Question 2: Which transition word best shows a CONTRAST between two ideas?
- Furthermore
- Therefore
- Nevertheless (Correct answer)
- Additionally
Correct answer: Nevertheless
'Nevertheless' signals a contrasting idea despite what was previously stated, unlike 'furthermore' and 'additionally' which add ideas or 'therefore' which shows result.
Question 3: A passage reads: 'She had climbed the corporate ladder for twenty years. Now, staring at her corner office, she wondered what she had sacrificed along the way.' What theme does this best represent?
- The importance of hard work
- The conflict between professional success and personal fulfillment (Correct answer)
- The dangers of office environments
- The value of patience and persistence
Correct answer: The conflict between professional success and personal fulfillment
The character's reflection on what she 'sacrificed' suggests tension between career achievement and personal happiness.
Question 4: In a persuasive essay, an author writes: 'Of course, some believe that lowering the voting age is risky. But if teenagers can drive, work, and pay taxes, they deserve a voice in government.' What technique is the author using?
- Ignoring counterarguments
- Acknowledging and refuting a counterargument (Correct answer)
- Using emotional manipulation
- Providing statistical evidence
Correct answer: Acknowledging and refuting a counterargument
The author first acknowledges the opposing view ('some believe') and then counters it with logical reasoning.
Question 5: What does the word 'ambivalent' most likely mean in this sentence: 'She felt ambivalent about moving to a new city—excited by the opportunity but sad to leave her friends'?
- Completely certain
- Having mixed or conflicting feelings (Correct answer)
- Deeply disappointed
- Enthusiastically positive
Correct answer: Having mixed or conflicting feelings
The sentence shows two opposing emotions (excited/sad), which reveals that ambivalent means having mixed feelings.
Question 6: An informational text about water conservation states: 'Fixing a leaky faucet can save up to 3,000 gallons of water per year.' What is the author's likely purpose for including this statistic?
- To entertain readers with surprising trivia
- To persuade readers that a small action has a significant impact (Correct answer)
- To prove that water is becoming scarce
- To warn readers about rising water bills
Correct answer: To persuade readers that a small action has a significant impact
A specific, large number (3,000 gallons) from a simple fix is used to motivate readers by showing small actions matter.
Question 7: Which sentence uses figurative language to describe disappointment?
- She did not get the job she applied for
- Her heart sank when she read the rejection letter (Correct answer)
- The rejection letter arrived on Tuesday
- She applied for three different positions last month
Correct answer: Her heart sank when she read the rejection letter
'Her heart sank' is a common metaphor that vividly conveys the feeling of disappointment rather than stating it literally.
GED Reasoning Through Language Arts Reading Comprehension 4
A story describes a character who donates anonymously to charity, rescues a stray dog, and stays late to help a struggling colleague.
How would you best characterize this person?