The GED Crash Course PDF
Preview The GED Crash Course
The GED® Crash Course Second Edition by Courtney Mayer, Sandra McCune, Shannon Reed, and Jane Burstein A member of Penguin Random House LLC Publisher: Mike Sanders Executive Managing Editor: Billy Fields Cover Designer: Lindsay Dobbs Book Designer: William Thomas Compositor: Ayanna Lacey Proofreader: Lisa M. Starnes Indexer: Celia McCoy Second American Edition, 2018 Published in the United States by DK Publishing 6081 E. 82nd Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46250 Copyright © 2018 Dorling Kindersley Limited A Penguin Random House Company 18 19 20 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 001-308596-April2018 All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under the copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Published in the United States by Dorling Kindersley Limited. IDIOT’S GUIDES and Design are trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC ISBN: 9781465470232 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2017952180 Note: This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its author(s). It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the author(s) and publisher are not engaged in rendering pro- fessional services in the book. If the reader requires personal assistance or advice, a competent professional should be consulted. The author(s) and publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book. 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Printed and bound in the United States of America Contents Part 1: Reasoning Through Language Arts Test ..............................1 1 Writing Correct Sentences .........................................................3 Foundations of the English Sentence: Subjects and Verbs ....................................................3 What Makes the English Sentence a Complete Thought? ...................................................4 Practice ..............................................................................................................................................................4 Answers .............................................................................................................................................................4 Run-On Sentences ..........................................................................................................................................5 Practice ..............................................................................................................................................................5 Answers .............................................................................................................................................................6 Wordiness .............................................................................................................................................................6 Comma Faults ...................................................................................................................................................6 Practice ..............................................................................................................................................................7 Answers .............................................................................................................................................................8 Words That Make a Sentence Incomplete ....................................................................................10 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................10 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................10 Agreement Between Subject and Verb in Number .................................................................11 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................12 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................13 2 Verbs ..............................................................................................15 Verb Tenses .......................................................................................................................................................15 Past, Present, and Future .........................................................................................................................16 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................16 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................17 Present Perfect, Past Perfect, and Future Perfect ...........................................................................17 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................18 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................18 Irregular Verbs ................................................................................................................................................18 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................20 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................20 The Many Forms of to Be .........................................................................................................................20 The Four Purposes of to Be in a Sentence .......................................................................................20 Present, Past, and Future of to Be .......................................................................................................21 Problem Areas with to Be .......................................................................................................................22 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................22 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................23 iv The GED Crash Course, Second Edition Subject and Verb Agreement .................................................................................................................23 Special Forms of Several Linking Verbs .............................................................................................23 Does Is Singular, but Do Is Plural ....................................................................................................23 Watch Out for Phrases ..............................................................................................................................23 Matching Verbs with Compound Subjects..........................................................................................24 Verbs in Inverted Sentences ....................................................................................................................25 Verbs with There ......................................................................................................................................25 Balance Between Verb Tense and Subject ..........................................................................................25 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................26 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................26 3 Tricky Parts of Speech .............................................................29 Using the Correct Pronoun ....................................................................................................................29 Subject .............................................................................................................................................................30 Object ...............................................................................................................................................................30 Possessive .......................................................................................................................................................31 Other Types of Pronouns .........................................................................................................................31 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................33 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................33 Understanding Adjectives and Adverbs ..........................................................................................34 Adjectives .......................................................................................................................................................34 Adverbs ...........................................................................................................................................................34 Good Versus Well ...................................................................................................................................35 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................36 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................36 Making Comparisons with Adjectives .............................................................................................36 The Comparative Form ............................................................................................................................37 The Superlative Form ...............................................................................................................................37 Tips for Using Comparative and Superlative Forms ....................................................................38 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................39 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................39 4 Punctuation and More ...............................................................41 Correct Usage of End Marks .................................................................................................................42 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................43 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................43 The Many Purposes of the Comma ..................................................................................................43 To Avoid Confusion ...................................................................................................................................44 To Indicate a Series ...................................................................................................................................44 After Introductory Words .........................................................................................................................45 With Multiple Adjectives .........................................................................................................................45 Contents v Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................45 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................45 With Interrupters .......................................................................................................................................46 With Names in Direct Address ..............................................................................................................46 With Appositives .........................................................................................................................................46 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................46 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................46 With Quotations ..........................................................................................................................................47 In Compound Sentences ............................................................................................................................47 In Dates, Locations, and Addresses .......................................................................................................48 In Letter Greetings .....................................................................................................................................48 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................48 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................48 Semicolons and Colons ..............................................................................................................................49 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................50 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................50 Quotation Marks ...........................................................................................................................................50 Quotation Marks with Commas ............................................................................................................50 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................51 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................51 Quotation Marks with Question Marks and Exclamation Points ...........................................52 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................52 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................52 Apostrophes ......................................................................................................................................................52 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................54 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................54 The Rules of Capitalization ...................................................................................................................54 When to Capitalize ....................................................................................................................................54 When Not to Capitalize ............................................................................................................................55 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................56 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................56 5 Reading Quickly and Well .......................................................57 Secrets of the Successful Reader .........................................................................................................57 The Seven Types of Reading Tasks ..................................................................................................58 Main Idea ......................................................................................................................................................59 Vocabulary .....................................................................................................................................................59 Structure of the Passage ............................................................................................................................59 Development .................................................................................................................................................60 Assessment of Author’s Successful Argument .....................................................................................60 Author’s Purpose, or Why? .......................................................................................................................60 vi The GED Crash Course, Second Edition Comparisons ..................................................................................................................................................60 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................60 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................61 6 Reading Informational Passages ...........................................63 Looking for the Main Idea and Details as You Read Nonfiction ..................................64 Reading Articles ............................................................................................................................................64 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................66 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................67 Reading Other Kinds of Nonfiction .................................................................................................67 Reading Workplace Documents ..........................................................................................................68 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................69 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................70 Reading Consumer Ads, Letters, and Documents ...................................................................71 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................72 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................72 Reading Autobiographies, Biographies, and Memoirs ..........................................................73 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................74 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................75 Reading Op-Eds ............................................................................................................................................75 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................76 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................76 Reading Historical Documents ............................................................................................................76 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................77 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................77 7 Literary Passages .......................................................................79 A Brief Review of Literary Terms ......................................................................................................80 Reading Fiction ..............................................................................................................................................81 Plot ...................................................................................................................................................................81 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................83 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................83 Setting .............................................................................................................................................................83 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................84 Answer ............................................................................................................................................................84 Using Context Clues ...................................................................................................................................84 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................85 Answer ............................................................................................................................................................85 Characters......................................................................................................................................................85 Contents vii Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................87 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................87 Conflict ...........................................................................................................................................................87 Reading Poetry ...............................................................................................................................................88 Finding the Meaning .................................................................................................................................88 Figurative Language ..................................................................................................................................89 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................90 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................91 Imagery ...........................................................................................................................................................91 Historical Poems .........................................................................................................................................92 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................92 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................93 Reading Drama ...............................................................................................................................................93 Practice ...........................................................................................................................................................99 Answers ..........................................................................................................................................................99 8 The Extended Response .........................................................101 The Extended Response: An Overview .......................................................................................101 Reading and Understanding the Extended Response Prompt ......................................102 How the Extended Response Is Graded ......................................................................................104 9 Planning, Writing, and Editing Your Extended Response ................................................................105 Taking Notes ................................................................................................................................................105 Creating Your Thesis...............................................................................................................................107 Outlining Your Extended Response ..............................................................................................107 Time Is of the Essence ............................................................................................................................108 Writing Your Extended Response ...................................................................................................109 Editing Your Essay ....................................................................................................................................109 Check Your Structure ..............................................................................................................................110 Check for Transitions ..............................................................................................................................110 Check Your Sentence Length ................................................................................................................111 Check Your Vocabulary ..........................................................................................................................111 Check Your Grammar .............................................................................................................................111 Check Your Usage .....................................................................................................................................112 Check Your Sentence Structure ...........................................................................................................112 Check Your Punctuation ........................................................................................................................113 Check Your Verb-Preposition Combinations ...................................................................................113 Check for Trite Expressions ..................................................................................................................113 Check for Commonly Confused Words ...............................................................................................114 viii The GED Crash Course, Second Edition Practice .........................................................................................................................................................116 Answer ..........................................................................................................................................................119 10 Reasoning Through Language Arts Practice Test .............121 Instructions ....................................................................................................................................................121 Extended Response ...................................................................................................................................140 Answers and Explanations .....................................................................................................................142 Extended Response Answer .................................................................................................................145 Part 2: Social Studies Test ...............................................................147 11 U.S. Government and Civics ..................................................149 The Framework of U.S. Government ............................................................................................150 Practice .........................................................................................................................................................152 Answers ........................................................................................................................................................153 Elections and Political Parties ...........................................................................................................153 Practice .........................................................................................................................................................155 Answers ........................................................................................................................................................157 Interest Groups and the Political Process ..................................................................................157 Practice .........................................................................................................................................................158 Answers ........................................................................................................................................................159 Constitutional Rights ..............................................................................................................................159 Practice .........................................................................................................................................................161 Answers ........................................................................................................................................................161 12 U.S. History .................................................................................163 The Establishment of the United States ......................................................................................164 Practice .........................................................................................................................................................165 Answers ........................................................................................................................................................167 The Growth of the United States .....................................................................................................167 Practice .........................................................................................................................................................169 Answers ........................................................................................................................................................171 The Civil War, Reconstruction, and the Civil Rights Movement ...............................171 Practice .........................................................................................................................................................173 Answers ........................................................................................................................................................175 The United States as a World Power ..............................................................................................176 Practice .........................................................................................................................................................178 Answers ........................................................................................................................................................179
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