[GEDRLA] GED Reasoning Through Language
Arts Certification Exam Guide
**Question 1.** In a narrative, the climax is best described as the point where:
A) The setting is introduced.
B) The main conflict reaches its highest tension.
C) The protagonist’s background is explained.
D) The story’s resolution occurs.
Answer: B
Explanation: The climax is the peak of tension where the central conflict comes to a head.
**Question 2.** When an author uses the phrase “the wind whispered through the trees,” this is an
example of:
A) Metaphor
B) Simile
C) Personification
D) Hyperbole
Answer: C
Explanation: Personification gives a nonhuman entity (wind) human qualities (whispering).
**Question 3.** Which of the following best identifies the main idea of a passage?
A) A specific detail about a character’s clothing.
B) The author’s purpose for writing.
C) The central point the author wants the reader to understand.
D) The title of the passage.
Answer: C
Explanation: The main idea is the central point or message of the text.
**Question 4.** The author’s point of view in a persuasive essay is most clearly indicated by:
A) The use of first‑person pronouns.
B) The length of the introduction.
, [GEDRLA] GED Reasoning Through Language
Arts Certification Exam Guide
C) The number of paragraphs.
D) The inclusion of a bibliography.
Answer: A
Explanation: First‑person pronouns (I, we) reveal the author’s perspective.
**Question 5.** Which organizational pattern is used when a text moves from earliest to latest events?
A) Cause/effect
B**. Comparison/contrast**
C) Chronological order
D) Problem/solution
Answer: C
Explanation: Chronological order arranges information by time sequence.
**Question 6.** In an informational text, a graphic that shows percentages of different categories is a:
A) Line graph
B) Bar chart
C) Pie chart
D) Scatter plot
Answer: C
Explanation: Pie charts display parts of a whole as percentages.
**Question 7.** Which statement is an inference?
A) The author states that the river is 100 miles long.
B) The narrator mentions that the sky turned dark and people rushed inside.
C) The passage lists three reasons for climate change.
D) The title reads “A Winter’s Tale.”
Answer: B
, [GEDRLA] GED Reasoning Through Language
Arts Certification Exam Guide
Explanation: Inferring that people rushed inside because they anticipated rain or snow goes beyond the
explicit text.
**Question 8.** The purpose of a concluding paragraph in an argumentative essay is to:
A) Introduce new evidence.
B) Restate the thesis and summarize key points.
C) Provide background information.
D) Pose a rhetorical question.
Answer: B
Explanation: Conclusions recap the argument and reinforce the thesis.
**Question 9.** Which of the following is a logical fallacy?
A) Using statistics to support a claim.
B) Arguing that because something is popular, it must be true.
C) Citing an expert opinion.
D) Providing a counterexample.
Answer: B
Explanation: The appeal to popularity (ad populum) is a fallacy.
**Question 10.** When evaluating two arguments on the same issue, the stronger argument is the one
that:
A) Uses the most emotional language.
B) Contains the longest introduction.
C) Provides the most relevant and credible evidence.
D) Includes many rhetorical questions.
Answer: C
Explanation: Strong arguments are supported by relevant, credible evidence.
, [GEDRLA] GED Reasoning Through Language
Arts Certification Exam Guide
**Question 11.** A run‑on sentence occurs when:
A) Two independent clauses are joined only with a comma.
B) A clause lacks a subject.
C) A sentence ends with a preposition.
D) A verb does not agree with its subject.
Answer: A
Explanation: A comma splice (run‑on) incorrectly joins independent clauses with just a comma.
**Question 12.** Choose the correctly punctuated sentence.
A) The committee includes teachers, students and parents.
B) The committee includes teachers, students, and parents.
C) The committee includes teachers; students; and parents.
D) The committee includes teachers, students and, parents.
Answer: B
Explanation: Serial commas separate items in a list; the Oxford comma before “and” is correct.
**Question 13.** Which sentence demonstrates parallel structure?
A) She likes reading, to swim, and biking.
B) She likes reading, swimming, and biking.
C) She likes reading, swimming and to bike.
D) She likes to read, swimming, and bikes.
Answer: B
Explanation: All items are gerunds, creating parallelism.
**Question 14.** The correct form of the verb in the sentence “Neither the teachers nor the principal
___ the meeting.” is:
A) attends
B) attend
Arts Certification Exam Guide
**Question 1.** In a narrative, the climax is best described as the point where:
A) The setting is introduced.
B) The main conflict reaches its highest tension.
C) The protagonist’s background is explained.
D) The story’s resolution occurs.
Answer: B
Explanation: The climax is the peak of tension where the central conflict comes to a head.
**Question 2.** When an author uses the phrase “the wind whispered through the trees,” this is an
example of:
A) Metaphor
B) Simile
C) Personification
D) Hyperbole
Answer: C
Explanation: Personification gives a nonhuman entity (wind) human qualities (whispering).
**Question 3.** Which of the following best identifies the main idea of a passage?
A) A specific detail about a character’s clothing.
B) The author’s purpose for writing.
C) The central point the author wants the reader to understand.
D) The title of the passage.
Answer: C
Explanation: The main idea is the central point or message of the text.
**Question 4.** The author’s point of view in a persuasive essay is most clearly indicated by:
A) The use of first‑person pronouns.
B) The length of the introduction.
, [GEDRLA] GED Reasoning Through Language
Arts Certification Exam Guide
C) The number of paragraphs.
D) The inclusion of a bibliography.
Answer: A
Explanation: First‑person pronouns (I, we) reveal the author’s perspective.
**Question 5.** Which organizational pattern is used when a text moves from earliest to latest events?
A) Cause/effect
B**. Comparison/contrast**
C) Chronological order
D) Problem/solution
Answer: C
Explanation: Chronological order arranges information by time sequence.
**Question 6.** In an informational text, a graphic that shows percentages of different categories is a:
A) Line graph
B) Bar chart
C) Pie chart
D) Scatter plot
Answer: C
Explanation: Pie charts display parts of a whole as percentages.
**Question 7.** Which statement is an inference?
A) The author states that the river is 100 miles long.
B) The narrator mentions that the sky turned dark and people rushed inside.
C) The passage lists three reasons for climate change.
D) The title reads “A Winter’s Tale.”
Answer: B
, [GEDRLA] GED Reasoning Through Language
Arts Certification Exam Guide
Explanation: Inferring that people rushed inside because they anticipated rain or snow goes beyond the
explicit text.
**Question 8.** The purpose of a concluding paragraph in an argumentative essay is to:
A) Introduce new evidence.
B) Restate the thesis and summarize key points.
C) Provide background information.
D) Pose a rhetorical question.
Answer: B
Explanation: Conclusions recap the argument and reinforce the thesis.
**Question 9.** Which of the following is a logical fallacy?
A) Using statistics to support a claim.
B) Arguing that because something is popular, it must be true.
C) Citing an expert opinion.
D) Providing a counterexample.
Answer: B
Explanation: The appeal to popularity (ad populum) is a fallacy.
**Question 10.** When evaluating two arguments on the same issue, the stronger argument is the one
that:
A) Uses the most emotional language.
B) Contains the longest introduction.
C) Provides the most relevant and credible evidence.
D) Includes many rhetorical questions.
Answer: C
Explanation: Strong arguments are supported by relevant, credible evidence.
, [GEDRLA] GED Reasoning Through Language
Arts Certification Exam Guide
**Question 11.** A run‑on sentence occurs when:
A) Two independent clauses are joined only with a comma.
B) A clause lacks a subject.
C) A sentence ends with a preposition.
D) A verb does not agree with its subject.
Answer: A
Explanation: A comma splice (run‑on) incorrectly joins independent clauses with just a comma.
**Question 12.** Choose the correctly punctuated sentence.
A) The committee includes teachers, students and parents.
B) The committee includes teachers, students, and parents.
C) The committee includes teachers; students; and parents.
D) The committee includes teachers, students and, parents.
Answer: B
Explanation: Serial commas separate items in a list; the Oxford comma before “and” is correct.
**Question 13.** Which sentence demonstrates parallel structure?
A) She likes reading, to swim, and biking.
B) She likes reading, swimming, and biking.
C) She likes reading, swimming and to bike.
D) She likes to read, swimming, and bikes.
Answer: B
Explanation: All items are gerunds, creating parallelism.
**Question 14.** The correct form of the verb in the sentence “Neither the teachers nor the principal
___ the meeting.” is:
A) attends
B) attend
