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Sample GED Language Arts, Reading Test
GED Sample Test Questions
Language Arts: Reading
The Language Arts, Reading Test contains 40 multiple-choice
questions that measure your ability to comprehend and interpret
workplace and academic reading selections and to apply those
interpretations to new contexts. The questions ask you to understand,
apply, analyze, and synthesize information that you are given in the
reading selections.
Literary texts constitute 75% of each test and include at least one
selection from each of the following areas:
- Poetry
- Drama
- Prose fiction before 1920
- Prose fiction between 1920 and 1960
- Prose fiction after 1960
Nonfiction texts constitute 25% of each test and include two
selections of nonfiction prose from any two of the following areas:
- Nonfiction prose
- Critical review of visual and performing arts
- Workplace and community documents, such as mission and goal
statements, rules for employee behavior, legal documents, and
communications (for example, letters and excerpts from manuals)
The reading selections in the Language Arts, Reading Test
range from 200 to 400 words, with poetry running from 8 to 25 lines. A
purpose question appears in bold before each selection; the question is
designed solely to help you focus and provide a purpose for reading the
text. You are not asked to answer the purpose question. Each selection
is followed by four to eight questions.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
Directions: Choose the one best answer to each
question.
Questions 1 through 8 refer to the following document:
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How Shall Employees Conduct Themselves?
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Guidelines for Conducting Business with Those outside Our
Company
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Our employees are the most
effective advertisement of our values, beliefs, and abilities.
Always |
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keep in mind that when you are
acting in your capacity as our employee, you are contributing |
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materially to the public image and
the ultimate success of this company. |
(5) |
Gifts for Influence |
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No payment or gift of money,
goods, or services should be given or received to influence
govern- |
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ment or business decisions.
Accurate and complete records for all accounts will be strictly
moni- |
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tored for everyone’s protection. |
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If it becomes apparent to you in
the course of the performance of your business responsibilities
that a |
| (10) |
payment of some kind is expected
by your business associate, please contact your division
president. |
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Conflict of Interest |
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A conflict of interest can be
described as a situation where a person has a vested interest in
two |
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areas of the business world that
may give him or her an unfair advantage in business dealings. |
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Our employees should be sensitive
to any relationship that creates such a relationship—or even |
| (15) |
creates the appearance of such a
relationship. |
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Keep these rules in mind: |
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• Throughout your
employment period, be vigilant about potential conflicts of
interest |
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between this company’s
interests and your personal or immediate family’s interests. |
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• Don’t use your position
with this company to obtain a personal benefit of any kind. |
| (20) |
• Avoid any action or
relationship that creates, or even creates the appearance of, a
conflict |
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of interest. For example,
having an interest in a nonpublic company that competes or does |
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business with our company
or any of its affiliates might create the appearance of a
conflict |
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of interest and might
prompt accusations and/or an investigation. |
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Disclosure |
| (25) |
This company respects your
privacy, as well as your right to conduct your personal affairs
with- |
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out interference; however, you
must make prompt, complete, and continuing disclosure of all |
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facts relating to any factual or
potential conflict of interest. |
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Investigations |
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Inquiries or investigations may
be undertaken at this company’s direction by its attorneys, |
| (30) |
investigators, internal auditors,
or independent public accountants. Employees should regard this |
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vigilance as the company’s
commitment not only to fair competition but also to the
protection of |
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its employees. Your cooperation
is needed for your protection as well as that of this company, |
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and it is a condition of your
employment. |
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This excerpt is a composite of
information from several business documents. |
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1. |
Based on the information in this excerpt, what
would be the company's policy about accepting gifts or
entertainment from people representing your competitors?
Accepting gifts or entertainment from people representing
competitors would be considered |
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| 1. |
dangerous |
| 2. |
practical |
| 3. |
reasonable |
| 4. |
unacceptable |
| 5. |
good business |
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2. |
Based on the information in this excerpt, when
is it permissible to give money that might be considered a bribe
or a tip to a government official in order to facilitate
business? |
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| 1. |
It is never permissible to give a gift or other payment
to influence government or business decisions. |
| 2. |
It may be necessary in certain foreign countries where
it is expected. |
| 3. |
Payments to government officials can be made at any time
with prior approval of the division president. |
| 4. |
Modest gratuities can be offered at any time. |
| 5. |
All payments or gratuities must be worth their fair
trade value. |
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3. |
What is the meaning of the phrase “or even
creates the appearance of” (lines 14–15)? |
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| 1. |
an actual conflict of interest |
| 2. |
a conflict between the company's interests and your
personal or immediate family's interest |
| 3. |
a situation that is not truly a conflict of interest but
may appear to be |
| 4. |
the company's high standards for employee personal
appearance and behavior |
| 5. |
a situation that is within your personal affairs |
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4. |
What is an example of a conflict of interest? |
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| 1. |
Your cousin works for the same company. |
| 2. |
You have given gratuities to foreign government
officials. |
| 3. |
You often meet with the employee's union representative. |
| 4. |
You have cheated on your income tax. |
| 5. |
Your spouse owns stock in one of the company's
competitors. |
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5. |
While this excerpt is discussing a very serious
topic, it tries to maintain a feeling of sincere interest in the
employee. Which of the statements below most clearly reflects
that feeling? |
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| 1. |
"No payment or gift of money, goods, or services should
be given or received to influence government or business
decisions" (line 6-7). |
| 2. |
"...records for all accounts will be strictly
monitored..." (lines 7-8) |
| 3. |
"Don't use your position with this company to obtain a
personal benefit or any kind" (line 19). |
| 4. |
"This company respects your privacy, as well as your
right to conduct your personal affairs without
interference" (lines 25-26). |
| 5. |
"Your cooperation...is a condition of your employment"
(lines 32-33). |
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6. |
How is this excerpt organized? |
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| 1. |
statements of fact supported by personal stores |
| 2. |
specfic topics followed by explanations |
| 3. |
rules for behavior supported by warnings of consequences |
| 4. |
general policy statement without specific performance
standards |
| 5. |
debate of public versus personal philosophies |
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7. |
Earlier in this document, the company describes
how employees of this company are to behave toward each other.
It includes a statement about complete and enforced intolerance
for discrimination in any form. Based on this information and
the information in this excerpt, why might a potential employee
want to read all this company’s rules and regulations for
employee behavior carefully? |
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| 1. |
One mistake with this company could cost an employee his
or her job. |
| 2. |
Competitors have several options for securing their
rights |
| 3. |
Employees and their managers must interact carefully. |
| 4. |
Unfair labor practices will not be tolerated. |
| 5. |
This company has high expectations for employee behavior |
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8. |
If you were running this company and you wanted
to hire someone to enforce these rules, what primary
characteristic would you want in this potential employee? |
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| 1. |
knowledge about the company's product |
| 2. |
honesty and integrity |
| 3. |
communication skills |
| 4. |
human relations skills |
| 5. |
familiarity with your employee |
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Answers to these sample questions are available on the
Answers page. |