Ged Social Studies

Get ready for the GED! Our test experts will show you how to master the Social Studies section of the GED!

REA's comprehensive "pre-GED" review of the Social Studies covers every possible Social Studies exam topic found on the GED: interpreting graphs, maps and charts, interpreting data, distinguishing fact from opinion, political cartoons, and more. Features 2 practice tests that thoroughly evaluate your skills and knowledge of the subject matter. Each practice exam question is fully explained to help you better understand the subject material. Use the book's appendix for speedy look-up of vital test information.

Follow up your study with REA's proven test-taking strategies and powerhouse drills that get you ready to master the GED and get your high school equivalency diploma.

DETAILS
- Detailed review of every possible Social Science exam topic to appear on the GED exam:
- Packed with proven test tips, strategies and powerhouse drills to help you master the GED's Social Studies subject
- Diagnostic pre-test that pinpoints your GED strengths and weaknesses.
- Post-Test that evaluates your progress as your studies proceed
- Each practice exam question is answered with easy-to-follow, easy-to-grasp explanations that allow for greater understanding of a problem.
- Comprehensive appendix for speedy look-up of important terms and concepts.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
About this Book
About the GED
How to Use this Book
About Research & Education Association
Acknowledgements
Pre-Test
Answer Key
Pre-Test Self-Evaluation
Pre-Test Answers and Explanations
Comprehending What You Read
Previewing Paragraphs
Finding the Main Idea
Thinking About the Topic
Asking Who, What, Where, and When
Using Context Clues to Understand Unfamiliar Words
Review
Graphs and Charts
Previewing Graphs
Interpreting Data
Review
Reading Patterns
Comparing and Contrasting
Identifying Sequences
Cause and Effect Relationships
Inferring Meaning
Distinguishing Fact from Opinion
Review
Applying Information
Applying Information from Charts
Applying Information from Graphs
Applying Information from Maps
Applying Information from Political Cartoons
Applying Information from Other Practical Documents
Review
Post-Test
Answer Key
Post-Test Self-Evaluation
Post-Test Answers and Explanations
Appendix: Glossary of Terms

EXCERPT

About Research & Education Association
Research & Education Association (REA) is an organization of educators, scientists, and engineers specializing in various academic fields. Founded in 1959 with the purpose of disseminating the most recently developed scientific information to groups in industry, government, high schools, and universities, REA has since become a successful and highly respected publisher of study aids, test preps, handbooks, and reference works.

REA's Test Preparation series includes study guides for all academic levels in almost all disciplines. Research & Education Association publishes test preps for students who have not yet completed high school, as well as high school students preparing to enter college. Students from countries around the world seeking to attend college in the United States will find the assistance they need in REA's publications. For college students seeking advanced degrees,

REA publishes test preps for many major graduate school admission examinations in a wide variety of disciplines, including engineering, law, and medicine. Students at every level, in every field, with every ambition can find what they are looking for among REA's publications.

While most test preparation books present practice tests that bear little resemblance to the actual exams, REA's series presents tests that accurately depict the official exams in both degree of difficulty and types of questions. REA's practice tests are always based upon the most recently administered exams, and include every type of question that can be expected on the actual exams.

REA's publications and educational materials are highly regarded and continually receive an unprecedented amount of praise from professionals, instructors, librarians, parents, and students. Our authors are as diverse as the fields represented in the books we publish. They are well-known in their respective disciplines and serve on the faculties of prestigious high schools, colleges, and universities throughout the United States and Canada.

ABOUT THIS BOOK
This book is designed to help you strengthen the skills you will need to take the "Social Studies " test of the General Educational Development (GED) Examination.

A Pre-Test section in the beginning of this book will help you assess the areas where you need to work the hardest. After you have completed the review areas and answered all of the drill questions, you will be given a Post-Test that will show your improvement in certain areas and show you which areas you still need to study. In the Post-Test section you will answer questions very similar to those you will face on the actual GED. The Pre-Test and Post-Test provide detailed explanations to all of thhe questions, illustrating not only why the correct answer choice was right, but also why the incorrect answer choices were wrong.

The reviews cover all areas tested on the Social Studies test of the GED examination. Sections on comprehending what you read, graphs and charts, reading patterns, and applying information are covered extensively. Each section contains a drill so you can monitor your progress as you use this book. By mastering the skills presented in this book, you will be able to approach the Social Studies test with confidence.

ABOUT THE GED
The GED is an examination for adults who did not complete high school and would like to earn a high school equivalency diploma. The exam is given by each state, which then issues a GED diploma. The GED is taken by adults who want or need a diploma for work, college, or personal satisfaction. Nearly 800,000 people take the GED each year.

The GED is broken into five tests: Language Arts: Writing; Social Studies; Science; Language Arts: Reading; and Mathematics. You are given a little more than seven hours to complete all five tests. There is a total of 240 multiple-choice questions and one essay question on the GED examination.

The Social Studies test on the GED has 50 multiple choice questions. You will have 70 minutes in which to answer questions based on a passage, graph, map, chart, or figure. The test consists of 40% history questions, 20% economics questions, 25% political science questions, and 15% geography questions. The test questions will deal 20% with evaluation, 30% with analysis, 30% with application, and 20% with comprehension.

The GED examination is administered by the GED Testing Service of the American Council of Education (ACE) and is developed by writers who have secondary and adult education experience. Because the GED test-takers come from such diverse backgrounds, the ACE makes sure the test writers are also diverse. Once the questions have been written, they are standardized according to a certain level of difficulty and content.

The GED comes in several versions to fit the special needs of its examinees. For example, there are Spanish, French, and Braille versions of the exam, as well as large-print and audio versions.

If you would like to obtain more information about the GED, such as when and where it is administered, contact your local high school or adult education center. You can also call or write to the GED Testing Service at:

1-800-62MYGED / (1-800-626-9433)

General Educational Development
GED Testing Service
American Council on Education
One Dupont Circle, NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
Website: http://www.ged.org

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
Before you begin reading the chapter on comprehending what you read, take the Pre-Test at the front of this book. This Pre-Test will assess your current skills and indicate both your strengths and weaknesses.

This book is broken down into four sections, each dealing with a specific area of social studies: comprehending what you read, graphs and charts, reading patterns, and applying information. Each section includes exercises to help you develop your skills as well as skill-building practice exercises at the end of each section to reinforce what you have learned. There is also an appendix at the end of the book which includes a glossary of terms. The glossary includes a list of general terms that appear throughout the book that you might not be familiar with. Also included are United States and European History terms to prepare you for the GED.

It is best to move through this book chronologically because the "Comprehending What You Read " section lays the foundation for the rest of the book.

Because social studies skills are developed and not simply a list of facts to learn, it is important to begin developing this skill as soon as possible. Cramming for this test on the GED simply will not help. It is also wise not to try to do too much in one study session. There is a large amount of information presented in this book, and it will take time to digest.

When you are finished with the review sections, take the Post-Test. Compare your Post-Test score with your Pre-Test score and see how much you have improved. You may even want to take the Pre-Test again to re-evaluate your skills.

Before you begin the Pre-Test, you should take inventory of your study skills. Under what circumstances do you study best? Are you most awake in the morning, late afternoon, or evening? Do you study best under bright light, or soft? With music, or in total silence? Answer these questions and then try to optimize your study time by creating the ideal learning conditions (the atmosphere in which you learn most efficiently). Also, you should set a specific schedule for yourself that takes into consideration your other commitments. Can you study one hour each morning? A half hour every night? Two or three hours on weekends? Pick a routine and stick to it so you will be confident when it's time to take the exam.

Although you are encouraged to write in the margins of this book, you should know that you will not be allowed to mark up the texts on the actual GED examination. When you take the Post-Test, use a piece of scrap paper instead of writing in the margins of the book. This will help you be more comfortable with the actual test format.

Please note that the GED won't penalize you for guessing wrong, so if you are stuck on a question, don't leave it blank. Instead, eliminate any answers you know are not correct and choose one of the remaining options. You have a better chance of getting a question right by making an educated guess, and then you can move on to the next question. Remember, the exam is timed, so you do not want to spend too much time on any one question.