GED Language Arts (RLA) : Inferences About Passage Ideas and Meanings
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Example Questions
Example Question #41 : Inferences
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
(1910)
What can we infer about the author of this passage?
He has more respect for those who succeed than for those who try and fail
He believes that critics are necessary to inspire people to achieve greatness
He admires those who engage in intense physical competition
He has never experienced failure in his lifetime
He admires those who engage in intense physical competition
Roosevelt gives credit to "the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust, and sweat, and blood." He uses this metaphor of physical combat to illustrate his respect for those who compete, even those who fail.
Passage adapted from Citizenship in a Republic, a speech given by Theodore Roosevelt on April 23, 1910.
Example Question #62 : Ged Language Arts (Rla)
1 It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
2 There were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a plain face, on the throne of England; there were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a fair face, on the throne of France. 3 In both countries it was clearer than crystal to the lords of the State preserves of loaves and fishes, that things in general were settled forever. …
4 France, less favored on the whole as to matters spiritual than her sister of the shield and trident, rolled with exceeding smoothness downhill, making paper money and spending it. 5 Under the guidance of her Christian pastors, she entertained herself, besides, with such humane achievements as sentencing a youth to have his hands cut off, his tongue torn out with pincers, and his body burned alive, because he had not kneeled down in the rain to do honor to a dirty procession of monks which passed within his view, at a distance of some fifty or sixty yards. 6 It is likely enough that, rooted in the woods of France and Norway, there were growing trees, when that sufferer was put to death, already marked by the Woodman, Fate, to come down and be sawn into boards, to make a certain movable framework with a sack and a knife in it, terrible in history.
In Sentence 5, what trait is the author indirectly critiquing?
Hypocrisy
Sullenness
Jealousy
Atheism
Greed
Hypocrisy
The author describes an occurrence in which “Christian pastors,” who are known for preaching “humane” acts, sentence a young man to a torturous death “because he had not kneeled down in the rain to do honor to a dirty procession of monks which passed within his view, at a distance of some fifty or sixty yards.” This is a clear denunciation of hypocrisy, the act of saying one thing and doing another.
Passage adapted from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities (1859).
Example Question #63 : Ged Language Arts (Rla)
1 It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
2 There were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a plain face, on the throne of England; there were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a fair face, on the throne of France. 3 In both countries it was clearer than crystal to the lords of the State preserves of loaves and fishes, that things in general were settled forever. …
4 France, less favored on the whole as to matters spiritual than her sister of the shield and trident, rolled with exceeding smoothness downhill, making paper money and spending it. 5 Under the guidance of her Christian pastors, she entertained herself, besides, with such humane achievements as sentencing a youth to have his hands cut off, his tongue torn out with pincers, and his body burned alive, because he had not kneeled down in the rain to do honor to a dirty procession of monks which passed within his view, at a distance of some fifty or sixty yards. 6 It is likely enough that, rooted in the woods of France and Norway, there were growing trees, when that sufferer was put to death, already marked by the Woodman, Fate, to come down and be sawn into boards, to make a certain movable framework with a sack and a knife in it, terrible in history.
In Sentence 6, to what historical object is the author alluding?
Market stalls
Guillotines
Muskets
Crucifixes
Brass scales
Guillotines
Sentence 6 describes trees that will be “sawn into boards, to make a certain movable framework with a sack and a knife in it.” This allows us to rule out muskets and brass scales, which are not made of wood. By noting that this object is also described as “terrible in history,” we can rule out market stalls. Lastly, by noting that the wooden framework is “movable,” we can conclude that the author is describing a guillotine and not a crucifix.
Passage adapted from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities (1859).
Example Question #64 : Ged Language Arts (Rla)
1 It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
2 There were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a plain face, on the throne of England; there were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a fair face, on the throne of France. 3 In both countries it was clearer than crystal to the lords of the State preserves of loaves and fishes, that things in general were settled forever. …
4 France, less favored on the whole as to matters spiritual than her sister of the shield and trident, rolled with exceeding smoothness downhill, making paper money and spending it. 5 Under the guidance of her Christian pastors, she entertained herself, besides, with such humane achievements as sentencing a youth to have his hands cut off, his tongue torn out with pincers, and his body burned alive, because he had not kneeled down in the rain to do honor to a dirty procession of monks which passed within his view, at a distance of some fifty or sixty yards. 6 It is likely enough that, rooted in the woods of France and Norway, there were growing trees, when that sufferer was put to death, already marked by the Woodman, Fate, to come down and be sawn into boards, to make a certain movable framework with a sack and a knife in it, terrible in history.
In Sentence 4, what occurrence is the author describing?
Mass nihilism
Royal indifference
Economic inflation
Social hedonism
Mass atheism
Economic inflation
In Sentence 4, the author notes that France “rolled with exceeding smoothness downhill, making paper money and spending it.” This is a clear reference to economic inflation, in which paper currency becomes devalued and is spent quickly by people trying to purchase the same amount of goods at increasingly higher prices.
Passage adapted from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities (1859).
Example Question #65 : Ged Language Arts (Rla)
1 It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
2 There were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a plain face, on the throne of England; there were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a fair face, on the throne of France. 3 In both countries it was clearer than crystal to the lords of the State preserves of loaves and fishes, that things in general were settled forever. …
4 France, less favored on the whole as to matters spiritual than her sister of the shield and trident, rolled with exceeding smoothness downhill, making paper money and spending it. 5 Under the guidance of her Christian pastors, she entertained herself, besides, with such humane achievements as sentencing a youth to have his hands cut off, his tongue torn out with pincers, and his body burned alive, because he had not kneeled down in the rain to do honor to a dirty procession of monks which passed within his view, at a distance of some fifty or sixty yards. 6 It is likely enough that, rooted in the woods of France and Norway, there were growing trees, when that sufferer was put to death, already marked by the Woodman, Fate, to come down and be sawn into boards, to make a certain movable framework with a sack and a knife in it, terrible in history.
In Sentence 4, to what does “her sister of the shield and trident” refer?
Female soldiers
Joan of Arc
The warlike queen of France
England
Nuns
England
In the previous paragraph, we’ve seen France and England linked together. We can tell in Sentence 4 that the author is directly comparing France to this “sister.” It makes sense, then, that France’s sister would be England, this country in which similar political and social occurrences were happening.
Passage adapted from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities (1859).
Example Question #66 : Ged Language Arts (Rla)
1 It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
2 There were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a plain face, on the throne of England; there were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a fair face, on the throne of France. 3 In both countries it was clearer than crystal to the lords of the State preserves of loaves and fishes, that things in general were settled forever. …
4 France, less favored on the whole as to matters spiritual than her sister of the shield and trident, rolled with exceeding smoothness downhill, making paper money and spending it. 5 Under the guidance of her Christian pastors, she entertained herself, besides, with such humane achievements as sentencing a youth to have his hands cut off, his tongue torn out with pincers, and his body burned alive, because he had not kneeled down in the rain to do honor to a dirty procession of monks which passed within his view, at a distance of some fifty or sixty yards. 6 It is likely enough that, rooted in the woods of France and Norway, there were growing trees, when that sufferer was put to death, already marked by the Woodman, Fate, to come down and be sawn into boards, to make a certain movable framework with a sack and a knife in it, terrible in history.
In Sentence 1, to what is the author referring with the phrase “going direct the other way”?
Industrialization
Travel abroad
Urbanization
Lack of public education
Damnation
Damnation
If we consider the parallel and opposite structure that the author is establishing in this first sentence, we can immediately guess that “going direct the other way” is the opposite of “going direct to Heaven.” In other words, he’s referencing going to Hell, or eternal damnation.
Passage adapted from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities (1859).
Example Question #71 : Passage Meaning And Inference
1 It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
2 There were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a plain face, on the throne of England; there were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a fair face, on the throne of France. 3 In both countries it was clearer than crystal to the lords of the State preserves of loaves and fishes, that things in general were settled forever. …
4 France, less favored on the whole as to matters spiritual than her sister of the shield and trident, rolled with exceeding smoothness downhill, making paper money and spending it. 5 Under the guidance of her Christian pastors, she entertained herself, besides, with such humane achievements as sentencing a youth to have his hands cut off, his tongue torn out with pincers, and his body burned alive, because he had not kneeled down in the rain to do honor to a dirty procession of monks which passed within his view, at a distance of some fifty or sixty yards. 6 It is likely enough that, rooted in the woods of France and Norway, there were growing trees, when that sufferer was put to death, already marked by the Woodman, Fate, to come down and be sawn into boards, to make a certain movable framework with a sack and a knife in it, terrible in history.
In Sentence 3, what is another way to interpret “things in general were settled forever”?
The ministers of France and England have been elected to lifelong posts
None of these
France and England have reached an uneasy compromise that they cannot break
The threat of war between England and France has been overcome
The common people’s socioeconomic fates are preordained
The common people’s socioeconomic fates are preordained
Based on the rest of Sentences 2 and 3, we can guess that the author is referring to socioeconomic matters. More specifically, the reference to the countries’ “preserves of loaves and fishes” denotes the wellbeing of the common people. Although France and England are mentioned, there is nothing in the passage to indicate that the author is describing conflict or compromise between the two countries.
Passage adapted from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities (1859).
Example Question #72 : Passage Meaning And Inference
What dire offence from amorous causes springs,
What mighty contests rise from trivial things,
I sing — This verse to Caryl, Muse! is due:
This, even Belinda may vouchsafe to view:
Slight is the subject, but not so the praise, (5)
If She inspire, and He approve my lays.
… Sol thro’ white curtains shot a tim’rous ray,
And oped those eyes that must eclipse the day.
Now lapdogs give themselves the rousing shake,
And sleepless lovers just at twelve awake:(10)
Thrice rung the bell, the slipper knock’d the ground,
And the press’d watch return’d a silver sound.
Belinda still her downy pillow prest,
Her guardian Sylph prolong’d the balmy rest.
What does the poet mean by “dire offence from amorous causes springs” (line 1)?
Committing foolish behavior in the name of love springs up on people
When two people are in love, it often offends their jealous exes
When two people are in love, they frequently upset each other by accident
Love springs forth to conquer all
Love can cause people to commit grave misdeeds
Love can cause people to commit grave misdeeds
Judging by the use of “dire,” we can surmise that “offense” means serious transgression and not simply hurt feelings here. Although the syntax is convoluted, we can rewrite the line as “dire offence springs from amorous causes” and see more clearly what the poet is saying. “Amorous causes,” or being in love, is the source of “dire offence,” or grave misdeeds.
Passage adapted from The Rape of the Lock (1712) by Alexander Pope.
Example Question #71 : Passage Meaning And Inference
1 Call me Ishmael. 2 Some years ago—never mind how long precisely—having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. 3 It is a way I have of driving off the spleen and regulating the circulation. 4 Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people’s hats off—then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. 5 This is my substitute for pistol and ball. 6 With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. 7 There is nothing surprising in this. 8 If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.
9 There now is your insular city of the Manhattoes, belted round by wharves as Indian isles by coral reefs—commerce surrounds it with her surf. 10 Right and left, the streets take you waterward. 11 Its extreme downtown is the battery, where that noble mole is washed by waves, and cooled by breezes, which a few hours previous were out of sight of land. 12 Look at the crowds of water-gazers there.
What does the speaker mean by “This is my substitute for pistol and ball” (Sentence 5)?
He thinks that going to sea imparts the same kind of discipline as armed policemen
He goes to sea to avoid killing people
He prefers naval conflicts to terrestrial ones
He would rather join the navy than be conscripted into the army
He hopes to be killed in a maritime accident to avoid committing suicide
He goes to sea to avoid killing people
As extreme as it sounds, the speaker claims that he needs “to get to sea as soon as I can” to avoid using pistol and ball – in other words, to avoid using firearms. This sentence is an example of hyperbole, or dramatic exaggeration, and is not meant to be taken literally. Rather, it illustrates the dour mood that the speaker is in.
Passage adapted from Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick; or, the Whale (1851)
Example Question #12 : Inferences About Passage Ideas And Meanings
1 Call me Ishmael. 2 Some years ago—never mind how long precisely—having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. 3 It is a way I have of driving off the spleen and regulating the circulation. 4 Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people’s hats off—then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. 5 This is my substitute for pistol and ball. 6 With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. 7 There is nothing surprising in this. 8 If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.
9 There now is your insular city of the Manhattoes, belted round by wharves as Indian isles by coral reefs—commerce surrounds it with her surf. 10 Right and left, the streets take you waterward. 11 Its extreme downtown is the battery, where that noble mole is washed by waves, and cooled by breezes, which a few hours previous were out of sight of land. 12 Look at the crowds of water-gazers there.
In Sentence 2, why does the speaker say “never mind how long precisely”?
To distract readers from the fact that this is an autobiographical account
To satirize similar works in the genre
To further characterize the speaker
To convey the impression that the speaker cares about nothing
To avoid offending his older readers
To further characterize the speaker
The phrase in question is a verbal quirk or idiosyncrasy that helps establish what kind of speaker we’re dealing with. Reading the surrounding sentences makes it clear that the speaker is neither indifferent nor concealing the fact that this is an autobiographical account, which can help you rule out some of the other choices.
Passage adapted from Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick; or, the Whale (1851)
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