GED Language Arts (RLA) : Word Meanings

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GED Language Arts (RLA)

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Example Questions

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Example Question #111 : Passage Meaning And Inference

1About thirty years ago Miss Maria Ward, of Huntingdon, with only seven thousand pounds, had the good luck to captivate Sir Thomas Bertram, of Mansfield Park, in the county of Northampton, and to be thereby raised to the rank of a baronet's lady, with all the comforts and consequences of an handsome house and large income. 2 All Huntingdon exclaimed on the greatness of the match, and her uncle, the lawyer, himself, allowed her to be at least three thousand pounds short of any equitable claim to it. 3 She had two sisters to be benefited by her elevation; and such of their acquaintance as thought Miss Ward and Miss Frances quite as handsome as Miss Maria, did not scruple to predict their marrying with almost equal advantage. 4 But there certainly are not so many men of large fortune in the world as there are pretty women to deserve them. 5 Miss Ward, at the end of half a dozen years, found herself obliged to be attached to the Rev. Mr. Norris, a friend of her brother-in-law, with scarcely any private fortune, and Miss Frances fared yet worse. 6 Miss Ward's match, indeed, when it came to the point, was not contemptible: Sir Thomas being happily able to give his friend an income in the living of Mansfield; and Mr. and Mrs. Norris began their career of conjugal felicity with very little less than a thousand a year. 7 But Miss Frances married, in the common phrase, to disoblige her family, and by fixing on a lieutenant of marines, without education, fortune, or connexions, did it very thoroughly. 8 She could hardly have made a more untoward choice.

In Sentence 2, what does “equitable” mean?

Possible Answers:

Fair

Wrongful

Disinterested

Emotional

Persuasive

Correct answer:

Fair

Explanation:

“Equitable” means fair, which is an antonym for “wrongful.” We can arrive at this meaning by realizing that the passage is describing Maria’s claim to her husband as not “equitable” since she’s lacking the proper money.

Passage adapted from Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park (1814)

Example Question #111 : Ged Language Arts (Rla)

1About thirty years ago Miss Maria Ward, of Huntingdon, with only seven thousand pounds, had the good luck to captivate Sir Thomas Bertram, of Mansfield Park, in the county of Northampton, and to be thereby raised to the rank of a baronet's lady, with all the comforts and consequences of an handsome house and large income. 2 All Huntingdon exclaimed on the greatness of the match, and her uncle, the lawyer, himself, allowed her to be at least three thousand pounds short of any equitable claim to it. 3 She had two sisters to be benefited by her elevation; and such of their acquaintance as thought Miss Ward and Miss Frances quite as handsome as Miss Maria, did not scruple to predict their marrying with almost equal advantage. 4 But there certainly are not so many men of large fortune in the world as there are pretty women to deserve them. 5 Miss Ward, at the end of half a dozen years, found herself obliged to be attached to the Rev. Mr. Norris, a friend of her brother-in-law, with scarcely any private fortune, and Miss Frances fared yet worse. 6 Miss Ward's match, indeed, when it came to the point, was not contemptible: Sir Thomas being happily able to give his friend an income in the living of Mansfield; and Mr. and Mrs. Norris began their career of conjugal felicity with very little less than a thousand a year. 7 But Miss Frances married, in the common phrase, to disoblige her family, and by fixing on a lieutenant of marines, without education, fortune, or connexions, did it very thoroughly. 8 She could hardly have made a more untoward choice.

In Sentence 5, what does the word “obliged” imply?

Possible Answers:

Miss Ward is delighted to go against social expectations for her marriage

Miss Ward has come to love the reverend in spite of his low class

Miss Ward’s parents are demanding that she marry the reverend

Miss Ward’s friends will shun her if she does not marry the reverend

Miss Ward is not eager about marrying the reverend

Correct answer:

Miss Ward is not eager about marrying the reverend

Explanation:

To understand the meaning of this word, we have to read the entire sentence. Earlier in the passage, we’ve seen that the two sisters were predicted to marry well; now, we learn that “Miss Ward, at the end of half a dozen years, found herself obliged to be attached to the Rev. Mr. Norris, a friend of her brother-in-law, with scarcely any private fortune, and Miss Frances fared yet worse.” Based on their high expectations and dismal outcomes, we can see that “obliged” conveys a sense of resignation (although not actual coercion).

Passage adapted from Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park (1814)

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