Reading Nonfiction Practice Exercises: GED Language Arts, Reading

Passage 1

The following is the Gettysburg Address, delivered by Abraham Lincoln in 1863.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

1. How many years prior to this speech had the United States become independent?
   1. 47
   2. 87
   3. 74
   4. 125
   5. 52
2. What is the occasion at which Lincoln gave this speech?
   1. the end of the Civil War
   2. the beginning of the Civil War
   3. to address the atrocities of war
   4. to dedicate a graveyard for those fallen in battle at Gettysburg
   5. The occasion is not stated.
3. What does the word hallow mean?
   1. to carve out the center of something
   2. to make something holy or sacred
   3. It was a form of greeting in the 1800s.
   4. It is a valley between mountains.
   5. It is a color.
4. Why does Lincoln say that "we cannot consecrate… this ground"?
   1. because the men who gave their lives have already done so
   2. because ground cannot be consecrated
   3. because the Civil War hasn't ended yet
   4. He doesn't say that; he says the opposite.
   5. He doesn't address this question.
5. What is the unfinished work that Lincoln refers to in the third paragraph?
   1. finishing the work on the cemetery
   2. remembering their names in the future
   3. freeing the slaves
   4. finishing the Civil War
   5. ensuring the future of the United States
6. What is the last full measure of devotion mentioned in the third paragraph?
   1. living a good life
   2. being loyal to yourself
   3. giving one's life for one's country
   4. performing some act of service for charity
   5. It is not stated.

Passage 2

The following passage is from an employee handbook.

Dress Code

Employees are to be professional in their appearance at all times. Professional attire is a flexible term to some degree, but the final judgment shall be left to management in all areas. Some guidelines include the following:

Men

• Neckties are recommended for all salaried and exempt employees. Non-exempt and hourly employees may or may not be required to wear neckties, depending upon job duties and the discretion of management.
• Sweaters or sports jackets are not required, but may still be considered appropriate for certain situations, such as meetings with clients. Management retains the option to mandate such in certain circumstances.
• Blue-jeans are never appropriate, except on certain specified days—such as casual Fridays or dress-down days, at the discretion of management.
• Sneakers and running shoes are not appropriate unless the employee's duties require excessive walking or stand-up work, or when required by medical or health issues. Management shall retain the right to make specific exceptions as necessary.

Women

• Pantsuits are acceptable, provided that they retain a professional appearance.
• Shorts, hot pants, culottes, and similar attire is never appropriate. This includes dress-down days and other times of casual attire.
• Skirts and dresses should be of at least moderate length, reaching the knees.
• Dresses and skirts above the knees are considered inappropriate at all times, including dress-down days and other times of casual attire.
• Blue-jeans are never appropriate, except on certain specified days—such as casual Fridays or dress-down days, at the discretion of management.
• Sneakers and running shoes are not appropriate unless the employee's duties require excessive walking or stand-up work, or when required by medical or health issues. Management shall retain the right to make specific exceptions as necessary.

7. What is the main idea of this passage?
   1. Employees must follow orders.
   2. Management has the final say.
   3. Blue-jeans are unacceptable in the work place.
   4. Employees must always appear professional.
   5. Fridays are dress-down days.
8. What does the word mandate mean in the second bulleted item under Men?
   1. to make something optional
   2. to make something a requirement
   3. to enjoy a social outing with friends
   4. It is an official logo of a company.
   5. It is a common form of office communication.
9. When might running shoes be considered appropriate attire?
   1. always
   2. never
   3. when an employee has back problems
   4. when the boss is on vacation
   5. It is not stated.
10. From this dress code, you could infer that T-shirts are
    1. always appropriate.
    2. never appropriate.
    3. left up to the discretion of the employee.
    4. acceptable if they have no writing or advertising.
    5. unacceptable unless worn with blue-jeans.
11. How often does this company have casual days?
    1. every Friday
    2. every other Friday
    3. on Fridays and special holidays
    4. never
    5. It is not stated.
12. What is the tone of this memo?
    1. angry
    2. informative
    3. sad
    4. humorous
    5. confrontational

Passage 3

The following is a newspaper story.

Traffic Commission Debates Bus Restrictions The West Harbor Traffic Commission last night debated the questions concerning the "no-bus" restrictions on certain roads, without reaching a final conclusion.

Certain streets in West Harbor are posted with "No Bus" signs, forbidding any motor vehicles larger than a typical SUV.

Martin Fillman, chairman of West Harbor Chamber of Commerce, has asked the Traffic Commission to remove some of those signs, arguing that the loss of bus traffic has hurt some local businesses.

"We are a tourist-based economy here," Fillman said last night while testifying before the Commission, "and we rely on bus traffic to bring customers to some of our restaurants and gift shops. Denying them access to places like Lighthouse End and Teaticket effectively puts some people out of business."

Many residents, however, have argued that the bus traffic endangers children and small animals, and causes traffic inconvenience.

"We live here, and we intend to have our children safe to play in the streets," stated Melanie Greenhouse in an impassioned plea. "Those buses pollute the environment with their smelly diesel fumes, and it's almost impossible to get to the mall during the summer when they're rolling in and out of Teaticket Take-Out." Greenhouse is chairwoman of the Teaticket Women in Transit Safety (TWiTS), a citizens' response group that monitors the West Harbor Traffic Commission.

The Traffic Commission listened to input from local residents and business owners, but shelved debate on the issue for the next meeting, scheduled for next Wednesday at 7 P.M.

13. What is the central issue that is causing confrontation in this article?
    1. tourist traffic in the summer
    2. streets that don't allow buses
    3. undisciplined children playing in the streets
    4. tourist buses polluting the environment
    5. the incompetence of the Traffic Commission
14. What is the central thesis of Martin Fillman's argument?
    1. The special restrictions are bad for tourist business.
    2. The special restrictions are unconstitutional.
    3. The Traffic Commission is part of the problem.
    4. Buses don't really pollute the environment.
    5. He has no central thesis.
15. What is the central thesis of Melanie Greenhouse's argument?
    1. Buses pollute the environment.
    2. Children should be allowed to play in the street.
    3. Her SUV gets blocked in her driveway in the summer.
    4. The mall is too far away.
    5. She has no central thesis.
16. Why didn't the Traffic Commission make a decision?
    1. They were divided 50/50 on the issue.
    2. They are not empowered to make such a decision.
    3. They wanted more information.
    4. They were hoping to be bribed.
    5. It is not stated.

Passage 4

I entered this world more than a half-century ago, which sounds like such a great length of time. Yet somehow it isn't; yet somehow it is. One might say, "it's an entire lifetime ago!" When that lifetime is someone else's, it is indeed a half-century. But when that lifetime is one's own, it is but yesterday.

I've known too many yesterdays, and too few tomorrows—yet all considered together they are both too many and too few. And somehow, for all men, it is always today. Today is never enough, and today can be far too long. Today is the first day of the rest of your life, according to a popular poster when I was young, and that philosophy sounded so wise to my teenage mind. But to my half-century mind, I recognize it for the silly tripe that it really is; for if today is the first day of the rest of my life, what will tomorrow be? And what was yesterday—the final day of my former life?

It is true, of course, that I can choose to make today be the starting point of a whole new lifestyle. But what will I do tomorrow? Will I revert tomorrow to the habits of yesterday, ignoring the resolution of today? If so, I have merely chosen to start a whole new lifestyle, not recognizing that it is the lifestyle which I have always known—and I have only deceived myself. Either way, I have redefined myself for the future; and either way, I can erase that redefinition tomorrow and start yet another whole new future which accomplishes no more than my past.

Such philosophies are pleasing to the shallow mind, but the deeper soul will be driven to insanity if one attempts to embrace them.

17. This passage is probably an excerpt from
    1. an essay.
    2. a biography.
    3. an autobiography.
    4. a memo.
    5. a hard news story.
18. What does the author mean by "I've known too many yesterdays, and too few tomorrows"?
    1. His memory is fading.
    2. Life is too short.
    3. He is disappointed with his life.
    4. He has great hopes for the future.
    5. He has already lived out most of his life.
19. What does tripe mean in the second paragraph?
    1. something of no value
    2. a type of fish
    3. three-part
    4. to stumble and fall
    5. a decoration
20. What is the central thesis of this passage?
    1. We can never hope to change.
    2. We deceive ourselves with shallow resolutions to change.
    3. There is no yesterday and no tomorrow, only today.
    4. Today is the first day of the rest of your life.
    5. Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.
21. What is the tone of this passage?
    1. angry
    2. defensive
    3. fearful
    4. thoughtful
    5. humorous

Passage 5

The following excerpt is from a speech given by Winston Churchill during World War II.

You cannot tell from appearances how things will go. Sometimes imagination makes things out far worse than they are; yet without imagination not much can be done. Those people who are imaginative see many more dangers than perhaps exist; certainly many more than will happen; but then they must also pray to be given that extra courage to carry this far-reaching imagination. But for everyone, surely,… this is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. We stood all alone a year ago, and to many countries it seemed that our account was closed, we were finished. All this tradition of ours, our songs, our School history, this part of the history of this country, were gone and finished and liquidated.

Very different is the mood today. Britain, other nations thought, had drawn a sponge across her slate. But instead our country stood in the gap. There was no flinching and no thought of giving in; and by what seemed almost a miracle to those outside these Islands, though we ourselves never doubted it, we now find ourselves in a position where I say that we can be sure that we have only to persevere to conquer.

Do not let us speak of darker days: let us speak rather of sterner days. These are not dark days; these are great days—the greatest days our country has ever lived; and we must all thank God that we have been allowed, each of us according to our stations, to play a part in making these days memorable in the history of our race.

22. Why does Churchill repeat never give in so many times?
    1. It is a typographical error.
    2. He is speaking to people who are hard-of-hearing.
    3. to show that he is open to compromise
    4. to strongly emphasize his point
    5. It is a common technique in speech-writing.
23. What does it mean that Britain had drawn a sponge across her slate?
    1. Other nations thought that Britain was going to collapse.
    2. Tomorrow is a new day.
    3. The shortage of ammunition has created hardship in Britain.
    4. Germany's bombings have destroyed Britain's heritage.
    5. Britain has a shortage of pencils and paper.
24. What does it mean that our country stood in the gap?
    1. There is an economic shortage in Britain.
    2. Britain is located between Germany and France.
    3. The British were waiting for help from other countries.
    4. The Germans had created gaps in the streets with their bombs.
    5. British soldiers were willing to risk their lives to stop the enemy.
25. What is the tone of this passage?
    1. informative
    2. humorous
    3. inspirational
    4. angry
    5. flippant
26. What is the thesis of this passage?
    1. There is little hope of winning the war.
    2. Britain is going to win in the end, if they don't give up now.
    3. Compromise is better than fighting.
    4. War is evil.
    5. If people just tried harder, we could all get along.

Passage 6

The following is a review of the film Lawrence of Arabia.

The Pride of Man

The film Lawrence of Arabia may be somewhat dated by modern special-effects standards, but it remains a high-water mark in the annals of filmmaking. Since we're on the subject of CGI and other computer-generated special effects, Lawrence has practically none for the simple reason that it was actually filmed using real people who really performed the action. The long, slow scenes of camels walking in the desert may seem dull to the modern animation-jaded viewer, but those willing to pay attention to the underlying themes will be well rewarded by what the movie is saying.

And it is the theme of Lawrence that really stays with a viewer, even today, some 40 years after it was released. That theme is the age-old story of hubris—the pride of a man which raises him above his peers, only to dash him on the rocks of self-indulgence by the end.

We see this tragic foible of mankind worked out fully in the character of Lawrence himself, who begins the film as a brilliant genius who is eager to get involved in the desert conflicts of World War I. His cocky attitude irritates his superiors and amuses the Arabs fighting alongside the British, but his genius for details and strategy soon overcome all obstacles. Lawrence's brilliant victory at the Suez Canal could only have been accomplished by Lawrence, and his own self-sacrifice and commitment to his followers display the best of his character.

Unfortunately, the baser elements of that character gradually take control as the film moves along, and Lawrence slowly declines into a dangerous blend of despair and self-assurance. The problem gradually becomes evident: Lawrence has grown to believe that he is equal to God, the one who both gives life and takes it away again.

27. This excerpt is an example of a
    1. fable.
    2. paradox.
    3. first-person narrator.
    4. memoir.
    5. critical review.
28. What is the central theme of Lawrence of Arabia, according to this passage?
    1. the importance of the Suez Canal
    2. Man's pride will bring about his destruction.
    3. The Arabian Desert is a hostile environment.
    4. It is a documentary on World War I.
    5. One man can make a difference.
29. What is the meaning of hubris in the second paragraph?
    1. hair
    2. pride
    3. a square shape
    4. a halo
    5. death
30. You might infer that the author of this passage
    1. admires the film Lawrence of Arabia.
    2. does not like the character of Lawrence.
    3. has traveled in the Middle East.
    4. is a World War I historian.
    5. knows nothing about the Suez Canal.

Answers

Passage 1

1. b.   A score is 20 years, so four score and seven would equal 87 years.
2. d.   In the second paragraph, Lincoln says We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives…. The final resting place would be a cemetery.
3. b.   The word hallow means to make something holy or sacred.
4. a.   Lincoln has come to dedicate a piece of the battlefield for a cemetery, but he suggests that it is already holy ground because of the men who were willing to give their lives for their country.
5. e.   The unfinished work is ensuring the future of the United States. Lincoln stresses this in the last sentence, saying that those men who gave their lives should not have died in vain.
6. c.   The last full measure of devotion is giving one's life for one's country. Lincoln is praising those men who fought for the unity of America, even to the point of losing their lives.

Passage 2

7. d.   The main idea of this passage is that employees must dress professionally. The other answers might be implied in the passage, but the main idea is that appearance matters in the office.
8. b.   A mandate is a command, and is the root of the word mandatory.
9. c.   Running shoes might be considered appropriate attire when an employee has back problems. Note that the memo permits sneakers and running shoes when required by medical or health issues.
10. b.   T-shirts are not directly addressed in the memo, but similar clothing is addressed—such as bluejeans and shorts. One can safely infer, therefore, that T-shirts are unacceptable if shorts are unacceptable.
11. e.   The memo does address casual days, but does not specify when they are or how often they occur.
12. b.   The tone of the memo is informative. There is no anger or confrontation in the writer's tone—but there is no humor, either. The document is simply informing employees of the rules.

Passage 3

13. b.   The central issue is streets that don't allow buses. The controversy is seen from two sides: those who like the special restrictions, and those who don't. The common element, however, is the streets themselves.
14. a.   The central thesis of Martin Fillman's argument is that the restricted streets prevent buses from bringing tourists to businesses in town.
15. e.   Melanie Greenhouse mentions three or four reasons why she doesn't like the buses, but there is no central thought that draws them together.
16. e.   The article tells us that the Commission did not make any decision, but not why. Nor is there enough information for the reader to make any inferences on such a question.

Passage 4

17. c.   You can recognize it as a biography since it is about a person's life, but the person telling the story is also the subject, so it is an autobiography.
18. e.   When the yesterdays outnumber the tomorrows, a person has already lived more than half of his or her lifetime.
19. a.   Tripe is actually the stomach lining of a cow, but you don't need to know that to determine from the context what the word means as used here. The author makes it clear that he considers the shallow philosophy to be of little value.
20. b.   The central thesis of the passage is that we sometimes deceive ourselves when we resolve overnight to live differently tomorrow.
21. d.   The author is reflecting on the fact that he has lived a half century, and is considering how that time has gone by both quickly and slowly.

Passage 5

22. d.   Churchill repeats never give in to emphasize his point. Churchill's word choice shows the reader that he sincerely means what he says—he is not willing to compromise.
23. a.   It means that other nations thought that Britain would collapse. A sponge might be used to erase chalk from a chalkboard, or slate, which would imply that Britain was erased. Churchill says that those other nations are wrong.
24. e.   Our country stood in the gap means that British soldiers were willing to risk their lives to save their country. To stand in the gap is a military metaphor. An enemy might knock down a section of the nation's defenses, but the soldiers have jumped into that gap to prevent the enemy from entering.
25. c.   The tone of this passage is inspirational. Churchill is trying to encourage his listeners to keep on fighting against the Germans.
26. b.   The thesis of this passage is that Britain will win if they don't give up. This is the reason that Churchill's word choice is important to notice, such as his repetition of never, never, never.

Passage 6

27. e.   The excerpt is an example of critical review. The author is writing about the movie Lawrence of Arabia, and is addressing some of the themes in that film.
28. b.   The central theme of Lawrence of Arabia is that man's pride will bring about his destruction. The author speaks about the pride of Lawrence, explaining how the film shows Lawrence's rise and fall.
29. b.   Hubris is pride. The author defines it indirectly in the article by saying that hubris is the pride of a man.
30. a.   You could infer that the author admires the film Lawrence of Arabia. The author's tone is very enthusiastic about the movie, even referring to it as a high-water mark in the annals of filmmaking.