REASONING THROUGH

LANGUAGE ARTS
UNIT -1

PREPARED FOR
GED
Preparation Classes

PREPARED BY
Tr.Win Pa Pa Khaing (RIHEA)
Academic Coordinator (Associate)
1. Reading (Main Ideas & Supporting Details)
1.1 Main Idea Vs Subject
1.2 Main Idea of a Paragraph / Whole Text
1.3 Topic Sentence
1.4 Supporting Details
1.5 Identifying Main Idea and Supporting Details
1.6 Exercises
1.7 GED Practice Questions

2. Grammar (Homonyms)
2.1 Frequently Confused Words

2.2 Homophone Pairs

2.3 Exercises

2.4 GED Practice Questions

2.5 More homonym Pairs

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1.1 Main Idea Vs Subject

❖ There’s a difference between the subject (topic) of a piece

of writing and its main idea.
❖ Subject or topic of a passage means who or what the
passage is about. The main idea must say something about
this subject.

To see the difference, read through the following short passage:

Today’s postal service is more efficient and reliable than

ever before. Mail that used to take months to move by horse
and by foot now moves around the country in days or hours
by truck, train, and plane. First-class mail usually moves
from New York City to Los Angeles in three days or less. If
your letter or package is urgent, the U.S. Postal Service
offers Priority Mail and Express Mail services. Priority Mail
is guaranteed to go anywhere in the United States in two
days or less. Express Mail will get your package there
overnight.

Say someone asked you, “What is the main idea of this reading?”
You might be tempted to answer, “The post office.” But you’d be
wrong. This passage is about the post office, yes—but the post
office is not the main idea of the passage. The post office is merely
the subject of the passage.

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1.2 Main Idea of a Paragraph or a Whole Text

❖ Main Idea is the idea that holds together or controls the

passage. The other sentences and ideas in the passage will
relate to that main idea and serve as evidence.
Let’s take another look at the postal service paragraph on page
This time to identify the main idea.
Which of the following three statements best summarizes the
main idea?
A. Express Mail is a good way to send urgent mail.
B. Mail service today is more effective and dependable than it
was in the past.
C. First-class mail usually takes three days or less.
Because choice
A is specific—it tells us only about Express Mail—it cannot be the
main idea. It does not encompass the rest of the sentences in the
paragraph (for instance, it doesn’t cover Priority Mail or first
class mail).
Choice C is also too specific. It tells us only about first-class mail.
Choice B is the correct answer. It is general enough to encompass
the whole passage, and each of the other sentences in the
paragraph offers proof that the idea is true.

❖ The most important point of a passage is called the main

idea.
❖ Sometimes a main idea is stated, but often you must figure
it out.
❖ Supporting details point to and explain the main idea.

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1.3 Topic Sentences

❖ A sentence that clearly states the main idea of a paragraph

or passage is called a topic sentence.

You’ll notice that in the paragraph about the postal service, the
main idea is expressed clearly in the first sentence: Today’s postal
service is more efficient and reliable than ever before.
Where to locate the topic sentences?
In most cases, as in the postal service paragraph, the topic
sentence is located at (or near) the beginning of the passage.
Sometimes, however, it is located at the end—the writer gives his
or her supporting evidence up front and then reveals at the end
what all of that evidence adds up to. Less often, but on occasion,
the topic sentence can be found in the middle of the passage.
❖ Not all topic sentences state the main idea as clearly as the
topic sentence in the passage.
Throughout this chapter, you’ll learn to use tools that will help
you interpret what you read, so you will be able to identify less
obvious topic sentences, as well as understand passages that do
not have a topic sentence at all.

1.4 Supporting Details

❖ Supporting evidence is the set of specific facts and ideas

that explain and support the main idea.
❖ Supporting evidence can be factual information,
reasoning, examples, and descriptions that relate to the
main idea.
For example, look at the second sentence from the paragraph:

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 “Mail that used to take months to move by horse and by foot
now moves around the country in days or hours by truck, train,
and plane.”
The fact that the postal service can move mail around the country
in days or hours provides evidence that it has improved its
efficiency since the time when this process took months.

1.5 Identifying Main Idea & Supporting Details

❖ The main idea of a text is what the author says about the
topic.
❖ The details that may also be included are usually provided
mainly in order to expand on or support the main idea.
❖ In some texts, the main idea is stated directly. In other
words, in these texts the main idea is explicit.
❖ The sentence in which the main idea is stated is called the
topic sentence. When the main idea is stated in this way,
you do not have to analyze the details of the text to figure
out what the main idea is.
❖ You need to scan the passage and find those details in order
to answer the question.
❖ In some cases, the main idea will be implicit, meaning that
you will have to figure it out based on the overall text and
the details that are included.
❖ You will have to use your critical reading skills to answer
this kind of question.

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1.6 Exercises

I. Directions: Read the passage and decide which sentence expresses

the main idea. (DOK 1)

1 A visit to the town of Williamsburg in Virginia is a trip into our

colonial American past. This is because the people there live, dress,
cook, and travel just as they did 300 years ago. There are no TV sets,
cars, or tall apartment houses. Instead there are small wooden or
stone houses heated with wood stoves, and horses and wagons for
travel. Williamsburg is a “theme” park in which volunteers re-create
life as it was lived in colonial times. In the governor’s palace, visitors
can watch men and women in colonial dress prepare and serve supper
just as it was done in 1725.

Which sentence in the passage expresses the main idea?

A. “A visit to the town of Williamsburg in Virginia is a trip into our

colonial American past.”

B. “There are no TV sets, cars, or tall apartment houses.”

C. “Instead there are small wooden or stone houses heated with

wood stoves, and horses and wagons for travel.”

D. “In the governor’s palace, visitors can watch men and women in
colonial dress prepare and serve supper just as it was done in 1725.”

II. Directions: Read the passage and decide on its main idea.

(DOK 1.5)

What is the main idea of this passage?

1 In the seventeenth century, a woman was obliged to obey her

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husband, and all legal and public affairs were under his control.
A woman’s domain was the home, although, when necessary,
widows operated businesses. Women were barred from the
professions and from public life. They could not serve in
government or hold religious office, and they were invisible so
far as art or literature was concerned.
2 Colonial America provided two famous exceptions to this
rule: Anne Hutchinson and Anne Bradstreet. Anne Hutchinson
of Rhode Island became an active and controversial Protestant
preacher in the 1630s and continued to preach publicly until
her death in 1643. Anne Bradstreet of Massachusetts had a
book of her poems published in London in 1650. She is
generally considered to be the first important American poet.

A. During colonial times in America women were barred from public

life.

B. During the colonial times in America women had to obey their

husbands.

C. Two women obtained public recognition in male-dominated

colonial America.

D. All legal and public affairs were under the control of men in
colonial America.

III. Directions: Read the passage. Then answer the question.

(DOK 1.5)

1 Invisible ink has a very long history. During the Middle Ages, lovers
would send notes in invisible ink. Spies throughout the ages have used
invisible ink to send secret messages. The oldest known ink for these
secret messages is lemon juice, although milk is also satisfactory. Not
written in either become visible when you heat the paper.

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2 At one time, department stores sold diaries with pages made from
specially coated paper. A special pen came with each diary. Anything
written in the diary would fade from view after a few moments. Along
with the specially coated paper and pens came a development fluid cal
Inspection Fluid. When this was sprayed on a page, all the writing
became visible once more.

3 The most sophisticated invisible ink was developed by the U.S. Navy.
The writer used a special chemical to write with. The only way to read
the message was by inserting it in a machine that focused powerful
beams of lights on the writing. Only a person who owned one of these
machines could read the message.

Which of the following is the earliest form of invisible ink?

A. blood

B. lemon juice

C. milk

D. water

1.7 GED Practice Questions

I. Read the next passage and answer the questions that

follow. (DOK 2)

Don’t Let Lighting Strike You

Have you heard the saying “When thunder roars, go indoors”?
Each year in the United States, more than 400 people are struck
by lightning. On average, between 55 and 60 people are killed;
hundreds of others suffer permanent neurological disabilities.

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Most of these tragedies can be avoided with a few simple
precautions.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
collects information on weather-related deaths to learn how to
prevent these tragedies. Many lightning victims say they were
caught outside in the storm and couldn’t get to a safe place.
Other victims waited too long before seeking shelter; by heading
to a safe place five to ten minutes sooner, they could have
avoided being struck by lightning. Some people were struck
because they went back outside too soon. Finally, some victims
were struck inside homes or buildings while they were using
electrical equipment or corded phones or were in contact with
plumbing, a metal door, or a window frame.
There are a few things you might not know about lightning.
First, all thunderstorms produce lightning and are dangerous.
In the United States, in an average year, lightning kills about the
same number of people as tornadoes do and causes more deaths
than hurricanes do. Lightning often strikes outside the area of
heavy rain and may strike as far as ten miles from any rainfall.
Many lightning deaths occur ahead of storms or after storms
have seemingly passed.
What should you do if you are caught outside near a
thunderstorm? Keep in mind that there is no safe place outside
in a thunderstorm. If you’re outside and hear thunder, the only
way to significantly reduce your risk of becoming a lightning
casualty is to get inside a substantial building or hard-topped
metal vehicle as fast as you can. In addition, you should avoid
open areas, isolated tall trees, towers, or utility poles. Stay away
from metal conductors such as wires or fences. Metal does not
attract lightning, but lightning can travel long distances
through it. If you are with a group of people, spread out. While
this actually increases the chances that someone might get
struck, it tends to prevent multiple casualties and increases the
chances that someone could help if a person is struck.
Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are in danger. Don’t be
fooled by blue skies. If there is thunder, lightning is close

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enough to pose an immediate danger. Stay inside a safe building
or vehicle for at least 30 minutes after you hear the last
thunderclap. —Adapted from an article by the Federal Citizens
Information Center (publications.USA.gov).

1. Which excerpt from the article provides the least supporting

evidence for the main idea?
a. Other victims waited too long before seeking shelter; by
heading to a safe place five to ten minutes sooner, they could have
avoided being struck by lightning.
b. Lightning often strikes outside the area of heavy rain and may
strike as far as ten miles from any rainfall.
c. Stay away from metal conductors such as wires or fences. Metal
does not attract lightning, but lightning can travel long distances
through it.
d. If you are with a group of people, spread out. While this actually
increases the chances that someone might get struck, it tends to
prevent multiple casualties and increases the chances that
someone could help if a person is struck.

2. Which sentence from the article best serves as the topic

sentence of the article?
a. Have you heard the saying “When thunder roars, go indoors”?
b. Each year in the United States, more than 400 people are struck
by lightning.
c. Most of these tragedies can be avoided with a few simple
precautions.
d. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
collects information on weather-related deaths to learn how to
prevent these tragedies.

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II. Do any of the paragraphs in the passage stand out as not
being as closely related as the others in terms of content?
(related topic idea) (DOK 2)

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Located at the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and
Ohio Rivers, Pittsburgh is known as both "the Steel City '' for its
more than 300 steel-related businesses, and as the "City of
Bridges" for its 446 bridges. The city features 30 skyscrapers,
two inclines, a pre-revolutionary fortification and the Point
State Park at the confluence of the rivers. The city developed as a
vital link of the Atlantic coast and Midwest, as the mineral-rich
Allegheny Mountains made the area covered by the French and
British empires, Virginians, Whiskey Rebels, and Civil War
raiders.
Pittsburgh is a leading manufacturer of shipbuilding,
petroleum, foods, sports, transportation, computing, autos, and
electronics. For part of the 20th century, Pittsburgh was behind
only New York and Chicago in corporate headquarters
employment; it had the most U.S. stockholders per capita.
America's 1980s deindustrialization laid off area blue-collar
workers and thousands of downtown white-collar workers
when the longtime Pittsburgh-based world headquarters moved
out. This heritage left the area with renowned museums,
medical centers, parks, research centers, libraries, a diverse
cultural district and the most bars per capita in the United
States.
Today Google, Apple, Bosch, Facebook, Uber, Nokia, Autodesk,
and IBM are among 1,600 technology firms generating $20.7
billion in annual Pittsburgh payrolls. The area has served as the
long-time federal agency headquarters for cyber defense,
software engineering, robotics, energy research and the nuclear
navy. The area is home to 68 colleges and universities, including
research and development leaders Carnegie Mellon University
and the University of Pittsburgh. The nation's fifth-largest

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bank, eight Fortune 500 companies, and six of the top 300 U.S.
law firms make their global headquarters in the Pittsburgh area,
while RAND, BNY Mellon, Nova, FedEx, Bayer and NIOSH have
regional bases that helped Pittsburgh become the sixth-best
area for U.S. job growth.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh

A. Yes. The first paragraph is not as closely related as the second

and third paragraphs.
B. Yes. The second paragraph is not as closely related as the first
and third paragraphs.
C. Yes. The third paragraph is not as closely related as the first and
second paragraphs.
D. No. Each of the paragraphs are equally related to each other in
terms of content.
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2.1 Homonyms (Frequently Confused Words)

Homonyms: Words that have the same spelling and same
pronunciation, but different meanings.

Example: I hope you are not lying _(a)_ to me. ( telling a lie)

My books are lying _(b)_ on the table. (being in a

horizontal position)

Some words are frequently confused with another word.

For example, the word its and it’s are often mixed up.

Its is a singular third person possessive pronoun.

Its nose is so cold to the touch.

It’s is the contraction of it is.

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It’s too late to get to the concert.

An easy way to figure out which form should be used is to ask yourself
if the words it is would make sense in a sentence. If they do not make
sense, use its.

Here are some other words that are often confused:

Their; there; they’re.

Their is a plural third person possessive pronoun.

The boys are eating their dinner.

There is an adverb.

We should be there soon.

They’re is the contraction of they are.

They’re about two hours away.

2.2 Homophone Pairs

a) pare, pair, pear
b) to, too, two
c) sent, scent, cent
d) bored, board
e) there, they’re, their
f) wear, ware
g) rein, rain, reign
h) rode, road
i) band, banned
j) tows, toes
k) aisle, isle
l) paws, pause

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 TRY IT!

1. The clerk wants to (sell, cell) as many TVs as possible.

2. I don’t want to talk about the (passed, past) anymore.
3. Nobody (knows, nose) what you are thinking.
4. I have (for, four, fore) dollars in my pocket.
5. (He’ll, Heel, Heal) be here in a few minutes

2.3 Exercises
Directions: Fill in the blank with the correct word from the parentheses.
1. This _______________ week has been exceedingly busy. (past,
passed)

2. I will get to the additional work when I know _______________ time

to do it. (it’s, its)

3. I wanted to start a _______________ club, but no one was interested.

(new, knew)

4. Robert tried _______________ kinds of medicine for his rash. (to, too,
two)

5. _______________ going to the picnic today? (Who’s, Whose)

6. _______________ is no reason to change your outfit before the party.

(Their, There, They’re)

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2.4 GED Practice Questions (DOK 2)

Equal Pay for Equal Work?

In 1963, women earned only 59 percent of the wages men earned. I

1997, the figure was still just 74 percent. Women … SELECT ?

One explanation is that the statistics include older women.

SELECT prevail. In contrast, women under the age of 25 earn
about 92 percent of what men earn. However, upon closer
examination, this theory falls flat. Women in entry-level jobs have
always earned salaries similar to those of their male peers. The
problem is that women don’t receive the same raises and
promotions that men get. SELECT

1. Women SELECT ?

A. have logged grate achievements in the workforce, so why don’t they

receive fair pay

B. has logged great achievements in the workforce, so why don’t they

receive fair pay

C. have logged great achievements in the workforce, so why don’t they

receive fair pay

D. have logged great achievements in the workforce, so why don’t they

receive fare pay

2. SELECT prevail.

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A. In principle, the age gap could account for the wage gap because
older women still work in jobs in which attitudes and conditions of the
past

B. In principal, the age gap could account for the wage gap because
older women still working in jobs in which attitudes and conditions of
the past

C. In principal, the age gap could account for the wage gap because
older women still work in jobs in which attitudes and conditions of the
passed

D. In principal, the age gap could account four the wage gap because
older women still work in jobs in which attitudes and conditions of the
past

3. SELECT

A. The effect is that, as women get older, the gap between men’s and
women’s salaries becomes greater.

B. The affect is that, as women get older, the gap between men’s and
women’s salaries become greater.

C. The affect is that, as women get older, the gap between men’s and
women’s salaries becomes grater.

D. The affect is that as women get older, the gap between men’s and
women’s salaries becomes greater.

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2.5 MORE HOMONYM PAIRS
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