GED Reading Comprehension Practice Questions, Set 2

This is set 2 of 5 for GED Reading Comprehension, with 26 practice questions that are not part of any full practice test. If a question type feels unfamiliar, review the Reading Comprehension study guide first, then check each answer below.

Question 1 of 26

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“Grandpa Ray kept the truck the way other men kept a dog, washing it on Sundays and talking to it when he thought no one was listening. When his eyes got too bad to drive, the family decided, without quite saying so, that it should go to Eli. Eli was seventeen and had wanted the truck since he was nine. But on the day Ray handed him the keys, the old man held on a second too long, and Eli felt the small tug before the keys came loose. ‘She pulls left when you brake,’ Ray said. ‘And she doesn’t like the cold. Give her a minute in the morning.’ ‘I know,’ Eli said, though he hadn’t known either thing. That first winter, Eli started the truck every morning and sat with the heater running, watching the frost thin on the windshield. He told his friends it was for the engine. Sometimes, if no one was around, he told the truck about his day.” The comparison “kept the truck the way other men kept a dog” shows that Ray

Reading Comprehension practice set 2: 26 questions with answers

Work each question on paper first, then open the answer to check your reasoning.

Use this passage for questions 1 to 4

1.The comparison “kept the truck the way other men kept a dog” shows that Ray
1. A.worried that the truck would run off one day
2. B.used the truck mainly to carry his pets
3. C.treated the truck with care and affection
4. D.thought of the truck as noisy and wild
Show answer
Answer: C. treated the truck with care and affection
The sentence goes on to say he washed it on Sundays and talked to it, the way someone cares for a pet. Carrying pets takes the comparison literally.
2.What does the detail that Ray “held on a second too long” suggest?
1. A.Ray had decided to keep the truck himself
2. B.Ray found it hard to give up the truck
3. C.Ray expected Eli to pay him for the truck
4. D.Ray did not trust Eli to drive safely
Show answer
Answer: B. Ray found it hard to give up the truck
He still lets go, but the brief hesitation shows the loss is painful. The choice about trust is tempting, but Ray goes on to give Eli advice, not warnings or doubts.
3.Why does Eli most likely say “I know” even though he did not know?
1. A.He is annoyed that his grandfather keeps lecturing him
2. B.He has read the truck’s manual and remembers the tips
3. C.He wants to seem ready and spare his grandfather worry
4. D.He plans to sell the truck as soon as winter is over
Show answer
Answer: C. He wants to seem ready and spare his grandfather worry
Eli has wanted the truck for years and sees how hard the handoff is for Ray, so claiming to know reassures him. Annoyance is tempting, but nothing in Eli’s words or actions shows irritation.
4.What does the final paragraph suggest about Eli?
1. A.He is lonely because his friends have stopped talking to him
2. B.He regrets taking the truck away from his grandfather
3. C.He has taken on his grandfather’s habits along with the truck
4. D.He believes the engine runs better when he talks to the truck
Show answer
Answer: C. He has taken on his grandfather’s habits along with the truck
Eli warms the truck as Ray advised and talks to it when no one is listening, just as Ray did. The engine choice repeats Eli’s excuse to his friends, but the story signals it is only an excuse.

Use this passage for questions 5 to 7

“BOIL WATER ADVISORY: Northside Service Area On Tuesday morning, a water main break on Carver Road caused pressure to drop in parts of the Northside service area. When pressure drops, bacteria can enter the pipes. Until testing confirms the water is safe, residents in the affected area should take the following precautions. Bring tap water to a full rolling boil for one minute, then let it cool before drinking it, making ice, brushing teeth, or preparing food. Bottled water is a safe alternative. Water does not need to be boiled for bathing or laundry, but young children should be watched so they do not swallow bath water. This advisory is a precaution. No contamination has been found so far. Crews expect to finish repairs by Wednesday night, and two rounds of samples, taken 24 hours apart, must test clean before the advisory is lifted. Updates will be posted on the county website and sent by text to residents who have signed up for alerts.”

5.As used in the advisory, the word “precaution” most nearly means
1. A.a repair made after a water pipe breaks
2. B.a step taken ahead of time to prevent harm
3. C.a rule that carries a fine if it is broken
4. D.a warning that harm has already happened
Show answer
Answer: B. a step taken ahead of time to prevent harm
The advisory calls itself a precaution and adds that no contamination has been found, so it is a step to prevent possible harm. The warning choice is tempting, but the advisory says nothing harmful has been found.
6.According to the advisory, which activity is safe with tap water that has not been boiled?
1. A.Brushing teeth before bed
2. B.Washing a load of laundry
3. C.Making ice in the freezer
4. D.Rinsing fruit for a salad
Show answer
Answer: B. Washing a load of laundry
The advisory says water does not need to be boiled for bathing or laundry. Brushing teeth may seem minor, but the advisory lists it among the uses that require boiled water.
7.Which conclusion is best supported by the advisory?
1. A.The advisory will end as soon as the repairs are finished
2. B.Testing has found bacteria in the Northside water pipes
3. C.The advisory will likely last at least a day after repairs end
4. D.Residents should stop bathing until the advisory is lifted
Show answer
Answer: C. The advisory will likely last at least a day after repairs end
Two samples taken 24 hours apart must test clean after the repair, so the advisory cannot end the moment crews finish. The bacteria choice is tempting, but the advisory says no contamination has been found.

Use this passage for questions 8 to 11

“I parked in the far corner of the lot so no one would see me sit in the car. Through the windshield I could watch them going in: kids with backpacks, kids with earbuds, kids who walked like the building belonged to them. I was forty-four. My reading glasses were in my shirt pocket, and I had already decided not to wear them. Room 112 smelled like floor wax and dry-erase markers, the same smell as every classroom I had ever left. I took a seat in the back. The instructor, a woman about my age, wrote her name on the board and then wrote a math problem under it. ‘Nobody has to answer,’ she said. ‘Just look at it.’ I looked at it. It was a fraction problem, the kind that had sent me out of a classroom like this one when I was fifteen. I took my glasses out of my pocket, unfolded them, and put them on.”

8.Why does the narrator most likely park in the far corner of the lot?
1. A.The narrator feels self-conscious about returning to school
2. B.The narrator wants to be able to leave quickly after class
3. C.The narrator arrived late and could not find a closer spot
4. D.The narrator is waiting for a friend to arrive at the school
Show answer
Answer: A. The narrator feels self-conscious about returning to school
The narrator parks there “so no one would see me sit in the car” and notes being forty-four among younger students. Leaving quickly is tempting given the narrator’s nerves, but the passage gives seeing and being seen as the reason.
9.The phrase “kids who walked like the building belonged to them” suggests that the younger students
1. A.are in a hurry to reach their classrooms
2. B.work at the school after their classes end
3. C.are rude to the people around them
4. D.seem comfortable and confident at the school
Show answer
Answer: D. seem comfortable and confident at the school
Walking as if you own a place shows ease and confidence, which contrasts with the narrator hiding in the car. Rudeness is tempting, but the phrase describes how they walk, not how they treat others.
10.The detail that the room had “the same smell as every classroom I had ever left” suggests that
1. A.the room brings back memories of leaving school before
2. B.the narrator has taught in many classrooms over the years
3. C.the room has not been cleaned since the narrator was young
4. D.the narrator dislikes the products used to clean the school
Show answer
Answer: A. the room brings back memories of leaving school before
“Ever left” and the later mention of leaving a classroom at fifteen show that the smell recalls dropping out. The cleaning choice reads the detail too literally.
11.What is most significant about the narrator putting on the reading glasses at the end?
1. A.It shows the narrator wanting to look more like the instructor
2. B.It shows the narrator getting ready to leave the classroom early
3. C.It shows the narrator realizing the problem is too small to read
4. D.It shows the narrator deciding to take part despite earlier fears
Show answer
Answer: D. It shows the narrator deciding to take part despite earlier fears
The narrator had “decided not to wear them,” so putting them on reverses that decision and signals commitment. Reading small print is the literal reason for glasses, but the story stresses the earlier choice not to wear them.

Use this passage for questions 12 to 14

“From the desk of Council Member Ruth Adair Last spring, the city lowered the speed limit on Delmar Avenue from 35 to 25 miles per hour. Some residents told me the change was pointless and would only slow traffic. The numbers say otherwise. In the twelve months before the change, Delmar had 31 crashes. In the twelve months after, it had 19. Not one of those 19 crashes involved a pedestrian, compared with four the year before. Critics say drivers ignore new speed limits, and some do. But the police department’s speed sensors show that average speeds on Delmar fell from 38 to 31 miles per hour. That is still over the limit, but a car going 31 miles per hour needs noticeably less distance to stop than one going 38. I have heard from residents who want the same change on Fulton Street. I will bring that proposal to the council next month.”

12.How does the council member respond to critics who say drivers ignore new speed limits?
1. A.She says the critics have no evidence and can be ignored
2. B.She agrees that the change has been pointless on Delmar
3. C.She admits some drivers do but shows that speeds still fell
4. D.She claims all drivers on Delmar now obey the new limit
Show answer
Answer: C. She admits some drivers do but shows that speeds still fell
She concedes “some do,” then cites sensor data showing average speeds dropped from 38 to 31. The claim that all drivers obey is wrong, because she notes the average is still over the limit.
13.Which additional information would most help a reader judge whether the lower limit caused the drop in crashes?
1. A.How long the council member has served in her office
2. B.Whether crashes also fell on similar streets with no change
3. C.How many residents currently live along Delmar Avenue
4. D.Which residents asked for the change on Fulton Street
Show answer
Answer: B. Whether crashes also fell on similar streets with no change
If crashes fell just as much on similar streets, something other than the speed limit may explain the drop. The Fulton Street choice is tempting because it relates to the next proposal, but it says nothing about cause on Delmar.
14.The sentence “The numbers say otherwise” gives the newsletter a tone that is
1. A.confident and based on facts
2. B.angry and dismissive of others
3. C.playful and joking with readers
4. D.uncertain and apologetic
Show answer
Answer: A. confident and based on facts
The council member answers doubters by pointing to data, which sounds confident and factual. Dismissive is tempting, but she goes on to address the critics’ point instead of brushing it aside.

Use this passage for questions 15 to 18

“Until the 1990s, many rural Americans did not have a street address. Mail went to a box number on a rural route, such as ‘RR 2, Box 118,’ and the mail carrier simply knew which box belonged to which farmhouse. The system worked well for letters. It worked poorly for emergencies. When a caller dialed 911 from a farmhouse, a dispatcher could not send an ambulance to ‘Box 118.’ Directions were often given by landmarks: past the white church, left at the old feed store, third driveway after the creek. Drivers new to the area got lost, and every wrong turn added minutes. As 911 service spread to rural counties, many of them began assigning every home a number and every road a name. The work was slow and sometimes unpopular. Some families had to choose names for roads that had been called ‘the Miller road’ for generations, and some older residents resented changing an address they had used their whole lives. Today most rural homes have numbered addresses that appear on digital maps. A driver who has never been to the county can follow a phone screen to the right driveway. The landmarks are still there, but no one’s survival depends on knowing them.”

15.How is the article mainly organized?
1. A.An old system, its weakness, the change, and the result
2. B.A list of the steps a dispatcher follows on a call
3. C.An argument against renaming roads that have long histories
4. D.A comparison of two counties that handled 911 calls
Show answer
Answer: A. An old system, its weakness, the change, and the result
The article moves from rural route boxes to their problem in emergencies, then to new addresses and today’s maps. The argument against renaming is tempting because some residents objected, but the author reports that view without arguing for it.
16.As used in the third paragraph, the word “resented” most nearly means
1. A.did not even notice
2. B.quickly accepted
3. C.voted against
4. D.felt bitter about
Show answer
Answer: D. felt bitter about
The sentence says the work was unpopular, so older residents felt bitter about losing their old addresses. “Voted against” is tempting because it also shows opposition, but the article never mentions a vote.
17.Why does the author include the directions “past the white church, left at the old feed store”?
1. A.To suggest that old landmarks still work better than street numbers
2. B.To prove that most farmhouses in the county were near churches
3. C.To describe the beauty of the rural landscape in the old days
4. D.To show how hard landmark directions were for strangers to follow
Show answer
Answer: D. To show how hard landmark directions were for strangers to follow
The next sentence says new drivers got lost, so the directions illustrate the problem. The idea that landmarks work better is tempting, but the article presents numbered addresses as the improvement.
18.The final sentence, “The landmarks are still there, but no one’s survival depends on knowing them,” mainly suggests that
1. A.older residents have stopped giving directions
2. B.rural landmarks have lost all of their old value
3. C.digital maps sometimes send drivers down the wrong road
4. D.emergency help no longer relies on local knowledge
Show answer
Answer: D. emergency help no longer relies on local knowledge
Because addresses now appear on maps, a stranger can find a home without knowing the landmarks. “Lost all of their old value” is tempting, but the author says only that lives no longer depend on them.

Use this passage for questions 19 to 22

“SAFETY RECALL NOTICE: Brightline Model 40 Space Heaters Brightline Home Products is recalling about 60,000 Model 40 portable space heaters sold between September 2025 and January 2026. The power switch on some units can overheat and melt, which poses a fire hazard. The company has received 14 reports of melted switches, including two that caused minor burns. No fires have been reported. How to tell if your heater is affected: Look at the label on the bottom of the unit. Recalled heaters have a model number beginning with B40 and a date code from 0925 through 0126. What to do: Stop using the heater immediately and unplug it. Do not try to repair the switch yourself. Contact Brightline for a free replacement heater or a full refund. You do not need a receipt. Brightline will send a prepaid shipping label for returning the recalled unit. Heaters with a model number beginning with B41 or later were made with a redesigned switch and are not part of this recall. For more information, call Brightline toll-free at 1-800-555-0144, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.”

19.A customer’s heater has model number B41-200 and date code 1125. Based on the notice, what is true?
1. A.It is recalled only if the switch has already started to melt.
2. B.It is not recalled, because it was made with the newer switch.
3. C.It is recalled, because it was made in November of 2025.
4. D.It can be repaired at home with a kit sent by Brightline.
Show answer
Answer: B. It is not recalled, because it was made with the newer switch.
Heaters with model numbers beginning with B41 have the redesigned switch and are excluded. The November date is tempting because it falls in the recall range, but a recalled unit must also have a B40 model number.
20.In the sentence “The power switch on some units can overheat and melt, which poses a fire hazard,” the word “poses” most nearly means
1. A.pretends
2. B.creates
3. C.questions
4. D.reports
Show answer
Answer: B. creates
A melting switch creates a risk of fire. “Pretends” is tempting because “pose” can mean acting a part, but that meaning does not fit a danger.
21.Why does the notice most likely state, “You do not need a receipt”?
1. A.To make it easier for owners to get a refund or a new heater
2. B.To warn owners that their receipts will not be sent back
3. C.To explain why the company does not keep any sales records
4. D.To show that the heaters were sold only through the company website
Show answer
Answer: A. To make it easier for owners to get a refund or a new heater
Many people throw away receipts, so removing that step helps more owners respond. Missing sales records is tempting, but the notice gives no information about the company’s records.
22.Which choice best describes the tone of the notice?
1. A.direct and informative
2. B.casual and humorous
3. C.apologetic and unsure
4. D.alarmed and highly emotional
Show answer
Answer: A. direct and informative
The notice states facts and gives clear steps without exaggeration. “Alarmed” is tempting because the notice warns of a fire hazard, but it also notes calmly that no fires have been reported.

Use this passage for questions 23 to 26

Passage 1 “I have run a diner on Main Street for eleven years. I pay property taxes, I pay for a building I have to heat and repair, and I employ nine people year-round. Under the proposed rule, a food truck could park fifty feet from my door at lunchtime, sell sandwiches for less because it has none of my costs, and drive away when business slows. I am not against competition. I am against competition where one side pays to keep the street alive and the other side just uses it. The council should keep the current rule that trucks must stay at least 300 feet from any restaurant.” Passage 2 “When the city of Fairview cut its food truck buffer from 300 feet to 50 feet in 2022, some restaurant owners predicted disaster. Two years later, the city’s own sales tax records show that restaurant revenue downtown grew 8 percent, slightly faster than before the change. Surveys found that lunch crowds drawn by the trucks often stayed to shop or came back for dinner. Trucks do not replace a sit-down meal; they bring people to the street. Our council should follow Fairview’s lead and reduce the buffer to 50 feet.”

23.What is the main disagreement between the two passages?
1. A.Whether food trucks really sell cheaper food than diners
2. B.Whether trucks near restaurants hurt or help downtown business
3. C.Whether the city should charge property taxes to all food trucks
4. D.Whether new restaurants should be allowed on Main Street
Show answer
Answer: B. Whether trucks near restaurants hurt or help downtown business
Passage 1 says trucks take customers from restaurants, while Passage 2 says they draw people downtown. The property tax choice is tempting because Passage 1 mentions taxes, but neither writer proposes taxing trucks.
24.Which type of evidence does Passage 2 use that Passage 1 does not?
1. A.Personal experience from running a local business
2. B.A comparison of the costs paid by trucks and diners
3. C.Sales records from a city that changed its rule
4. D.An appeal to fairness among business owners
Show answer
Answer: C. Sales records from a city that changed its rule
Passage 2 cites Fairview’s sales tax records and surveys. The cost comparison is tempting, but that is Passage 1’s main point, not Passage 2’s.
25.Which statement from Passage 1 expresses an opinion rather than a fact?
1. A.“trucks must stay at least 300 feet”
2. B.“I employ nine people year-round”
3. C.“I have run a diner on Main Street”
4. D.“the other side just uses it”
Show answer
Answer: D. “the other side just uses it”
Saying trucks “just use” the street is a judgment that cannot be checked. The 300-foot rule is tempting because it appears in the writer’s request, but it describes the current law, which is a fact.
26.Which additional information would most help a reader decide whether Fairview’s results would apply in this city?
1. A.What kinds of sandwiches the food trucks in Fairview usually sell
2. B.Whether the diner owner has ever eaten a meal at a food truck
3. C.How many years the diner owner has paid property taxes on Main Street
4. D.Whether this downtown is similar in size and traffic to Fairview’s
Show answer
Answer: D. Whether this downtown is similar in size and traffic to Fairview’s
Results from one city fit another only if the two places are alike. The diner owner’s taxes are tempting because they appear in Passage 1, but they say nothing about whether Fairview is a fair comparison.

More practice sets

Reading Comprehension has 5 practice sets. None of these questions appear in the full practice tests.