GED Reading Comprehension Practice Questions, Set 3

This is set 3 of 5 for GED Reading Comprehension, with 29 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 29

0 answered

“Walt worked the overnight desk at the Corbin Building, eleven to seven, and in four years he had never met the day guard. He knew her only by her handwriting, which leaned hard to the right as if it were in a hurry, and by the notes she left in the logbook. ‘Elevator 2 sticking again.’ ‘Pigeon in the loading dock. Good luck.’ One night in January, the note said, ‘My daughter starts college tomorrow. First in the family. Don’t know why I’m telling you.’ Walt read it twice. Then he took out his pen and wrote beneath it, slowly, in the careful block letters he had learned in the Army: ‘Tell her congratulations from the night shift.’ In the morning he stayed in the lobby ten minutes past seven, longer than he had in four years, and then felt foolish and went home. The next night the logbook was waiting on the desk, opened to a new page. There was a photograph taped to it: a girl in a sweatshirt, grinning, holding up a student ID. Under it, in the hurried slanted writing, were three words. ‘She says thanks.’” The description of the day guard’s handwriting, which “leaned hard to the right as if it were in a hurry,” suggests that she

Reading Comprehension practice set 3: 29 questions with answers

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

Use this passage for questions 1 to 3

1.The description of the day guard’s handwriting, which “leaned hard to the right as if it were in a hurry,” suggests that she
1. A.is careless about her work in the building
2. B.is busy and always seems to be rushing
3. C.writes notes that Walt finds hard to read
4. D.is angry that Walt never answers her notes
Show answer
Answer: B. is busy and always seems to be rushing
The slanted writing “in a hurry” matches a person who is always moving fast. Careless work is tempting, but her notes are short and useful, which suggests she does her job well.
2.Why does Walt stay in the lobby past seven and then feel foolish?
1. A.He hoped to meet her but felt awkward about waiting
2. B.He was waiting for the stuck elevator to be repaired by a crew
3. C.He wanted to tell the manager about the pigeon
4. D.He had forgotten that his shift ends at seven
Show answer
Answer: A. He hoped to meet her but felt awkward about waiting
After writing his note, he lingers for the first time in four years, which suggests he wanted to meet the day guard. Forgetting the end of his shift is tempting, but the story says he has worked eleven to seven for years.
3.Which theme is best supported by the passage?
1. A.Night-shift work makes it hard to keep friends
2. B.A college degree is the key to a better future
3. C.Small acts of kindness can connect strangers
4. D.Personal news should stay out of work records
Show answer
Answer: C. Small acts of kindness can connect strangers
Two people who have never met grow closer through a short note and a reply. The college theme is tempting because the daughter starts college, but the story focuses on the bond between the two guards.

Use this passage for questions 4 to 7

“In 1919, a young Army officer named Dwight Eisenhower joined a convoy of military trucks driving from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco. The trip took 62 days. Trucks sank in mud, bridges cracked under their weight, and long stretches of road were little more than dirt tracks. Decades later, as a general in World War II, Eisenhower saw Germany’s high-speed highways and was impressed by how quickly they moved troops and supplies. When he became president, he pushed for a national system of divided highways. In 1956, Congress passed the Federal-Aid Highway Act, which planned roughly 41,000 miles of interstate highways. The federal government agreed to pay 90 percent of the cost, with states paying the rest. The interstates changed American life. Trucks replaced trains for much of the nation’s freight. Suburbs spread as families could live farther from work. Motels, gas stations, and fast-food restaurants grew up around highway exits. The changes had costs as well. In many cities, highways were built straight through established neighborhoods, often Black and immigrant communities, displacing thousands of residents and dividing the blocks that remained. Some cities are now studying whether to remove or cover sections of those highways.”

4.Which statement best expresses the main idea of the article?
1. A.Eisenhower’s 1919 convoy proved that trucks could cross the entire country by road
2. B.Germany’s highways became the model for most roads in the United States
3. C.The interstates helped suburbs grow mainly at the expense of the railroads
4. D.The interstates grew from one man’s experience and brought both gains and harm
Show answer
Answer: D. The interstates grew from one man’s experience and brought both gains and harm
The article traces the system from Eisenhower’s experiences to its benefits and its costs to city neighborhoods. The convoy choice is tempting, but the convoy is an opening detail, and it showed how poor the roads were.
5.How is the article mainly organized?
1. A.By comparing American roads with highways built in Germany
2. B.As a problem followed by several possible ways to solve it
3. C.From the most important effect down to the least important
4. D.In time order, followed by the system’s effects and its costs
Show answer
Answer: D. In time order, followed by the system’s effects and its costs
The first two paragraphs move from 1919 to 1956, and the last two describe effects and drawbacks. Comparing countries is tempting because Germany is mentioned, but it appears in only one sentence.
6.Why does the author describe the 1919 convoy?
1. A.To explain how the Army chose its routes for truck travel
2. B.To argue that the military should build the nation’s roads
3. C.To show how poor the roads were and why Eisenhower cared
4. D.To show that driving to San Francisco was popular then
Show answer
Answer: C. To show how poor the roads were and why Eisenhower cared
Mud, cracked bridges, and a 62-day trip show the problem Eisenhower later tried to solve. The military argument is tempting because the convoy was an Army trip, but the author never argues the Army should build roads.
7.As used in the last paragraph, the word “displacing” most nearly means
1. A.counting people for a survey
2. B.forcing people out of their homes
3. C.hiring workers for a project
4. D.paying for repairs to houses
Show answer
Answer: B. forcing people out of their homes
Highways built through neighborhoods pushed residents out of their homes. Counting people is tempting because the sentence mentions thousands of residents, but it describes what happened to them, not a count.

Use this passage for questions 8 to 10

“Filing in Small Claims Court: A Guide for Residents Small claims court handles disputes over money, up to a limit set by state law. Common cases include a landlord who will not return a security deposit, a contractor who was paid but never finished a job, or a neighbor whose tree damaged your fence. You do not need a lawyer, and the forms are written for people without legal training. Before you file, try to settle the dispute directly. Write a short, polite letter that explains what happened, how much you are owed, and a date by which you expect payment. Keep a copy. If the other person pays, you have saved time and the filing fee. If not, the letter shows the judge that you tried to be reasonable. To file, fill out a claim form at the courthouse or online and pay the filing fee. The court will tell you how the other party must be notified. On your court date, bring every document that supports your case: receipts, contracts, photos, text messages, and your copy of the letter. Arrive early. Judges often hear many cases in one morning, so be ready to explain your side clearly in a few minutes.”

8.What is the main purpose of the guide?
1. A.To explain how residents can handle a money dispute without a lawyer
2. B.To persuade residents to hire a lawyer before going to small claims
3. C.To describe the history of small claims courts in the United States
4. D.To warn landlords that they must return security deposits on time
Show answer
Answer: A. To explain how residents can handle a money dispute without a lawyer
The guide explains what the court handles and walks readers through settling, filing, and preparing. The landlord choice is tempting because deposits are mentioned, but they are only one example of a case.
9.According to the guide, why should a person write a letter before filing?
1. A.It may settle the dispute and shows the judge you were fair
2. B.The court requires a letter before any claim can be filed
3. C.The letter replaces the need to bring any other documents
4. D.It tells the other party the date and time of the hearing
Show answer
Answer: A. It may settle the dispute and shows the judge you were fair
The guide says a letter may get you paid, and if not, it shows the judge you tried to be reasonable. A court requirement is tempting, but the guide says only that you should try to settle, not that you must.
10.In the sentence “Before you file, try to settle the dispute directly,” the word “settle” most nearly means
1. A.relocate
2. B.sink
3. C.calm
4. D.resolve
Show answer
Answer: D. resolve
To settle a dispute is to resolve it, and the next sentences describe asking for payment. “Calm” is tempting because settling can mean calming down, but the guide wants the disagreement ended, not just quieted.

Use this passage for questions 11 to 14

“For years, about one in four people charged with minor offenses in Dale County missed at least one court date. Many were not trying to avoid court. Hearings are often set months ahead, notices are mailed to addresses that change, and missing a date can lead to an arrest warrant, a night in jail, and sometimes a lost job. Last year, the county began sending text reminders seven days, three days, and one day before each hearing. The messages give the date, time, courtroom, and a phone number for questions. They are written in plain language and sent in English or Spanish. In the first ten months, the county reports, the missed-date rate fell to about one in six. The court clerk estimates that the program, which costs about $40,000 a year, has saved far more than that in deputy time and jail costs. Public defender Alan Reyes calls the results encouraging but incomplete. ‘A text works if you have a phone and the same number you had when your hearing was set,’ he said. ‘Some of our clients don’t.’ He wants the county to also call people who do not respond to texts.”

11.Which statement best expresses the main idea of the article?
1. A.Text reminders have helped more people show up for their court dates
2. B.Public defenders oppose the county’s new court reminder program
3. C.Most people who miss court dates are trying to avoid going to trial
4. D.The county should stop mailing paper notices about court hearings
Show answer
Answer: A. Text reminders have helped more people show up for their court dates
The article describes the reminders, the drop from one in four to one in six, and a remaining gap. The idea that public defenders oppose the program is tempting, but Reyes calls the results encouraging and only wants more added.
12.Based on the article, which person is the program most likely to miss?
1. A.Someone who reads and writes Spanish more easily than English
2. B.Someone who has moved to a new street address since last spring
3. C.Someone whose hearing is scheduled several months in the future
4. D.Someone whose phone number has changed since the hearing was set
Show answer
Answer: D. Someone whose phone number has changed since the hearing was set
Reyes says texts work only for people with the same number they had when the hearing was set. A new street address is tempting because changing addresses caused problems with mailed notices, but texts go to phones, not homes.
13.Which information would most help a reader judge the clerk’s claim that the program saves money?
1. A.Deputy time and jail costs for missed dates before and after the texts
2. B.The number of people who chose to receive the messages in Spanish
3. C.The names of other counties that also send court date reminders
4. D.The reasons people gave for missing their scheduled court dates in past years
Show answer
Answer: A. Deputy time and jail costs for missed dates before and after the texts
The clerk says savings in deputy time and jail costs exceed $40,000, so those costs before and after the program would test the claim. Past reasons for missing court are tempting, but they explain the problem rather than the savings.
14.As used in the last paragraph, “incomplete” most nearly means
1. A.likely to end within the year
2. B.based on no real evidence at all
3. C.solving only part of the problem
4. D.still being added up by the clerk
Show answer
Answer: C. solving only part of the problem
Reyes says texts fail for clients without a steady phone number, so the results leave part of the problem unsolved. “Still being added up” is tempting because the article uses ten months of data, but Reyes is talking about who the program misses.

Use this passage for questions 15 to 18

“The parks department wants to close the Elm Street pool and use the money for a new splash pad. That would be a mistake. The pool is the only place on the east side where children can learn to swim, and last summer it ran 34 swim classes, nearly all of them full. Lessons cost $20 for a two-week session, and the department waives the fee for families who cannot pay. Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death for young children, and a splash pad teaches no one to swim. The department says repairs would cost $600,000. But it spent nearly that much on new soccer fields two years ago, and those fields sit empty most weekday afternoons. Everyone I know thinks the pool is the heart of the neighborhood. Closing it would tell east side families that their children come last. The council should fund the repairs and keep the Elm Street pool open.”

15.Which detail best supports the claim that the pool meets a real need?
1. A.The writer says closing it would tell families their children come last
2. B.The department spent almost $600,000 on soccer fields two years ago
3. C.The parks department wants to use the money to build a splash pad
4. D.Last summer it ran 34 swim classes, and nearly all of them were full
Show answer
Answer: D. Last summer it ran 34 swim classes, and nearly all of them were full
Full swim classes show that many families use the pool for lessons. The soccer field detail is tempting because it supports another part of the argument, but it is about spending, not need.
16.Which statement offers the weakest support for the writer’s position?
1. A.The pool is the only place on the east side to learn how to swim.
2. B.Last summer the pool offered swim classes that were nearly all full.
3. C.Everyone I know thinks the pool is the heart of the neighborhood.
4. D.Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death for young children.
Show answer
Answer: C. Everyone I know thinks the pool is the heart of the neighborhood.
What the writer’s friends think is personal opinion from a small group, not evidence. The drowning fact is tempting because it is general, but it connects directly to the pool’s role in teaching children to swim.
17.Which statement from the editorial expresses an opinion rather than a fact?
1. A.The department spent nearly that much on new soccer fields two years ago.
2. B.The department says repairs to the pool would cost about $600,000.
3. C.Closing it would tell east side families that their children come last.
4. D.Last summer the pool ran 34 swim classes, nearly all of them full.
Show answer
Answer: C. Closing it would tell east side families that their children come last.
Whether closing the pool sends a message about east side children is the writer’s interpretation and cannot be checked. The repair cost is tempting because it is disputed, but it reports what the department said, which can be verified.
18.Why does the writer mention the soccer fields?
1. A.To show that east side children prefer swimming to playing soccer
2. B.To suggest the department can find money for projects it favors
3. C.To argue that the soccer fields should be closed in place of the pool
4. D.To prove that the pool repairs will cost less than the city expects
Show answer
Answer: B. To suggest the department can find money for projects it favors
The writer answers the $600,000 cost by noting the department spent about as much on fields that sit empty. Closing the fields is tempting, but the writer never proposes it.

Use this passage for questions 19 to 22

“The dryers at the Suds-N-Go took quarters, and Ana had brought a sandwich bag full of them, the way they always had on Sunday nights when they were girls. Marisol had brought nothing but a duffel bag of the clothes she would wear in Denver. ‘You know they have washers in apartments out there,’ Marisol said. ‘They have them here too,’ Ana said. ‘We just never had one.’ They sat in the orange plastic chairs and watched the clothes turn. Ana noticed that her sister had folded each shirt before putting it in the washer, which made no sense at all, and which their mother had also done. When the dryer buzzed, Marisol pulled out a sweatshirt that had been Ana’s in high school. ‘I took this years ago,’ she said. ‘You want it back?’ Ana held it a moment. It was soft and thin at the elbows and smelled like the cheap detergent from the machine by the door. ‘Keep it,’ she said. ‘It gets cold in Denver.’ Marisol pulled it over her head right there, though the laundromat was warm, and left it on while they folded everything else.”

19.Which statement best describes the situation in the passage?
1. A.Marisol is about to move away, and the sisters share a last evening
2. B.The sisters are meeting again for the first time in many years
3. C.Marisol has come to help Ana move into a new apartment downtown
4. D.Ana is still angry that Marisol took her favorite sweatshirt in high school
Show answer
Answer: A. Marisol is about to move away, and the sisters share a last evening
Marisol has packed the clothes she will wear in Denver, and the sisters repeat a childhood routine together. Ana being angry is tempting because the sweatshirt was taken, but she lets her sister keep it.
20.What does the detail that their mother “had also done” the same folding suggest?
1. A.Their mother once worked at the same laundromat
2. B.Ana thinks her sister is careless with clothes
3. C.Ana sees family habits living on in her sister
4. D.Marisol is trying hard to impress her older sister
Show answer
Answer: C. Ana sees family habits living on in her sister
Ana notices that Marisol repeats something their mother did, linking the sisters to their shared family past. Carelessness is tempting because Ana says the folding “made no sense,” but folding first is extra care, not less.
21.Why does Marisol most likely put on the sweatshirt even though the laundromat is warm?
1. A.She plans to give it back to Ana before she leaves for Denver
2. B.She wants to show how much she values the gift and her sister
3. C.She is cold after sitting by the door of the laundromat for hours
4. D.She wants to keep it from getting mixed up with Ana’s laundry
Show answer
Answer: B. She wants to show how much she values the gift and her sister
Wearing it right away, despite the warmth, shows that the gift means more to her than comfort. Feeling cold is tempting, but the passage says the laundromat was warm.
22.Which theme is best supported by the passage?
1. A.People often show love through small acts rather than words
2. B.Sisters tend to compete over the few things they own
3. C.Growing up poor makes people careless with their money
4. D.Moving to a new city usually solves old family problems
Show answer
Answer: A. People often show love through small acts rather than words
The sisters never say they will miss each other; they show it with the quarters, the sweatshirt, and Marisol wearing it. Competing over things is tempting because a borrowed sweatshirt comes up, but Ana gives it away freely.

Use this passage for questions 23 to 25

“Budget Billing: The Same Payment Every Month Your heating bill may spike in January and drop to almost nothing in May. Budget Billing smooths out those swings. We add up your energy costs over the past twelve months and divide by twelve. That becomes your monthly payment. Budget Billing does not lower the total amount you pay for energy. You still pay for every unit you use. But a steady payment can make it easier to plan a household budget. Every six months, we compare what you have paid with what you have actually used. If you used more than expected, your monthly payment may go up. If you used less, it may go down. Once a year, any remaining difference appears on your bill as a credit or a balance due. To enroll, your account must have no past-due balance. You may leave the program at any time, but any difference between your payments and your actual use will be due right away.”

23.What is the main purpose of this notice?
1. A.To persuade customers to use less energy during the cold winter
2. B.To explain how a plan spreads energy costs evenly over the year
3. C.To warn customers who have past-due balances on their accounts
4. D.To announce that energy prices will begin to drop starting in May
Show answer
Answer: B. To explain how a plan spreads energy costs evenly over the year
The notice describes how the monthly payment is figured, reviewed, and settled. The warning about past-due balances is tempting, but that rule is only one enrollment detail.
24.A customer on Budget Billing adds a space heater and uses more power than in past years. What will most likely happen?
1. A.Her monthly payment will stay the same for the whole year
2. B.Her monthly payment may rise at the next six-month review
3. C.She will be removed from the program right away
4. D.She will receive a credit on her bill at year’s end
Show answer
Answer: B. Her monthly payment may rise at the next six-month review
The notice says that if you use more than expected, the payment may go up at the six-month comparison. Staying the same all year is tempting because the plan promises a steady payment, but the reviews can change it.
25.As used in the notice, the phrase “smooths out those swings” mainly means that Budget Billing
1. A.makes monthly bills easier to read and understand
2. B.causes winter heating use to drop sharply
3. C.lowers the total cost of a year of energy use
4. D.makes payments more even from month to month
Show answer
Answer: D. makes payments more even from month to month
The swings are the high January and low May bills, and dividing the year’s costs by twelve evens them out. Lowering the total cost is tempting, but the notice says Budget Billing “does not lower the total amount you pay.”

Use this passage for questions 26 to 29

“Each spring and fall, billions of birds migrate across North America, and most of them fly at night. Many use the stars and the earth’s magnetic field to find their way. Bright city lights can pull them off course. Birds drawn into a lit downtown may circle buildings until they are exhausted or fly into windows they cannot see. Researchers in Chicago spent decades counting birds found dead beneath one brightly lit convention center. They found that on nights when about half of the building’s windows were dark, far fewer birds died than on nights when most windows were lit. Results like these led to ‘Lights Out’ programs in many cities. Building owners agree to turn off or dim decorative lights and unneeded office lights late at night during peak migration weeks. The programs are voluntary, but owners have another reason to join: darker buildings also use less electricity. Scientists note that lights are only one part of the problem. Glass that reflects trees and sky also confuses birds during the day. Some new buildings now use patterned glass that birds can see but people barely notice.”

26.Which statement best expresses the main idea of the article?
1. A.Patterned glass is the only proven way to stop bird collisions
2. B.Most birds migrate during the day by following the position of the sun
3. C.Dimming city lights at night can help protect migrating birds
4. D.Building owners join Lights Out programs mainly to save money
Show answer
Answer: C. Dimming city lights at night can help protect migrating birds
The article links lights to bird deaths, gives research evidence, and describes programs that dim lights. Saving money is tempting because it is mentioned, but the article presents it as an extra reason, not the main point.
27.How does the second paragraph relate to the first?
1. A.It offers research evidence for the problem described in the first
2. B.It changes the topic from migrating birds to building design
3. C.It tells a story about one bird that got lost in a big city at night
4. D.It describes a solution that the first paragraph argues against
Show answer
Answer: A. It offers research evidence for the problem described in the first
The first paragraph says lights pull birds off course, and the Chicago study shows fewer deaths when windows are dark. Calling it a solution is tempting because darker windows helped, but the paragraph reports findings rather than proposing a program.
28.What can be inferred about why the programs focus on peak migration weeks?
1. A.Office lights shine more brightly in spring and fall than in winter
2. B.Birds are unable to see lit windows during the rest of the year
3. C.Most deaths from lights happen when large numbers of birds are flying
4. D.Building owners are allowed to dim their lights only in spring and fall
Show answer
Answer: C. Most deaths from lights happen when large numbers of birds are flying
Birds migrate in large numbers in spring and fall, so dimming lights during those weeks protects the most birds. The idea about permission is tempting, but the article says the programs are voluntary.
29.What is the main purpose of the final paragraph?
1. A.To suggest that people should stay away from glass buildings
2. B.To argue that Lights Out programs have failed in most cities
3. C.To explain how birds use the earth’s magnetic field to migrate
4. D.To show that lights are not the only cause of bird collisions
Show answer
Answer: D. To show that lights are not the only cause of bird collisions
The paragraph adds daytime glass reflections as a second cause and mentions one solution. Claiming the programs failed is tempting because it says lights are “only one part,” but that adds to the problem rather than judging the programs.

More practice sets

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