GED TEST Identifying and Creating Arguments

Identifying and Creating Arguments
1. Which of the following statements supports the claim that evidence was tampered
with?
J.F.K. Assassination Theories
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in a motorcade by Lee Harvey Oswald in 1963.
Oswald, who maintained his innocence, was killed before prosecution. Succeeding President
Lyndon B. Johnson established the Warren Commission to investigate the murder. The
commission concluded Oswald acted alone and shot three bullets from a book depository.
One bullet was presumed to hit both Kennedy and Governor John Connally. The House
Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) countered this in 1979, claiming there were two
possible gunmen and four shots from a different location. The HSCA also described the
original investigation as "seriously flawed."
Experts, theorists, and case officials maintain that the evidence does not support the Warren
Commission's findings. An intelligence agent stated his belief that the Warren Commission
was created to feed the public "pabulum." Theorist James Fetzer claimed the evidence
released by the Assassination Records Review Board (ARRB) during a 1990s inquiry
affirmed inconsistencies between the Warren Comission's report and forensic evidence.
While the ARRB avows there were no indications of a conspiracy, many dismiss this because
of redactions in their report. It has been noted that members of the Warren Commission
received choice information from the FBI, and that several records remain classified. Political
journalist Roscoe Drummond conversely reasoned it would take too many individuals to
successfully pull off the proposed plot.
Much has been made about witness and evidence tampering. Multiple witnesses allege
intimidation by government agencies to keep quiet or change their testimonies. Numerous
bystanders suddenly and mysteriously died. A publicized list of deaths by author Jim Marrs
was proven to have errors, and was rebutted by a lengthy list of key living witnesses. Marrs
and others purport onlookers who saw gunfire and shooters in various areas were ignored by
Warren Commission.
Spectators recounted that their motorcade footage and photos were confiscated by authorities
and never returned. Robert Groden, a photo technician for a LIFE magazine J.F.K. project,
insisted autopsy stills and pictures of Oswald with his supposed weapon were fabricated. An
ARRB analyst found the stills questionable as well. A HSCA consultant detected unnatural
"altering" anomalies in a principal proof film. Nonetheless, many expert findings refute
media claims that the evidence was manufactured. Also, Oswald's wife professed she took the
infamous picture.
In relation to the number of gunmen and shots fired, most witnesses said they heard four
gunshots from a knoll. Some cited other places, consistent with victim injury reports. One
person saw two armed men by a fence. Connally's wife believed he was wounded by a
separate bullet. Groden itemized two dozen potential firing points. The gun that the Warren
Commission listed as the murder weapon was different from what deputies discovered at the
1|Page
book depository. A Ford Motors employee said he was instructed to destroy Kennedy's
bulleted windshield and replace it with a duplicate.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy_assassination_conspiracy_theories
A. "President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in a motorcade by Lee Harvey Oswald in

1963."
B. "Several records remain classified."
C. "Much has been made about witness and evidence tampering."
D. An ARRB analyst found autopsy stills questionable.
2. Based on the paragraph about cost reduction, which is a direct effect of "decreasing
upfront spending“?
The Benefits of Outsourcing for Small Businesses
In the business world, outsourcing refers to utilizing external resources to meet internal
needs. For example, partnering with a call-center firm to handle incoming orders and billing
for a cupcake business, versus hiring in-house staff to take calls. Outsourcing to organizations
in foreign countries is often called offshore outsourcing.
For small businesses in particular, outsourcing can provide many benefits. Cost reduction is a
primary advantage. Relying on external resources can decrease upfront spending for
necessities, including hiring, distribution, and development. The price of goods and services
can be lowered as a result of trimmed overhead, which will attract customers and build a
market. Fewer expenditures allow for capital gains to be allocated to other fund-generating
projects and monetary emergency programs. This financial surplus can make a business
appealing to investors, indicating stability and operational assets. Investors often decline
working with a business if they appear to be especially susceptible to a collapse.
Outsourcing also eliminates the financial risks related to changes in investment trends,
government regulations, insurance payouts, and other similar factors. This makes it possible
for businesses to sustain during economic crises.
Time is equally important to businesses as money. Deferring to other channels through

outsourcing makes it easier for businesses to have the time to launch new initiatives, since
they will have less operations to control. Also, businesses will have the opportunity to narrow
focus and not be deterred by the complications of micro-management.
Last, but not least, a proficient support system can be provided by outsourcing. Through
collaborating with industry leaders for the purposes of outsourcing, businesses will have
access to guiding expert intelligence, and can build professional alliances. Expert advice can
help improve and streamline services. Working with established entities can bolster the
public reputation of a business, as many consumers will trust a business by extension if they
are affiliated with another entity the consumer is familiar with. Additionally, collaborations
will give businesses partners to rely on in times of trouble.
The outsourcing benefits described here could work and apply to any size of business.
However, small businesses tend to be more fragile, with limited means, overwhelming
2|Page
responsibilities, and an infinitesimal following. Outsourcing can help small businesses with
reducing cost, eliminating financial risk, time delegation, and creating a proficient support
system.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outsourcing
A. attracting customers and building a market

B. a financial surplus
C. the price of goods and services being lowered
D. appealing to investors
3. Paragraph 2 suggests which of the following?

Through a Fish's Eye: The Status of Fish Habitats in the United States
The United States is home to a diverse array of freshwater and marine fish, shellfish, and
other aquatic species. More than 3,000 species of fish inhabit America’s streams, rivers,
lakes, reservoirs, marshes, swamps, bays, estuaries, coral reefs, seagrass beds, shallow water
banks, deep ocean canyons, and other watery habitats. The United States is also home to over
300 million people, all depending on the same water that fish depend upon.
Healthy habitats are essential for sustainable fish populations. Unfortunately, in many places
around the United States, fish and the habitats on which they depend are in decline. Almost
40 percent of the nation’s freshwater fish species are considered at risk or vulnerable to
extinction. Habitat loss is the most common cause for extinction of freshwater fish in the
United States over the past century, and many saltwater fish are also in decline due to habitat
degradation. In 1997, Congress declared that one of the greatest long-term threats to the
viability of commercial and recreational fisheries is the continuing loss of marine, estuarine,
and other aquatic habitats.
Marine habitats of the United States generally are most productive near the coasts, which is
also where they are most likely to become degraded by human activity. Major threats to
marine habitat include pollution; damage to bottom habitat from dredging, fishing gear, or
other activities; invasive species; marine debris; and climate change.
Urbanization, agriculture, dams, culverts, pollution, and other human impacts have resulted in
specific areas of degraded habitat where restoration is most likely needed to bring back the
healthy habitats and fishing opportunities that once existed. Addressing degraded habitat also
requires reducing or eliminating sources of degradation through best management practices,
land use planning, and engaging landowners, businesses, and local communities in restoration
efforts. Resources for fish habitat conservation are limited, especially for the next few years.
Source: http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/pdf/fishhabitatreport.pdf
A. Fish are not a large part of an average American’s diet and aren’t important.
B. 40 percent of Americans eat too much fish.
C. If we do not protect aquatic habitats, fish populations will decline and commercial
fisheries will suffer.
D. The president of the United States is responsible for finding new places for commercial
fisherman to fish.
3|Page
4. Based on the passage, what are the main benefits of outsourcing?

system.
A. decreased spending; financial surplus; launching new initiatives; collaborations

B. lowering prices; avoiding financial crises; less operations to control; team building
C. increasing funds; financial security; increased focus; external resources
D. cost reduction; elimination of financial risks; time; a proficient support system
4|Page
5. Both of these passages describe the Vietnam War. Which passage provides a glimpse
into the lives of the soldiers once they returned home from the war?
Speaking About Vietnam
Last fall and this spring, 105 of students interviewed 29 Vietnam vets as part of an oral
history project. It is part of Standing Together, an initiative to help Americans understand the
experiences of American soldiers.
William Mayhew, who served in the 82nd Airborne Division, participated because “I was
hoping the need to really learn history would click with them. History is not a boring subject.
It has relevance.”
Just agreeing to do the interview with the students, however, brought flashbacks that sent
Mayhew back to counseling. In the transcript of his interview, the students recorded that
fighting the Viet Cong in the south was particularly scary. The North Vietnamese fought
conventionally, and “if they overran your position, they would actually bury your dead,”
Mayhew told them. But the Viet Cong in the south practiced guerrilla warfare, and they
would not attack unless they had you “completely outnumbered.”
Other veterans remembered leeches, the oppressive heat and humidity, the monsoons, triple
canopy jungles, being attacked in the dark, the sergeant who taught survival, Agent Orange
exposure, the beauty of the landscape, the friends who did not make it home.
“We never spoke about the war,” says Gene Feher, a veteran who retired to Easton,
Maryland. Having served “was a black mark.”
Feher had been drafted in 1968. When he left Oakland, California, for Vietnam, he recalled
that it was 2 or 3 in the morning, and “suddenly the outside doors of this gym room opened
and all of these fellow GIs came in, but you could tell they were wearing worn jungle fatigues
. . . they walked by us, and it struck me as odd that, the 100 or 200 guys that walked by, not
one of them looked up at us.” It wasn’t until he came home that Feher understood why. “You
don’t want to look at somebody that might not ever come home.”
When he re-entered civilian life, Feher told the students he interviewed for jobs in New York
City, and he would get the inevitable question about the two-year gap in work experience. “I
said, ‘I was in the military.’ ‘Where were you?’ ‘Vietnam.’ And pretty much the interview
was over. They wouldn’t hire you. They would not hire a Vietnam vet.”
One of the students says the experience “did a great job teaching them about empathy—about
listening, even if they do not agree. The kids understood the topics could be intense.”
Source: https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2016/spring/statement/speaking-about-
vietnam
US Involvement in the Vietnam War: The Tet Offensive, 1968
In late January, 1968, during the lunar new year (or “Tet”) holiday, North Vietnamese and
communist Viet Cong forces launched a coordinated attack against a number of targets in
South Vietnam. The US and South Vietnamese militaries sustained heavy losses before
5|Page
finally repelling the communist assault. The Tet Offensive played an important role in
weakening US public support for the war in Vietnam.
Ho Chi Minh and leaders in Hanoi planned the Tet Offensive in the hopes of achieving a
decisive victory that would end the grinding conflict that frustrated military leaders on both
sides. A successful attack on major cities might force the United States to negotiate or
perhaps even to withdraw. At the very least, the North Vietnamese hoped it would serve to
stop the ongoing escalation of guerilla attacks and bombing in the North. Hanoi selected the
Tet holiday to strike because it was traditionally a time of truce, and because Vietnamese
traveling to spend the festival with their relatives provided cover for the movement of South
Vietnamese National Liberation Forces (NLF) who supported the communist forces.
The first phase of the assault began on January 30 and 31, when NLF forces simultaneously
attacked a number of targets, mostly populated areas and places with heavy US troop
presence. The strikes on the major cities of Huế and Saigon had a strong psychological
impact, as they showed that the NLF troops were not as weak as the Johnson Administration
had previously claimed. The NLF even managed to breach the outer walls of the US Embassy
in Saigon. Although the first phase of the offensive became the most famous, a second phase
also launched simultaneous assaults on smaller cities and towns on May 4 and stretched into
June. A third phase began in August and lasted six weeks. In the months that followed, US
and South Vietnamese forces retook the towns that the NLF had secured over the course of
the offensive, but they incurred heavy military and civilian casualties in the process.
At the end of the Tet Offensive, both sides had endured heavy losses, and both sides claimed
victory. The US and South Vietnamese military response almost completely eliminated the
NLF forces and regained all of the lost territory. At the same time, the Tet Offensive
weakened domestic support for the Johnson Administration as the vivid reporting on the Tet
Offensive by the U.S. media made clear to the American public that an overall victory in
Vietnam was not imminent.
Source: https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/tet
A. “Speaking About Vietnam”

B. “U.S. Involvement in the Vietnam War: The Tet Offensive, 1968”
C. Both A and B
D. None of the above
6. Read the following paragraph.
In the years following the establishment of Yellowstone, the United States authorized
additional national parks and monuments. Many of the additional parks were carved from the
federal lands of the West. These, also, were administered by the Department of the Interior.
Other monuments and natural and historical areas were administered by the War Department
and the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture. No single agency provided unified
management of the varied federal parklands.
Which of the following ideas is implied in the paragraph?

A Short History of the National Parks Service
6|Page
By the Act of March 1, 1872, Congress established Yellowstone National Park in the
Territories of Montana and Wyoming. The area was designated "as a public park or
pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people." Congress placed it "under
exclusive control of the Secretary of the Interior." The founding of Yellowstone National
Park began a worldwide national park movement. Today more than 100 nations contain some
1,200 national parks or equivalent preserves.
In the years following the establishment of Yellowstone, the United States authorized
additional national parks and monuments. Many of the additional parks were carved from the
federal lands of the West. These, also, were administered by the Department of the Interior.
Other monuments and natural and historical areas were administered by the War Department
and the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture. No single agency provided unified
management of the varied federal parklands.
On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the National Park
Service. It was a new federal bureau in the Department of the Interior responsible for
protecting the 35 national parks and monuments then managed by the department and those
yet to be established. This "Organic Act" states that "the Service thus established shall
promote and regulate the use of the Federal areas known as national parks, monuments and
reservations…by such means and measures as conform to the fundamental purpose of the
said parks, monuments and reservations, which purpose is to conserve the scenery and the
natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the
same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of
future generations."
An Executive Order in 1933 transferred 56 national monuments and military sites from the
Forest Service and the War Department to the National Park Service. This action was a major
step in the development of today's truly national system of parks. This system now includes
areas of historical as well as scenic and scientific importance. Congress declared in the
General Authorities Act of 1970 "that the National Park System, which began with the
establishment of Yellowstone National Park in 1872, has since grown to include superlative
natural, historic, and recreation areas in every region…and that it is the purpose of this Act to
include all such areas in the System…."
The National Park System of the United States now comprises more than 400 areas covering
more than 84 million acres in 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam,
Puerto Rico, Saipan, and the Virgin Islands. These areas are of such national significance as
to justify special recognition and protection in accordance with various acts of Congress.
Additions to the National Park System are now generally made through acts of Congress, and
national parks can be created only through such acts. But the President has authority, under
the Antiquities Act of 1906, to proclaim national monuments on lands already under federal
jurisdiction. The Secretary of the Interior is usually asked by Congress for recommendations
on proposed additions to the System. The Secretary is counseled by the National Park System
Advisory Board, composed of private citizens. The Board advises on possible additions to the
System and policies for its management.
The National Park Service still strives to meet its original goals. And it fills many other roles
as well: guardian of our diverse cultural and recreational resources; environmental advocate;
7|Page
partner in community revitalization, world leader in the parks and preservation community;
and pioneer in the drive to protect America's open space.
Today more than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 400+ national
parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create
close-to-home recreational opportunities.
Source: https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/history.htm
A. At first, the management of national parks, monuments, and historical areas was not
streamlined.
B. At first, the President managed national parks, monuments, and historical areas.
C. At first, the management of national parks, monuments, and historical areas was poor.
D. At first, nobody knew how to manage national parks, monuments, and historical areas.
7. In the passage, what is the significance of the year 1895?

Extreme Weather and Climate Change
As the world has warmed, that warming has triggered many other changes to the Earth’s
climate. Changes in extreme weather and climate events, such as heat waves and droughts,
are the primary way that most people experience climate change. Human-induced climate
change has already increased the number and strength of some of these extreme events. Over
the last 50 years, much of the United States has seen increases in prolonged periods of
excessively high temperatures, heavy downpours, and in some regions, severe floods and
droughts.
Heat waves are periods of abnormally hot weather lasting days to weeks. The number of heat
waves has been increasing in recent years. This trend has continued in 2011 and 2012, with
the number of intense heat waves being almost triple the long-term average. The recent heat
waves and droughts in Texas (2011) and the Midwest (2012) set records for highest monthly
average temperatures. Analyses show that human-induced climate change has generally
increased the probability of heat waves. And prolonged (multi-month) extreme heat has been
unprecedented since the start of reliable instrumental records in 1895.
Higher temperatures lead to increased rates of evaporation, including more loss of moisture
through plant leaves. Even in areas where precipitation does not decrease, these increases in
surface evaporation and loss of water from plants lead to more rapid drying of soils if the
effects of higher temperatures are not offset by other changes (such as reduced wind speed or
increased humidity). As soil dries out, a larger proportion of the incoming heat from the sun
goes into heating the soil and adjacent air rather than evaporating its moisture, resulting in
hotter summers under drier climatic conditions.
An example of recent drought occurred in 2011, when many locations in Texas and
Oklahoma experienced more than 100 days over 100°F. Both states set new records for the
hottest summer since record keeping began in 1895. Rates of water loss, due in part to
evaporation, were double the long-term average. The heat and drought depleted water
resources and contributed to more than $10 billion in direct losses to agriculture alone.
8|Page
Heavy downpours are increasing nationally, especially over the last three to five decades. The
heaviest rainfall events have become heavier and more frequent, and the amount of rain
falling on the heaviest rain days has also increased. Since 1991, the amount of rain falling in
very heavy precipitation events has been significantly above average. This increase has been
greatest in the Northeast, Midwest, and upper Great Plains – more than 30% above the 1901-
1960 average. There has also been an increase in flooding events in the Midwest and
Northeast, where the largest increases in heavy rain amounts have occurred.
Source: http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/highlights/report-findings/extreme-weather
A. It marks the end of the Civil War.

B. It marks the beginning of the Spanish-American War.
C. It is the year reliable measurements of extreme heat events became possible.
D. It is the year global warming began.
8. What is NOT offered as evidence for the author’s claim that the town of Le Puy is
worth visiting?
The Chateau of Prince Polignac
Few Englishmen or Englishwomen are intimately acquainted with the little town of Le Puy. It
is the capital of the old province of Le Velay, which also is now but little known, even to
French ears, for it is in these days called by the imperial name of the Department of the Haute
Loire. It is to the south-east of Auvergne, and is nearly in the centre of the southern half of
France.
But few towns, merely as towns, can be better worth visiting. In the first place, the volcanic
formation of the ground on which it stands is not only singular in the extreme, so as to be
interesting to the geologist, but it is so picturesque as to be equally gratifying to the general
tourist. Within a narrow valley there stand several rocks, rising up from the ground with
absolute abruptness. Round two of these the town clusters, and a third stands but a mile
distant, forming the centre of a faubourg, or suburb. These rocks appear to be, and I believe
are, the harder particles of volcanic matter, which have not been carried away through
successive ages by the joint agency of water and air.
When the tide of lava ran down between the hills the surface left was no doubt on a level with
the heads of these rocks; but here and there the deposit became harder than elsewhere, and
these harder points have remained, lifting up their steep heads in a line through the valley.
The highest of these is called the Rocher de Corneille. Round this and up its steep sides the
town stands. On its highest summit there was an old castle; and there now is, or will be before
these pages are printed, a colossal figure in bronze of the Virgin Mary, made from the cannon
taken at Sebastopol. Half-way down the hill the cathedral is built, a singularly gloomy edifice
—Romanesque, as it is called, in its style, but extremely similar in its mode of architecture to
what we know of Byzantine structures. But there has been no surface on the rock side large
enough to form a resting-place for the church, which has therefore been built out on huge
supporting piles, which form a porch below the west front; so that the approach is by
numerous steps laid along the side of the wall below the church, forming a wondrous flight of
9|Page
stairs. Let all men who may find themselves stopping at Le Puy visit the top of these stairs at
the time of the setting sun, and look down from thence through the framework of the porch
on the town beneath, and at the hillside beyond.
Source: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/55147/55147-h/55147-
h.htm#THE_CHATEAU_OF_PRINCE_POLIGNAC
A. unusual rock formations

B. a bronze statue of the Virgin Mary
C. a wondrous staircase with a good view
D. a canon from Sebastopol
9. Which of the following statements supports the claim that the Monroe conspiracy
theories are unjustifiable?
Marilyn Monroe: Death Conspiracy Theories
Marilyn Monroe was a Hollywood actress who was found dead in 1962. With no signs of
foul play at the scene and a large amount of barbiturates in Monroe's system, her death was
ruled a probable suicide. Reports from her psychiatrist of substance dependency, severe
depression and other health issues bolstered the conclusion. However, despite being flawed or
outrageous, conspiracy theories keep suspicion alive that Monroe was murdered or
accidentally overdosed.
The earliest conspiracy theories came from anti-communist author Frank Capell, whose 1964
pamphlet accused Robert F. Kennedy of having Monroe killed to prevent her from exposing
their romantic affair. Capell also charged Kennedy and Monroe's physicians with having
communist leanings. Capell had assistance from Sergeant Jack Clemmons, who was the first
officer at the scene of Monroe’s death. Sergeant Clemmons later said that he felt something
was amiss at the scene, but he did not cite this in investigation documents. Between Capell's
anti-communist leanings and Clemmons’s involvement with a Kennedy-targeting
organization, it can be deduced that their murder allegations were politically-motivated.
Further, Capell and Clemmons were later indicted for manufacturing an affidavit against a
Senator in 1965.
A Monroe biographer suggested the FBI and CIA murdered her to use the murder and the
purported Kennedy affair to blackmail the Kennedys. Later, however, the biographer
admitted in an interview that he was just trying to sell books. Another author, journalist
Anthony Scaduto, claimed in his 1976 conspiracy paperback that Kennedy was the
perpetrator of Monroe’s murder, that Monroe had a diary of classified information, and that
her home was wiretapped by specialist Bernard Spindel to obtain implicating evidence
against the Kennedys. Spindel's tapes were confiscated during a 1966 raid, and no recordings
of Monroe were found. An investigator Spindel used as a source wrote his own book,
claiming that a Monroe coroner stated the diary of classified information existed, and that her
widespread bruises were purposely omitted from autopsy reports. The coroner was fired in
1962 for stealing from bodies.
Many other books accusing governmental and Monroe-connected figures discount evidence
without explanation, and reference third-hand or questionable sources, like Sergeant
10 | P a g e
Clemmons of the Los Angeles Police Department. Biographer Daniel Spoto declared
Monroe's doctors staged her suicide after their miscommunications lead to an accidental
overdose. Spoto cited Monroe investigation prosecutor John Miner, who professed he had
audio-tapes proving Monroe was optimistic and not suicidal. Miner never furnished the tapes
to the members of the press who requested them. Transcripts he later sold to an author were
written decades after he alleged transcribing them. Miner later lost his law license and filed
for bankruptcy.In 1982, the storm of conjecture inspired the Los Angeles County District
Attorney's office to launch a three-month inquiry to decide if the case should be reopened.
Findings did not indicate a possible murder, further discrediting the conspiracy theories that
had arisen since Monroe’s death.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Marilyn_Monroe
A. "However, despite being flawed or outrageous, conspiracy theories keep suspicion alive
that Monroe was murdered or accidentally overdosed."
B. "Many other books accusing governmental and Monroe-connected figures discount
evidence without explanation, and reference third-hand or questionable sources, like
Clemmons."
C. "A Monroe biographer suggested the FBI and CIA murdered her to use the murder and the
purported Kennedy affair to blackmail the Kennedys."
D. "In 1982, the storm of conjecture inspired the Los Angeles County District Attorney's
office to launch a three-month inquiry to decide if the case should be reopened.”
10. Which claim about visual issues is NOT supported by reasoning or evidence?
Explaining Loch Ness Monster Sightings
The Loch Ness Monster, affectionately called "Nessie," is a mysterious water creature many
claim to have seen in the Scotland Loch Ness. It's been described as large, dark and limbless
with a humpy body and an elongated neck. Many scientists and relevant experts purport
there's no substantial evidence confirming it exists, and they've offered ideas to discount or
explain sightings.
Experts emphasize that several sightings have been exposed as hoaxes. One journalist
admitted he wrote a false story about seeing the Loch Ness Monster. Alleged Nessie
footprints turned out to be a prank, the marks from a stand with hippopotamus-like bases. A
zoo education officer mutilated a dead elephant seal to mislead people into thinking it was
Nessie. Someone reported finding a fossil, but it was obviously planted.
Swedish naturalist Bengt Sjögren attributes belief in the monster to folklore about ominous
water creatures, as the Loch Ness is a frequent story setting. Nessie author Ronald Binns
suggests it's human psychology to see what you expect. Scientists say people are indeed
seeing something, it's just not what they think. Atmospheric refraction can visually warp size
and shape. Therefore, trees, objects and resident animals, like otters, birds and deer can be
mistaken. To corroborate this effect, a photo of a rock resembling an animal was published.
Additionally, size is skewed through binoculars or a telescope.
Several other animals are suspected to be mistaken for the Loch Ness Monster. The
Greenland shark is common in the vicinity of Scotland. It's 20 feet long, dark and has a tiny
fin. It could possibly survive in freshwater like the Ness, using lakes and rivers for food
11 | P a g e
where fish live. Hunter Steve Feltham hypothesized that the "monster" is a giant Wels catfish,
while investigator R.T. Gould proposed a long-necked newt. Eels were once suggested
because they're common in the Loch Ness, but their wavy movement counters sighting
reports. One cryptozoologist suggested an invertebrate, like the bristle-worm. Though bristle-
worms circle land, have varied back structure, and can be 9 feet long, most are small. What's
thought to be the head and neck of the Loch Ness Monster could be the trunk of a swimming
elephant, with the elephant's head and body misconstrued as "humps." Elephants are also
large. To place them at the Loch Ness, a paleontologist theorized traveling circuses.
Specialists that believe in the Loch Ness Monster speculate that it's a Plesiosaur descendant.
Paleontologists refute this, affirming that the extinct Plesiosaurs were cold-blooded and
required tropical environments. Even if they were warm-blooded, the Loch Ness' food supply
would be too small. Plesiosaurs couldn't lift their heads as high as sighting reports describe.
Lastly, they must surface regularly to breathe; they wouldn't be a rarely seen animal.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch_Ness_Monster
A. Telescopes and binoculars can skew view.

B. Natural elements can distort the size and shape of animals, leading to mistaken
identification.
C. Photo evidence can prove visual illusion and distortion.
D. None of the above
11. Why is "A street poll showed that 90% of people believe Adrianne murdered Davis"
fallacious?
How Did He Fall Off the Roof?
Adrianne Arrow is a singer who's always been troubled. Her mother was abusive and her
father was an absentee parent. As her career took off, she developed a reputation for being
rude to staff and cuttingly competitive with other starlets. In her personal life, she had a string
of speedy marriages with aberrant men. She's also had a few brushes with the law. Her
scandals seemed to slow down when she married a childhood friend and had a child.
However, when motherhood began to overwhelm her, she deserted her family. Later on, she
developed a sleep-walking condition that stifled her professionally.
Davis Paul was hired to revitalize Adrianne's career, but he didn't have great standing in the
music industry. As president of Racket Recordings, he was known for his harsh approaches
with artists. He eventually was fired for shady dealings and blackmailing talent. Adrianne
was the first artist to give him a chance after the disgrace.
One night after a concert, Davis fell from a hotel roof. The incident was ruled a suicide.
Davis' family maintained that he was in high-spirits at the time because he was rebounding
with Adrianne. His co-workers stated that he was stressed out about legal issues. A teenage
witness, who came forward a year later, reported seeing Adrianne with Davis on the roof.
Other witnesses verified Adrianne went to bed immediately after the concert. This caused
speculation that Adrianne was sleep-walking, and Davis tumbled trying to wake her. A few
staffers told police that Adrianne and Davis were at odds that fateful night.
12 | P a g e
Adrianne had to have pushed Davis. She abandoned her family, so she must be capable of
murder. Not to mention, everyone says she's a diva and a hateful person, so it's believable she
was warring with him. If only Davis hadn't crossed paths with her, he'd be alive today. A
street poll showed that 90% of people believe Adrianne murdered Davis. Young performers
today are so immoral. Then again, Adrianne didn't have a chance with the parents she had,
and being a new mother is indeed challenging. If she didn't have that baby, she'd still be
improving. She was just getting into philanthropy, too. Her cancer foundation was a lovely
idea; it's helped so many patients with medical bills.
Davis had no excuse for his dreadfulness. He was original trash and needed to be taken out,
just to jail, instead of murdered. Though, overall, picking artists isn't that big of a deal. He
could've done worse. There are rumors he seduced female artists; I bet he had an affair with
Adrianne. As for that teen witness, he's likely lying for attention. His late admission is
suspicious. You can't trust minors.
A. It reflects an unreliable testimony.

B. It suggests that the truth is defined majority opinion.
C. It is based on people’s opinions, not the facts.
D. All of the above are true.
12. Which claim regarding the watertight doors is supported by reasoning or evidence?
RMS Titanic Sinking Theories
The RMS Titanic is a passenger liner that sunk in the North Atlantic in 1912 after hitting an
iceberg. About 1,500 of the estimated 2,224 passengers died. The ship sailed full speed
despite ice warnings, preventing it from stopping or steering away from the berg. Watertight
compartments flooded, causing Titanic to go under. These details are supported by accounts
and physical evidence, and therefore, widely accepted as truth. However, there's a few
alternative conspiracy and architectural theories.
The most notorious theory is by author Robin Gardiner, who posited Titanic was actually its
sister ship, Olympic. In an accident report, Olympic was found responsible for a 1911
collision with the HMS Hawke. Consequently, the insurers wouldn't cover the damages, and
Titanic's debut was delayed. Gardiner suggests that to ensure financial gains from at least one
running liner, Olympic was patched up and renovated to pose as Titanic. The two ships were
very similar in design, with minor external and moderate internal differences. Both also had
linoleum floors, which a managing director demanded be covered on the alleged Titanic at
the last minute.
Gardiner also claims Olympic had a permanent tilt after its accident. Some Titanic survivors
testified to detecting a tilt. There were multiple issues with structure proficiency supposedly,
so improper cargo and bunker trimming could've caused a lean. Wreckage photos revealing
an underlying "M" and "P" where Titanic lettering eroded have surfaced, but they were
deemed manipulated because of their clarity. All other images don't indicate underlying
lettering. Highlighting Olympic's two-day sea trial at full-speed, Gardiner asserts the propped
Titanic had only one day at half-speed. Given the similarities of the ships, a complete trial
might not have been necessary.
13 | P a g e
Another conspiracy hypothesis proposes that financier and liner owner J.P. Morgan
orchestrated the sinking to murder three businessmen who opposed his federal reserve plans.
He and several colleagues suddenly didn't board the Titanic as scheduled. One of the nearest
ships to the sinking Titanic was the Morgan-owned Californian, who suspiciously ignored
distress calls. Still, liner executives and Titanic designers Bruce Ismay and Thomas Andrews
were on board.
Architectural notions surround the ship's watertight doors and a coal bunker fire. Some
purport that if the watertight doors were opened, Titanic would've stayed afloat long enough
for rescue. There weren't any doors in the primary four compartments, however.
Additionally, research showed that flooding past boiler room four would overturn Titanic. A
coal bunker fire started days before the ship's voyage, and continued to burn. A normal
occurrence, spontaneous combustion of coal is a common cause of such. It's believed the fire
compromised hull and bulkhead structure, worsening the berg collision effects. Other experts
say the fire wouldn't have weakened the structure sufficiently.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Titanic_alternative_theories
A. There were not any watertight doors in the primary four compartments.
B. The research regarding flooding past boiler room four is infallible.
C. If there were watertight doors in the first four compartments, Titanic would have stayed
afloat longer.
D. All the claims are supported with reasoning or evidence.
13. What is the theme of the first two paragraphs of the passage?
Echoes of the Great War: American Experiences of World War I
Arguing Over War
Americans were deeply divided over how to respond to the Great War and expressed a
diverse range of views on the conflict. President Woodrow Wilson declared U.S. neutrality
on August 4, 1914, and many Americans saw little reason to entangle themselves in what
they viewed as European quarreling and intrigue. As the war persisted and the destruction
spread, many Americans could not ignore the crisis. President Wilson and other leading
Americans, like industrialist Henry Ford, attempted to facilitate negotiations for peace to end
the conflict in Europe. Americans organized and provided humanitarian aid to war victims,
particularly the monumental relief operation led by Herbert Hoover to feed German-occupied
Belgium.
But other forces drew the United States toward war. Cultural ties to Britain tended to
outweigh those that German Americans and other European ethnic groups had to their
ancestral homelands. Although the United States did profit financially from the war as a
neutral nation, Great Britain's naval domination of the seas and blockade of Germany and the
other Central Powers meant that Americans primarily traded with the Allies during the war.
Germany attempted to counter this imbalance with the widespread use of submarines, the first
time these weapons had been extensively deployed in war. German submarines sank
merchant ships engaged in what Americans viewed as peaceful trade and killed American
passengers on British ocean liners, most notably the Lusitania. As the war raged on in
Europe, to many, including eventually President Wilson, the conflict became a matter of
14 | P a g e
principles: whether to uphold the freedom of the seas, to make the world safe for democracy
in the face of autocracy, or to establish a new world order ensuring permanent peace and
governed by rational law. The United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917.
Over Here
Never before had the United States mobilized for war on such a scale. Government agencies
sought to shape public opinion; private industry geared up war production; home front
volunteerism surged to unprecedented heights; bond drives raised funds to finance the war;
and labor unions and workers organized to increase national output. For the first time in its
history, the nation's military would be derived largely from conscripts rather than volunteers.
U.S. mobilization revealed contradictions within the American democratic experiment.

Conscription heightened questions regarding the rights and obligations of citizenship. For
women, immigrants, and African Americans the war simultaneously provided an opportunity
to demand expanded rights previously denied and demonstrated the limits of such efforts.
Women's contributions to the war effort bolstered their long-standing claims for equal voting
rights. Immigrants and African Americans hoped that military service would lead to greater
inclusion into civic life in the United States. African Americans endured a rigidly segregated
military, and experienced discrimination and racial violence as many moved into northern
cities to take advantage of wartime employment opportunities.
Over There
The United States faced combat mostly during the war's last six months. However,
Americans encountered unprecedented challenges fighting as part of a coalition in a new kind
of war. The Great War was the world's first large-scale military struggle fought among highly
industrialized countries. The mass production capabilities of the belligerents, their networks
of railroads, and new rapid-firing weapons contributed to the deadlock on the European front
lines. Both sides dug into miles and miles of trenches from which neither could dislodge the
other. Other new technologies such as airplanes, tanks, and poison gas were widely used in an
attempt to end the standoff, but no miracle weapon could break the stalemate and end the
war.
Although the struggle in the trenches was brief for Americans, it was intense. After an
introduction to battle at places such as Belleau Wood and St. Mihiel in France, the United
States fought the deadliest battle in its history—a seven-week offensive along the Meuse
River and into the Argonne Forest on the war's Western Front. Medical advances and care for
the wounded provided by organizations like the Red Cross kept many alive who might have
died in earlier wars. Americans made important contributions to the Allied victory but at
considerable cost.
World Overturned
The end of the war on November 11, 1918, brought tremendous relief around the globe but
left in its wake questions about the new world the Great War had molded. In this transformed
world, Americans confronted the challenges of how to help negotiate a lasting peace, how to
uphold the principles President Wilson and others claimed the country had fought for, and
how to redraw the map of the world, particularly in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and
Africa—the former imperial territories of the defeated Central Powers. At home, they
15 | P a g e
considered what the role of the United States should be in this emerging international order,
how to reintegrate veterans returning from the war, and how to remember the war and those
who served and sacrificed. World War I had shaken the lives of Americans and shaped a
modern world to which they now needed to adapt.
Source: https://www.loc.gov/exhibitions/world-war-i-american-experiences/online-
exhibition/world-overturned/
A. Americans disagreed over whether or not the United States should join World War I.
B. World War I was one of the deadliest wars in history.
C. International relations were changed by the war.
D. New technologies were used in the war.
14. Which of the following is offered as evidence that Bermuda is undeserving of the
name “the Fortunate Islands”?
Aaron Trow
I would wish to declare, at the beginning of this story, that I shall never regard that cluster of
islets which we call Bermuda as the Fortunate Islands of the ancients. Do not let professional
geographers take me up, and say that no one has so accounted them, and that the ancients
have never been supposed to have gotten themselves so far westwards. What I mean to assert
is this—that, had any ancient been carried thither by enterprise or stress of weather, he would
not have given those islands so good a name. That the Neapolitan sailors of King Alonzo
should have been wrecked here, I consider to be more likely. The vexed Bermoothes is a
good name for them. There is no getting in or out of them without the greatest difficulty, and
a patient, slow navigation, which is very heart-rending. That Caliban should have lived here I
can imagine; that Ariel would have been sick of the place is certain; and that Governor
Prospero should have been willing to abandon his governorship, I conceive to have been only
natural. When one regards the present state of the place, one is tempted to doubt whether any
of the governors have been conjurors since his days.
Bermuda, as all the world knows, is a British colony at which we maintain a convict
establishment. Most of our outlying convict establishments have been sent back upon our
hands from our colonies, but here one is still maintained. There is also in the islands a strong
military fortress, though not a fortress looking magnificent to the eyes of civilians, as do
Malta and Gibraltar. There are also here some six thousand white people and some six
thousand black people, eating, drinking, sleeping, and dying.
The convict establishment is the most notable feature of Bermuda to a stranger, but it does
not seem to attract much attention from the regular inhabitants of the place. There is no
intercourse between the prisoners and the Bermudians. The convicts are rarely seen by them,
and the convict islands are rarely visited. As to the prisoners themselves, of course it is not
open to them—or should not be open to them—to have intercourse with any but the prison
authorities.
Source: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/55147/55147-h/55147-h.htm#AARON_TROW
A. Sailing to or from Bermuda requires great difficult and patient navigation.

B. It has a population of 12,000 people.
16 | P a g e
C. It has a strong fortress.
D. It is a British colony.
15. Why does Luebke mention the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the
statue of Washington?
From “The Eisenhower Memorial: Does It Harm DC’s Planning Legacy?” by Thomas
Luebke
Does the Eisenhower Memorial harm the city’s plan? Clearly, the interventions of the 19th
and 20th centuries make the re-creation of a broad prospect from bridge to Capitol a virtual
impossibility. The more salient question is how can such a significant axis in the city be
treated now? A fundamental principle of the L’Enfant Plan was to treat major avenues as a
commemorative framework for the city—a web of diagonals overlaid on a functional grid.
Major intersections of these avenues were envisioned to feature public parks and squares that
could honor worthy figures of importance to the nation. The grand avenues themselves,
L’Enfant noted in his plan, “may be conveniently divided into footways, walks of trees, and a
carriage way.”
Throughout the core of the city planned by L’Enfant this principle has been followed, with
many circles and squares dedicated to political and military figures, usually featuring a
commemorative statue or monument in the very center of that avenue’s axis. On Capitol Hill,
public parks honor Seward, Stanton, Lincoln, Marion, and Garfield; on avenues radiating
from White House, they honor Dupont, Farragut, Scott, Thomas, McPherson, and Logan.
These civic spaces are fundamental to creating Washington, D.C.’s distinctive character.
Major monuments to presidents are no exception: in addition to the Washington Monument—

which marks the central axes of the monumental core—the Jefferson Memorial terminates the
16th Street axis; the Lincoln Memorial terminates the axis of the National Mall; an equestrian
statue of Washington occupies the intersection of Pennsylvania and New Hampshire
Avenues. In honor of the president and general Ulysses S. Grant, a 250-foot-long
composition of statuary sits at the foot of the Capitol Grounds, where Pennsylvania and
Maryland Avenues begin to converge.
The Eisenhower Memorial design has been criticized for introducing a monumental
commemorative work honoring a US president and military hero in the middle of an
important axial avenue within the heart of the national capital. Even so, in the course of the
design review process, the proposal has been modified to remove any vertical element from
all but 32 feet on the south edge of the right-of-way, unless you count trees as intrusions. The
trees themselves would be located to reframe the axis along the historic 90-foot-wide
cartway, leaving what is a standard viewshed toward the Capitol at a width typical of any of
the DC’s “grand avenues.” While Gehry’s design may not be a bronze general on horseback
or a neoclassical temple, it is hard to argue that Washington’s planning principles are
anything but reinforced by the proposed memorial.
Source: https://www.cfa.gov/about-cfa/blog/2014/12/eisenhower-memorial-does-it-
harm-dcs-planning-legacy
From “Bob Dole Leads Push to Complete Eisenhower Memorial with Private Funds”
by John McKinnon
17 | P a g e
The project has found itself under fire for its unconventional design by architect Frank Gehry,
known for his dramatic, visionary style. Mr. Gehry’s design for the memorial—to be located
next to the Mall near the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum—features 80-foot columns
supporting a massive stainless-steel tapestry that depicts Kansas, where Mr. Eisenhower,
popularly known as “Ike,” grew up. An unlikely element is a life-size statue of Mr.
Eisenhower, depicted not as general or president, but as a youth sitting on a wall imagining
his future accomplishments (which are depicted in statues elsewhere on the 4-acre site). The
image was taken from a speech Mr. Eisenhower gave in his hometown of Abilene when he
returned from the war, which began, “I want to speak first of the dreams of a barefoot boy.”
But several surviving grandchildren of Mr. Eisenhower have opposed the Gehry plan, arguing
it is too grandiose and focuses too much on Mr. Eisenhower’s Kansas roots as opposed to his
global accomplishments.
Some traditionalists also say the structure should be more in line with the classical style of
the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials. Those critics have found allies among House
Republicans. Some have called for starting over from scratch. In a 2014 letter to the
memorial commission, granddaughters Anne Eisenhower and Susan Eisenhower said the
changes to the Gehry design did “not address the major problems identified by many
stakeholders, including our family.” They suggested a simpler design that eliminates the
pillars and the tapestry, or a reopening of the design competition.
But in the face of the renewed push by Mr. Dole, Eisenhower family members are toning
down their criticisms without endorsing the design. “We have decided not to make any
comments at this time except to say how deeply appreciative we are to the many
distinguished Americans, including all living former presidents, who are supporting the
building of an Eisenhower Memorial in Washington, D.C.,” the family said in response to a
request for comment.
Source: http://eisenhowermemorial.gov/#/news?nid=150922
A. to show that the families of other famous presidents have agreed to monuments
B. to show that many different types of stones are used for creating modern monuments
C. to show that other major monuments have been built at axial avenues and streets
D. to show that other prominent presidents have had memorials built after their deaths
16. Why was Kumar and Woo’s research published in the journal Water Resources
Research?
What's Good for Crops Is Not Always Good for the Environment
What's good for crops is not always good for the environment. Nitrogen, a key nutrient for
plants, can cause problems when it leaches into water supplies.
Now, scientists have developed a model to calculate the age of nitrogen in corn and soybean
fields, which could lead to improved fertilizer application techniques to promote crop growth
while reducing leaching. Researchers Praveen Kumar and Dong Kook Woo of the University
of Illinois published their results in the journal Water Resources Research, a publication of
the American Geophysical Union.
18 | P a g e
"By understanding how long nitrogen stays in the soil and the factors that drive that, we can
improve the precision at which we apply nitrogen for agriculture productivity," Kumar said.
"We may be able to apply fertilizer specifically in areas that are deficient in nitrogen, in
precisely the amount that the plants need to uptake, rather than just applying it uniformly.
Potentially, we could see a significant reduction in fertilizer amounts.”
Plants take up nitrogen as a nutrient from the soil through their roots. Nitrogen is added to the
soil through fertilizer application or by microbes in the soil breaking down organic
compounds. However, if the soil contains more nitrogen than the plants need, nitrogen
leaches out into the water and can accumulate in lakes, rivers and oceans.
Overdosing the Environment
"Nitrogen, usually in the form of nitrate fertilizer, is needed for healthy crop production, but
too much is not a good thing, since the excess can contaminate water supplies," said Richard
Yuretich, program director in the National Science Foundation's Division of Earth Sciences.
"Knowing how long nitrate resides in the soil will lead to more efficient agriculture that
maximizes plant health without overdosing the environment.”
Kumar and Woo developed a numerical model to calculate how long inorganic nitrogen has
been in the soil, using a corn-corn-soybean rotation common in the Midwest. Fresh fertilizer
application or microbial production of nitrates and ammonium are considered "age zero" in
the numerical model. From there, the researchers computed age by the chemical reactions or
transformations nitrogen goes through in the soil, mediated by moisture, temperature and
microbes.
Comparing Corn and Soybeans
The model revealed two surprising findings when comparing the average age of nitrogen in
the topsoil with that in deeper layers, and in comparing cornfields with soybean fields.
"The biggest surprise was that we found a lower average age of nitrogen in soybean fields,"
Woo said. "We use fertilizer on corn, not soybeans. Yet even though we count that fresh
fertilizer as age zero, we found a lower average age of nitrogen in soybean fields. We found
that is mainly because soybeans uptake the old nitrogen, so the average age is reduced.”
When looking at the layers of soil, the researchers initially expected that nitrogen would
follow a similar age path to water: newer on top, and growing older as it migrates down
through the soil. However, they found that the nitrogen topsoil had a relatively high average
age when compared with the water. Looking closer, they realized that one of the forms of
nitrogen -- ammonium -- accumulated in the topsoil.
"Ammonium has a positive charge, which adheres to the soil particles and prevents it from
leaching to the deeper layers," Woo said. "Because of that, we observe relatively higher
nitrogen age in the upper layers, compared with the age of the nitrate that dissolves in water,
which doesn't have that barrier and can migrate down through the soil.”
Helping Farmers Use Resources Wisely
19 | P a g e
The researchers have established a field site to validate their model by analyzing the
composition of nitrogen, oxygen and water in runoff. They hope their work can help farmers
more efficiently use resources while also reducing contamination of water sources and
downstream habitats.
"The idea of using age for chemical analysis is not new, but no one has studied nitrogen age
in the context of an agricultural setting," Kumar said. "By doing that, we are able to reveal
patterns of stagnation in the soil, which is different than just using the concentration of
nitrogen. The main idea is that there is a better way to apply fertilizer over a landscape than
we do presently. We should be looking into more precise approaches.”
Source: https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=139263
A. because nitrogen is important for the paper-making process

B. because nitrogen is one of the main elements in water
C. because nitrogen pollution affects water quality
D. because fresh water is a scarce resource
17. How did the expedition travel through most of the Louisiana territory?
The Lewis and Clark Expedition
In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson guided a splendid piece of foreign diplomacy through
the US Senate: the purchase of Louisiana territory from France. After the Louisiana Purchase
Treaty was made, Jefferson initiated an expedition of the newly purchased land and the
territory beyond the "great rock mountains" in the West.
Jefferson chose his personal secretary, Meriwether Lewis, an intelligent and literate man who
also possessed skills as a frontiersman. Lewis in turn solicited the help of William Clark,
whose abilities as draftsman and frontiersman were even stronger. Lewis so respected Clark
that he made him a co-commanding captain of the Expedition. Together they collected a
diverse military Corps of Discovery that would be able to undertake a two-year journey to the
great ocean.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition paddled its way down the Ohio as it prepared the Expedition
to be launched officially from Camp Wood, just outside St. Louis, in the summer of 1804.
That summer and fall the company of explorers paddled and pulled themselves upstream,
northwest on the Missouri River to Fort Mandan.
The spring of 1805 brought high water and favorable weather. The Lewis and Clark
Expedition set out on the next leg of its journey. They traveled up the Missouri to present-day
Three Forks, Montana, wisely choosing to follow the western-most tributary, the Jefferson
River. Once over the Bitterroot Mountains, the Corps of Discovery shaped canoe-like vessels
that transported them swiftly downriver to the mouth of the Columbia, where they wintered
(1805-1806) at Fort Clatsop, on the present-day Oregon side of the river.
With journals in hand, Lewis, Clark, and the other members of the Expedition returned to St.
Louis by September 1806 to report their findings to Jefferson. They fulfilled many of
Jefferson's wishes for the Expedition. William Clark drew a series of maps that were
remarkably detailed, noting and naming rivers and creeks, significant points in the landscape,
the shape of river shore, and spots where the Corps spent each night or camped or portaged
20 | P a g e
for longer periods of time. Later explorers used these maps to further probe the western
portion of the continent.
The Expedition of the Corps of Discovery shaped a crude route to the waters of the Pacific
and marked an initial pathway for the new nation to spread westward from ocean to ocean,
fulfilling what would become to many Americans an obvious destiny.
Over the next two centuries the new Americans and many immigrants would wash across the
central and western portions of what would eventually become the contiguous 48 United
States. This wave of development would significantly transform virgin forests and grasslands
into a landscape of cities, farms, and harvested forests, displacing fauna such as the buffalo
and squeezing the Indians who survived onto reservations.
Source: https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/lewis-clark
An Excerpt of a Letter from Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis
. . . Your situation as Secretary of the President of the United States has made you acquainted
with the objects of my confidential message to the legislature. You have seen the act they
passed, which was meant to sanction these objects, and you are appointed to carry them into
execution.
Instruments for ascertaining by celestial observations, the geography of the country through
which you will pass, have been already provided. Light articles for barter and presents among
the Indians, arms for your attendants and provisions you will have prepared with such aids as
the Secretary at War can yield in his department. From him also you will receive authority to
engage among our troops, by voluntary agreement, over whom you are invested with all the
powers the laws give in such a case.
The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri river. And to explore such principal
stream of it as by its course and communication with the waters of the Pacific Ocean whether
the Columbia, Oregon, Colorado or any other river may offer the most direct & practicable
water communication across this continent for the purposes of commerce.
You will begin at the mouth of the Missouri. You will take careful observations of latitude &
longitude at all remarkable points on the river. You will take observations at the mouth of
rivers, at rapids, at islands, & other places & objects distinguished by such natural marks &
characters of a durable kind as that they may with certainty be recognized hereafter.
The interesting points of the portage between the heads of the Missouri, & of the water
offering the best communication with the Pacific Ocean, should also be fixed by observation,
& the course of that water to the ocean, in the same manner as that of the Missouri.
Your observations are to be taken with great pains & accuracy. They are to be entered
distinctly & intelligibly for others, as well as yourself, to comprehend all the elements
necessary. Make use of the aid of the usual tables, to fix the latitude and longitude of the
places at which they were taken, and are to be rendered to the war office for the purpose of
having the calculations made concurrently by proper persons within the United States.
Source: https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/lewisandclark/transcript57.html
21 | P a g e
A. It traveled by boat on rivers.
B. It traveled by foot.
C. It traveled by bicycle.
D. It traveled by horseback.
18. Why is "Then again, Adrianne didn't have a chance with the parents she had, and
being a new mother is indeed challenging" fallacious?
How Did He Fall Off the Roof?
Adrianne Arrow is a singer who's always been troubled. Her mother was abusive and her
father was an absentee parent. As her career took off, she developed a reputation for being
rude to staff and cuttingly competitive with other starlets. In her personal life, she had a string
of speedy marriages with aberrant men. She's also had a few brushes with the law. Her
scandals seemed to slow down when she married a childhood friend and had a child.
However, when motherhood began to overwhelm her, she deserted her family. Later on, she
developed a sleep-walking condition that stifled her professionally.
Davis Paul was hired to revitalize Adrianne's career, but he didn't have great standing in the
music industry. As president of Racket Recordings, he was known for his harsh approaches
with artists. He eventually was fired for shady dealings and blackmailing talent. Adrianne
was the first artist to give him a chance after the disgrace.
One night after a concert, Davis fell from a hotel roof. The incident was ruled a suicide.
Davis' family maintained that he was in high-spirits at the time because he was rebounding
with Adrianne. His co-workers stated that he was stressed out about legal issues. A teenage
witness, who came forward a year later, reported seeing Adrianne with Davis on the roof.
Other witnesses verified Adrianne went to bed immediately after the concert. This caused
speculation that Adrianne was sleep-walking, and Davis tumbled trying to wake her. A few
staffers told police that Adrianne and Davis were at odds that fateful night.
Adrianne had to have pushed Davis. She abandoned her family, so she must be capable of
murder. Not to mention, everyone says she's a diva and a hateful person, so it's believable she
was warring with him. If only Davis hadn't crossed paths with her, he'd be alive today. A
street poll showed that 90% of people believe Adrianne murdered Davis. Young performers
today are so immoral. Then again, Adrianne didn't have a chance with the parents she had,
and being a new mother is indeed challenging. If she didn't have that baby, she'd still be
improving. She was just getting into philanthropy, too. Her cancer foundation was a lovely
idea; it's helped so many patients with medical bills.
Davis had no excuse for his dreadfulness. He was original trash and needed to be taken out,
just to jail, instead of murdered. Though, overall, picking artists isn't that big of a deal. He
could've done worse. There are rumors he seduced female artists; I bet he had an affair with
Adrianne. As for that teen witness, he's likely lying for attention. His late admission is
suspicious. You can't trust minors.
A. It is not true that being a new mother is challenging.

B. It places blame on Adrianne's parents.
22 | P a g e
C. It is a manipulative emotional appeal.
D. The statement is not fallacious.
19. Which is NOT a reason why investors would find a business appealing?

system.
A. not being susceptible to collapse

B. operational assets
C. fewer expenditures
D. a financial surplus
23 | P a g e
20. Which of the following sentences support the idea that the Battle of Gettysburg was
one of the most important battles of the Civil War?
I. “The fate of the nation literally hung in the balance when Confederate General Robert
E. Lee led his army north into Maryland and Pennsylvania.”
II. “The battle turned against Lee on July 3, and he ordered his army to return to
Virginia.”
III. “The battle brought devastation to the residents of Gettysburg.”
IV. “The Union victory at the Battle of Gettysburg resulted not only in Lee's retreat to
Virginia, but an end to the hopes of the Confederate States of America for
independence.”
The Battle of Gettysburg and Gettysburg National Military Park
Fought over the first three days of July 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg was one of the most
crucial battles of the Civil War. The fate of the nation literally hung in the balance when
Confederate General Robert E. Lee led his army north into Maryland and Pennsylvania. The
Union Army of the Potomac met the Confederate invasion near the Pennsylvania crossroads
town of Gettysburg. What began as a chance encounter quickly turned into a desperate,
ferocious battle. The battle turned against Lee on July 3rd, and he ordered his army to return
to Virginia. The Union victory at the Battle of Gettysburg resulted not only in Lee's retreat to
Virginia, but an end to the hopes of the Confederate States of America for independence.
The battle brought devastation to the residents of Gettysburg. Every farm field or garden was
a graveyard. Churches, public buildings and even private homes were filled with wounded
soldiers. The Union medical staff that remained were strained to treat so many wounded
scattered about the county. To meet the demand, Camp Letterman General Hospital was
established east of Gettysburg where all of the wounded were eventually taken to before
transport to permanent hospitals in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. Union surgeons
worked with members of the U.S Sanitary Commission and Christian Commission to treat
and care for the over 20,000 injured Union and Confederate soldiers that passed through the
hospital's wards. By January 1864, the last patients were gone as were the surgeons, guards,
nurses, tents and cookhouses. Only a temporary cemetery on the hillside remained as a
testament to the courageous battle to save lives that took place at Camp Letterman.
Gettysburg residents became concerned with the poor condition of soldiers' graves scattered
over the battlefield and at hospital sites. They pleaded with the Pennsylvania Governor for
state support to purchase a portion of the battlefield to be set aside as a final resting place for
the defenders of the Union cause. Removal of the Union dead to the cemetery began in the
fall of 1863, but would not be completed until long after the cemetery grounds were
dedicated on November 19, 1863. The dedication ceremony included solemn prayers, songs,
dirges to honor the men who died at Gettysburg. Yet, it was President Abraham Lincoln who
provided the most notable words in his two-minute long address, eulogizing the Union
soldiers buried at Gettysburg and reminding those in attendance of their sacrifice for the
Union cause.
In 1864, a group of concerned citizens established the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial

Association whose purpose was to preserve portions of the battlefield as a memorial to the
24 | P a g e
Union Army that fought here. The GBMA transferred their land holdings to the Federal
government in 1895, which designated Gettysburg as a National Military Park.
Source: https://www.nps.gov/gett/learn/historyculture/index.htm
A. I, II
B. I, IV
C. II, III
D. II, IV
Answer Key
1. The correct answer is D.
Explanation:
25 | P a g e
Answer choice D is correct; it cites research by an expert.
Answer choice A: The sentence only states the fact of Kennedy’s assassination; it does not
reveal any information about tampering with evidence.
Answer choice B: The classification of records has nothing to do with tampering.
Answer choice C: This is a simple report of a rumor.
2. The correct answer is C.
Explanation:
Answer choice C is correct because the price of goods and services being lowered is
described as "a result of trimmed overhead," and follows the sentence about decreasing
upfront spending.
Answer choice A is a direct effect of the price of goods and services being lowered, not
decreasing upfront spending.
Answer choice B and D are linked together and are the off-shoots of cost reduction as a
whole, not specifically decreased upfront spending.
Explanation:
The second paragraph states: “Healthy habitats are essential for sustainable fish
populations. Unfortunately, in many places around the United States, fish and the habitats on
which they depend are in decline . . . In 1997, Congress declared that one of the greatest
long-term threats to the viability of commercial and recreational fisheries is the
continuing loss of marine, estuarine, and other aquatic habitats.”
Since fish are dependent on healthy habitats and fisherman are dependent on fish, paragraph
2 suggests that if we do not protect fish habitats fish populations will decline and commercial
and recreational fisheries will suffer. So the best answer is C.
Answer choices A, B, and D are not mentioned in the second paragraph.
Explanation:
The introductory sentences of each paragraph indicate what the main benefits are. Cost
reduction is outright described as a "primary advantage.“ The main benefits are reiterated in
the last sentence of the conclusion: “Outsourcing can help small businesses with reducing
cost, eliminating financial risk, time delegation, and creating a proficient support system."
5. The correct answer is A.
26 | P a g e
Explanation:
The passage, “Speaking about Vietnam,” explains that life was difficult for some of the
American soldiers after the war. The passage states, “When he re-entered civilian life, Feher
told the students he interviewed for jobs in New York City, and he’d get the inevitable
question about the two-year gap in work experience. ‘I said, ‘I was in the military.’ ‘Where
were you?’ ‘Vietnam.’ And pretty much the interview was over. They wouldn’t hire you.
They would not hire a Vietnam vet.”
The passage, “U.S. Involvement in the Vietnam War: The Tet Offensive, 1968,” describes
events of the war but does not detail life after the war.
Explanation:
The paragraph implies that at first, the management of national parks, monuments, and
historical areas was not streamlined. This can be inferred because the passage states that these
lands were controlled by the Department of the Interior, the War Department, and the Forest
Service of the Department of Agriculture.
Answer choices B, C, and D are not mentioned in the paragraph.
Explanation:
1895 is the year reliable measurements of extreme heat events became possible. The passage
states: “Analyses show that human-induced climate change has generally increased the
probability of heat waves. And prolonged (multi-month) extreme heat has been
unprecedented since the start of reliable instrumental records in 1895."
Explanation:
A canon from Sebastopol is not mentioned as a reason why Le Puy is worth visiting. The
answer is found in the following excerpt: “On its highest summit there was an old castle; and
there now is, or will be before these pages are printed, a colossal figure in bronze of the
Virgin Mary, made from the cannon taken at Sebastopol.” Since the state of the Virgin
Mary was made from the cannon (i.e., the bronze of the canon was heated down for use in the
statue), the cannon no longer exists and therefore is not something that can be seen in Le Puy.
The other answer choices are contemporary features of Le Puy that the author mentions as
attractions.
9. The correct answer is B.
Explanation:
27 | P a g e
Answer choice B is the correct answer because it highlights that the problem with the theories
is that they are not substantiated and rely on weak sources.
Answer choice A: This just simply states that conspiracy theories exist and that they are
flawed or outrageous. It does not explain or give evidence as to why they are unjustifiable,
flawed, or outrageous.
Answer choice C: This describes a conspiracy theory, not why it is unjustifiable.
Answer choice D: The fact that the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office launched a
three-month inquiry to decide if the case should be reopened does not support the claim that
the conspiracy theories are unjustifiable.
Explanation:
Answer choice D is correct because all the answer choices are supported by reasoning or
evidence.
Answer choice A: It is reasonable that telescopes and binoculars can skew view, given their
magnification aspects.
Answer choice B: The natural occurrence of atmospheric refraction is explained to distort

view.
Answer choice C: It is explained that photo evidence of a rock resembling an animal was
used to corroborate claims of atmospheric refraction.
Explanation:
The statement reflects an unreliable testimony because it cites the opinions of people off the
street, not investigators, witnesses, or anyone directly involved with the case. By mentioning
this poll of people off the street, it implies majority opinion is truth. It is a misuse of statistics
because unreliable testimony is used to create an impressive number and mislead the reader.
Explanation:
It is a fact that the ship was not built with watertight doors in the first four compartments.
Answer choice B: Nothing in the passage speaks to the infallibility of the research regarding
flooding past boiler room four.
Answer choice C: Nothing in the passage addresses how the presence of watertight doors
would have affected Titanic's fate.
28 | P a g e
Answer choice D: This is obviously inaccurate, as answer choice B and C were not supported
by reasoning or evidence.
Explanation:
The first two paragraphs state: “Americans were deeply divided over how to respond to the
Great War and expressed a diverse range of views on the conflict. President Woodrow
Wilson declared U.S. neutrality on August 4, 1914, and many Americans saw little reason to
entangle themselves in what they viewed as European quarreling and intrigue. As the war
persisted and the destruction spread, many Americans could not ignore the crisis . . . As the
war raged on in Europe, to many, including eventually President Wilson, the conflict
became a matter of principles: whether to uphold the freedom of the seas, to make the
world safe for democracy in the face of autocracy, or to establish a new world order
ensuring permanent peace and governed by rational law.”
Answer choice A is the correct answer because it reflects that Americans were ambivalent
about joining World War I.
Answer choices B, C, and D are incorrect because those topics are not covered in detail in the
first two paragraphs.
Explanation:
The author mentions that Bermuda is undeserving of the name “the Fortunate Islands”
because sailing to or from Bermuda requires great difficult and patient navigation. The
answer is found in the following excerpt: “I would wish to declare, at the beginning of this
story, that I shall never regard that cluster of islets which we call Bermuda as the
Fortunate Islands of the ancients . . . .What I mean to assert is this—that, had any ancient
been carried thither by enterprise or stress of weather, he would not have given those
islands so good a name . . . There is no getting in or out of them without the greatest
difficulty, and a patient, slow navigation, which is very heart-rending.”
Explanation:
Luebke mentions the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the statue of
Washington because they are built on axial avenues. This discredits the criticism that the
Eisenhower memorial is being built in the middle of an important axial avenue.
Explanation:
In the first paragraph, the passage states “Nitrogen, a key nutrient for plants, can cause
problems when it leaches into water supplies.”
29 | P a g e
Answer choice C is the best answer because the passage states that nitrogen can cause water
pollution; therefore, research on farming practices that pollute water are suitable for
publication in a journal about water resources.
Answer choices A, B, and D are not mentioned in the passage.
Explanation:
The expedition traveled by boat on rivers.
“The Lewis and Clark Expedition” states: “The Lewis and Clark Expedition paddled its
way . . .”
“An Excerpt of a Letter from Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis” states: “The object of
your mission is to explore the Missouri river. And to explore such principal stream of it
as by its course and communication with the waters of the Pacific Ocean whether the
Columbia, Oregon, Colorado or any other river may offer the most direct & practicable water
communication across this continent for the purposes of commerce.” Due to the nature of
Jefferson’s instructions, it can be inferred that the means of exploring rivers would be by
boat.
Explanation:
The statement attempts to persuade by conjuring pity.
Answer choice A: It cannot be verified whether or not being a new mother is challenging.
Answer choice B: The statement implies that Adrianne's parents are the reason she is
troubled, not that they are responsible for Davis' death.
Answer choice D: Obviously, this is incorrect because choice C reveals why the statement is
fallacious.
Explanation:
"This financial surplus can make a business appealing to investors, indicating stability and
operational assets." This sentence describes a financial surplus as a chief reason why
investors would find a business appealing. This sentence also correlates stability and
operational assets with a financial surplus. Stability is synonymous with not being susceptible
to collapse. Choices A, B, and D are interrelated and aren't necessarily the product of fewer
expenditures. Further, fewer expenditures aren't mentioned in the sentences regarding
investors.
20. The correct answer is B.
30 | P a g e
Explanation:
Answer choice B is the correct answer. The statements “The fate of the nation literally hung in the
balance when Confederate General Robert E. Lee led his army north into Maryland and
Pennsylvania” and “The Union victory at the Battle of Gettysburg resulted not only in Lee's retreat to
Virginia, but an end to the hopes of the Confederate States of America for independence” support the
theme that Gettysburg was one of the most important battles of the Civil War.
Answer choice A is incorrect. The statement “The battle turned against Lee on July 3, and he ordered
his army to return to Virginia” does not address the importance of the battle.
Answer choice C is incorrect. The statements “The battle turned against Lee on July 3, and he ordered
his army to return to Virginia” and “The battle brought devastation to the residents of Gettysburg” do
not address the importance of the battle.
Answer choice D is incorrect. The statement “The battle turned against Lee on July 3, and he ordered
his army to return to Virginia” does not address the importance of the battle.
31 | P a g e

GED TEST Identifying and Creating Arguments

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

GED TEST Identifying and Creating Arguments

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Identifying and Creating Arguments

A. "President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in a motorcade by Lee Harvey Oswald in

Time is equally important to businesses as money. Deferring to other channels through

A. attracting customers and building a market

3. Paragraph 2 suggests which of the following?

Time is equally important to businesses as money. Deferring to other channels through

A. decreased spending; financial surplus; launching new initiatives; collaborations

US Involvement in the Vietnam War: The Tet Offensive, 1968

A. “Speaking About Vietnam”

6. Read the following paragraph.

Which of the following ideas is implied in the paragraph?

7. In the passage, what is the significance of the year 1895?

A. It marks the end of the Civil War.

A. unusual rock formations

Marilyn Monroe: Death Conspiracy Theories

A. Telescopes and binoculars can skew view.

A. It reflects an unreliable testimony.

Arguing Over War

U.S. mobilization revealed contradictions within the American democratic experiment.

A. Sailing to or from Bermuda requires great difficult and patient navigation.

Major monuments to presidents are no exception: in addition to the Washington Monument—

Overdosing the Environment

Comparing Corn and Soybeans

Helping Farmers Use Resources Wisely

A. because nitrogen is important for the paper-making process

An Excerpt of a Letter from Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis

A. It is not true that being a new mother is challenging.

Time is equally important to businesses as money. Deferring to other channels through

A. not being susceptible to collapse

In 1864, a group of concerned citizens established the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial

Answer choice B: The classification of records has nothing to do with tampering.

Answer choice C: This is a simple report of a rumor.

2. The correct answer is C.

3. The correct answer is C.

Answer choices A, B, and D are not mentioned in the second paragraph.

4. The correct answer is D.

5. The correct answer is A.

6. The correct answer is A.

Answer choices B, C, and D are not mentioned in the paragraph.

7. The correct answer is C.

8. The correct answer is D.

9. The correct answer is B.

Answer choice C: This describes a conspiracy theory, not why it is unjustifiable.

10. The correct answer is D.

Answer choice B: The natural occurrence of atmospheric refraction is explained to distort

11. The correct answer is D.

12. The correct answer is A.

13. The correct answer is A.

14. The correct answer is A.

15. The correct answer is C.

16. The correct answer is C.

Answer choices A, B, and D are not mentioned in the passage.

17. The correct answer is A.

The expedition traveled by boat on rivers.

18. The correct answer is C.

The statement attempts to persuade by conjuring pity.

19. The correct answer is C.

20. The correct answer is B.

You might also like