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    Master the HiSet, 1st edition
    Master the HiSet, 1st edition
    Master the HiSet, 1st edition
    Ebook962 pages12 hours

    Master the HiSet, 1st edition

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    About this ebook

    The HiSet® Exam (High School Equivalency Test) is an alternative to the GED® Test that's currently offered in a dozen states, with more set to adopt it soon. Students looking to prepare for this test will find valuable information about the content of the test, the test-day experience, and how to best prepare for every question. Peterson's Master the HiSET® provides detailed reviews of the language arts-reading, language arts-writing, mathematics, science, and social studies tests, along with a diagnostic test to help students determine their strengths and weaknesses. Inside you'll also find 2 full-length practice tests PLUS access to 2 online practice tests-all with detailed answer explanations. Additional practice is also included to improve vocabulary and critical-thinking skills.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPeterson's
    Release dateDec 15, 2015
    ISBN9780768940657
    Master the HiSet, 1st edition

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      Master the HiSet, 1st edition - Peterson's

      Part I

      Introduction

      CHAPTER 1: All About the HiSET® Exam

      Chapter 1

      All About the HiSET® Exam

      Get Ready for HiSET® Exam Success!

      Are you looking to earn your high school equivalency credential, demonstrate your academic and job readiness, and create new opportunities for education and career advancement? If so, then taking the HiSET® exam just might be the perfect decision. If you’re wondering if the HiSET® exam is the right move for you, then keep reading!

      If you’re just getting started on your journey to HiSET® exam success, earning your high school equivalency credential might seem like a real challenge. But you shouldn’t worry—you’ve already made a great first step by getting this book!

      Master the HiSET® Exam provides all the information you’ll need along your journey—a complete overview of the HiSET® exam, including what you’ll need to know for test day, how to register, what the exam will cost, and what to expect on each of the five subtests; expert test advice and proven strategies for achieving great scores; and plenty of practice and review to get you ready for success!

      We suggest that you work your way slowly and carefully through this entire book, spending extra time on your weakest areas. It’s our hope that by the time you reach the end, you’ll be ready for the next big step in your journey toward success—conquering the official HiSET® exam. We wish you the very best of luck with your preparation and on test day!

      The HiSET® Exam: Test Sections

      The HiSET® exam is designed to test your high school level knowledge in the following five core subject area subtests:

      • Language Arts—Reading

      • Language Arts—Writing

      • Mathematics

      • Science

      • Social Studies

      Getting a passing score on all five HiSET® exam subtests indicates that your academic skills are at an appropriate high school level, making you eligible to receive your high school equivalency credential—and opening fantastic new pathways to a more rewarding career, a college education, and a life full of amazing new options. Let’s take a closer look at each test section, so you’ll know exactly what to expect.

      Note

      For the most up-to-date information regarding the HiSET® exam, visit the official ETS website: http://hiset.ets.org/.

      Language Arts—Reading

      The HiSET® Language Arts—Reading subtest is designed to measure your ability to understand and analyze a wide array of informational and literary written passages and reading materials.

      HiSET® Language Arts—Reading Subtest Snapshot

      • Number of questions: 40 multiple-choice questions

      • Test time: 65 minutes

      • Key test areas: evaluation and analysis of literary and informational texts

      The multiple-choice questions you’ll see on the subtest can include analysis of passages spanning a variety of genres and formats, including essays, memoirs, biographies, poetry, and editorials (ranging from 400 to 600 words). Key areas tested on the HiSET® Language Arts—Reading subtest include:

      • Comprehension: understanding key words and phrases and determining meaning, purpose, and impact

      • Analysis: determining themes, topics, and main ideas; identifying purpose and viewpoint; analyzing text interpretations; and recognizing style, mood, facts vs. opinions, observations, conclusions, assumptions, and tone

      • Synthesis and Generalization: making predictions, conclusions, and generalizations; analyzing source information; and comparing and contrasting texts

      • Inference and Interpretation: interpreting language in texts, applying information, drawing conclusions and meanings, making key inferences, and inferring motives

      Language Arts—Writing

      The HiSET® Language Arts—Writing subtest is designed to measure your ability to create and recognize appropriate and effective written material. There are two parts to this subtest: Part 1 is a multiple-choice exam that tests your ability to recognize and fix errors in writing, and Part 2 tests your ability to create a piece of writing based on a given prompt.

      HiSET® Language Arts—Writing Subtest Snapshot

      • Number of questions

      o Part 1: 50 multiple-choice questions

      o Part 2: 1 essay question

      • Test time

      o Part 1: 75 minutes

      o Part 2: 45 minutes

      • Key test areas

      o Part 1: language facility, organization of ideas, and writing conventions

      o Part 2: organization of ideas, development of ideas, writing conventions, and language facility

      On Part 1 of the subtest, you’ll be given a series of written passage drafts, with each passage presented in two versions. One version will be a straightforward presentation of the text; the second version will be in an expanded format, with various pieces of text underlined, corresponding to an associated set of multiple-choice questions. The multiple-choice questions you’ll see on the exam can include recognizing and fixing issues involving clarity, organization, diction, usage, structure, and language mechanics. The written passages can come in a variety of formats, including reports, news articles, essays, letters, and excerpts.

      On Part 2 of the subtest, you’ll be given two passages that express differing opinions on an issue of importance. You will be asked to write an essay in which you explain your own opinion on the same issue. Your essay will be scored based on your ability to develop carefully constructed, compelling ideas that demonstrate your proficiency in grammar, language facility, and standard writing conventions.

      Key areas tested on Part 1 of the HiSET® Language Arts—Writing subtest include:

      • Writing Conventions: demonstrate understanding of appropriate grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and idiomatic usage and correct verb, modifier, and pronoun forms

      • Language Facility: demonstrate understanding of appropriate verb tense consistency, effective sentence structuring and combining, coordination and subordination, modifier placement, and parallelism

      • Organization of Ideas: demonstrate understanding of appropriate content relevance, sentence and paragraph structure and placement, and word choice

      Key areas tested on Part 2 of the HiSET® Language Arts—Writing subtest include:

      • Writing Conventions: demonstrate knowledge of appropriate grammar, mechanics, and usage

      • Language Facility: demonstrate the ability to use appropriate sentence structure, tone, voice, expression, and word choice

      • Development of Ideas: demonstrate the ability to present and explain central and supporting ideas

      • Organization of Ideas: demonstrate the ability to present key parts of a piece of writing in a logical and organized manner, including introduction, transitions, and conclusion

      Mathematics

      The HiSET® Mathematics subtest is designed to measure your ability to answer quantitative questions using your reasoning and mathematical skills. The multiple choice questions you’ll see on test day will include a mix of practical, real-world problem solving and abstract math concepts. Good news—you have the option to use a calculator on test day if you’d like! The subtest includes a formula sheet that will help you calculate the area, volume, and perimeter or circumference. It also includes a conversion chart for common measurements, like foot to inches, gallon to quarts, and pound to ounces.

      HiSET® Mathematics Subtest Snapshot

      • Number of questions: 50 multiple-choice questions

      • Test time: 90 minutes

      • Key test areas: algebra; data analysis, probability, and statistics; numbers and operations; and measurement and geometry

      You’ll encounter a wide variety of math questions on the exam, including word problems and questions that ask you to review and analyze graphs, charts, tables, pictures, and diagrams. Key areas tested on the HiSET® Mathematics exam include:

      • Algebra: solving algebraic equations, simplifying algebraic expressions, and understanding variables and algebraic symbols, linear functions and nonlinear functional relations, and inequalities

      • Data Analysis, Probability, and Statistics: understanding relationships among presented data and events, data collection concepts, counting principles, distribution patterns and analysis, variability, and measures of central tendency

      • Numbers and Operations: exponents, radicals, ratios, absolute value, vectors, matrices, proportions, percentages, operations properties, complex and real numbers, estimation, computation

      • Geometry and Measurement: properties of geometric shapes, including volume, area, length, perimeter, angles, and line and triangle theorems

      Science

      The HiSET® Science subtest is designed to measure your ability to understand and apply scientific principles, knowledge, and inquiry, as well as to analyze scientific information. The multiple-choice questions you’ll see on the exam will be based on reported science investigations from journal sources, which can include data presented in charts, tables, and graphs.

      HiSET® Science Subtest Snapshot

      • Number of questions: 50 multiple-choice questions

      • Test time: 80 minutes

      • Key test areas: earth science, life science, and physical science

      You’ll encounter a wide variety of science questions on the exam, which may ask you to identify and evaluate research questions, designs, and procedures and analyze scientific conclusions in chemistry, botany, physics, astronomy, health, and zoology. Key areas tested on the HiSET® Science subtest include:

      • Earth Science: planetary movements and properties of planetary materials and geologic structures

      • Life Science: understanding and evaluating biological concepts involving living organisms, including functioning, life cycles, environments, interdependencies, and relationships

      • Physical Science: analyzing and understanding observable physical properties, including shape, weight, size, temperature, color, and motion, as well as scientific principles involving magnetism, heat, light, and electricity

      Social Studies

      The HiSET® Social Studies subtest is designed to measure your ability to understand and analyze social studies information, procedures, and methods; draw conclusions; judge source and inference reliability; and recognize opinion vs. fact. The multiple-choice questions you’ll see on the exam can include analysis of a variety of primary documents, including tables, charts, maps, graphs, reading passages, timelines, posters, and cartoons.

      HiSET® Social Studies Subtest Snapshot

      • Number of questions: 50 multiple-choice questions

      • Test time: 70 minutes

      • Key test areas: geography, civics, government, history, and economics

      You’ll encounter a wide variety of social studies questions on the exam, asking you to evaluate and analyze information in economics, anthropology, sociology, political science, psychology, and geography. Key areas tested on the HiSET® Science subtest include the following:

      • Geography: analyzing human and physical geography, including related economic, political, and social factors and visual and technological tools

      • Civics/Government: understanding the roles and contexts of citizenship, including individual rights and responsibilities, authority, and power structures and analyzing existing government structures

      • Economics: understanding the effects of economic conditions on society and government over time—both within and across economies—and the effects of technology, supply, and demand

      • History: understanding the interplay of historical events and their political, economic, and cultural impact on the past, present, and future

      The HiSET® Exam: Key Information

      Here’s an overview of common questions regarding the HiSET® exam and what you need to know between now and test day, including how to apply, what you’ll need, information to determine if the HiSET® exam is right for you, and more. See, we’ve got you covered!

      Which States Offer the HiSET® Exam?

      The following states currently offer the HiSET® exam:

      Am I Eligible to Take the HiSET® Exam?

      If your state currently accepts the HiSET® exam and you are not currently enrolled in high school, and you haven’t graduated from high school, you may be eligible. You should check the eligibility requirements in your state by visiting the official HiSET® exam website: http://hiset.ets.org/requirements/.

      How Do I Sign Up for the HiSET® Exam?

      Once you determine that the HiSET® exam is offered in your state and that you meet the eligibility requirements, it is recommended that you create an online account through the HiSET® exam Information and Registration Portal (https://ereg.ets.org/ereg-web/public/signin/HSE). After creating your account, you can log in, register, and pay for a test; view your appointment confirmation and scores; reschedule or cancel a test if needed; and more (features vary by state). You can also register to take the exam at a test center that’s convenient for you by calling ETS customer service. Visit the official HiSET® exam website to learn more about individual state requirements for account setup and registration.

      What Options Are Available for Taking the HiSET® Exam?

      The HiSET® exam is offered in English or Spanish and can be taken as a paper-based test or on a computer—the choice is yours. You also have the option to take all five subtests in one day or across multiple days, whichever setup is most convenient for you.

      Where Can I Take the HiSET® Exam?

      There are test centers located throughout each state that offers the HiSET® exam. You can schedule an appointment to take the HiSET® exam at a test center that’s convenient for you. Visit the HiSET® exam website to see available test centers in your area.

      How Much Does the Test Cost?

      Each of the five HiSET® exam subtests costs $15. However, if you purchase the entire battery at once, which includes all five subtests, it costs $50, which works out to $10 per subtest. Payment is required when you schedule the exam, and there may be state-specific fees included as well. Check the official HiSET® exam website to learn more about payment options and policies.

      What Should I Bring—and Not Bring—on Test Day?

      You should arrive at your test center on test day with plenty of time to spare, along with the following:

      • A printed copy of your appointment confirmation (optional but recommended)

      • Valid identification that meets your state requirements (for requirements go online to http://hiset.ets.org/requirements)

      • Comfortable, layered clothing that can be removed or put on based on the room temperature

      • If applicable, a method of payment for your test center administration fee

      Visit the official HiSET® exam website for possible additional state requirements.

      The following items should not be brought to the test center:

      • Cell phones

      • Electronic tablets

      • Food and drinks

      • Books and papers

      • Recording, listening, or photographic devices

      • Highlighters

      • Test aids that have not been approved of in advance. If you require specific accommodations due to a disability or health condition, they must be requested in advance. Visit the official HiSET® exam website for more information.

      How Is the HiSET® Exam Scored?

      After taking the exam, you’ll receive an official HiSET® Comprehensive Score Report, which includes a detailed breakdown of your score(s) on each of the five exam subtests. In order to achieve a passing score, you’ll need to meet the following criteria:

      • A total scaled score of at least 45 out of 100 on all five subtests on the HiSET® exam

      • A minimum score of 8 out of 20 on each subtest

      • A minimum score of 2 out of 6 for the essay test

      Please note that your state may have specific requirements for earning a passing score. The official ETS HiSET® exam website includes information regarding state-specific requirements.

      When Will I Receive My Scores?

      After taking the official HiSET® exam, you’ll receive your scores for the multiple-choice tests you have taken within three to five business days. You’ll receive your scores for the essay test within six to ten business days.

      Are Special Accommodations Available for Test-Takers?

      There are accommodations available for certain special needs, including assistive technology, time and room accommodations, and more. If you think you might need a specific accommodation, contact ETS before scheduling a test appointment. The process can take six weeks or more, so make sure to factor in the approval time when scheduling your exam.

      Are You Ready to Move Forward?

      If you’ve reviewed the information in this chapter carefully, then congratulations—you now have a solid understanding of what the HiSET® exam is all about and what you can expect on test day. You’re already a step ahead of the competition!

      You’re now ready to move forward in Master the HiSET® Exam. The chapters in this book provide an in-depth look at all five subtests on the exam, with thorough practice and careful review for every concept and topic tested. Along the way, you’ll also get advice and strategies for getting your best possible scores—so make sure you pay close attention!

      We wish you the very best of luck on your journey to HiSET® exam success—but you have more than luck on your side. With Master the HiSET® Exam, you’re equipped with the practical preparation tools you need to achieve your goals. Along the way, it might get difficult and you might get frustrated, but don’t forget—we’re right alongside you!

      Part II

      Language Arts—

      Reading

      CHAPTER 2: Comprehension

      CHAPTER 3: Inference, Interpretation, and Synthesis

      CHAPTER 4: Analysis

      Chapter 2

      Comprehension

      Overview

      • Understand and recognize repetition

      • Use context to define words and phrases

      • Notice how word choice affects mood and tone

      • Summing it up

      The HiSET® Language Arts—Reading subtest requires you to read an assortment of passages and answer a series of multiple-choice questions relating to each passage. Both passages and questions are varied, testing your comprehension, inference and interpretation, analysis, and synthesis and generalization skills with both informational and literary passages. These next three chapters explain each question type that will appear on the HiSET® and include a brief sample passage and one or two sample questions for each concept.

      Comprehension questions on the Language Arts—Reading subtest of the HiSET® test how well you understand essential information in a reading passage. These question types will ask you to recall details, define words and phrases, and analyze what these words and phrases mean within the context of the passage.

      Passages on the HiSET® are considerably longer than the paragraphs in this chapter and begin with an introduction that should help orient you, since the passages are often excerpted from larger works. Absorbing the information necessary to answer the questions requires active reading. This means you should not simply read a passage from start to finish before tackling the questions; you should approach the reading material more fully engaged. Skim through it quickly to get an idea of its important details and ideas before reading it more thoroughly. Think about what the passage’s main idea might be. How is it organized?

      As you read the passage word for word, take notice of key words that might help you evaluate the author’s attitude about the topic, draw conclusions about the text, make predictions about what might happen next, analyze its tone or mood, or help you define unfamiliar vocabulary words. These are just a few of the tasks you will have to accomplish when you move on to the questions.

      Understand and Recognize Repetition

      Sometimes, a HiSET® passage will contain restated, or repeated, information. An author might restate facts, important words, or certain phrasing to emphasize their importance or to refresh the reader’s memory. Your ability to recognize such restatements and how they affect the author’s message is a key indicator of how well you’ve comprehended a passage. Be aware of when an author uses repetition—this writing device usually means he or she wants you to come away from reading a portion of writing with this repeated bit in mind.

      Let’s look at a sample HiSET® question that asks you to identify an example of restated information. Read the following excerpt from The Mysterious Stranger by Mark Twain. Then answer the question that follows.

      It was in 1590—winter. Austria was far away from the world, and asleep; it was still the Middle Ages in Austria, and promised to remain so forever. Some even set it away back centuries upon centuries and said that by the mental and spiritual clock it was still the Age of Belief in Austria. But they meant it as a compliment, not a slur, and it was so taken, and we were all proud of it. I remember it well, although I was only a boy; and I remember, too, the pleasure it gave me.

      Yes, Austria was far from the world, and asleep, and our village was in the middle of that sleep, being in the middle of Austria. It drowsed in peace in the deep privacy of a hilly and woodsy solitude where news from the world hardly ever came to disturb its dreams, and was infinitely content. At its front flowed the tranquil river, its surface painted with cloud-forms and the reflections of drifting arks and stone-boats; behind it rose the woody steeps to the base of the lofty precipice; from the top of the precipice frowned a vast castle, its long stretch of towers and bastions mailed in vines; beyond the river, a league to the left, was a tumbled expanse of forest-clothed hills cloven by winding gorges where the sun never penetrated; and to the right a precipice overlooked the river, and between it and the hills just spoken of lay a far-reaching plain dotted with little homesteads nested among orchards and shade trees.

      1. Which of the following lines restates information from earlier in the passage?

      (A) Some even set it away back centuries upon centuries and said that by the mental and spiritual clock it was still the Age of Belief in Austria.

      (B) I remember it well, although I was only a boy; and I remember, too, the pleasure it gave me.

      (C) Yes, Austria was far from the world, and asleep, and our village was in the middle of that sleep, being in the middle of Austria.

      (D) It drowsed in peace in the deep privacy of a hilly and woodsy solitude where news from the world hardly ever came to disturb its dreams, and was infinitely content.

      The correct answer is (C). It repeats the excerpt’s second sentence—Austria was far away from the world, and asleep; it was still the Middle Ages in Austria, and promised to remain so forever—nearly word for word in order to emphasize the isolated nature of Austria.

      Use Context to Define Words and Phrases

      When you are faced with a Reading passage on the HiSET®, you might not understand every vocabulary word or literary description you see. But that doesn’t mean you can’t figure out the message the author is trying to express! Understanding how unfamiliar words and phrases are used in a passage will help you to comprehend the passage as a whole.

      Analyzing the context in which such words and phrases are used will help you to define them on the HiSET®. For example, you may be unfamiliar with the word churlish, but reading it in the middle of a sentence such as, The churlish man yelled at the waiter, will help you to deduce that churlish means rude, since yelling at a waiter is something a rude person might do.

      Tip

      On tricky vocabulary questions, replace the unknown word with a word of your own, without looking at the answer choices. Then, compare your answer with the four choices to see if one matches up.

      When you read passages and come across something unfamiliar, pay attention to what is around the word or phrase. What is the mood of the people involved? What are the characters doing in the moment? What is the atmosphere, and what word would you use to describe it? Then compare your descriptions to the answer choices to find one that matches most closely.

      Let’s look at some sample questions that test this HiSET® concept. Read the following excerpt from The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells. Then answer the questions that follow.

      THAT night land was sighted after sundown, and the schooner hove to. Montgomery intimated that was his destination. It was too far to see any details; it seemed to me then simply a low-lying patch of dim blue in the uncertain blue-grey sea. An almost vertical streak of smoke went up from it into the sky. The captain was not on deck when it was sighted. After he had vented his wrath on me he had staggered below, and I understand he went to sleep on the floor of his own cabin. The mate practically assumed the command. He was the gaunt, taciturn individual we had seen at the wheel. Apparently he was in an evil temper with Montgomery. He took not the slightest notice of either of us. We dined with him in a sulky silence, after a few ineffectual efforts on my part to talk. It struck me too that the men regarded my companion and his animals in a singularly unfriendly manner. I found Montgomery very reticent about his purpose with these creatures, and about his destination; and though I was sensible of a growing curiosity as to both, I did not press him.

      2. What does "intimated" mean?

      (A) Implied

      (B) Asked

      (C) Created

      (D) Wrote

      The correct answer is (A). This question can be answered by studying how the word in question is used in the context of the passage. Try substituting each answer choice for intimated in the passage. You should find that choice (A) implied is the only choice that makes sense in context.

      3. What does "vented his wrath" mean?

      (A) Showed his joy

      (B) Offered his apologies

      (C) Performed his routine

      (D) Expressed his anger

      The correct answer is (D). Expressed his anger is the phrase that makes the most sense in place of vented his wrath, since the characters in the passage all seem to be in very unpleasant moods.

      Notice How Word Choice Affects Mood and Tone

      As a careful reader, you must be aware of the specific words a writer uses to convey a story, informative speech, poem, or any other passage of writing. Writers choose their words very carefully in order to create a certain tone that is as important to a passage’s meaning as the information it presents.

      For example, the biographer of someone like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., might use words such as inspirational, strong, or compassionate to indicate that he was an extraordinary leader. An author of a spooky story may use words such as gloomy or foreboding to set the necessary mood. On the HiSET®, you will see questions that ask you to identify how and why the author chooses certain words to create meaning or set tone of a passage.

      Read the following excerpt from Moby Dick by Herman Melville. Then answer the sample questions about language and tone that follow.

      Thundering with the butts of three clubbed handspikes on the forecastle deck, Daggoo roused the sleepers with such judgment claps that they seemed to exhale from the scuttle, so instantaneously did they appear with their clothes in their hands.

      What d’ye see? cried Ahab, flattening his face to the sky.

      Nothing, nothing sir! was the sound hailing down in reply.

      T’gallant sails!- stunsails! alow and aloft, and on both sides!

      All sail being set, he now cast loose the life-line, reserved for swaying him to the main royal-mast head; and in a few moments they were hoisting him thither, when, while but two thirds of the way aloft, and while peering ahead through the horizontal vacancy between the main-top-sail and top-gallant-sail, he raised a gull-like cry in the air. There she blows!- there she blows! A hump like a snow-hill! It is Moby Dick!

      4. The author’s use of the word "Thundering" helps establish a tone that is

      (A) comical.

      (B) serene.

      (C) exciting.

      (D) educational.

      The correct answer is (C). A thundering sound is so loud it makes one’s heart race, so the author’s use of it in the passage sets an exciting tone. It certainly does not set a tone that is comical or educational, so choices (A) and (D) can be eliminated, and serene, choice (B), is the opposite of exciting.

      5. When the author writes that Ahab made "a gull-like cry", he indicates that Ahab was

      (A) miserable.

      (B) agitated.

      (C) bored.

      (D) careful.

      The correct answer is (B). A gull-like cry is high-pitched, which suggests an agitated state. If you do not know the meaning of agitated, you can still deduce choice (B) is the correct answer by eliminating the other choices, none of which suggest the disposition of someone who is raising a gull-like cry.

      Summing It Up

      • Authors will often repeat information within a passage to emphasize its importance. Notice when information is restated as you are reading, and make a note of why the author make this choice—usually, this information will come up in a question on the HiSET®.

      • It is common to come across unfamiliar vocabulary on the HiSET®. Read around the word or phrase you don’t recognize to get a sense of what is going on in the paragraph. Restate what you think is the definition in your own words, then look for an answer choice that matches as closely as possible.

      • Words are not only in a passage to tell a story or explain a point of view—they also are used to set a specific tone. As you read a passage on the HiSET®, notice how an author uses certain vocabulary, punctuation, and phrases to give it meaning and set a mood.

      Chapter 3

      Inference, Interpretation, and Synthesis

      Overview

      • Learn to read between the lines

      • Infer the traits, feelings, and motives of characters

      • Apply information

      • Interpret nonliteral language

      • Synthesize information across multiple sources

      • Summing it up

      Some Reading questions on the HiSET® require you to draw conclusions to find the correct answers. These answers are not explicit in the passage, so you will need to use your reasoning skills to read deeper into the meaning of the passage to find the answers that make the most sense. These questions test your skills of inference and interpretation.

      Learn to Read Between the Lines

      You will need to draw on information both presented in the passage and from your own life experiences to answer certain questions on the HiSET®. You might have to make an assumption about a character’s personality based only on his or her behavior presented in a small excerpt. You might have to use clues and details the writer provides when describing a place’s physical characteristics to determine its weather or its inhabitants. Essentially, you will have to make an educated guess, drawing from only the words on the page, to answer questions beyond the scope of the words themselves. As you read passages on the HiSET®, keep this in mind and don’t only take note of what the author is describing, but also why he or she is describing it in a certain way.

      Let’s take a look some examples of the types of inference questions you might see on the exam. Read the following excerpt from Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens and answer the sample questions that follow.

      In these times of ours, though concerning the exact year there is no need to be precise, a boat of dirty and disreputable appearance, with two figures in it, floated on the Thames, between Southwark bridge which is of iron, and London Bridge which is of stone, as an autumn evening was closing in.

      The figures in this boat were those of a strong man with ragged grizzled hair and a sun-browned face, and a dark girl of nineteen or twenty, sufficiently like him to be recognizable as his daughter. The girl rowed, pulling a pair of sculls very easily; the man, with the rudder-lines slack in his hands, and his hands loose in his waistband, kept an eager look out. He had no net, hook, or line, and he could not be a fisherman; his boat had no cushion for a sitter, no paint, no inscription, no appliance beyond a rusty boathook and a coil of rope, and he could not be a waterman; his boat was too crazy and too small to take in cargo for delivery, and he could not be a lighterman or river-carrier; there was no clue to what he looked for, but he looked for something, with a most intent and searching gaze. The tide, which had turned an hour before, was running down, and his eyes watched every little race and eddy in its broad sweep, as the boat made slight head-way against it, or drove stern foremost before it, according as he directed his daughter by a movement of his head. She watched his face as earnestly as he watched the river. But, in the intensity of her look there was a touch of dread or horror.

      1. Based on details in the passage, the reader can infer that the boat

      (A) belongs to the girl.

      (B) was used in a crime.

      (C) is extremely old.

      (D) can barely stay afloat.

      The correct answer is (C). The boat in which the two people sail is dirty and disreputable and has no cushion for a sitter, no paint, no inscription, no appliance beyond a rusty boathook and a coil of rope. Based on its rough condition, the reader can conclude it is very old, so choice (C) is the best answer.

      Tip

      Take note of why and how an author takes the time to depict someone or something—there is likely to be a HiSET® question asking about the subject of the description.

      The passage does not expressly state something as direct as, The boat the duo sailed in was very old. Instead, it asks the reader to infer this from a detailed physical description of the boat and of the girl’s reaction to their journey. Authors not only use descriptive words to add interest to a story; they are also there to give important information.

      Let’s take a look at another question.

      2. Based on details in paragraph 2, the girl and man most likely

      (A) perform this activity regularly.

      (B) are searching for a person.

      (C) are not actually father and daughter.

      (D) wish their boat had a larger crew.

      The correct answer is (A). The man and girl in the boat perform their errand without speaking, the man communicating to his daughter with just a movement of his head. Based on such information, you can infer that they have done the activity they perform often enough to have their routine so well-memorized they do not even have to speak.

      As you can see from this question, when reading a passage, you must be mindful of the smallest details because they can help you draw conclusions and deduce meanings about the text. Look for clues about characters, plot, and the author’s intentions so you can answer questions that require you to draw conclusions that are not explicitly stated in the passage. Notice if the author takes the time to describe something in detail—someone’s personality, the way a place looks, the smell of a room, the vocabulary and slang of someone’s speech, for example.

      Tip

      Description is an author’s way of giving you insight into a world without making overly obvious statements.

      Read the excerpt from The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Then answer the sample questions that follow.

      I stood like a man paralyzed, still staring at the ground which I had traversed. Then suddenly I saw it. There was movement among the bushes at the far end of the clearing which I had just traversed. A great dark shadow disengaged itself and hopped out into the clear moonlight. I say hopped advisedly, for the beast moved like a kangaroo, springing along in an erect position upon its powerful hind legs, while its front ones were held bent in front of it. It was of enormous size and power, like an erect elephant, but its movements, in spite of its bulk, were exceedingly alert. For a moment, as I saw its shape, I hoped that it was an iguanodon, which I knew to be harmless, but, ignorant as I was, I soon saw that this was a very different creature. Instead of the gentle, deer-shaped head of the great three-toed leaf-eater, this beast had a broad, squat, toad-like face like that which had alarmed us in our camp. His ferocious cry and the horrible energy of his pursuit both assured me that this was surely one of the great flesh-eating dinosaurs, the most terrible beasts which have ever walked this earth. As the huge brute loped along it dropped forward upon its fore-paws and brought its nose to the ground every twenty yards or so. It was smelling out my trail. Sometimes, for an instant, it was at fault. Then it would catch it up again and come bounding swiftly along the path I had taken.

      3. Based on this passage, the reader can conclude that the narrator is

      (A) shocked to see a dinosaur.

      (B) a prehistoric man.

      (C) ignorant of dinosaurs.

      (D) used to seeing dinosaurs.

      The correct answer is (D). The narrator is too articulate and aware of modern names for dinosaurs to be a prehistoric man or to be ignorant of dinosaurs. He says he was expecting the creature to be an iguanodon, which is a kind of dinosaur, so he clearly is not shocked to see dinosaurs.

      4. Based on this passage, the reader can conclude the dinosaur is

      (A) friendly.

      (B) baffled.

      (C) frightened.

      (D) hungry.

      The correct answer is (D). As for the dinosaur, it is a flesh-eater and sniffing the narrator’s trail. Based on such information, you can conclude this dinosaur is hungry and hunting the narrator.

      Make Predictions

      On the HiSET®, you will not only have to draw conclusions about what is happening in a reading passage but you will also have to draw conclusions about what will happen after the excerpt ends. After you finish a passage, especially a literary passage that tells a story, use clues, details, and patterns in the passage to make predictions about what will happen next. Take a look at the following excerpt from Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë and the sample question that follows for an example of how the HiSET® tests this skill.

      I have just returned from a visit to my landlord—the solitary neighbour that I shall be troubled with. This is certainly a beautiful country! In all England, I do not believe that I could have fixed on a situation so completely removed from the stir of society. A perfect misanthropist’s heaven: and Mr. Heathcliff and I are such a suitable pair to divide the desolation between us. A capital fellow! He little imagined how my heart warmed towards him when I beheld his black eyes withdraw so suspiciously under their brows, as I rode up, and when his fingers sheltered themselves, with a jealous resolution, still further in his waistcoat, as I announced my name.

      ‘Mr. Heathcliff?’ I said.

      A nod was the answer.

      ‘Mr. Lockwood, your new tenant, sir. I do myself the honour of calling as soon as possible after my arrival, to express the hope that I have not inconvenienced you by my perseverance in soliciting the occupation of Thrushcross Grange: I heard yesterday you had had some thoughts—’

      ‘Thrushcross Grange is my own, sir,’ he interrupted, wincing. ‘I should not allow any one to inconvenience me, if I could hinder it—walk in!’

      5. What will most likely happen next?

      (A) Mr. Lockwood and Mr. Heathcliff will have a terrible argument.

      (B) Mr. Heathcliff will tell Mr. Lockwood about his childhood.

      (C) Mr. Lockwood will admit he is actually an old friend of Mr. Heathcliff’s.

      (D) Mr. Lockwood will have some trouble getting to know Mr. Heathcliff.

      The correct answer is (D). Predictions can only be made based on information actually in the passage. Therefore, the answer to this question can be selected using the process of elimination. Is there any evidence that Mr. Lockwood and Mr. Heathcliff are about to have a terrible argument? Perhaps Mr. Heathcliff is not being very friendly, but there is no reason to believe he is getting ready to argue, so you can eliminate choice (A). Since Mr. Heathcliff does not seem very talkative, it is unlikely he is about to divulge personal information about his childhood, which means you can rule out choice (B). There is no reason to believe the two men have ever met before, which makes it unlikely they are old friends, choice (C). So what do we know from the passage? We know that Mr. Heathcliff is a bit rude and standoffish. We know that Mr. Lockwood is comparatively friendly and talkative. Therefore, it is reasonable to predict that Mr. Lockwood will try to get to know Mr. Heathcliff better but will have some trouble accomplishing that. Therefore, the best answer is choice (D).

      Infer the Traits, Feelings, and Motives of Characters

      Sometimes you will have to make deeper inferences about the person who is narrating the story, poem, or informational passage on the HiSET®. Using clues in the text, you will make assumptions about someone’s personality and behavioral traits, how that person feels, and what motivates him or her act in a certain way. Making inferences about a character or narrator’s traits, feelings, and motives will help you derive a richer understanding of the text. Ask yourself who is speaking and how he or she is presenting the story to you, the reader, as you make your way through a passage. Asking yourself these questions as you read will help clarify what is going on inside a narrator’s head.

      Read the excerpt from The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe. Then answer the sample questions that follow.

      Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

      Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,

      While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

      As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

      ’T is some visiter, I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door—

      Only this, and nothing more."

      Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,

      And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

      Eagerly I wished the morrow:—vainly I had sought to borrow

      From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—

      For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—

      Nameless here for evermore.

      6. Based on details in the poem, which of the following best describes the narrator?

      (A) Melancholy

      (B) Bored

      (C) Contented

      (D) Generous

      The correct answer is (A). The narrator drops clues that will help you answer this question when describing the night as dreary, his feelings as weak and weary, and the month as bleak. His gloomy choice of words indicates that his state of mind is very melancholy.

      7. Based on details in the poem, the reader can conclude the narrator

      (A) is very popular.

      (B) misses someone.

      (C) has trouble sleeping.

      (D) believes in ghosts.

      The correct answer is (B). His lamentations for the lost Lenore in the second stanza should help you infer that he misses her.

      It would be more direct if Poe had said something as simple as, I am very melancholy because I miss Lenore, but it certainly would not be as poetic! Instead, he lets his language and tone set the mood and make it easy to infer how he is feeling.

      Apply Information

      Passages on the HiSET® can also be historical or informational. Some questions on the exam will test your ability to figure out the best practical application for information in a passage. To prepare yourself to answer questions like this, you should ask yourself why an author is telling his or her story or information as you read it.

      A piece of writing may be entertaining, educational, or informative, but it also may be put to more practical use. The purpose of a passage may be to help support an argument or encourage someone to do something constructive. A piece of writing may also serve as valuable research when writing an essay, or even as a fictional response to events going on in the world. Is a passage motivating? Discouraging? Entertaining? As a reader, think about what emotions the author is trying to stir within an audience.

      Read the following excerpt from On War by General Carl von Clausewitz, and answer the question that follows.

      According to the notion we have formed of tactics and strategy, it follows, as a matter of course, that if the nature of the former is changed, that change must have an influence on the latter. If tactical facts in one case are entirely different from those in another, then the strategic, must be so also, if they are to continue consistent and reasonable. It is therefore important to characterise a general action in its modern form before we advance with the study of its employment in strategy.

      What do we do now usually in a great battle? We place ourselves quietly in great masses arranged contiguous to and behind one another. We deploy relatively only a small portion of the whole, and let it wring itself out in a fire-combat which lasts for several hours, only interrupted now and again, and removed hither and thither by separate small shocks from charges with the bayonet and cavalry attacks. When this line has gradually exhausted part of its warlike ardour in this manner and there remains nothing more than the cinders, it is withdrawn and replaced by another.

      8. Information in this passage would be most useful for

      (A) encouraging someone to join the military.

      (B) understanding why nations go to war.

      (C) plotting a battle strategy.

      (D) winning a game of chess.

      The correct answer is (C). This passage includes tactics for winning a battle. The most practical use for such a passage is to use its relevant information to plot a battle strategy.

      Interpret Nonliteral Language

      Writers usually intend the words they choose to mean exactly what they seem to mean. This is literal language. However, writers also use words in ways that veer from their precise meanings for descriptive and artistic reasons. This is nonliteral, or figurative, language. There are many kinds of figurative language, including:

      • Simile: a comparison that uses connective words such as like, as, and than to link the things being compared (ex: She is as smart as a fox)

      • Metaphor: a comparison without any connective words (ex: The villain’s heart is a block of ice)

      • Personification: a phrase ascribing human traits and abilities to inanimate objects (ex: The sun smiled down at me)

      • Hyperbole: exaggeration (ex: That cake is bigger than a house)

      • Idiom: a common expression or cliché (ex: A penny for your thoughts)

      Take note when you see such language in a passage, and take the time to translate the nonliteral language into your own words. You will have to interpret the meaning of nonliteral language on the HiSET® in order to dig deeper into a passage’s tone and meaning. Read the excerpt from White Fang by Jack London to see some examples in action. Then answer the sample questions that follow.

      Dark spruce forest frowned on either side the frozen waterway. The trees had been stripped by a recent wind of their white covering of frost, and they seemed to lean towards each other, black and ominous, in the fading light. A vast silence reigned over the land. The land itself was a desolation, lifeless, without movement, so lone and cold that the spirit of it was not even that of sadness. There was a hint in it of laughter, but of a laughter more terrible than any sadness—a laughter that was mirthless as the smile of the sphinx, a laughter cold as the frost and partaking of the grimness of infallibility. It was the masterful and incommunicable wisdom of eternity laughing at the futility of life and the effort of life. It was the Wild, the savage, frozen-hearted Northland Wild.

      9. Read the following sentence from the passage:

      A vast silence reigned over the land.

      This means

      (A) a king ruled the area.

      (B) the animals had been tamed.

      (C) snow had begun falling.

      (D) the area was quiet.

      The correct answer is (D). Silence is not a human being, so it is not capable of actually reigning over the land as a king might. The nonliteral sentence in this question is an example of personification and it means that the area was quiet.

      The preceding line, Dark spruce forest frowned on either side the frozen waterway, is another example of nonliteral language. Does a forest really frown? No, of course not. But this instance of personification sets the tone for the passage right at its start—the forest is gloomy, moody, and sad.

      Let’s take a look at another question asking about nonliteral language.

      10. The phrase "a laughter that was mirthless as the smile of the sphinx" refers to something that

      (A) does not actually exist.

      (B) seems joyful but is not.

      (C) causes great sorrow.

      (D) is from ancient history.

      The correct answer is (B). The phrase in the question compares the smile of the sphinx, a stoic mythological creature, to mirthless laughter. Both laughter and a smile indicate joyfulness, but the sphinx and the word mirthless indicate a lack of joy.

      When the HiSET® asks about the meaning of a phrase, always look at its surrounding language to give you more clues. The passage presented paints a picture of cold and loneliness in almost every sentence. Therefore, most sentences and phrases will stay within this general tone. Understanding a phrase’s place within a larger passage will make interpreting it easier.

      Synthesize Information Across Multiple Sources

      Some HiSET® questions ask you to analyze a work of writing in comparison to the one presented to you, in order to think beyond the specific information in the main passage. For these questions, you will be presented with a sentence or short paragraph that is unrelated to the passage. Then, you must use your understanding of the main passage and the new text to answer the question.

      Let’s look at an example. Read the excerpt from Preface from History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon. Then answer the sample question that follows.

      The great work of Gibbon is indispensable to the student of history. The literature of Europe offers no substitute for The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. It has obtained undisputed possession, as rightful occupant, of the vast period which it comprehends. However some subjects, which it embraces, may have undergone more complete investigation, on the general view of the whole period, this history is the sole undisputed authority to which all defer, and from which few appeal to the original writers, or to more modern compilers. The inherent interest of the subject, the inexhaustible labor employed upon it; the immense condensation of matter; the luminous arrangement; the general accuracy; the style, which, however monotonous from its uniform stateliness, and sometimes wearisome from its elaborate art, is throughout vigorous, animated, often picturesque always commands attention, always conveys its meaning with emphatic energy, describes with singular breadth and fidelity, and generalizes with unrivalled felicity of expression; all these high qualifications have secured, and seem likely to secure, its permanent place in historic literature.

      11. Read the following paragraph.

      Stylistically, Gibbon’s work is without peer, relaying Roman history with the fluidity and lyrical rhythm of great literature. His facts, however, are often way off base, as his emphasis on the role the Empire’s lethargy regarding current affairs played in its downfall is almost absurdly overstated considering the lack of evidence to support such a claim.

      How does this paragraph differ from the main passage?

      (A) It is critical of Gibbon’s ability to present his information successfully.

      (B) It does not view Gibbon as the sole authority on the Roman Empire.

      (C) It is very complimentary of Gibbon’s unique style of writing.

      (D) It contends that Gibbons did not perform any research to support his writing.

      The correct answer is (B). A careful reading of both the main passage and the paragraph unique to this question is necessary for answering it. Although the paragraph

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