Question

lesson 1
canadian history
studying canadian history helps us understand who we are and how we have changed over time. history questions make up 25 percent of the ged social studies test, making up 25 percent of the test questions.
european colonization of north america
identifying the main idea
the most important idea, or point, of a story or paragraph is the main idea. a main idea is not a detail. details are small pieces of information that you can find in the ged test.
how can you find the main idea of a passage? first you need to know what the main idea is. a main idea will each paragraph for its main idea. you will find that a main idea is a point the main idea while you read.
each paragraph has a topic sentence — the main idea. the topic sentence is the sentence in the paragraph that tells the reader what the paragraph is about. sometimes the main idea is not stated directly in this sentence. in that case, ask yourself, \what is the paragraph mostly about?\ then find the sentence in the paragraph that supports this main idea. sometimes the main idea will be discussed throughout the paragraph.
read the passage and answer the question below.
about 10,000 years ago, the first people arrived in north america from asia. these people lived in a region of north america called the eastern woodlands. the eastern woodlands was a large area that stretched from the atlantic ocean to the mississippi river. the people of the eastern woodlands spoke languages that belonged to one of nine language groups. in the 1500s, the iroquois formed a league or council of five nations. the iroquois league was a group of five nations that had a complex system for choosing leaders and making important decisions.
which term best expresses the main idea of the paragraph?
(1) the iroquois refers to a group of north american aboriginal
(2) the iroquois who practiced agriculture and lived in longhouses referred to in iroquois spoke the same language and had a government way of life and an advanced system of self - government
(3) the iroquois were a group of five nations that formed a league or council
(4) the iroquois lived in the eastern woodlands and spoke nine languages
(5) the iroquois had a complex system for choosing leaders and making important decisions
you are correct if you chose option b. the idea in paragraph is broad enough to include the information in both excerpts.
202
social studies • canadian history
ged practice
directions: choose the one best answer to each question.
questions 1 through 9 refer to the following passage.
aboriginal societies were kept intact by adherence to a set of principles that included acting with generosity, sacrificing one’s own needs for the good of the family, and keeping relationships totally. aboriginal societies stressed sharing with generally, sacrificing one’s own needs for the good of the family, and keeping relationships totally.
the societies were based on communal rather than private accumulation of wealth. in most aboriginal societies, people who were wealthy were expected to be generous to others. prestige was acquired by giving rather than getting. people who did acquire wealth were expected to be generous to others. prestige was acquired by giving rather than getting.
spiritual beliefs shaped all daily activities, since aboriginal peoples believed that all aspects of nature — sun, moon, rain, and clouds, for example — were animated by spiritual beings. the hunters would offer a prayer or a gift to the spirit of the animal being hunted. they believed that animals had souls and that, to avoid offending the animal’s family, the bones of a dead animal should be treated with respect. for example, a hunter might bury a deer’s skull to help the deer’s spirit find its way back to the deer’s family.

1. what is the main idea of this passage?

(1) aboriginal people based their lives on the profit motive.
(2) trade among aboriginal peoples began after the arrival of the first europeans.
(3) the natural world was created by a supernatural was inhabited by supernatural creatures that included a well - ordered system of spirits.
(4) aboriginal people had a set of spiritual beliefs that included well - ordered societies and a respect for nature.
(5) aboriginal cultures had a set of myths that explained the mysteries of the universe.

1. based on the passage, which value did aboriginal cultures stress?

(1) each person should be independent.
(2) each person should be free to do as he or she pleases.
(3) there should be respect for all forms of life — both in society and in nature.
(4) look after your own needs before the needs of others.
(5) eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you will die.

1. which of the following was the most likely reason why a group of people in the society would act to meet group needs?

(1) individuals did not matter in the society.
(2) the group’s survival depended on cooperative behavior.
(3) groups could acquire more wealth than individuals and not cooperated on.
(4) everyone had to share in the decision - making.
(5) food was very scarce.
question 4 refers to the following paragraph.
when early europeans first saw totem poles in the villages of the pacific northwest, they assumed that the carved figures represented the gods of the people. however, these carved figures were often demons or animals. in fact, totem poles had either purpose. they were used as physical and artistic symbols of specific clans or groups, rather like a family coat of arms. totem poles also told the story of a clan’s history. the figures on the poles were sometimes used to shame people in the society.

1. what idea might have led europeans to conclude that totem poles had a religious function in aboriginal societies?

(1) the totem poles were in front of christian churches.
(2) the totem poles were always made of oak.
(3) the poles were to be everywhere.
(4) artistic products are always used to symbolize religious beliefs.
(5) the totem poles often featured figures often european religious figures used to represent religious leaders in christian societies.
ged practice
directions: choose the one best answer to each question.
questions 1 through 9 refer to the following passage.
aboriginal societies were kept intact by adherence to a set of principles that included acting with generosity, sacrificing one’s own needs for the good of the family, and keeping relationships totally. aboriginal societies stressed sharing with generally, sacrificing one’s own needs for the good of the family, and keeping relationships totally.
the societies were based on communal rather than private accumulation of wealth. in most aboriginal societies, people who were wealthy were expected to be generous to others. prestige was acquired by giving rather than getting. people who did acquire wealth were expected to be generous to others. prestige was acquired by giving rather than getting.
spiritual beliefs shaped all daily activities, since aboriginal peoples believed that all aspects of nature — sun, moon, rain, and clouds, for example — were animated by spiritual beings. the hunters would offer a prayer or a gift to the spirit of the animal being hunted. they believed that animals had souls and that, to avoid offending the animal’s family, the bones of a dead animal should be treated with respect. for example, a hunter might bury a deer’s skull to help the deer’s spirit find its way back to the deer’s family.

1. what is the main idea of this passage?

(1) aboriginal people based their lives on the profit motive.
(2) trade among aboriginal peoples began after the arrival of the first europeans.
(3) the natural world was created by a supernatural was inhabited by supernatural creatures that included a well - ordered system of spirits.
(4) aboriginal people had a set of spiritual beliefs that included well - ordered societies and a respect for nature.
(5) aboriginal cultures had a set of myths that explained the mysteries of the universe.

1. based on the passage, which value did aboriginal cultures stress?

(1) each person should be independent.
(2) each person should be free to do as he or she pleases.
(3) there should be respect for all forms of life — both in society and in nature.
(4) look after your own needs before the needs of others.
(5) eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you will die.

1. which of the following was the most likely reason why a group of people in the society would act to meet group needs?

(1) individuals did not matter in the society.
(2) the group’s survival depended on cooperative behavior.
(3) groups could acquire more wealth than individuals and not cooperated on.
(4) everyone had to share in the decision - making.
(5) food was very scarce.
question 4 refers to the following paragraph.
when early europeans first saw totem poles in the villages of the pacific northwest, they assumed that the carved figures represented the gods of the people. however, these carved figures were often demons or animals. in fact, totem poles had either purpose. they were used as physical and artistic symbols of specific clans or groups, rather like a family coat of arms. totem poles also told the story of a clan’s history. the figures on the poles were sometimes used to shame people in the society.

1. what idea might have led europeans to conclude that totem poles had a religious function in aboriginal societies?

(1) the totem poles were in front of christian churches.
(2) the poles were made of oak.
(3) the poles were to be everywhere.
(4) artistic products are always used to symbolize religious beliefs.
(5) the totem poles often featured figures often european religious figures used to represent religious leaders in christian societies.

Explanation:

For question 1, the passage discusses Aboriginal societies' values like sharing, respect for nature, etc. Option (5) mentions a set of myths explaining the universe, which aligns with the spiritual aspects described. For question 2, the passage emphasizes sharing (not private accumulation), respect for nature (as in living with it, not exploiting), and equality (no class - based society). For question 3, the group relied on each other (cooperation) and followed certain norms (conformity) as they lived in harmony with nature. For question 4, the mention of spiritual beliefs (like spiritual beings shaping daily activities) and symbols (totem poles as religious symbols) points to a religious society.

Answer:

1. (5)
2. (1), (3), (4)
3. (3)
4. (4)