GED: The Language of the Test: The Language of the Test, List 4

To support is to make stronger. You might be asked to identify evidence that supports an author’s claims, or you may be asked to interpret a graph and determine whether or not it supports a particular idea or conclusion. When you see the word support, think about all the things a writer does to prove his or her point.

Analysis goes beyond mere summary: it involves breaking an argument down and figuring out how the pieces work together.

This word has multiple meanings that could show up on the GED Test. If the test mentions an argument's or passage's one and only conclusion, it is probably referring to the final paragraph of the passage. If you see this word in its plural form, conclusions, it usually indicates the logical positions or opinions you can draw from an argument.

Something consistent is in agreement with something else. If you are asked to identify a written statement that is consistent with data being presented graphically, you need to find a statement from the text that agrees with the data.

If a word choice or example reflects a particular idea, it supports or agrees with that idea. Thinking about how a mirror reflects an image may help you remember the meaning of this word. Another meaning of reflect is to think about something deeply; in a passage, a writer might reflect on a certain topic.

An argument is a text or reading passage that advances a claim and supports that claim with evidence.

On the GED Test, claim most likely refers to an author's main argument — what the writer is trying to persuade you to believe. There could be more than one claim in an argument, but the reading passages on the GED will most likely have one central (or main) claim that is supported by different types of evidence.

Evidence is not just the stuff you collect at a crime scene! On standardized tests, textual evidence is information that supports an argument's central claim. It could take the form of examples, statistics, facts, etc.

To criticize is to be critical, to pick something apart and to identify its weak points. This is definitely a verb with a negative connotation. If an author is out to criticize, chances are he or she is using strong, harsh language.

To demonstrate is to show. The purpose of a passage could be to demonstrate a concept or a character trait, for example. The purpose of a chart could be to demonstrate that a scientist's data supports her hypothesis. Another word that is used in a similar way is illustrate.

When you see the word illustrate, don't think about fine art; think about how a writer "paints a picture" with words instead. A specific example could illustrate an abstract concept, for instance, or a graph of data could illustrate a scientist's conclusion.

When you confirm something, you prove it to be true. For example, the results of an experiment could confirm a hypothesis. You can remember this word by remembering how you have to confirm a doctor's appointment by saying, "Yes, I'll be there." Confirming has to do with establishing or validating.