GED (General Educational Development) Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) Flashcards

24 sample cards from the Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) deck

Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.

1. What is the 'either/or' (false dilemma) fallacy?

   Presenting only two options or outcomes when more actually exist, forcing a choice between two extremes.

2. What is the 'slippery slope' fallacy?

   Claiming that one small first step will inevitably lead to a chain of extreme negative consequences without proof.

3. What is a 'circular reasoning' (begging the question) fallacy?

   Restating the claim as its own proof, so the conclusion is simply assumed within the premise rather than supported by evidence.

4. What is a 'bandwagon' appeal?

   Arguing that something is true or right simply because many people believe it or do it.

5. What three rhetorical appeals do authors use to persuade, and what does each rely on?

   Ethos (credibility/character of the author), pathos (emotions of the audience), and logos (logic, facts, and reasoning).

6. How do you assess whether the reasoning in a persuasive text is valid?

   Check that claims are supported by relevant and sufficient evidence, that conclusions logically follow from the premises, and that the argument is free of fallacies and bias.

7. What is a complete sentence required to have?

   A subject and a predicate (verb) that together express a complete thought (an independent clause).

8. What is a run-on sentence (including a comma splice), and how is it fixed?

   A run-on joins two independent clauses incorrectly. A comma splice joins them with only a comma. Fix by using a period, a semicolon, or a comma plus a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS).

9. What is a sentence fragment?

   An incomplete sentence that is missing a subject, a verb, or a complete thought, but is punctuated as if it were a full sentence.

10. What is the rule for subject-verb agreement?

    A verb must agree with its subject in number: a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb.

11. What is a pronoun-antecedent agreement error?

    A pronoun must agree with its antecedent (the noun it replaces) in number and gender; an error occurs when, for example, a singular antecedent is paired with a plural pronoun.

12. What is a vague or unclear pronoun reference?

    When a pronoun (it, this, they) does not clearly refer to one specific antecedent, leaving the reader unsure what the pronoun stands for.

13. What is the difference between 'their,' 'there,' and 'they're'?

    'Their' shows possession, 'there' refers to a place or is an expletive, and 'they're' is a contraction of 'they are.'

14. What is the difference between 'your' and 'you're,' and 'its' and 'it's'?

    'Your' = possessive, 'you're' = you are. 'Its' = possessive, 'it's' = it is/it has.

15. What is a misplaced or dangling modifier?

    A misplaced modifier is positioned so it seems to describe the wrong word; a dangling modifier has no clear word in the sentence to modify. Both create unclear meaning.

16. What words should always be capitalized?

    The first word of a sentence, the pronoun 'I,' and all proper nouns (specific names of people, places, organizations, days, months, and titles).

17. When do you use a comma with a coordinating conjunction?

    Place a comma before a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) when it joins two independent clauses.

18. What is the main use of a semicolon?

    To join two closely related independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction; it can also separate items in a list that already contains commas.

19. How is an apostrophe used to show possession for singular vs. plural nouns?

    Singular nouns add 's (the dog's bone). Plural nouns ending in s add only an apostrophe (the dogs' bones).

20. In the RLA Extended Response, what is the first analytical task when reading the two source passages?

    Determine each passage's claim/position on the issue, then identify and evaluate the supporting evidence so you can judge which argument is better supported.

21. What makes an effective thesis statement for the Extended Response?

    A clear, specific sentence stating which passage presents the better-supported argument and why, giving the essay a focused, arguable position to develop.

22. How should you support claims in the Extended Response essay?

    Use specific text-based evidence: quote or paraphrase details from the source passages and explain how each piece supports your analysis of the argument's strength.

23. What organizational structure should a strong RLA Extended Response follow?

    An introduction with a thesis, body paragraphs each developing one point with text evidence and analysis, smooth transitions between ideas, and a conclusion that restates the position.

24. How should you budget the 45 minutes for the Extended Response, including revision?

    Roughly: read and analyze the passages and plan (about 10 minutes), write the essay (about 30 minutes), and revise/edit for clarity, grammar, and mechanics (about 5 minutes).

What this deck covers

Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) flashcards FAQ