Test Prep Test Prep Certifications GED-SECTION-4 Questions & Answers

• Question 61:

  What Has Happened to Gregor?

  As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. He was lying on his hard, as it were armor-plated, back and when he lifted his head a little he could see his domelike

  brown belly divided into stiff arched segments on top of which the bed quilt could hardly keep in position and was about to slide off completely. His numerous legs, which were pitifully thin compared to the rest of his bulk, waved helplessly

  before his eyes.

  What has happened to me? he thought. It was no dream. His room, a regular human bedroom, only rather too small, lay quiet between the four familiar walls.

  Above the table on which a collection of cloth samples was unpacked and spread out Samsa was a commercial traveler hung the picture which he had recently cut out of an illustrated magazine and put into a pretty gilt frame. It showed a lady, with a fur cap on and a fur stole, sitting upright and holding out to the spectator a huge fur muff into which the whole of her forearm had vanished! . . . . He slid down again into his former position. This getting up early, he thought, makes one quite stupid. A man needs his sleep. Other commercials live like harem women. For instance, when I come back to the hotel of a morning to write up the orders Ive got, these others are only sitting down to breakfast. Let me just try that with my chief; Id be sacked on the spot. Anyhow, that might be quite a good thing for me, who can tell? If I didnt have to hold my hand because of my parents Id have given notice long ago, Id have gone to the chief and told him exactly what I think of him. That would knock him endways from his desk! Its a queer way of doing, too, this sitting on high at a desk and talking down to employees, especially when they have to come quite near because the chief is hard of hearing. Well, theres still hope; once Ive saved enough money to pay back my parents debts to him that should take another five or six years Ill do it without fail. Ill cut myself completely loose then. For the moment, though, Id better get up, since my train goes at five. Franz Kafka, from The Metamorphosis (1912) In lines 47

  Correct Answer: E

  Gregor is so preoccupied with work and his routine that he seems to think he can just get up and go to work, even if he appears to be a bug. The tone and word choice in the opening sentence of the passage (which is also the opening

  sentence of this short story) suggest that this is the first time this happened to Gregor.

  He also asks, "What has happened to me?" If this had happened before, he would not likely ask that question, and his internal dialogue would be quite different.

  Thus, choice a is incorrect. There is no evidence in the story that the other characters are also bugs. The woman in the picture, at any rate, is a real woman, not a bug. Choice b is therefore incorrect. The first sentence clearly states that he

  awoke, so choice c is incorrect. Gregor says "I’d better get up, since my train goes at five," suggesting that he still has time to catch that 5:00 train. Choice d is therefore incorrect.

• Question 62:

  What Has Happened to Gregor?

  As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. He was lying on his hard, as it were armor-plated, back and when he lifted his head a little he could see his domelike

  brown belly divided into stiff arched segments on top of which the bed quilt could hardly keep in position and was about to slide off completely. His numerous legs, which were pitifully thin compared to the rest of his bulk, waved helplessly

  before his eyes.

  What has happened to me? he thought. It was no dream. His room, a regular human bedroom, only rather too small, lay quiet between the four familiar walls.

  Above the table on which a collection of cloth samples was unpacked and spread out Samsa was a commercial traveler hung the picture which he had recently cut out of an illustrated magazine and put into a pretty gilt frame. It showed a

  lady, with a fur cap on and a fur stole, sitting upright and holding out to the spectator a huge fur muff into which the whole of her forearm had vanished!

  . . . .

  He slid down again into his former position. This getting up early, he thought, makes one quite stupid. A man needs his sleep. Other commercials live like harem women. For instance, when I come back to the hotel of a morning to write up the

  orders Ive got, these others are only sitting down to breakfast. Let me just try that with my chief; Id be sacked on the spot. Anyhow, that might be quite a good thing for me, who can tell? If I didnt have to hold my hand because of my parents Id

  have given notice long ago, Id have gone to the chief and told him exactly what I think of him. That would knock him endways from his desk! Its a queer way of doing, too, this sitting on high at a desk and talking down to employees, especially

  when they have to come quite near because the chief is hard of hearing. Well, theres still hope; once Ive saved enough money to pay back my parents debts to him that should take another five or six years Ill do it without fail. Ill cut myself

  completely loose then. For the moment, though, Id better get up, since my train goes at five.

  Franz Kafka, from The Metamorphosis (1912)

  Based on the passage, which is the most logical conclusion to draw about Gregors personality?

  A. Gregor is lazy and stupid.

  B. Gregor is a very successful salesman.

  C. Gregor resents being told what to do by people in authority.

  D. Gregor is hardworking and reliable.

  E. Gregor is very close to his family.

  Correct Answer: D

  Gregor clearly works hard he comes to breakfast only after hes already gotten some orders (lines 2831), and he gets up early to travel to his destinations. He is also reliable; he plans on getting up and catching the train even though he has become an insect. This evidence rules out choice a; he is not lazy. While we learn that Gregor does get orders, we do not know the level of his success as a salesman, so choice b is incorrect. Gregor does resent his boss (see lines 3843), but that could very well be personal, not a matter of general resentment of authority, so choice c is not the best answer. We do know that Gregor is working to pay off his parents debts, but there is no indication in the passage of how close Gregor is to his family, so choice e is incorrect.

• Question 63:

  What Has Happened to Gregor?

  As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. He was lying on his hard, as it were armor-plated, back and when he lifted his head a little he could see his domelike

  brown belly divided into stiff arched segments on top of which the bed quilt could hardly keep in position and was about to slide off completely. His numerous legs, which were pitifully thin compared to the rest of his bulk, waved helplessly

  before his eyes.

  What has happened to me? he thought. It was no dream. His room, a regular human bedroom, only rather too small, lay quiet between the four familiar walls.

  Above the table on which a collection of cloth samples was unpacked and spread out Samsa was a commercial traveler hung the picture which he had recently cut out of an illustrated magazine and put into a pretty gilt frame. It showed a

  lady, with a fur cap on and a fur stole, sitting upright and holding out to the spectator a huge fur muff into which the whole of her forearm had vanished!

  . . . .

  He slid down again into his former position. This getting up early, he thought, makes one quite stupid. A man needs his sleep. Other commercials live like harem women. For instance, when I come back to the hotel of a morning to write up the

  orders Ive got, these others are only sitting down to breakfast. Let me just try that with my chief; Id be sacked on the spot. Anyhow, that might be quite a good thing for me, who can tell? If I didnt have to hold my hand because of my parents Id

  have given notice long ago, Id have gone to the chief and told him exactly what I think of him. That would knock him endways from his desk! Its a queer way of doing, too, this sitting on high at a desk and talking down to employees, especially

  when they have to come quite near because the chief is hard of hearing. Well, theres still hope; once Ive saved enough money to pay back my parents debts to him that should take another five or six years Ill do it without fail. Ill cut myself

  completely loose then. For the moment, though, Id better get up, since my train goes at five.

  Franz Kafka, from The Metamorphosis (1912)

  Why must Gregor keep his current job for several more years?

  A. His parents owe his boss money.

  B. Gregor is an apprentice and must complete his program.

  C. Gregor wants to take over the chief 's job.

  D. His parents own the company he works for.

  E. He needs to earn enough money to buy a bigger house for his family.

  Correct Answer: A

  In lines 43

• Question 64:

  What Has Happened to Gregor? As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. He was lying on his hard, as it were armor-plated, back and when he lifted his head a little he could see his domelike brown belly divided into stiff arched segments on top of which the bed quilt could hardly keep in position and was about to slide off completely. His numerous legs, which were pitifully thin compared to the rest of his bulk, waved helplessly before his eyes. What has happened to me? he thought. It was no dream. His room, a regular human bedroom, only rather too small, lay quiet between the four familiar walls. Above the table on which a collection of cloth samples was unpacked and spread out Samsa was a commercial traveler hung the picture which he had recently cut out of an illustrated magazine and put into a pretty gilt frame. It showed a lady, with a fur cap on and a fur stole, sitting upright and holding out to the spectator a huge fur muff into which the whole of her forearm had vanished! . . . . He slid down again into his former position. This getting up early, he thought, makes one quite stupid. A man needs his sleep. Other commercials live like harem women. For instance, when I come back to the hotel of a morning to write up the orders Ive got, these others are only sitting down to breakfast. Let me just try that with my chief; Id be sacked on the spot. Anyhow, that might be quite a good thing for me, who can tell? If I didnt have to hold my hand because of my parents Id have given notice long ago, Id have gone to the chief and told him exactly what I think of him. That would knock him endways from his desk! Its a queer way of doing, too, this sitting on high at a desk and talking down to employees, especially when they have to come quite near because the chief is hard of hearing. Well, theres still hope; once Ive saved enough money to pay back my parents debts to him that should take another five or six years Ill do it without fail. Ill cut myself completely loose then. For the moment, though, Id better get up, since my train goes at five. Franz Kafka, from The Metamorphosis (1912) When Gregor Samsa wakes up, he realizes that he

  A. has been having a nightmare.

  B. is late for work.

  C. has turned into a giant bug.

  D. dislikes his job.

  E. needs to make a change in his life.

  Correct Answer: C

  The first sentence states that when Gregor awoke, "he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect." The sentence clearly states that he "awoke," so he is not dreaming, and choice a is incorrect. The last sentence reveals that he has to catch a train at five, and he plans on getting up to catch that train, so he is not late, and choice b is incorrect. There is no evidence in the excerpt that Gregor dislikes his job (choice d). He does wish he could get more sleep and tell his boss what he thinks of him, but theres no evidence in the passage that Gregor realizes he needs to make a change in his life (choice e).

• Question 65:

  What Has Happened to Gregor?

  As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. He was lying on his hard, as it were armor-plated, back and when he lifted his head a little he could see his domelike

  brown belly divided into stiff arched segments on top of which the bed quilt could hardly keep in position and was about to slide off completely. His numerous legs, which were pitifully thin compared to the rest of his bulk, waved helplessly

  before his eyes.

  What has happened to me? he thought. It was no dream. His room, a regular human bedroom, only rather too small, lay quiet between the four familiar walls.

  Above the table on which a collection of cloth samples was unpacked and spread out Samsa was a commercial traveler hung the picture which he had recently cut out of an illustrated magazine and put into a pretty gilt frame. It showed a

  lady, with a fur cap on and a fur stole, sitting upright and holding out to the spectator a huge fur muff into which the whole of her forearm had vanished!

  . . . .

  He slid down again into his former position. This getting up early, he thought, makes one quite stupid. A man needs his sleep. Other commercials live like harem women. For instance, when I come back to the hotel of a morning to write up the

  orders Ive got, these others are only sitting down to breakfast. Let me just try that with my chief; Id be sacked on the spot. Anyhow, that might be quite a good thing for me, who can tell? If I didnt have to hold my hand because of my parents Id

  have given notice long ago, Id have gone to the chief and told him exactly what I think of him. That would knock him endways from his desk! Its a queer way of doing, too, this sitting on high at a desk and talking down to employees, especially

  when they have to come quite near because the chief is hard of hearing. Well, theres still hope; once Ive saved enough money to pay back my parents debts to him that should take another five or six years Ill do it without fail. Ill cut myself

  completely loose then. For the moment, though, Id better get up, since my train goes at five.

  Franz Kafka, from The Metamorphosis (1912)

  Which of the following best describes Gregors job?

  A. magician

  B. traveling clothing salesman

  C. advertisement copywriter

  D. clothing designer

  E. magazine editor

  Correct Answer: B

  We learn that on Gregor's table, "a collection of cloth samples was unpacked and spread out" and that Gregor "was a commercial traveler." Thus, we can conclude that he is a traveling clothing salesman. There is no evidence that he is a magician (choice a), and though he has an advertisement hanging on his wall, it is just a decoration, not something from his work (choice c). Because the passage specifically states he is a commercial traveler, we can also eliminate choices d and e.