Life in the UK Test full exam 9
The real conditions: 24 questions, 45 minutes on the clock, no explanations until you finish. 18 correct to pass.
Free to read, always
All 24 questions and answers
Every question here was checked by hand against Life in the UK: A Guide for New Residents (3rd edition). How we check
1.Which work by Gustav Holst is a suite themed around the planets?
- AThe Planets
- BFaçade
- CPeter Grimes
- DMessiah
Gustav Holst wrote The Planets and adapted Jupiter as the tune for I vow to thee my country. (Arts, culture and leisure)
2.What can the monarch do in meetings with the Prime Minister?
- AAppoint ministers directly
- BAdvise, warn and encourage
- CDirect government policy
- DVeto cabinet decisions
Advising, warning and encouraging are open to the monarch in regular meetings with the Prime Minister. (The monarchy)
3.What was the 1960s known as?
- AThe Roaring Twenties
- BThe Swinging Sixties
- CThe Age of Austerity
- DThe Dirty Thirties
The 1960s was a period of significant social change known as the Swinging Sixties. (Decolonisation, migration and the 1960s)
4.In which year was the Statute of Rhuddlan introduced?
- A1485
- B1415
- C1284
- D1314
Wales was annexed to the Crown of England by Edward I's Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284. (The Middle Ages: war at home and abroad)
5.Why is the clock tower named Elizabeth Tower?
- AIn honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012
- BIn honour of the coronation held in 1953
- CAfter the Elizabeth Line across London
- DAfter Queen Elizabeth I, who reigned to 1603
Elizabeth Tower is the name given to the clock tower, honouring the 2012 Diamond Jubilee. (Landmarks and places of interest)
6.Which of these is a British overseas territory?
- AThe Republic of Ireland
- BThe Isle of Man
- CJersey
- DThe Falkland Islands
St Helena and the Falkland Islands are British overseas territories linked to the UK but not part of it. (The countries of the UK)
7.For how long may a licence from another country be used in the UK?
- AUp to 3 months
- BIndefinitely
- CUp to 24 months
- DUp to 12 months
A licence from another country may be used in the UK for up to 12 months. (Taxation, driving and your role in the community)
8.On average, who leaves school with better qualifications?
- ABoys
- BGirls
- CNeither — the results are equal
- DIt varies by region
On average, girls leave school with better qualifications than boys. (An equal society)
9.On what date is April Fool’s Day?
- A14 February
- B1 April
- C5 November
- D1 May
April Fool's Day is 1 April, when people play jokes on each other until midday. (Other festivals and bank holidays)
10.What proportion of the UK population lives in Scotland?
- ALess than 3%
- BJust over 8%
- CAround 5%
- DAround 15%
Wales makes up around 5% of the UK population and Scotland just over 8%. (Population and diversity)
11.Who first built the Tower of London?
- AEdward I
- BSir Christopher Wren
- CHenry VIII
- DWilliam the Conqueror
William the Conqueror raised the Tower of London on taking the throne in 1066. (Landmarks and places of interest)
12.In which English county does Stonehenge stand?
- ADorset
- BSuffolk
- COrkney
- DWiltshire
Stonehenge in Wiltshire was probably a special gathering place for seasonal ceremonies. (Early Britain)
13.Which chamber is regarded as the more important, and why?
- AThe House of Lords, because it can overrule the Commons
- BThe House of Commons, because its members are democratically elected
- CNeither — they have equal status
- DThe House of Lords, because its members are more experienced
All of the elected MPs form the House of Commons. (The House of Commons and the House of Lords)
14.Until what time do people play jokes on April Fool’s Day?
- ASunset
- BThere is no time limit
- CMidday
- DMidnight
April Fool's Day is 1 April, when people play jokes on each other until midday. (Other festivals and bank holidays)
15.What is the London Eye?
- AA bridge carrying walkers across the Thames
- BA Ferris wheel on the southern bank of the Thames
- CA viewing platform at the top of the Shard
- DAn observatory standing at Greenwich
The London Eye is a Ferris wheel 443 feet tall on the southern bank of the River Thames. (Landmarks and places of interest)
16.Between which two countries is the Ashes played?
- AEngland and Australia
- BEngland and India
- CEngland and the West Indies
- DEngland and South Africa
The most famous cricket competition is the Ashes, a series of Test matches played between England and Australia. (Sport)
17.Why is Wales not represented on the Union Flag?
- AWales did not become part of the United Kingdom until 1801
- BWales chose to keep its own dragon flag flying separately
- CThe Welsh dragon was thought too difficult a shape to draw
- DWales was already united with England when the first Union Flag was created
Wales is absent from the Union Flag because the Principality had already joined England by 1606, when the first version was made. (The Union Flag)
18.Which king was forced to agree to Magna Carta?
- AKing John
- BKing Henry V
- CKing Edward I
- DKing Richard III
King John was forced by his noblemen to agree to Magna Carta. (Magna Carta and the rise of Parliament)
19.For which years was Sir Robert Walpole Prime Minister?
- A1707 to 1714
- B1689 to 1702
- C1721 to 1742
- D1760 to 1783
The first man to be called Prime Minister was Sir Robert Walpole, who was Prime Minister from 1721 to 1742. (The Act of Union and the first Prime Minister)
20.Who defeated Harold at the Battle of Hastings?
- ARobert the Bruce
- BCnut of Denmark
- CAlfred the Great
- DWilliam, Duke of Normandy
In 1066 William, Duke of Normandy, defeated Harold, the Saxon king of England, at the Battle of Hastings. (The Norman Conquest)
21.Which UK-designed aircraft can take off vertically?
- AThe Hurricane
- BThe Spitfire
- CThe Harrier jump jet
- DConcorde
The Harrier jump jet, an aircraft capable of taking off vertically, was designed and developed in the UK. (British inventions of the 20th century)
22.What happened to hereditary peers in 1999?
- AThey gained the right to sit in the Commons
- BThey lost the automatic right to attend the House of Lords
- CThey were all removed from the House of Lords
- DThey were replaced by life peers
Automatic attendance ended for hereditary peers in 1999, and they now elect a handful to speak for them. (The House of Commons and the House of Lords)
23.Which countries were the Axis powers?
- AGermany, Poland and Italy
- BGermany, Austria and the Ottoman Empire
- CGermany, Italy and the Empire of Japan
- DGermany, the Soviet Union and Italy
The Axis powers were fascist Germany and Italy and the Empire of Japan. (The Second World War)
24.What was Mary, Queen of Scots accused of before her execution?
- ASelling Scotland to Spain
- BPlotting against Elizabeth I
- CMurdering her own son
- DPractising Catholicism in public
Mary, Queen of Scots was eventually executed, accused of plotting against Elizabeth I. (The Reformation in Scotland and Mary, Queen of Scots)