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A long and illustrious history questions
There are 415 a long and illustrious history practice questions here, each with its correct answer and an explanation, written from Life in the UK: A Guide for New Residents (3rd edition). The real Life in the UK Test is 24 questions in 45 minutes and you need 18 correct to pass. Reading is free and needs no account.
You will learn more by taking a timed test than by reading answers.
351.Who led the scientists who were first to split the atom?
- ASir Frank Whittle
- BErnest Rutherford
- CAlexander Fleming
- DFrancis Crick
First to split the atom were scientists under New-Zealand-born Ernest Rutherford, at Manchester and later Cambridge. (Allied victory and post-war reform)
352.Who discovered penicillin?
- AHoward Florey
- BJohn Macleod
- CAlexander Fleming
- DErnst Chain
Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928 while researching influenza. (Allied victory and post-war reform)
353.In which year did Alexander Fleming discover penicillin?
- A1953
- B1928
- C1945
- D1940
Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928 while researching influenza. (Allied victory and post-war reform)
354.Which party won the 1945 General Election?
- AThe Conservative Party
- BThe Liberal Party
- CThe Labour Party
- DA coalition
Alexander Fleming won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1945. (Allied victory and post-war reform)
355.Who became Prime Minister in 1945?
- AHarold Macmillan
- BWinston Churchill
- CAneurin Bevan
- DClement Attlee
In 1945 the British people elected a Labour government and Clement Attlee became Prime Minister. (Allied victory and post-war reform)
356.Which report outlined the welfare state?
- AThe Beveridge Report
- BThe Butler Report
- CThe Attlee Report
- DThe Bevan Report
Clement Attlee promised to introduce the welfare state outlined in the Beveridge Report. (Allied victory and post-war reform)
357.Who led the establishment of the National Health Service in 1948?
- AWilliam Beveridge
- BR A Butler
- CAneurin Bevan
- DClement Attlee
Aneurin Bevan, as Minister for Health, brought the National Health Service into being in 1948. (Allied victory and post-war reform)
358.In which year was the National Health Service established?
- A1944
- B1945
- C1951
- D1948
Aneurin Bevan, as Minister for Health, brought the National Health Service into being in 1948. (Allied victory and post-war reform)
359.Which TWO were nationalised by the post-war government?
Choose two
- AThe coal mines
- BThe banks
- CThe shipyards
- DThe railways
The post-war government nationalised the railways, coal mines and gas, water and electricity supplies. (Allied victory and post-war reform)
360.Which Act introduced free secondary education in England and Wales?
- AThe National Insurance Act 1948
- BThe Beveridge Act 1942
- CThe Education Act 1944
- DThe Butler Reform Act 1947
The Education Act 1944, often called the Butler Act, introduced free secondary education in England and Wales. (Allied victory and post-war reform)
361.In which year was independence granted to India, Pakistan and Ceylon?
- A1948
- B1947
- C1945
- D1951
Nine countries gained independence in 1947, Ceylon — today Sri Lanka — along with India and Pakistan. (Decolonisation, migration and the 1960s)
362.What is Ceylon now called?
- ABangladesh
- BSri Lanka
- CMyanmar
- DPakistan
Nine countries gained independence in 1947, Ceylon — today Sri Lanka — along with India and Pakistan. (Decolonisation, migration and the 1960s)
363.What was NATO set up to resist?
- AThe spread of fascism across post-war Europe
- BThe decolonisation of Africa and the Caribbean
- CThe perceived threat of invasion by the Soviet Union and its allies
- DThe rearmament of Germany after the war
NATO, joined by the UK, allied nations against the perceived threat of Soviet invasion. (Decolonisation, migration and the 1960s)
364.Which Prime Minister made the ‘wind of change’ speech about decolonisation?
- AMargaret Thatcher
- BWinston Churchill
- CHarold Macmillan
- DClement Attlee
Prime Minister Harold Macmillan was famous for his wind of change speech about decolonisation. (Decolonisation, migration and the 1960s)
365.In which year were people from the West Indies invited to come and work in the UK?
- A1948
- B1968
- C1947
- D1951
In 1948 people from the West Indies were invited to come and work in the UK. (Decolonisation, migration and the 1960s)
366.Which workers were recruited in the West Indies?
- ATextile workers
- BMiners
- CBus drivers
- DNurses
Bus drivers were recruited through centres opened in the West Indies. (Decolonisation, migration and the 1960s)
367.Where did textile and engineering firms send agents to find workers?
- AUganda and Kenya
- BIndia and Pakistan
- CThe West Indies
- DIreland and Poland
Agents went to India and Pakistan for workers, sent by engineering and textile firms of the Midlands and northern England. (Decolonisation, migration and the 1960s)
368.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)
369.Which TWO were well-known pop groups of the 1960s?
Choose two
- AThe Who
- BThe Rolling Stones
- CThe Kinks
- DThe Beatles
The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were two well-known pop music groups of the 1960s. (Decolonisation, migration and the 1960s)
370.Which rights did new laws give women in the 1960s?
- AThe right to equal pay
- BThe right to vote at 18
- CThe right to stand for Parliament
- DThe right to keep their own property
Parliament passed new laws giving women the right to equal pay and making it illegal for employers to discriminate against women because of their gender. (Decolonisation, migration and the 1960s)
371.Which supersonic airliner did Britain and France develop?
- AThe Harrier
- BThe Comet
- CThe Spitfire
- DConcorde
Britain and France developed the supersonic commercial airliner Concorde. (Decolonisation, migration and the 1960s)
372.How many people of Indian origin forced to leave Uganda did Britain admit?
- A2,800
- B280,000
- C128,000
- D28,000
Expelled from Uganda, 28,000 people of Indian origin were admitted to Britain in the early 1970s. (Decolonisation, migration and the 1960s)
373.Who developed the television?
- ASir Robert Watson-Watt
- BSir Bernard Lovell
- CJohn Logie Baird
- DAlan Turing
The television was developed by Scotsman John Logie Baird in the 1920s. (British inventions of the 20th century)
374.Between which two cities did John Logie Baird make the first television broadcast?
- ALondon and Birmingham
- BLondon and Manchester
- CGlasgow and Edinburgh
- DLondon and Glasgow
In 1932 John Logie Baird made the first television broadcast between London and Glasgow. (British inventions of the 20th century)
375.Who developed radar?
- AJohn Logie Baird
- BSir Frank Whittle
- CSir Christopher Cockerell
- DSir Robert Watson-Watt
Radar was developed by Scotsman Sir Robert Watson-Watt, who proposed that enemy aircraft could be detected by radio waves. (British inventions of the 20th century)
376.In which year was the first successful radar test?
- A1928
- B1940
- C1935
- D1932
The first successful radar test took place in 1935. (British inventions of the 20th century)
377.Where did Sir Bernard Lovell build his radio telescope?
- AEdinburgh
- BGreenwich in London
- CJodrell Bank in Cheshire
- DCambridge University
Sir Bernard Lovell built the radio telescope at Jodrell Bank in Cheshire, which was for many years the biggest in the world. (British inventions of the 20th century)
378.Who invented the Turing machine?
- ASir Peter Mansfield
- BAlan Turing
- CJames Goodfellow
- DFrancis Crick
A Turing machine is a theoretical mathematical device invented by the British mathematician Alan Turing in the 1930s. (British inventions of the 20th century)
379.Who was the co-discoverer of insulin?
- AAlexander Fleming
- BSir Ian Wilmut
- CSir Robert Edwards
- DJohn Macleod
The Scottish physician John Macleod was the co-discoverer of insulin, used to treat diabetes. (British inventions of the 20th century)
380.In which year was the structure of the DNA molecule discovered?
- A1953
- B1928
- C1996
- D1969
DNA's structure came to light in 1953, from work at universities in London and Cambridge. (British inventions of the 20th century)
381.Which British scientist was awarded the Nobel Prize for the discovery of DNA?
- AAlexander Fleming
- BErnest Rutherford
- CFrancis Crick
- DAlan Turing
Francis Crick, one of those awarded the Nobel Prize for the discovery of DNA, was British. (British inventions of the 20th century)
382.Who developed the jet engine?
- ASir Christopher Cockerell
- BSir Frank Whittle
- CJohn Logie Baird
- DSir Bernard Lovell
Sir Frank Whittle developed the jet engine here in the 1930s. (British inventions of the 20th century)
383.Who invented the hovercraft?
- ASir Christopher Cockerell
- BSir Peter Mansfield
- CJames Goodfellow
- DSir Frank Whittle
Sir Christopher Cockerell invented the hovercraft in the 1950s. (British inventions of the 20th century)
384.In which year did Concorde first fly?
- A2003
- B1976
- C1969
- D1935
Concorde first flew in 1969, began carrying passengers in 1976 and was retired from service in 2003. (British inventions of the 20th century)
385.In which year was Concorde retired from service?
- A1996
- B1990
- C2003
- D1976
Concorde first flew in 1969, began carrying passengers in 1976 and was retired from service in 2003. (British inventions of the 20th century)
386.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)
387.Who invented the cash-dispensing ATM?
- ASir Peter Mansfield
- BSir Tim Berners-Lee
- CJames Goodfellow
- DAlan Turing
In the 1960s James Goodfellow invented the cash-dispensing ATM, or cashpoint. (British inventions of the 20th century)
388.Where was the first cashpoint put into use?
- AOldham
- BCambridge
- CEnfield, north London
- DCheshire
Enfield in north London saw the first cashpoint installed, by Barclays Bank, in 1967. (British inventions of the 20th century)
389.Where was the world’s first test-tube baby born?
- AEnfield, north London
- BOldham, Lancashire
- CCambridge
- DEdinburgh
Oldham in Lancashire was the birthplace of the world's first test-tube baby, in 1978. (British inventions of the 20th century)
390.In which year was the world’s first test-tube baby born?
- A1967
- B1990
- C1996
- D1978
Oldham in Lancashire was the birthplace of the world's first test-tube baby, in 1978. (British inventions of the 20th century)
391.What was Dolly the sheep?
- AThe first animal sent into space by Britain
- BThe first mammal to be cloned
- CThe first animal born by IVF
- DThe first sheep bred for wool in Scotland
Dolly the sheep, the first cloned mammal, came in 1996 from a team led by Sir Ian Wilmut and Keith Campbell. (British inventions of the 20th century)
392.Who co-invented the MRI scanner?
- ASir Robert Edwards
- BSir Peter Mansfield
- CSir Ian Wilmut
- DFrancis Crick
Sir Peter Mansfield is the co-inventor of the MRI scanner. (British inventions of the 20th century)
393.Who invented the World Wide Web?
- AAlan Turing
- BJames Goodfellow
- CSir Bernard Lovell
- DSir Tim Berners-Lee
The inventor of the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, is British. (British inventions of the 20th century)
394.On what date was information first successfully transferred via the web?
- A6 June 1978
- B1 January 1990
- C25 December 1996
- D25 December 1990
Information was successfully transferred via the World Wide Web for the first time on 25 December 1990. (British inventions of the 20th century)
395.Who was Britain’s first woman Prime Minister?
- AEmmeline Pankhurst
- BTheresa May
- CMargaret Thatcher
- DMary Peters
Margaret Thatcher was Britain's first woman Prime Minister and led the Conservative government from 1979 to 1990. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
396.For which years was Margaret Thatcher Prime Minister?
- A1951 to 1964
- B1997 to 2007
- C1979 to 1990
- D1945 to 1951
Margaret Thatcher was Britain's first woman Prime Minister and led the Conservative government from 1979 to 1990. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
397.What was notable about Margaret Thatcher’s time in office?
- AShe was the longest-serving Prime Minister of the 20th century
- BShe was the first Prime Minister to be televised
- CShe served three separate terms
- DShe was never elected
Margaret Thatcher was the longest-serving Prime Minister of the 20th century. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
398.Which TWO did Margaret Thatcher’s government do?
Choose two
- ALegal controls on trade union powers
- BEstablishing the National Health Service
- CIntroducing a Scottish Parliament
- DPrivatisation of nationalised industries
Privatising nationalised industries restructured the economy under Margaret Thatcher, whose government also placed legal controls on union powers. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
399.Which country invaded the Falkland Islands in 1982?
- AArgentina
- BBrazil
- CSpain
- DChile
Argentina seized the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory of the South Atlantic, in 1982. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
400.What happened after Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands?
- AThe United Nations took control of the islands and their waters
- BThe islands were granted independence from the UK
- CA naval taskforce was sent and military action led to the recovery of the islands
- DThe islands were ceded to Argentina under a treaty
Recovery of the Falklands followed military action by a naval taskforce sent from the UK. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
Common questions
- How many questions are in the Life in the UK Test?
- The real test is 24 multiple-choice questions with 45 minutes to answer them, and you need 18 correct to pass. This page lists 415 practice questions drawn from the same official material, which is far more than any single sitting will ask you.
- Are these the real Life in the UK Test questions?
- No, and nobody has them. No government publishes its live exam questions. These are written from Life in the UK: A Guide for New Residents (3rd edition), the official study guide the real questions are drawn from, so the facts being tested are the same even though the wording is ours.
- Do I need an account to read the questions and answers?
- No. Every question, its correct answer and its explanation is on this page with no signup and no payment. An account only matters if you want your progress saved across devices.
- How should I use the question bank?
- Reading answers is the weakest form of revision. Sit a timed test first to find out which chapters you are losing marks on, then come back here and read only those. Recognition feels like knowledge and is not the same thing.