Life in the UK Test practice test 16
24 questions, no clock, with the answer explained as you go. Use the timed exams when you want to know if you are ready.
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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.What is a Yorkshire pudding?
- AA type of sausage
- BBatter that is baked in the oven
- CA sweet dessert served with cream
- DA cake made with dried fruit
Yorkshire puddings are batter that is baked in the oven. (Money, languages and traditional food)
2.Which THREE things did Scotland keep after the Act of Union?
- AIts own monarch, its flag and its navy
- BIts own parliament, its currency and its army
- CIts own legal and education systems and Presbyterian Church
- DIts own taxes, its courts and its coinage
Scotland kept its own legal and education systems and Presbyterian Church after the Act of Union. (The Act of Union and the first Prime Minister)
3.What was the symbol of the House of Lancaster?
- AA white hart
- BA red dragon
- CA white rose
- DA red rose
A red rose stood for Lancaster, a white rose for York. (A distinct identity and the Wars of the Roses)
4.In which year did the Romans successfully invade Britain?
- A55 BC
- BAD 410
- CAD 600
- DAD 43
See "The Romans" in the official study guide.
5.In which year did Sir Roger Bannister run a mile in under four minutes?
- A1948
- B1972
- C1954
- D1966
Under four minutes for the mile was first achieved by Sir Roger Bannister, in 1954. (Sport)
6.Who could vote at the turn of the 19th century?
- AAll men over 21, whatever property they held
- BOnly members of the nobility and the bishops
- CMen over 21 who owned a certain amount of property
- DAll men, and all women over the age of 30
At the turn of the 19th century only men over 21 who owned a certain amount of property could vote. (The development of British democracy)
7.What kind of law covers unfair dismissal?
- AConsumer rights
- BCriminal law
- CHousing law
- DEmployment law
Wages, unfair dismissal and workplace discrimination are the stuff of employment law cases. (Criminal and civil law)
8.How is the Speaker chosen?
- ABy the Prime Minister
- BBy the House of Lords
- CBy the monarch
- DBy other MPs in a secret ballot
The Speaker is chosen by other MPs in a secret ballot. (The Speaker and elections)
9.Which right does the UK offer in relation to the courts?
- AA right to appeal any verdict twice
- BA right to choose your judge
- CA right to refuse jury service
- DA right to a fair trial
The UK offers a right to a fair trial. (Responsibilities and freedoms)
10.What does the cross of St George look like?
- AA diagonal white cross on a blue ground
- BA red cross on a white ground
- CA diagonal red cross on a white ground
- DA red dragon on a green ground
England's St George brings a red cross on white ground. (The Union Flag)
11.How many times did Henry VIII marry?
- AThree
- BFive
- CSix
- DFour
The six wives of Henry VIII were Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr. (The six wives of Henry VIII)
12.Who were the Huguenots?
- ACatholic settlers in Ireland
- BJewish refugees from Russia
- CGerman merchants in London
- DProtestant refugees from France
Between 1680 and 1720 many refugees called Huguenots came from France. (The Act of Union and the first Prime Minister)
13.Who sat in the House of Lords in the Middle Ages?
- AThe nobility, great landowners and bishops
- BElected representatives of the counties
- CJudges and lawyers
- DKnights and wealthy townspeople
The nobility, great landowners and bishops sat in the House of Lords. (Magna Carta and the rise of Parliament)
14.For how long did the Romans remain in Britain?
- A600 years
- B400 years
- C43 years
- D100 years
The Romans remained in Britain for 400 years. (The Romans)
15.Where is the Grand National held?
- ANewmarket in Suffolk
- BAintree near Liverpool
- CAyr in Scotland
- DRoyal Ascot
Three famous races: Royal Ascot; Ayr's Scottish Grand National; and Aintree's Grand National, near Liverpool. (Sport)
16.Which TWO forts on Hadrian’s Wall can still be seen?
Choose two
- AHousesteads
- BVindolanda
- CSutton Hoo
- DMaiden Castle
Hadrian's Wall included the forts of Housesteads and Vindolanda and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (The Romans)
17.What was the 1916 uprising against the British in Dublin called?
- AThe Fenian Rising
- BThe Home Rule Rebellion
- CThe Easter Rising
- DThe Troubles
In 1916 there was an uprising against the British in Dublin known as the Easter Rising. (The partition of Ireland and the inter-war years)
18.Who led the Scottish to victory at the Battle of Bannockburn?
- AWilliam Wallace
- BKenneth MacAlpin
- CRobert the Bruce
- DBonnie Prince Charlie
Bannockburn in 1314 saw Robert the Bruce lead the Scottish to victory over the English. (The Middle Ages: war at home and abroad)
19.Where was the armed rebellion in support of James defeated in Scotland?
- AKilliecrankie
- BCulloden
- CDunbar
- DBannockburn
An armed rebellion in support of James was quickly defeated at Killiecrankie. (A Catholic king and the Glorious Revolution)
20.What was the Divine Right of Kings?
- AThe right of the king to choose his own heir
- BThe right of the king to appoint bishops himself
- CThe idea that the king was directly appointed by God to rule
- DThe right of the king to levy taxes without consent
Divine Right of Kings — appointment to rule directly by God — was the belief of James I and Charles I. (The English Civil War)
21.Which TWO of these are plays by Shakespeare?
Choose two
- AHamlet
- BRomeo and Juliet
- CPeter Grimes
- DThe Pirates of Penzance
Among Shakespeare's most famous plays: Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream. (Exploration, Shakespeare and James I)
22.What is the Act of Union known as in Scotland?
- AThe Declaration of Rights
- BThe Act of Settlement
- CThe Statute of Rhuddlan
- DThe Treaty of Union
1707 brought the Act of Union — Scotland calls it the Treaty of Union — and with it the Kingdom of Great Britain. (The Act of Union and the first Prime Minister)
23.What were constituencies with hardly any voters called?
- ARotten boroughs
- BPocket boroughs
- CEmpty boroughs
- DSmall boroughs
Constituencies which had hardly any voters were called rotten boroughs. (The Bill of Rights and constitutional monarchy)
24.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)