Life in the UK Test practice test 2
24 questions, no clock, with the answer explained as you go. Use the timed exams when you want to know if you are ready.
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 modern language is based on the languages of the Jutes, Angles and Saxons?
- AGaelic
- BEnglish
- CLatin
- DWelsh
The languages of the Jutes, Angles and Saxons are the basis of modern-day English. (The Anglo-Saxons)
2.Why is Cromwell still a controversial figure in Ireland?
- ABecause of the violence with which he established English authority
- BBecause he introduced the Ulster plantations
- CBecause he abolished the Irish Parliament outright
- DBecause he refused the crown when it was offered
Oliver Cromwell was sent to Ireland, where he established the authority of the English Parliament with such violence that he remains a controversial figure in Ireland today. (Cromwell and the English republic)
3.Who is the Prime Minister?
- AThe leader of the political party in power
- BThe leader of the largest party in the House of Lords
- CThe MP with the longest service
- DThe Speaker of the House of Commons
The Prime Minister is the leader of the political party in power. (The Prime Minister, the cabinet and the opposition)
4.What do chocolate Easter eggs symbolise?
- AThe gifts of the Magi
- BSorrow for sin
- CThe end of fasting
- DNew life
Chocolate Easter eggs are often given as presents at Easter as a symbol of new life. (Christian festivals)
5.What was the Spanish Armada?
- AA treaty of peace agreed between England and Spain
- BThe Spanish army that invaded Ireland in rebellion
- CA large fleet sent by Spain to conquer England and restore Catholicism
- DA Spanish trading fleet working the Americas
In 1588 the English defeated the Spanish Armada, a large fleet of ships sent by Spain to conquer England and restore Catholicism. (Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I)
6.What did Parliament declare about the religion of the monarch?
- AThe monarch may hold any religion
- BThe king or queen must be a Protestant
- CThe monarch must be a Catholic
- DThe monarch must belong to the Church of Scotland
Parliament's rights, and the limits on the king, were set out in the 1689 Bill of Rights. (The Bill of Rights and constitutional monarchy)
7.What are the Yeoman Warders at the Tower of London also known as?
- AGuardsmen
- BBeefeaters
- CWardens
- DSentinels
Tours of the Tower of London are given by the Yeoman Warders, also known as Beefeaters. (Landmarks and places of interest)
8.Which flower is associated with Wales?
- AThe daffodil
- BThe shamrock
- CThe rose
- DThe thistle
The flower associated with Wales is the daffodil. (Patron saints)
9.What was significant about the Norman Conquest?
- AIt ended four centuries of Roman occupation
- BIt brought Christianity to Britain for the first time
- CIt united England and Scotland under one crown
- DIt was the last successful foreign invasion of England
The Norman Conquest was the last successful foreign invasion of England. (The Norman Conquest)
10.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)
11.How do self-employed people pay their income tax?
- AThrough Pay As You Earn
- BThrough the DVLA
- CThrough National Insurance
- DThrough self-assessment
Self-assessment, with a tax return to complete, is how the self-employed pay their own tax. (Taxation, driving and your role in the community)
12.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)
13.Where was the main site for the 2012 Olympic Games?
- AManchester
- BCardiff
- CWembley, north London
- DStratford, East London
Stratford in East London held the main site of the 2012 Games. (Sport)
14.What is the system called where an employer deducts income tax from your pay?
- APAYG
- BSelf-assessment
- CNational Insurance
- DPay As You Earn
The system by which employers take the right amount of income tax from employment income is called Pay As You Earn. (Taxation, driving and your role in the community)
15.Who heads each separate police force?
- AA Police and Crime Commissioner
- BA Chief Constable
- CThe Home Secretary
- DA magistrate
Separate forces, each under its own Chief Constable, are how the police are organised. (The police and their duties)
16.Where does the parliament that governs the UK sit?
- AWestminster
- BStormont
- CHolyrood
- DCardiff Bay
The UK is governed by the parliament sitting in Westminster. (The countries of the UK)
17.In which year did Ireland become two countries?
- A1921
- B1922
- C1949
- D1916
A peace treaty in 1921 was followed by Ireland's division into two countries in 1922. (The partition of Ireland and the inter-war years)
18.In whose name are all Acts of Parliament made?
- AThe Prime Minister’s
- BParliament’s
- CThe Speaker’s
- DThe monarch’s
All Acts of Parliament are made in the monarch's name. (The monarchy)
19.Where did slaves primarily come from?
- AWest Africa
- BThe Caribbean
- CEast Africa
- DIndia
Slaves came primarily from West Africa and were taken to America and the Caribbean. (The slave trade and its abolition)
20.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)
21.About how many registered test centres are there in the UK?
- AAbout 5
- BOver 300
- COver 30
- DExactly 24
There are over 30 registered Life in the UK test centres in the UK. (Taking the Life in the UK test)
22.In which year was the Act of Union agreed?
- A1801
- B1689
- C1707
- D1714
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.Who was the first man to be called Prime Minister?
- AWilliam Pitt
- BThe Duke of Wellington
- CSir Robert Walpole
- DSir Christopher Wren
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)
24.How much does it cost to listen to debates from the public galleries at Westminster?
- AYou must buy a ticket in advance
- BNothing — entrance is free
- CIt is free only for UK citizens
- DA small charge per person
Galleries in both Houses at the Palace of Westminster are open to the public free of charge. (Voting, standing for office and visiting Parliament)