Life in the UK Test practice test 27
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.By what nickname was the Duke of Wellington known?
- AThe Iron Duke
- BThe Victor of Trafalgar
- CThe Great Commoner
- DThe Bard
The Duke of Wellington was known as the Iron Duke and later became Prime Minister. (The American War of Independence and war with France)
2.How are local authority services funded?
- AEntirely by council tax raised locally
- BBy the devolved administrations of the UK
- CBy charitable donations and local fundraising
- DBy funding from central government and by local taxes
Local authorities are funded by money from central government and by local taxes. (Parties, pressure groups, the civil service and local government)
3.About how many people lost their lives in the violence in Northern Ireland after 1969?
- ASome 30,000
- BSome 300,000
- CSome 3,000
- DSome 300
Northern Irish violence after 1969 cost some 3,000 lives over the following decades. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
4.How did English judges develop common law?
- ABy precedence and tradition
- BBy act of Parliament
- CBy royal decree
- DBy codifying it in writing
In England judges developed common law by a process of precedence and tradition. (Magna Carta and the rise of Parliament)
5.Which TWO of Henry VIII’s wives were executed?
Choose two
- ACatherine Howard
- BCatherine Parr
- CJane Seymour
- DAnne Boleyn
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)
6.In which year did thirteen American colonies declare independence?
- A1789
- B1783
- C1805
- D1776
In 1776 thirteen American colonies declared their independence. (The American War of Independence and war with France)
7.For how long did Charles I rule without Parliament?
- A5 years
- B20 years
- C11 years
- D2 years
Charles I ruled without Parliament at all for 11 years. (The English Civil War)
8.Since which year has there been a Welsh Assembly and a Scottish Parliament?
- A1997
- B2011
- C1999
- D1998
There has been a Welsh Assembly and a Scottish Parliament since 1999. (Devolved administrations)
9.Which system of registration operates in Northern Ireland?
- AIndividual registration
- BAutomatic registration
- CHousehold registration
- DPostal registration
In Northern Ireland a system called individual registration operates, and all those entitled to vote must complete their own registration form. (Voting, standing for office and visiting Parliament)
10.How did the war against Japan end?
- AJapan surrendered after the fall of Germany
- BThe United States dropped atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
- CJapan was invaded by allied forces
- DThe Soviet Union defeated Japan in Manchuria
Atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended the war against Japan in August 1945. (Allied victory and post-war reform)
11.Which TWO have played a part in UK population growth?
Choose two
- ALonger life expectancy
- BMigration into the UK
- CFalling emigration
- DA rising birth rate alone
Longer life expectancy, and arrivals from abroad, have both fed population growth. (Population and diversity)
12.Which TWO were required of the monarch by the Bill of Rights?
Choose two
- ATo live at Westminster while Parliament was sitting
- BTo appoint ministers only from among the Tories
- CTo ask Parliament each year to renew funding for the army and navy
- DTo be a Protestant
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)
13.In which year did Queen Victoria become queen?
- A1851
- B1801
- C1837
- D1901
Aged 18, Victoria took the throne of the UK in 1837. (The Victorian Age and the British Empire)
14.Which TWO Easter days are public holidays?
Choose two
- AEaster Monday
- BEaster Sunday
- CGood Friday
- DShrove Tuesday
Good Friday and Easter Monday are both public holidays. (Christian festivals)
15.Which TWO were Protestant beliefs?
Choose two
- AAccepting the authority of the Pope
- BThat a person’s own relationship with God mattered most
- CReading the Bible in their own language
- DPraying to saints at shrines
Protestants read the Bible in their own languages instead of in Latin. (Henry VIII and the Reformation)
16.What does habeas corpus mean?
- AEvery man has the vote
- BThe king is subject to the law
- CYou must present the person in court
- DNo taxation without representation
Habeas corpus is Latin for 'you must present the person in court'. (The Restoration)
17.What does Eid al-Fitr celebrate?
- AThe founding of the Khalsa
- BThe victory of good over evil
- CThe willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son
- DThe end of Ramadan
A month of Muslim fasting, Ramadan, is brought to a close by Eid al-Fitr. (Other religious festivals)
18.What is Big Ben?
- AThe clock tower that stands at Westminster Abbey
- BThe largest of the bells hanging in St Paul’s Cathedral
- CThe Ferris wheel on the south bank of the River Thames
- DThe nickname for the great bell of the clock at the Houses of Parliament
Big Ben is properly the nickname of the great bell in the clock at London's Houses of Parliament. (Landmarks and places of interest)
19.Which language family did Iron Age people in Britain speak?
- ALatin
- BGermanic
- CNorse
- DCeltic
The language of the Iron Age was part of the Celtic language family. (Early Britain)
20.Who is responsible for managing relationships with foreign countries?
- AThe Chancellor of the Exchequer
- BThe Home Secretary
- CThe Prime Minister
- DThe Foreign Secretary
The Foreign Secretary is responsible for managing relationships with foreign countries. (The Prime Minister, the cabinet and the opposition)
21.Which THREE Estates made up the Scottish Parliament?
- AThe king, the lords and the commons
- BThe lords, the commons and the clergy
- CThe lords, the knights and the burghers
- DThe nobility, the gentry and the serfs
The Scottish Parliament had three Houses called Estates: the lords, the commons and the clergy. (Magna Carta and the rise of Parliament)
22.Which Act abolished slavery throughout the British Empire?
- AThe Reform Act
- BThe Habeas Corpus Act
- CThe Emancipation Act
- DThe Bill of Rights
In 1833 the Emancipation Act abolished slavery throughout the British Empire. (The slave trade and its abolition)
23.What is the small claims limit in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
- ALess than £10,000
- BLess than £1,000
- CLess than £5,000
- DLess than £3,000
Small claims cover under £10,000 in England and Wales, and under £3,000 in Scotland and Northern Ireland. (The courts)
24.Whom was James II’s elder daughter Mary married to?
- AWilliam of Orange
- BJames VI of Scotland
- CGeorge I
- DCharles II
Mary, the elder daughter of James II, had married her cousin William of Orange, Protestant ruler of the Netherlands. (A Catholic king and the Glorious Revolution)