Life in the UK Test practice test 30
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.Which of these is an example of civil law?
- AHousing law
- BCarrying a weapon
- CRacial crime
- DSelling drugs
Repairs, eviction and similar landlord and tenant disputes fall under housing law. (Criminal and civil law)
2.On what date is Halloween?
- A31 October
- B1 November
- C5 November
- D11 November
Halloween, 31 October, is an ancient festival with roots in the pagan festival to mark the beginning of winter. (Other festivals and bank holidays)
3.Who was elected to the House of Commons in the Middle Ages?
- AAll adult men living in the towns and cities
- BThe nobility, great landowners and bishops
- CThe clergy, sitting as a separate estate
- DKnights and wealthy people from towns and cities
Election to the Commons went to knights and to wealthy townspeople. (Magna Carta and the rise of Parliament)
4.What are the official reports of proceedings in Parliament called?
- AThe Gazette
- BThe Journal
- CThe Record
- DHansard
Television carries proceedings in Parliament, and Hansard is the official printed report. (Voting, standing for office and visiting Parliament)
5.Where did the British team finish in the 2012 Olympic medal table?
- AFifth
- BSecond
- CThird
- DFirst
The British team finished third in the medal table at the 2012 Olympic Games. (Sport)
6.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)
7.How many members does the Northern Ireland Assembly have?
- A60
- B129
- C650
- D108
The Northern Ireland Assembly has 108 elected members, known as MLAs, members of the Legislative Assembly. (Devolved administrations)
8.What was the biggest source of employment in Britain before the 18th century?
- AMining
- BManufacturing
- CAgriculture
- DShipbuilding
Agriculture employed more people than anything else in Britain before the 18th century. (The Industrial Revolution)
9.In 1918, which women were given the vote?
- AWomen over 30
- BWomen over 18
- CWomen over 21
- DAll adult women
In 1918 the voting franchise was extended to women over 30. (The development of British democracy)
10.What must you show at a polling station in Northern Ireland?
- AYour passport
- BProof of address only
- CYour poll card only
- DPhotographic identification
In Northern Ireland you have to show photographic identification at the polling station. (Voting, standing for office and visiting Parliament)
11.Which piece is usually played at the Last Night of the Proms?
- AAuld Lang Syne
- BMessiah
- CThe Planets
- DLand of Hope and Glory
Land of Hope and Glory — Elgar's March No 1 — is a Last Night of the Proms fixture. (Arts, culture and leisure)
12.How many pence are there in a pound?
- A10
- B50
- C100
- D20
There are 100 pence in a pound. (Money, languages and traditional food)
13.What does the monarch do at the opening of each new parliamentary session?
- AAppoints the members of the cabinet
- BPresents the budget for the year ahead
- CMakes a speech summarising the government’s policies for the year ahead
- DSwears in the newly elected members of Parliament
The monarch opens the new parliamentary session each year with a speech summarising the government's policies for the year ahead. (The monarchy)
14.What are residents expected to look after besides themselves and their family?
- AThe national economy and the value of the pound
- BThe area in which they live and the environment
- CTheir local church and its congregation
- DThe interests of their employer and its business
Residents should look after the area in which they live and the environment. (Responsibilities and freedoms)
15.How many days before Easter is Lent?
- A50
- B40
- C20
- D30
The 40 days before Easter are known as Lent. (Christian festivals)
16.What were supporters of the king called?
- APuritans
- BRoundheads
- CJacobites
- DCavaliers
Those who supported the king were called the Cavaliers and those who supported Parliament were called the Roundheads. (The English Civil War)
17.How many permanent members does the UN Security Council have, including the UK?
- AFive
- BTen
- CThree
- DFifteen
The UK is one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council. (The UK and international institutions)
18.What are judges together called?
- AThe magistracy
- BThe judiciary
- CThe bar
- DThe bench
Interpreting law, and keeping trials fair, is the work of judges — the judiciary. (The courts)
19.When was the Northern Ireland Parliament established, and when abolished?
- AEstablished in 1922, abolished in 1972
- BEstablished in 1969, abolished in 1998
- CEstablished in 1998, abolished in 2002
- DEstablished in 1921, abolished in 1969
A Northern Ireland Parliament was established in 1922 but was abolished in 1972. (Devolved administrations)
20.What is democracy?
- AA system of government where the whole adult population gets a say
- BA system in which the monarch appoints the government
- CA system in which only property owners vote
- DA system of government by appointed officials
Under democracy the whole adult population has a say in government. (The development of British democracy)
21.What is a by-election?
- AA fresh election in a constituency where the MP has died or resigned
- BA local council election
- CAn election held in a devolved administration
- DA second round of voting where no candidate has a majority
If an MP dies or resigns there will be a fresh election in his or her constituency, called a by-election. (The Speaker and elections)
22.At what age did Queen Victoria become queen?
- A18
- B21
- C16
- D25
Aged 18, Victoria took the throne of the UK in 1837. (The Victorian Age and the British Empire)
23.Which three tribes invaded Britain after the Romans left?
- AThe Normans, the Franks and the Jutes
- BThe Danes, the Norwegians and the Swedes
- CThe Picts, the Scots and the Celts
- DThe Jutes, the Angles and the Saxons
The Jutes, Angles and Saxons came to Britain after the Romans left. (The Anglo-Saxons)
24.What is Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey?
- AWhere some of the best-known poets are buried or commemorated
- BA reading room devoted to English poetry
- CThe place where the Poet Laureate is appointed
- DThe site of the annual Laurence Olivier Awards
Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey holds the graves and memorials of many of the best-known poets. (Landmarks and places of interest)