Life in the UK Test practice test 34
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 share of the workforce do women make up in Britain today?
- AAbout three-quarters
- BAbout half
- CAbout a quarter
- DAbout a tenth
Women in Britain today make up about half of the workforce. (An equal society)
2.Who gave instructions to local leaders in Ireland?
- AThe Lord Lieutenants in Dublin
- BThe Archbishop of Canterbury
- CThe Pope
- DThe English Parliament directly
Local leaders in Ireland were expected to follow the instructions of the Lord Lieutenants in Dublin. (Ireland under Elizabeth I and James I)
3.How many changes did the Chartists campaign for?
- ASix
- BTen
- CFour
- DThree
In the 1830s and 1840s the Chartists campaigned for six changes. (The development of British democracy)
4.In which year did the Vikings first visit Britain?
- AAD 410
- BAD 1066
- CAD 600
- DAD 789
AD 789 brought the first Viking visit, raiding coastal towns for goods and slaves. (The Vikings)
5.In which year did the BBC start radio broadcasts?
- A1922
- B1936
- C1945
- D1929
The BBC started radio broadcasts in 1922. (The partition of Ireland and the inter-war years)
6.Which society was formed during Charles II’s reign to promote natural knowledge?
- AThe Royal Geographical Society
- BThe Royal Academy
- CThe Royal Institution
- DThe Royal Society
The Royal Society was formed during the reign of Charles II to promote natural knowledge. (The Restoration)
7.Which queen became known as ‘Bloody Mary’?
- AMary II
- BMary I
- CMary, Queen of Scots
- DElizabeth I
Mary was a devout Catholic who persecuted Protestants and became known as Bloody Mary. (Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I)
8.How many British casualties were there on the first day of the Somme?
- AAbout 60,000
- BAbout 600,000
- CAbout 40,000
- DAbout 6,000
About 60,000 British casualties fell on the first day alone of the Somme attack in July 1916. (The First World War)
9.Which TWO comic operas did Gilbert and Sullivan write?
Choose two
- ACats
- BThe Pirates of Penzance
- CPeter Grimes
- DHMS Pinafore
Gilbert and Sullivan wrote comic operas including HMS Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado. (Arts, culture and leisure)
10.Which TWO are ceremonial roles of the monarch?
Choose two
- AChoosing the cabinet
- BSetting the level of income tax
- CReceiving foreign ambassadors and high commissioners
- DOpening the new parliamentary session
The monarch opens the new parliamentary session each year with a speech summarising the government's policies for the year ahead. (The monarchy)
11.What was found at Sutton Hoo?
- AA Roman fort with a bath house, barracks and a granary
- BThe burial place of an Anglo-Saxon king, with treasure and armour in a ship
- CA Viking longship burial on the coast of Scotland
- DA Bronze Age stone circle surrounded by round barrows
The Anglo-Saxon king at Sutton Hoo was buried with treasure and armour in a ship covered by a mound of earth. (The Anglo-Saxons)
12.Whose work at Stoke Mandeville hospital led to the Paralympics?
- ASir Roger Bannister
- BDame Tanni Grey-Thompson
- CDr Sir Ludwig Guttman
- DFlorence Nightingale
Dr Sir Ludwig Guttman, a German refugee working at Stoke Mandeville hospital in Buckinghamshire, is where the Paralympics began. (Sport)
13.In which year were the Corn Laws repealed?
- A1851
- B1832
- C1846
- D1847
The Corn Laws, which had prevented the import of cheap grain, were repealed in 1846. (Victorian trade, industry and the Crimean War)
14.Why were canals built during the Industrial Revolution?
- ATo carry passengers between cities
- BTo supply drinking water to cities
- CTo link factories to towns, cities and ports
- DTo drain farmland for crops
Canals connected the factories to towns, to cities and to the ports. (The Industrial Revolution)
15.What is The Canterbury Tales about?
- AThe life and reign of William the Conqueror
- BA group of people telling stories on a pilgrimage to Canterbury
- CThe Wars of the Roses between York and Lancaster
- DThe Battle of Bannockburn and Robert the Bruce
Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales, a collection of poems about a group of people going to Canterbury on a pilgrimage. (A distinct identity and the Wars of the Roses)
16.Where did many Russian and Polish Jewish immigrants settle?
- ALiverpool, Glasgow and Belfast
- BCardiff, Swansea and Newport
- CBirmingham, Bristol and Plymouth
- DLondon’s East End, Manchester and Leeds
Many Russian and Polish Jews settled in London's East End and in Manchester and Leeds. (The Victorian Age and the British Empire)
17.Which of Henry VIII’s wives was the mother of Elizabeth I?
- AAnne Boleyn
- BCatherine Howard
- CCatherine of Aragon
- DJane Seymour
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)
18.What did the Royal Navy do about slave ships from other countries?
- AEscorted them to British ports
- BTaxed their cargo
- CRefused them entry to British harbours
- DStopped them, freed the slaves and punished the traders
Slave ships of other countries were stopped by the Royal Navy, which freed those aboard and punished the traders. (The slave trade and its abolition)
19.Which TWO groups cannot stand for public office?
Choose two
- AMembers of the armed forces
- BCommonwealth citizens resident in the UK
- CPeople aged over 70
- DCivil servants
Members of the armed forces, civil servants and people found guilty of certain criminal offences cannot stand for public office. (Voting, standing for office and visiting Parliament)
20.Where must a resident’s vehicle be registered?
- AThe local authority for the area you live in
- BHM Revenue & Customs, with your tax record
- CThe Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
- DThe Home Office, with your immigration record
Residents must register a car or motor cycle with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. (Taxation, driving and your role in the community)
21.How many crosses make up the Union Flag?
- AThree
- BFour
- COne
- DTwo
The Union Flag is often called the Union Jack and is still the official flag of the UK. (The Union Flag)
22.What does it mean that the UK is a constitutional monarchy?
- AThe monarch may veto any Act of Parliament
- BThe monarch appoints the government of their own choosing
- CThe monarch rules according to a written constitution
- DThe monarch does not rule but appoints the government the people have chosen
Under constitutional monarchy the king or queen appoints, rather than rules: the government is the one voters chose. (The monarchy)
23.On what date is Valentine’s Day?
- A14 February
- B14 April
- C1 April
- D31 October
Valentine's Day is 14 February, when lovers exchange cards and gifts. (Other festivals and bank holidays)
24.What kind of homes did people live in during the Bronze Age?
- ALonghouses
- BHill forts
- CRoundhouses
- DRound barrows
Bronze Age homes were roundhouses, and the dead went into tombs called round barrows. (Early Britain)