Life in the UK Test practice test 35
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.From which country did Charles II return from exile?
- AFrance
- BThe Netherlands
- CSpain
- DScotland
Exile in the Netherlands ended for Charles II in May 1660, on Parliament's invitation. (The Restoration)
2.Where is it against the law to smoke tobacco products?
- AIn nearly every enclosed public place
- BOnly on public transport
- COnly in workplaces
- DOnly in restaurants and pubs
Smoking tobacco is unlawful in nearly any enclosed public place here. (Criminal and civil law)
3.By what name is London’s West End also known?
- AThe Strand
- BTheatre Row
- CThe Fringe
- DTheatreland
London's West End is also known as Theatreland. (Arts, culture and leisure)
4.What did the Bill of Rights confirm?
- AThe right of every adult man to vote
- BThe union of the English and Scottish crowns
- CFreedom of religion for Roman Catholics
- DThe rights of Parliament and the limits of the king’s power
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)
5.What are members of the Northern Ireland Assembly known as?
- AAMs
- BMPs
- CMLAs
- DMSPs
The Northern Ireland Assembly has 108 elected members, known as MLAs, members of the Legislative Assembly. (Devolved administrations)
6.Since which year has the Welsh Assembly been able to pass laws without the agreement of the UK Parliament?
- A1997
- B2011
- C1998
- D1999
Westminster's agreement has not been needed for Welsh laws on those topics since 2011. (Devolved administrations)
7.What was the symbol of the House of Tudor?
- AA white rose alone, taken from York
- BA red rose with a white rose inside it
- CA white rose with a red rose inside it
- DA red dragon on a green and white ground
Tudor's badge set a white rose inside a red one. (A distinct identity and the Wars of the Roses)
8.What was the symbol of the House of York?
- AA white rose
- BA red dragon
- CA thistle
- DA red rose
A red rose stood for Lancaster, a white rose for York. (A distinct identity and the Wars of the Roses)
9.What is the Council of Europe responsible for?
- AMaking laws for its member countries
- BThe protection and promotion of human rights
- CManaging the Euro currency
- DCoordinating European defence
The Council of Europe is responsible for the protection and promotion of human rights in its member countries. (The UK and international institutions)
10.What is the currency of the UK?
- AThe pound and the Euro
- BThe Euro
- CThe shilling
- DThe pound sterling
The currency in the UK is the pound sterling, with the symbol £. (Money, languages and traditional food)
11.In which language did Protestants read the Bible?
- ALatin
- BGreek
- CTheir own languages
- DHebrew
Protestants read the Bible in their own languages instead of in Latin. (Henry VIII and the Reformation)
12.Why did the Emperor Hadrian build a wall in the north of England?
- ATo keep out the Picts
- BTo protect a trade route
- CTo mark the edge of the Empire’s farmland
- DTo defend against Viking raids
To keep the Picts out, the Emperor Hadrian walled the north of England. (The Romans)
13.In which year was the Turner Prize established?
- A1984
- B1927
- C1952
- D1968
The Turner Prize was established in 1984 and celebrates contemporary art. (Arts, culture and leisure)
14.How many member countries does the Council of Europe have?
- A190
- B54
- C15
- D47
The Council of Europe has 47 member countries, including the UK. (The UK and international institutions)
15.In which year was the Battle of Bosworth Field?
- A1066
- B1415
- C1485
- D1455
The Wars of the Roses ended with the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. (A distinct identity and the Wars of the Roses)
16.What was Home Rule?
- AComplete independence for Ireland
- BDirect rule from Westminster
- CThe partition of Ireland into two countries
- DIreland remaining in the UK but having its own parliament
Home Rule, argued for by Charles Stuart Parnell, would have given Ireland its own parliament inside the UK. (Ireland in the 19th century and the right to vote)
17.Who invented the cash-dispensing ATM?
- ASir Peter Mansfield
- BSir Tim Berners-Lee
- CJames Goodfellow
- DAlan Turing
In the 1960s James Goodfellow invented the cash-dispensing ATM, or cashpoint. (British inventions of the 20th century)
18.Which of these is a major political party in the UK?
- AThe CBI
- BGreenpeace
- CThe Liberal Democrats
- DLiberty
The major political parties are the Conservative Party, the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, and parties representing Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish interests. (Parties, pressure groups, the civil service and local government)
19.What is the conflict in Northern Ireland often referred to as?
- AThe Partition
- BThe Troubles
- CThe Home Rule crisis
- DThe Easter Rising
The Troubles is the usual name for the conflict between full Irish independence and loyalty to the British government. (The partition of Ireland and the inter-war years)
20.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)
21.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)
22.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)
23.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)
24.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)