Life in the UK Test practice test 9
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 happened after Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands?
- AThe United Nations took control of the islands and their waters
- BThe islands were granted independence from the UK
- CA naval taskforce was sent and military action led to the recovery of the islands
- DThe islands were ceded to Argentina under a treaty
Recovery of the Falklands followed military action by a naval taskforce sent from the UK. (The 1970s onwards, Thatcher, Blair and Brexit)
2.Which king was forced to agree to Magna Carta?
- AKing John
- BKing Henry V
- CKing Edward I
- DKing Richard III
King John was forced by his noblemen to agree to Magna Carta. (Magna Carta and the rise of Parliament)
3.What was the 1960s known as?
- AThe Roaring Twenties
- BThe Swinging Sixties
- CThe Age of Austerity
- DThe Dirty Thirties
The 1960s was a period of significant social change known as the Swinging Sixties. (Decolonisation, migration and the 1960s)
4.What were the Highland Clearances?
- AThe removal of Jacobite supporters from Scotland
- BThe eviction of English settlers from the highlands
- CThe clearing of forests for shipbuilding
- DLandlords destroying small farms to make space for sheep and cattle
Small farms called crofts were destroyed by Scottish landlords in the Highland Clearances, to clear space for large flocks of sheep and cattle. (The rebellion of the clans and the Enlightenment)
5.What made Britain and France declare war in 1939?
- AHitler’s invasion of Poland
- BThe German invasion of the Soviet Union
- CThe bombing of London
- DHitler’s occupation of Austria
Britain and France declared war to halt Hitler's aggression after he invaded Poland in 1939. (The Second World War)
6.Which battle ended the Wars of the Roses?
- AThe Battle of Naseby
- BThe Battle of Agincourt
- CThe Battle of Bannockburn
- DThe Battle of Bosworth Field
The Wars of the Roses ended with the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. (A distinct identity and the Wars of the Roses)
7.In which year did the Scottish Parliament abolish the authority of the Pope?
- A1707
- B1588
- C1560
- D1603
Papal authority in Scotland was abolished in 1560 by a mainly Protestant Scottish Parliament. (The Reformation in Scotland and Mary, Queen of Scots)
8.To whom did Mary, Queen of Scots give her throne?
- AHer cousin Elizabeth I
- BHer son, James VI of Scotland
- CThe Scottish Parliament
- DHer husband
Mary, Queen of Scots gave her throne to her Protestant son, James VI of Scotland. (The Reformation in Scotland and Mary, Queen of Scots)
9.By what other name is the Belfast Agreement known?
- AThe Downing Street Declaration
- BThe Anglo-Irish Agreement
- CThe Good Friday Agreement
- DThe Stormont Agreement
1998's Belfast Agreement — the Good Friday Agreement — was shortly followed by the Northern Ireland Assembly. (Devolved administrations)
10.Which railway did Isambard Kingdom Brunel construct?
- AThe London and Birmingham Railway
- BThe Caledonian Railway
- CThe Stockton and Darlington Railway
- DThe Great Western Railway
Isambard Kingdom Brunel was responsible for constructing the Great Western Railway, the first major railway built in Britain. (Victorian trade, industry and the Crimean War)
11.What did Richard Arkwright originally train and work as?
- AAn engineer
- BA miner
- CA barber
- DA weaver
Richard Arkwright improved the original carding machine and developed horse-driven spinning mills. (The Industrial Revolution)
12.Which countries did the Vikings come from?
- ASweden, Finland and Russia
- BGermany, Denmark and the Netherlands
- CDenmark, Norway and Sweden
- DNorway, Iceland and Ireland
The Vikings came from Denmark, Norway and Sweden. (The Vikings)
13.What was James II’s religion?
- ARoman Catholic
- BProtestant
- CPresbyterian
- DPuritan
Charles II died in 1685 and his Roman Catholic brother became King James II. (A Catholic king and the Glorious Revolution)
14.Which modern party is still sometimes referred to as the Tories?
- AThe Conservative Party
- BThe Labour Party
- CThe Liberal Democrats
- DThe Green Party
The modern Conservative Party is still sometimes referred to as the Tories. (The Bill of Rights and constitutional monarchy)
15.In which year was the Battle of Waterloo?
- A1805
- B1783
- C1789
- D1815
Waterloo in 1815 closed the French Wars, the Duke of Wellington defeating the Emperor Napoleon. (The American War of Independence and war with France)
16.How often does the cabinet usually meet?
- AWeekly
- BMonthly
- CDaily
- DOnce a session
Meeting weekly as a committee, the cabinet takes the important decisions on government policy. (The Prime Minister, the cabinet and the opposition)
17.What happened to laws in Scotland?
- AThey were set by the clans
- BThey were imposed by England
- CThey were codified, that is, written down
- DThey were developed by precedence
In Scotland the laws were codified, that is, written down. (Magna Carta and the rise of Parliament)
18.In which year was the Bill of Rights?
- A1688
- B1689
- C1679
- D1707
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)
19.At which TWO battles was the king’s army defeated?
Choose two
- ABosworth Field
- BBannockburn
- CNaseby
- DMarston Moor
Marston Moor and Naseby were the battles that broke the king's army. (Cromwell and the English republic)
20.Which organisation campaigns on human rights?
- ALiberty
- BGreenpeace
- CThe National Trust
- DThe CBI
Greenpeace campaigns on the environment and Liberty campaigns on human rights. (Parties, pressure groups, the civil service and local government)
21.What is the alternative to an oath of allegiance for new citizens?
- AA written declaration to the Home Office
- BAn affirmation of allegiance
- CA pledge to the Prime Minister
- DA signed undertaking to obey the law
New citizens make either an oath of allegiance or an affirmation of allegiance. (The monarchy)
22.For which years was Sir Robert Walpole Prime Minister?
- A1707 to 1714
- B1689 to 1702
- C1721 to 1742
- D1760 to 1783
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)
23.What happens to police officers who are corrupt or misuse their authority?
- AThey are suspended without pay
- BThey are transferred to another force
- CThey are severely punished
- DThey are given further training
Officers are bound by the law too — no misuse of authority, no false statement, no rudeness or abuse, no racial discrimination. (The police and their duties)
24.Who wrote The Bruce, about the Battle of Bannockburn?
- AJohn Barbour
- BRobert Burns
- CGeoffrey Chaucer
- DSir Walter Scott
John Barbour wrote The Bruce about the Battle of Bannockburn in the Scots language. (A distinct identity and the Wars of the Roses)