Life in the UK Practice Test 1 of 19

What is the patron saint of Scotland?

• St George
• St David
• St AndrewCorrect
• St Patrick

From the handbook: The patron saints: England = St George (23 April), Scotland = St Andrew (30 November), Wales = St David (1 March), Northern Ireland = St Patrick (17 March).

Who is the head of the Church of England and who is its spiritual leader?

• The monarch is the head; the Archbishop of Canterbury is the spiritual leaderCorrect
• The Archbishop of Canterbury is the head; the Prime Minister has ultimate authority over church affairs
• The monarch is the spiritual leader; the Archbishop of Canterbury is the head of the Church
• The Prime Minister is the head; the Archbishop of Canterbury is the ceremonial figurehead

From the handbook: The monarch has the right to select the Archbishop and other senior church officials, but usually the choice is made by the Prime Minister and a committee appointed by the Church.

According to the 2009 Citizenship Survey, what percentage of people in the UK identified as Christian?

• 70%Correct
• 50%
• 60%
• 80%

From the handbook: The survey also found that 4% identified as Muslim, 2% as Hindu, 1% as Sikh, and 21% said they had no religion.

Which Act protects the right to free speech, but also places limits on harmful speech such as incitement to hatred?

• The Magna Carta
• The Human Rights Act 1998Correct
• The Equality Act 2010
• The Freedom of Information Act 2000

How long did the Hundred Years War between England and France actually last?

• 116 yearsCorrect
• 100 years
• 87 years
• 130 years

The Domesday Book was commissioned by which monarch?

• King Alfred the Great
• King Henry II
• William the ConquerorCorrect
• King John

How would you best describe the climate of the United Kingdom?

• Hot and dry in summer, cold and snowy in winter
• Mild and wet throughout the yearCorrect
• Dry continental climate with extreme temperatures
• Tropical with high humidity year-round

What was the Education Act 1944 also commonly known as?

• The Butler ActCorrect
• The Beveridge Act
• The Attlee Act
• The Bevan Act

From the handbook: R A Butler oversaw the act as the minister responsible for education. It introduced free secondary education in England and Wales.

What was found at the burial site at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk?

• An Anglo-Saxon king buried with treasure and armour in a ship covered by a mound of earthCorrect
• A Roman emperor's tomb containing gold coins and ceremonial weapons
• A Viking longship filled with looted treasure from Anglo-Saxon monasteries
• A Celtic chieftain buried with bronze tools and jewellery from the Bronze Age

What did the Bill of Rights of 1689 confirm?

• The rights of Parliament and the limits of the king's powerCorrect
• The right of all men to vote in parliamentary elections
• The abolition of the monarchy and creation of a republic
• The freedom of all citizens from arrest without trial

From the handbook: The Bill of Rights confirmed that the monarch could no longer raise taxes or administer justice without Parliament's agreement, and that Parliament controlled who could be monarch.

Which of the following are Crown dependencies? Select all that apply.

• The Channel IslandsCorrect
• The Isle of ManCorrect
• The Falkland Islands
• St Helena

From the handbook: The Falkland Islands and St Helena are British overseas territories, not Crown dependencies.

Who was British Prime Minister during most of the Second World War?

• Clement Attlee
• Neville Chamberlain
• Anthony Eden
• Winston ChurchillCorrect

The BBC is funded primarily by which means?

• Government grants
• Advertising revenue
• The television licence feeCorrect
• Subscription fees

From the handbook: The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) is funded by a mandatory annual television licence fee paid by households watching live TV or using BBC iPlayer. It does not carry advertising.

Who was the first monarch of England to be executed during the Civil War?

• King James I
• King Charles ICorrect
• King Charles II
• King George I

From the handbook: King Charles I was executed in 1649 after losing the Civil War against Parliament's forces (Roundheads) led by Oliver Cromwell. This was the only time England was without a monarch (the Commonwealth period).

What was "the Blitz"?

• The German air force's night-time bombing campaign against London and other British citiesCorrect
• The German ground invasion of Britain that was repelled in 1941
• The British bombing campaign against German industrial cities
• The Allied naval blockade that cut off German supply lines

From the handbook: Coventry was almost totally destroyed and the East End of London suffered great damage. The phrase "the Blitz spirit" describes Britons pulling together in adversity.

What is the difference between an arranged marriage and a forced marriage under UK law?

• Arranged marriages (where both parties agree) are acceptable; forced marriages (where one or both parties do not consent) are a criminal offenceCorrect
• Both are acceptable in the UK provided the ceremony is conducted by a registered religious or civil officiant
• Arranged marriages are not recognised under UK law; only civil ceremonies or Church of England ceremonies are legally valid
• Forced marriages are legal if carried out abroad, but illegal if performed on UK soil

From the handbook: Forced Marriage Protection Orders were introduced in 2008 for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in November 2011 for Scotland. Breaching such an order can result in up to two years in jail.

Which side was Britain on during the First World War?

• The Allied Powers, which included France, Russia, Belgium and the United StatesCorrect
• The Central Powers, which included Germany and the Ottoman Empire
• Britain remained neutral during most of the First World War
• The Allied Powers, but only after the United States joined in 1917

Henry VIII broke with the Roman Catholic Church primarily because of which dispute?

• A disagreement over the sale of indulgences
• The Pope's refusal to annul his marriage to Catherine of AragonCorrect
• A dispute over the taxation of the English clergy
• A theological disagreement about the nature of the Eucharist

Which of the following are among the five fundamental principles of British life? Select all that apply.

• Individual libertyCorrect
• Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefsCorrect
• Compulsory military service
• Participation in community lifeCorrect

Which of the following is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010?

• Political opinion
• Occupation
• Sexual orientationCorrect
• Wealth

What language family did Iron Age Britons speak, and where are related languages still spoken today?

• The Celtic language family; related languages are still spoken in parts of Wales, Scotland and IrelandCorrect
• The Germanic language family; related languages are spoken in Germany and the Netherlands
• The Latin language family; related languages are still spoken across southern Europe
• The Norse language family; related languages survive in Scandinavia

Who is the patron saint of England?

• St Andrew
• St David
• St GeorgeCorrect
• St Patrick

What position did Oliver Cromwell hold after the execution of King Charles I?

• King of England
• Lord ProtectorCorrect
• Prime Minister
• Archbishop of Canterbury

What was Winston Churchill voted in 2002?

• The greatest Briton of all time, by a public voteCorrect
• The most important political leader of the 20th century, by MPs
• The most influential person in British history, by historians
• The greatest wartime leader in world history, by an international poll