Life in the UK Practice Test 12 of 19

The United Kingdom is situated in which part of Europe?

• North-western EuropeCorrect
• Central Europe
• Southern Europe
• Eastern Europe

What caused the great Irish famine in the middle of the 19th century?

• The potato crop failed, leading to disease and starvationCorrect
• A severe drought destroyed all grain harvests for several years
• The British government banned food imports to Ireland
• A series of floods destroyed farmland across the country

From the handbook: A million people died and another million and a half left Ireland as a result of the famine. Many emigrated to the United States or came to England.

What is National Insurance and what does it fund?

• Contributions paid by almost all people in paid work; the money is used to pay for state benefits and services such as the state retirement pension and the NHSCorrect
• A government insurance scheme funded by general taxation that provides cover for unemployment, illness and retirement
• A compulsory savings scheme where workers' contributions are held in a personal account and returned at retirement
• Contributions paid only by employers to fund the National Health Service and state pensions

From the handbook: A National Insurance number is a unique personal account number. All young people in the UK are sent one just before their 16th birthday.

Which of the following were leading thinkers of the Scottish Enlightenment? Select all that apply.

• Adam Smith, who developed ideas about economicsCorrect
• David Hume, whose ideas about human nature influenced philosophersCorrect
• James Watt, whose work on steam power helped the Industrial RevolutionCorrect
• Richard Arkwright, who improved textile manufacturing

From the handbook: Richard Arkwright was English, not Scottish, and is associated with the Industrial Revolution rather than the Enlightenment.

Who was Prime Minister when the NHS was established in 1948?

• Clement AttleeCorrect
• Winston Churchill
• Harold Macmillan
• William Beveridge

From the handbook: Attlee led the Labour government elected in 1945. Aneurin Bevan, his Minister for Health, led the actual establishment of the NHS.

Which of the following musicals were written by Andrew Lloyd Webber? Select all that apply.

• CatsCorrect
• The Phantom of the OperaCorrect
• HMS Pinafore
• EvitaCorrect

From the handbook: HMS Pinafore was written by Gilbert and Sullivan in the 19th century.

How has the composition of the House of Lords changed since 1958?

• Since 1958 the Prime Minister can nominate life peers; since 1999 hereditary peers lost the automatic right to attend and now elect a few of their number to represent themCorrect
• Since 1958 all hereditary peers were removed and replaced by life peers appointed by the PM; since 1999 the Lords became fully elected
• Since 1958 Church of England bishops were removed from the House of Lords; since 1999 life peers were introduced for the first time
• Since 1958 the House of Lords was reduced in size; since 1999 it became a purely advisory body with no power to reject legislation

From the handbook: Before 1958, all peers were either hereditary, senior judges, or Church of England bishops. Life peers have usually had an important career in politics, business, law or another profession.

Why did Emperor Hadrian build a wall in the north of England?

• To keep out the Picts, the ancestors of the Scottish people, who had never been conquered by the RomansCorrect
• To mark the southern boundary of Roman territory after abandoning the north of Britain
• To prevent Anglo-Saxon tribes from invading the Roman-controlled south
• To protect trade routes between Roman settlements in England and Scotland

From the handbook: Hadrian's Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular area for walkers. Parts including the forts of Housesteads and Vindolanda can still be seen.

Which court is the highest court in the UK?

• The Court of Appeal
• The High Court
• The Crown Court
• The Supreme CourtCorrect

From the handbook: The UK Supreme Court was established in 2009, replacing the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords. It is the final court of appeal for civil cases in the entire UK and criminal cases in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

The Great Exhibition of 1851 was held in which building in London?

• The British Museum
• The Crystal PalaceCorrect
• Buckingham Palace
• The Royal Albert Hall

What is England's only major international football tournament victory and when did it take place?

• The FIFA World Cup in 1966, hosted in the UKCorrect
• The UEFA European Championship in 1966, hosted in England
• The FIFA World Cup in 1970, played in Mexico
• The UEFA Champions League in 1968, won by Manchester United

What happens on Ash Wednesday?

• Christians attend church services where they are marked with an ash cross on their forehead as a symbol of death and sorrow for sinCorrect
• Christians gather to burn last year's palm leaves from Palm Sunday in a communal bonfire
• The beginning of Advent is marked by lighting the first candle on an Advent wreath
• Churches hold special services to mark the anniversary of the Great Fire of London

From the handbook: Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent, the 40-day period of reflection before Easter.

What is the National Trust and when was it founded?

• A charity founded in 1895 by three volunteers that works to preserve important buildings, coastline and countryside in England, Wales and Northern IrelandCorrect
• A government agency founded in 1948 to maintain national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty across the UK
• A charity founded in 1895 to protect ancient monuments and listed buildings in England and Scotland
• A government-funded organisation founded in 1900 that manages public footpaths and rights of way in the countryside

From the handbook: There are now more than 61,000 volunteers helping to keep the National Trust running. Scotland has a separate organisation — the National Trust for Scotland.

What were Isaac Newton's major scientific contributions?

• Showing how gravity applied to the whole universe, and discovering that white light is made up of the colours of the rainbowCorrect
• Developing the steam engine and discovering the laws of thermodynamics
• Predicting the return of a comet and developing the first telescope
• Discovering penicillin and developing the theory of evolution

What should you do if you know of someone planning a terrorist attack?

• Confront them yourself
• Say nothing to avoid conflict
• Report it to the policeCorrect
• Warn neighbours and leave the area

What is Margaret Thatcher notable for in British political history?

• She was the first female Prime Minister and the longest-serving PM of the 20th centuryCorrect
• She was the first female Prime Minister and led Britain through the Falklands War and into the EEC
• She was the first female Prime Minister and introduced the National Health Service
• She was the first female Prime Minister and the first PM to serve more than three consecutive terms

Who invented the World Wide Web?

• Sir Tim Berners-LeeCorrect
• Alan Turing
• Sir Robert Watson-Watt
• James Goodfellow

From the handbook: Information was successfully transferred via the web for the first time on 25 December 1990.

What is the difference between criminal law and civil law in the UK?

• Criminal law relates to crimes investigated by the police and punished by courts; civil law is used to settle disputes between individuals or groupsCorrect
• Criminal law applies to serious crimes only; civil law covers all minor offences and disputes
• Criminal law is set by Parliament; civil law is set by judges through case precedent
• Criminal law deals with offences against the state; civil law deals only with financial disputes

Which British cyclist was the first to win the Tour de France, and in what year?

• Bradley Wiggins, in 2012Correct
• Sir Chris Hoy, in 2008
• Bradley Wiggins, in 2008
• Sir Chris Hoy, in 2012

From the handbook: Bradley Wiggins also won Olympic gold medals in 2004, 2008 and 2012, and a total of seven Olympic medals.

What does the term "Great Britain" refer to?

• England, Scotland and Wales onlyCorrect
• England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
• England and Wales only
• The entire UK including all Crown dependencies

From the handbook: "Great Britain" does not include Northern Ireland. The full name of the country adds Northern Ireland separately.

The Pennines are sometimes called the "backbone" of which part of the UK?

• Scotland
• Wales
• Northern EnglandCorrect
• Northern Ireland

Who was the first person to be called Prime Minister?

• Sir Robert WalpoleCorrect
• George I
• William Pitt
• Duke of Wellington

From the handbook: Sir Robert Walpole was Prime Minister from 1721 to 1742.

In which year did the Black Death reach Britain?

• 1215
• 1348Correct
• 1381
• 1415

The Human Rights Act 1998 incorporated which international agreement into UK law?

• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• The Geneva Conventions
• The European Convention on Human RightsCorrect
• The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child