Life in the UK Practice Test 19 of 19

What is distinctive about the BBC compared to other UK broadcasters?

• It is the only wholly state-funded media organisation that is independent of government; it is also the largest broadcaster in the worldCorrect
• It is funded by advertising revenue rather than a licence fee, unlike other UK public broadcasters
• It is owned by the government and required to broadcast all government announcements
• It is a private company that receives an annual grant from Parliament in lieu of advertising

Which of the following statements about paying taxes in the UK is correct?

• Only employed people must pay tax
• Paying taxes is a legal obligation for those with taxable incomeCorrect
• Taxes are optional donations to the government
• Only British citizens are required to pay income tax

What sporting achievement is Bobby Moore famous for?

• Captaining the English football team that won the World Cup in 1966Correct
• Being the first British cyclist to win the Tour de France, in 1966
• Winning gold medals in rowing at five consecutive Olympic Games
• Captaining the English cricket team and setting batting and bowling records

What is the national flower of Scotland?

• Rose
• Daffodil
• ThistleCorrect
• Shamrock

From the handbook: Each nation has its own flower: Scotland = Thistle, England = Rose, Wales = Daffodil (or Leek), Northern Ireland = Shamrock. The Shamrock is Ireland's symbol, not Scotland's.

How did the English language develop after the Norman Conquest?

• Norman French (spoken by the nobility) and Anglo-Saxon (spoken by peasants) gradually combined into one English languageCorrect
• Anglo-Saxon was officially replaced by Norman French as the language of England
• The Church introduced Latin as the standard language for all official purposes
• English developed entirely from Anglo-Saxon, with no influence from Norman French

From the handbook: By 1400, official documents in England were being written in English, and it had become the preferred language of the royal court and Parliament.

What is the role of the Lord Chancellor in the UK government?

• To preside over the House of Lords debates
• To advise the monarch on religious appointments
• To oversee the justice system and act as head of the judiciary in some functionsCorrect
• To manage the UK's foreign policy

What was significant about the Battle of Agincourt in 1415?

• King Henry V's vastly outnumbered English army defeated the FrenchCorrect
• The English were defeated, ending their ambitions in France
• It was the final battle of the Hundred Years War
• It established English rule over the whole of northern France

Which three tribes invaded Britain after the Romans left in AD 410?

• The Jutes, the Angles and the SaxonsCorrect
• The Picts, the Scots and the Celts
• The Vikings, the Danes and the Normans
• The Franks, the Goths and the Vandals

From the handbook: The languages spoken by the Jutes, Angles and Saxons are the basis of modern-day English.

Where was Bonnie Prince Charlie defeated in 1746?

• The Battle of CullodenCorrect
• The Battle of Trafalgar
• The Battle of Waterloo
• The Battle of Hastings

From the handbook: Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) attempted to put a Stuart king back on the throne but was defeated by George II's army.

What is the shadow cabinet?

• Senior ministers who run government departments
• Opposition MPs who mirror government ministers and scrutinise their workCorrect
• Former Prime Ministers who advise the current government
• Civil servants who brief Cabinet ministers

What was significant about England's defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588?

• Spain had sent a large fleet to conquer England and restore Catholicism, but it was defeatedCorrect
• It ended a war over the control of trade routes in the Americas
• It prevented a French-backed invasion of Scotland
• It secured England's control over Ireland and the Irish Sea

From the handbook: The defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 made Elizabeth I particularly popular and cemented England's Protestant identity.

What is the main function of local councils in the UK?

• To pass national legislation
• To deliver local services such as rubbish collection, planning, and local roadsCorrect
• To manage immigration and border controls
• To elect members of the House of Lords

What was the Domesday Book?

• A survey of all towns, villages, landowners and animals in England ordered by William the Conqueror after his conquestCorrect
• A record of battles and laws compiled by the Anglo-Saxon kings before the Norman invasion
• A Viking chronicle documenting raids on British coastal towns from AD 789 onwards
• A Roman census of Britain compiled during Emperor Claudius's occupation

From the handbook: The Domesday Book still exists today and gives a picture of English society just after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

What were the Wars of the Roses, and which two families fought in them?

• A civil war from 1455 between the House of Lancaster (red rose) and the House of York (white rose)Correct
• A series of border wars between England and Scotland from 1455, named after regional symbols
• A religious conflict between Catholic Lancaster and Protestant York in the 15th century
• A war between England and France in which English roses symbolised the two sides of the conflict

Who is the patron saint of England?

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

What is the Royal Society and when was it formed?

• A scientific society formed during Charles II's reign to promote natural knowledge — the oldest surviving scientific society in the worldCorrect
• A royal household organisation formed to manage the monarch's finances and estates
• A society of artists and writers established by Charles II to promote British culture
• A parliamentary committee formed to advise the king on foreign policy

From the handbook: Early members included Sir Edmund Halley (who predicted Halley's Comet) and Sir Isaac Newton.

Which three crosses make up the Union Flag?

• The crosses of St George (England), St Andrew (Scotland) and St Patrick (Ireland)Correct
• The crosses of St George (England), St David (Wales) and St Andrew (Scotland)
• The crosses of St Patrick (Ireland), St David (Wales) and St George (England)
• The crosses of St Andrew (Scotland), St George (England) and St Columba (Ireland)

From the handbook: Wales is not represented separately because when the first Union Flag was created in 1606, Wales was already united with England.

Which British authors have won the Nobel Prize in Literature? Select all that apply.

• Sir William GoldingCorrect
• Seamus HeaneyCorrect
• Harold PinterCorrect
• Agatha Christie

From the handbook: Agatha Christie is one of the best-selling fiction writers of all time but did not win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

How many Houses did the medieval Scottish Parliament have, and what were they called?

• Three Houses called Estates: the lords, the commons and the clergyCorrect
• Two Houses: the House of Lords and the House of Commons
• Four Houses representing the lords, clergy, merchants and landowners
• One House in which all landowners sat together

Who developed radar and how did it work?

• Sir Robert Watson-Watt; enemy aircraft could be detected by radio wavesCorrect
• Alan Turing; mathematical algorithms could detect aircraft patterns
• Sir Frank Whittle; jet exhaust signatures could be tracked remotely
• John Logie Baird; television cameras could be used for aerial surveillance

How are MPs elected in the UK's general elections?

• By first past the post: the candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins; general elections are held at least every five yearsCorrect
• By proportional representation: seats are allocated to each party in proportion to the total number of votes nationally
• By first past the post, with general elections held every four years by law
• By a two-round system where a second vote is held if no candidate wins over 50% in the first round

From the handbook: A byelection is held if an MP dies or resigns. European parliamentary elections use proportional representation and are held every five years.

In which year was the transatlantic slave trade abolished by the British Parliament?

• 1772
• 1807Correct
• 1833
• 1865

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

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

Which of the following cannot stand for election to the House of Commons?

• Members of the House of LordsCorrect
• Citizens of the Irish Republic resident in the UK
• Commonwealth citizens aged 18 or over
• Former civil servants who have retired

From the handbook: Members of the armed forces, civil servants and people convicted of certain criminal offences also cannot stand for public office. Members of the House of Lords are eligible for all other public offices.