Life in the UK Practice Test 3 of 19

What is one of the responsibilities of a UK citizen or permanent resident?

• Joining a political party
• Attending church regularly
• Voting in electionsCorrect
• Speaking only English at home

How many members does the Welsh Assembly have and how often are elections held?

• 60 Assembly members (AMs), elected every four years by proportional representationCorrect
• 129 Assembly members (AMs), elected every five years by first past the post
• 90 Assembly members (AMs), elected every four years by proportional representation
• 60 Assembly members (AMs), elected every five years by first past the post

From the handbook: The Welsh government and National Assembly for Wales are based in Cardiff. Members can speak in Welsh or English and all publications are in both languages. Since 2011, the Assembly can pass laws without UK Parliament agreement.

Which of the following best describes the UK's charity sector?

• Charities in the UK are directly managed by the government
• The UK has a large and active voluntary sector with many thousands of registered charitiesCorrect
• Only religious organisations may register as charities in the UK
• Charitable giving is discouraged by the tax system

What is "canvassing" in the context of UK politics?

• Members of a political party working to persuade people to vote for their candidates, for example by handing out leaflets or knocking on doorsCorrect
• The process by which political parties formally select their candidates to stand for election
• The practice of holding public debates between candidates before an election
• The formal process of counting votes after polling stations close on election day

From the handbook: You do not have to tell a canvasser how you intend to vote if you don't want to.

What is Sir Charlie Chaplin best known for?

• Playing a tramp character in silent movies, and being one of the first British actors to make a career in HollywoodCorrect
• Directing the James Bond film franchise from the 1960s onwards
• Founding Ealing Studios, the oldest continuously working film studio in the world
• Winning four Oscars for animated films featuring Wallace and Gromit

Which of the following are rights protected under the European Convention on Human Rights? Select all that apply.

• Right to a fair trialCorrect
• Freedom of thought, conscience and religionCorrect
• Prohibition of tortureCorrect
• Right to employment

From the handbook: Other rights include: right to life, prohibition of slavery and forced labour, right to liberty and security, and freedom of expression. There is no right to employment in the Convention.

At what age do UK citizens gain the right to vote in a general election?

• 16
• 17
• 18Correct
• 21

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.

Where is the official residence of the British Prime Minister?

• Buckingham Palace
• 10 Downing StreetCorrect
• The Palace of Westminster
• Chequers

The UK is described as a constitutional monarchy. What does this mean?

• The monarch has absolute power over Parliament
• The monarch rules according to the constitution and Parliament holds sovereign powerCorrect
• The UK has a written constitution called "The Constitution"
• The Prime Minister is appointed directly by the monarch without parliamentary involvement

What is Florence Nightingale known for?

• Being the founder of modern nursingCorrect
• Being the first woman to qualify as a doctor in Britain
• Founding the first women's hospital in London during the Victorian era
• Leading the campaign for women's suffrage alongside Emmeline Pankhurst

What are the two requirements you must meet to apply for permanent residence or British citizenship?

• Speak and read English, and have a good understanding of life in the UKCorrect
• Have a job offer and pass a criminal record check
• Live in the UK for five years and pay taxes
• Pass a medical examination and provide a character reference

Who was the first person to run a mile in under four minutes, and in what year?

• Sir Roger Bannister, in 1954Correct
• Sir Steve Redgrave, in 1952
• Sir Roger Bannister, in 1952
• Bobby Moore, in 1966

Which famous horse-racing events take place in the UK? Select all that apply.

• Royal Ascot in BerkshireCorrect
• The Grand National at Aintree near LiverpoolCorrect
• The Scottish Grand National at AyrCorrect
• The Epsom Derby at Newmarket

From the handbook: The Epsom Derby takes place at Epsom Downs, not Newmarket. The National Horseracing Museum is in Newmarket, Suffolk.

Where does the UK parliament sit?

• WestminsterCorrect
• Edinburgh
• Cardiff
• Stormont

The structure of the DNA molecule was discovered in 1953 through work at British universities. Which British scientist was awarded the Nobel Prize for this discovery?

• Francis CrickCorrect
• Alan Turing
• Sir Peter Mansfield
• John MacLeod

What was feudalism?

• A system where the king gave land to lords in return for military service, and peasants worked the land in exchange for protectionCorrect
• A system of elected local government where landowners voted for representatives
• A church-based system of charity where monks distributed land to the poor
• A trading system that linked British merchants to European markets

Which of the following are constitutional institutions in the UK? Select all that apply.

• The monarchyCorrect
• The judiciary (courts)Correct
• The civil serviceCorrect
• The Bank of England

From the handbook: The main constitutional institutions are: the monarchy, Parliament (Commons and Lords), the Prime Minister, the cabinet, the judiciary, the police, the civil service and local government. There are also devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In which parts of the UK is the patron saint's day an official public holiday?

• Scotland (St Andrew's Day) and Northern Ireland (St Patrick's Day)Correct
• England (St George's Day) and Wales (St David's Day)
• All four nations observe their patron saint's day as a public holiday
• None of the four nations observes their patron saint's day as a public holiday

From the handbook: In Scotland, not all businesses and offices will close on St Andrew's Day. Patron saints' days are still celebrated in England and Wales even though they are no longer public holidays.

Who is the head of the Church of England?

• The Prime Minister
• The Archbishop of Canterbury
• The monarchCorrect
• The Speaker of the House

From the handbook: The monarch is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior clergyman, but the constitutional head is the King or Queen.

What is the minimum age to buy alcohol in a pub or night club in the UK?

• 18Correct
• 16
• 17
• 21

From the handbook: When they are 16, people can drink wine or beer with a meal in a hotel or restaurant (including eating areas in pubs) as long as they are with someone over 18.

What does the Union Flag (Union Jack) represent?

• The flags of England, Scotland, and Wales combined
• The flags of England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland combinedCorrect
• The flags of England and Scotland combined
• The flags of all Commonwealth nations

Why is the 1688 revolution called the "Glorious Revolution"?

• There was no fighting in England and it guaranteed the power of Parliament, ending the threat of the monarch ruling aloneCorrect
• It was the most successful military campaign in English history with the fewest casualties
• It led to the creation of a fully democratic republic without a monarchy
• It ended religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants throughout Britain

From the handbook: William of Orange was invited by English Protestants to invade and become king. James II fled to France without a fight.

On which date is St George's Day celebrated?

• 1 March
• 17 March
• 23 AprilCorrect
• 30 November