NatuPass United Kingdom

Free practice test for the Life in the UK Test (United Kingdom)

Test yourself. Open each question to see the answer and why it is correct.

1. Which of these is a fundamental British value?
  1. Democracy and the rule of law
  2. Rule by a single party
  3. Obedience to the monarch in all things

Answer: Democracy and the rule of law. British values include democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

2. Which of these is a legal right in the UK?
  1. Freedom of speech within the law
  2. The right to ignore a court order
  3. The right to refuse to pay tax

Answer: Freedom of speech within the law. People in the UK have freedom of speech, of religion and of peaceful assembly, within the limits of the law (for example, no incitement to hatred or violence).

3. What should you do if you see a crime happening?
  1. Report it to the police
  2. Ignore it
  3. Take the law into your own hands

Answer: Report it to the police. Report crimes to the police. In an emergency call 999; for non-emergency matters call 101.

4. In what year did the Romans first invade Britain under Julius Caesar?
  1. 55 BC
  2. 1066
  3. 43 AD

Answer: 55 BC. Julius Caesar led expeditions in 55 and 54 BC. The lasting Roman conquest began in 43 AD under Emperor Claudius.

5. Who won the Battle of Hastings in 1066?
  1. William of Normandy
  2. Harold Godwinson
  3. Alfred the Great

Answer: William of Normandy. William, Duke of Normandy, defeated King Harold at Hastings and became William I, the first Norman king of England.

6. Which queen reigned during the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588?
  1. Elizabeth I
  2. Victoria
  3. Mary I

Answer: Elizabeth I. Elizabeth I's reign (1558–1603) is often called a golden age, with Shakespeare, Drake and the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

7. In which year did the Act of Union join England and Scotland?
  1. 1707
  2. 1801
  3. 1603

Answer: 1707. The 1707 Act of Union created the Kingdom of Great Britain. In 1801 Ireland joined, forming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

8. In which year did the First World War begin?
  1. 1914
  2. 1939
  3. 1918

Answer: 1914. Britain declared war on Germany in August 1914 and the war ended on 11 November 1918. Remembrance Day marks the Armistice.

9. Which treaty did the UK join in 1973?
  1. The European Economic Community
  2. The North Atlantic Treaty
  3. The Treaty of Versailles

Answer: The European Economic Community. The UK joined the EEC in 1973. It left the European Union on 31 January 2020 after a referendum in 2016.

10. What type of government does the UK have?
  1. A constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy
  2. An absolute monarchy
  3. A republic with a president

Answer: A constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. The monarch is head of state but must act on the advice of ministers. Parliament makes laws and the government is chosen from it.

11. How often must a general election be held at most?
  1. Every five years
  2. Every two years
  3. Every ten years

Answer: Every five years. Under current law a general election must be held at least every five years, though the Prime Minister can call one earlier.

12. Which of these countries has its own devolved parliament or assembly?
  1. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
  2. Only Scotland
  3. Only England

Answer: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Devolution gives the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Senedd and the Northern Ireland Assembly power over certain matters such as health and education.

13. What is the role of magistrates?
  1. They hear less serious criminal cases in local courts
  2. They make laws
  3. They lead the police

Answer: They hear less serious criminal cases in local courts. Magistrates (justices of the peace) are volunteers who hear most minor criminal cases. Serious crimes go to the Crown Court with a jury.

14. What are the four patron saints' days of the UK nations?
  1. St George, St Andrew, St David, St Patrick
  2. St Peter, St Paul, St John, St Mark
  3. St Nicholas, St Luke, St Mary, St James

Answer: St George, St Andrew, St David, St Patrick. St George (England, 23 April), St Andrew (Scotland, 30 November), St David (Wales, 1 March) and St Patrick (Ireland, 17 March).

15. What do people in the UK traditionally do on Boxing Day?
  1. It is a public holiday on 26 December
  2. They exchange wedding gifts
  3. They celebrate the New Year

Answer: It is a public holiday on 26 December. Boxing Day, 26 December, follows Christmas Day and is a bank holiday in the UK.

16. Which sport is played at Wimbledon?
  1. Tennis
  2. Cricket
  3. Golf

Answer: Tennis. The Wimbledon Championships, in south London, are held each summer and are the oldest tennis tournament in the world.

17. Which British scientist is famous for the theory of evolution?
  1. Charles Darwin
  2. Alexander Fleming
  3. Stephen Hawking

Answer: Charles Darwin. Darwin's 'On the Origin of Species' (1859) set out natural selection.

18. Who wrote 'Pride and Prejudice'?
  1. Jane Austen
  2. Charlotte Brontë
  3. Virginia Woolf

Answer: Jane Austen. Jane Austen (1775–1817) wrote six novels including Emma and Sense and Sensibility.

19. What is the capital of Scotland?
  1. Edinburgh
  2. Glasgow
  3. Aberdeen

Answer: Edinburgh. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland. Glasgow is the largest city.

20. What is the longest river in the UK?
  1. The River Severn
  2. The Thames
  3. The Trent

Answer: The River Severn. The Severn (about 354 km) is the longest river in the UK; the Thames flows through London.

21. What is the UK national anthem?
  1. God Save the King
  2. Rule, Britannia!
  3. Jerusalem

Answer: God Save the King. The national anthem is 'God Save the King' (or 'Queen' under a queen). It is sung at official events.

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