Life in the UK practice test

Life in the UK Mock Test 12

This free mock test contains 24 Life in the UK practice questions with answer options, correct answers, and explanations. Use it to revise for British citizenship or settlement preparation alongside the official study materials.

The official Life in the UK Test uses 24 questions and a 45-minute time limit. This page keeps the full practice content available in normal HTML, then the interactive app replaces it when JavaScript is available.

Question 1: What do people call the elected members of the Welsh government?

  • MSPs
  • SMs
  • MLAs
  • MPs

Correct answer: SMs

The correct answer is SMs. In Wales the elected members are called SMs or Senedd Members.

Question 2: How often do the ministers that form the Cabinet meet to make important decisions about government policy?

  • Every day
  • Weekly
  • Monthly
  • Every six months

Correct answer: Weekly

The correct answer is Weekly. The cabinet is a committee which usually meets weekly and makes significant decisions around government policy.

Question 3: What number of Welsh-language channels are there in Wales?

  • None
  • One
  • Two
  • Three

Correct answer: One

The correct answer is One. There is one Welsh-language channel in Wales.

Question 4: Which answer gives the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the Houses of Parliament in London?

  • Tower of London
  • Buckingham clock
  • Big Ben
  • Big Clock

Correct answer: Big Ben

The correct answer is Big Ben. Big Ben is the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the House of Parliament in London.

Question 5: What number of countries are members of the United Nations?

  • Over 190 countries
  • Over 150 countries
  • Over 140 countries
  • Over 180 countries

Correct answer: Over 190 countries

The correct answer is Over 190 countries. The UK is part of the United Nations (UN), an international organization with more than 190 countries as members.

Question 6: Which statement is correct?

  • The police force is a public service that supports and protects everyone
  • The police force is a private service that supports and protects everyone
  • The police force is a private service in charge of rescuing people from dangerous situations
  • The police force is a public service that works to avoid road accidents

Correct answer: The police force is a public service that supports and protects everyone

The correct answer is The police force is a public service that supports and protects everyone. The police force is a public service that supports and protects everyone, no matter what their background or where they live.

Question 7: Which answer gives the system by which the income tax is automatically taken from the employee’s income by their employer and paid directly to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)?

  • Self-assessment
  • “Pay As You Earn” (PAYE)
  • Tax return
  • Pension tax

Correct answer: “Pay As You Earn” (PAYE)

The correct answer is “Pay As You Earn” (PAYE). For most people, the right amount of income tax is automatically taken from their income from employment by their employer and paid directly to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), the government department that collects taxes.

Question 8: What number of British casualties were recorded during the First World War?

  • Over 2 million people
  • Over 3 million people
  • Over 4 million people
  • Over 5 million people

Correct answer: Over 2 million people

The correct answer is Over 2 million people. During the First World War millions of people were killed or wounded, with more than 2 million British casualties.

Question 9: Why did Henry VIII decide to divorce Catherine of Aragon?

  • She was unpopular in the country
  • She was considered too old to give him another child
  • For political reasons
  • She was accused of taking lovers to the Palace

Correct answer: She was considered too old to give him another child

The correct answer is She was considered too old to give him another child. When Catherine was too old to give him another child, Henry VIII decided to divorce her, hoping that another wife would give him a son to be his heir.

Question 10: What number of local authorities are there in London?

  • 22
  • 25
  • 33
  • 43

Correct answer: 33

The correct answer is 33. London has 33 local authorities, with the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London coordinating policies across the capital.

Question 11: In which year or period did British combat troops leave Iraq?

  • In 2004
  • In 2005
  • In 2006
  • In 2009

Correct answer: In 2009

The correct answer is In 2009. British combat troops left Iraq in 2009.

Question 12: Where is the Parliament of the UK?

  • In Manchester
  • In Westminster
  • In Windsor Castle
  • In Buckingham Palace

Correct answer: In Westminster

The correct answer is In Westminster. The UK is governed by the parliament sitting in Westminster.

Question 13: Which option is a criminal offence?

  • The sale of tobacco to someone under the age of 18
  • Owing money to someone
  • Discrimination in the workplace
  • The sale of faulty goods or services

Correct answer: The sale of tobacco to someone under the age of 18

The correct answer is The sale of tobacco to someone under the age of 18. It is illegal and a criminal offence to sell tobacco products (for example, cigarettes, cigars, roll-up tobacco) to anyone under the age of 18.

Question 14: Which person used a system of land ownership known as feudalism?

  • The Greeks
  • The Vikings
  • The Normans
  • The Welsh

Correct answer: The Normans

The correct answer is The Normans. The Normans used a system of land ownership called feudalism.

Question 15: Which Shakespeare play or poem includes the line ‘all the world’s a stage’?

  • Romeo and Juliet
  • Hamlet
  • As You Like It
  • Sonnet 18

Correct answer: As You Like It

The correct answer is As You Like It. All the world’s a stage’ are lines from William Shakespeare’s play As You Like It.

Question 16: Which area did English settlers begin to colonise during Elizabeth I’s reign?

  • Indonesia
  • The eastern coast of America
  • The western coast of Australia
  • The Pacific Islands

Correct answer: The eastern coast of America

The correct answer is The eastern coast of America. In Elizabeth I’s time, English settlers earliest began to colonise the eastern coast of America.

Question 17: Which city is the Welsh government building, also known as Senedd, located?

  • Edinburgh
  • Belfast
  • Cardiff Bay
  • Swansea

Correct answer: Cardiff Bay

The correct answer is Cardiff Bay. In Wales the elected members, called SMs, meet at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.

Question 18: What architectural style became popular in the 19th century?

  • Corinthian
  • Barroco
  • Medieval Gothic
  • Art Deco

Correct answer: Medieval Gothic

The correct answer is Medieval Gothic. In the 19th century, the medieval ’gothic’ style became popular again.

Question 19: Which of the following gardens is NOT located in England?

  • Mount Stewart
  • Kew Gardens
  • Sissinghurst
  • Hidcote

Correct answer: Mount Stewart

The correct answer is Mount Stewart. There are famous gardens to visit throughout the UK, including Kew Gardens, Sissinghurst and Hidcote in England, Crathes Castle and Inveraray Castle in Scotland, Bodnant Garden in Wales, and Mount Stewart in Northern Ireland.

Question 20: Which TWO families started a civil war to decide who should be king of England in 1455?

  • The House of Lancaster
  • The House of Kent
  • The House of York
  • The House of Newcastle

Correct answers: The House of Lancaster, The House of York

The correct answers are The House of Lancaster and The House of York. In 1455, a civil war was begun to decide who should be king of England.

Question 21: Which person was in charge of the British fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar?

  • Admiral Nelson
  • Oliver Cromwell
  • The Duke of Wellington
  • Henry VIII

Correct answer: Admiral Nelson

The correct answer is Admiral Nelson. Admiral Nelson was in charge of the British fleet at Trafalgar and was killed in the battle.

Question 22: Which court handles serious criminal offences in Northern Ireland?

  • The Sheriff Court
  • The Crown Court
  • The Magistrates’ Court
  • The High Court

Correct answer: The Crown Court

The correct answer is The Crown Court. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, serious offences are tried in front of a judge and a jury in a Crown Court.

Question 23: What political party does the Speaker represent?

  • The Liberal Democrats
  • The Conservative party
  • The Labour Party
  • These people do not represent any political party

Correct answer: These people do not represent any political party

The correct answer is These people do not represent any political party. The Speaker is neutral and does not represent a political party, even though he or she is an MP, represents a constituency and deals with the constituents’ problems like any other MP.

Question 24: In which year or period was the Scottish Parliament formed?

  • In 2000
  • In 2002
  • In 1999
  • In 1998

Correct answer: In 1999

The correct answer is In 1999. The Scottish Parliament was formed in 1999.

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