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BritWise — Life in the UK Test Practice
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Free Life in the UK test

10 questions from the official handbook, starting below. There is nothing to sign up for and nothing to pay — answer them here and you will be told straight away which ones you got right and why.

Questions
10
Time limit
No limit
Pass mark
8 of 10 (75%)
How do you want to practise?

Answers and explanations

The same 10 questions with the answers shown. Read the explanation even where you were right — the real test asks the same facts several ways.

  1. 1. Who was the first wife of Henry VIII?

    • Anne Boleyn
    • Jane Seymour
    • Catherine Parr
    • Catherine of Aragon — correct answer

    Catherine of Aragon was Henry VIII's first wife. She was a Spanish princess and the mother of the future Mary I. Handbook section 3.8.

  2. 2. At which London theatre did Shakespeare work?

    • The Globe — correct answer
    • The Royal Albert Hall
    • The Old Vic
    • The Lyceum

    Shakespeare worked at the Globe theatre in London, where many of his plays were first performed. Handbook section 4.7.

  3. 3. During which centuries did the Industrial Revolution take place in Britain?

    • The 19th and 20th centuries
    • The 16th and 17th centuries
    • The 18th and 19th centuries — correct answer
    • The 15th and 16th centuries

    The Industrial Revolution took place in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was the rapid growth of industry and factory work. Handbook section 3.13.

  4. 4. Which court deals with civil disputes such as debt and breach of contract?

    • The county court — correct answer
    • The Crown Court
    • The magistrates' court
    • The youth court

    County courts handle civil claims, including debt, personal injury and contract disputes. The most serious civil cases go to the High Court. Handbook section 5.15.

  5. 5. Which well-known dish is traditionally bought from a takeaway shop in England?

    • Fish and chips — correct answer
    • Haggis
    • Soda bread
    • Welsh cakes

    Fish and chips is a traditional English dish, usually bought from a takeaway shop and eaten hot. Handbook section 4.13.

  6. 6. Which of these best shows tolerance in everyday life?

    • Treating a neighbour with respect even though they hold different beliefs from you — correct answer
    • Asking a neighbour to hide their beliefs
    • Only speaking to people who share your faith
    • Reporting a neighbour for going to a different place of worship

    Tolerance means accepting that other people may believe and live differently from you, and treating them with respect anyway. Handbook section 1.1.

  7. 7. What is the Booker Prize for Fiction awarded for?

    • The best fiction novel of the year — correct answer
    • The best first poem by a new writer
    • The best play staged in the West End
    • The best history book of the year

    The Booker Prize for Fiction is given each year for the best novel, written by an author from the Commonwealth, Ireland or Zimbabwe. Handbook section 4.10.

  8. 8. Which of these remains under the control of the UK government in London?

    • Defence and foreign affairs — correct answer
    • Schools in Scotland
    • Hospitals in Wales
    • Welsh road signs

    Defence, foreign affairs, immigration, taxation and social security are reserved matters, decided for the whole UK by the government in London. Handbook section 5.9.

  9. 9. What does the law say about discrimination at work?

    • It is unlawful to discriminate on grounds such as sex, race, disability, religion or age — correct answer
    • Employers may set any rules they wish
    • Discrimination is allowed in small businesses
    • Only discrimination by government employers is unlawful

    Discrimination law protects people from being treated worse because of characteristics such as sex, race, disability, age, religion or sexual orientation. Handbook section 5.17.

  10. 10. In which year was the General Strike?

    • 1918
    • 1922
    • 1926 — correct answer
    • 1929

    The General Strike took place in 1926. Workers in many industries stopped work in support of the miners. Handbook section 3.17.

What the real test is like

The official test is 24 questions in 45 minutes, and you need 18 of them right — 75% — to pass. It costs £50 every time you sit it, which is the reason to be sure before you book rather than after.

The 10 questions above are shorter than that on purpose. When you want the real thing, sit a full paper against the real clock.

Sit a full 24-question test

What else is free

391 questions, every one of them with a written explanation. None of it is behind an account.