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Final rehearsal · Test 23 of 24

Life in the UK practice test 23: Night Before

Paper 23 is the one to sit the night before. It is not for learning anything new — it is for arriving at the test centre having already answered 24 questions correctly and recently.

How to sit this one. Sit it timed, then stop. Reading the handbook late into the night has never helped anyone pass this test.

24 questions in 45 minutes, with 18 correct to pass — the same 75% the official test asks for. Nothing is saved to an account: your progress stays in this browser, so you can close the tab and pick the paper up where you left it.

Questions
24
Time limit
45 minutes
Pass mark
18 of 24 (75%)
How do you want to practise?

Answers and explanations

Every question in paper 23, with the right answer and the handbook section it comes from. Open it after you have had a go.

Show all 24 answers and explanations

  1. 1. Why was the London Eye built in 2000?

    • To celebrate the start of the new millennium — correct answer
    • To mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee
    • To celebrate the London Olympic Games
    • To replace an older wheel on the same site

    The London Eye opened in 2000 to celebrate the new millennium, and it is now used for New Year firework displays. Handbook section 4.15.

  2. 2. How often is a census of the UK population normally taken?

    • Every ten years — correct answer
    • Every year
    • Every five years
    • Every twenty-five years

    A census counts the population once every ten years, so the government can plan schools, housing and health services. Handbook section 4.1.

  3. 3. What is the minimum age for buying alcohol in a UK pub or shop?

    • 18 — correct answer
    • 16
    • 17
    • 21

    It is illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under 18, and also illegal for someone under 18 to buy or try to buy it. Handbook section 5.16.

  4. 4. Which of these was part of the British Empire by 1900?

    • India — correct answer
    • Japan
    • Brazil
    • Norway

    India was part of the British Empire, along with Australia, Canada and large parts of Africa. Handbook section 3.15.

  5. 5. Which two statements about the Proms are correct?

    • They are organised by the BBC — correct answer
    • They are held at the Royal Albert Hall in London — correct answer
    • They take place every winter in Edinburgh
    • They are only open to professional musicians

    The Proms are organised by the BBC and held at the Royal Albert Hall in London each summer. Handbook section 4.6.

  6. 6. Many people volunteer for the National Trust. What is the work of this charity?

    • Looks after historic buildings and areas of countryside for the public — correct answer
    • Runs the national museums for the government
    • Provides insurance for homeowners
    • Manages the electoral register

    The National Trust is a charity that preserves historic houses, gardens and coastline. It relies heavily on volunteers. Handbook section 5.19.

  7. 7. Who became Prime Minister after the general election of 1945?

    • Margaret Thatcher
    • Clement Attlee — correct answer
    • Winston Churchill
    • Harold Wilson

    Labour won the 1945 election and Clement Attlee became Prime Minister. His government built the welfare state. Handbook section 3.19.

  8. 8. In Northern Ireland, who normally hears cases that magistrates would hear in England?

    • A District Judge, who is legally qualified and paid — correct answer
    • A jury of 12 members of the public
    • A Justice of the Peace
    • A Chief Constable

    Northern Ireland uses paid, legally qualified District Judges for these cases rather than the volunteer magistrates found in England and Wales. Handbook section 5.15.

  9. 9. What did the Human Rights Act 1998 do?

    • It made the rights in the European Convention on Human Rights part of UK law — correct answer
    • It abolished the House of Lords
    • It created the Scottish Parliament
    • It gave 16-year-olds the vote

    The Human Rights Act 1998 brought the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law, so a person can rely on those rights in a British court instead of going abroad. Handbook section 5.2.

  10. 10. What was the Blitz?

    • A British bombing campaign over Germany
    • The building of air raid shelters
    • The heavy bombing of British cities by German aircraft — correct answer
    • The evacuation of children to the countryside

    The Blitz was the heavy bombing of British cities by German aircraft. London, Coventry and many other cities were badly damaged. Handbook section 3.18.

  11. 11. What was Dolly the sheep the first of?

    • The first mammal cloned from an adult cell — correct answer
    • The first animal born through IVF
    • The first sheep bred in Scotland
    • The first animal to be given penicillin

    Dolly the sheep, created by scientists near Edinburgh, was the first mammal cloned successfully from an adult cell. Handbook section 4.16.

  12. 12. How old must you be to stand for election as an MP?

    • 18 or over — correct answer
    • 16 or over
    • 21 or over
    • 25 or over

    The minimum age to stand for election to the House of Commons is 18, the same age at which you can vote. Handbook section 5.7.

  13. 13. Which British bands became famous around the world in the 1960s?

    • The Beatles and the Rolling Stones — correct answer
    • Queen and Oasis
    • The Spice Girls and Blur
    • Pink Floyd and Coldplay

    The Beatles and the Rolling Stones led the British music of the 1960s. The decade is often called the Swinging Sixties. Handbook section 3.19.

  14. 14. What is Hogmanay?

    • The Scottish celebration of New Year — correct answer
    • A Welsh harvest festival
    • A Northern Irish spring parade
    • An English midsummer fair

    Hogmanay is the Scottish celebration of New Year, and in Scotland 2 January is a public holiday as well as 1 January. Handbook section 4.4.

  15. 15. Which of these is a responsibility of everyone who wants to live permanently in the UK?

    • Respecting and obeying the law — correct answer
    • Learning a second European language
    • Working in the public sector
    • Living in the same town for ten years

    Respecting and obeying the law is the first responsibility listed for anyone who wants to be a permanent resident or citizen. It applies to everyone equally. Handbook section 1.2.

  16. 16. Who became head of the Church of England when Henry VIII broke with Rome?

    • The Pope
    • Parliament
    • The king himself — correct answer
    • The Archbishop of Canterbury

    Henry VIII made himself head of the new Church of England. The monarch has been at the head of that church ever since. Handbook section 3.9.

  17. 17. What is a postal vote?

    • A ballot paper sent to you to complete at home and return by post — correct answer
    • A vote cast by telephone
    • A vote cast on behalf of the whole household
    • A vote counted only if the result is close

    If you cannot get to a polling station you can apply for a postal vote and return your completed ballot paper by post before the deadline. Handbook section 5.8.

  18. 18. The Chartists were seen as a failure at the time. What happened to their demands later?

    • Almost all of them had become law by 1918 — correct answer
    • They were written into a single written constitution
    • They were rejected permanently by an Act of Parliament
    • They were adopted only in Scotland

    The Chartists won nothing immediately, but by 1918 nearly every reform they had asked for was law. Their campaign shaped the democracy the UK has today. Handbook section 5.1.

  19. 19. Who first built the Tower of London?

    • William the Conqueror — correct answer
    • Henry VIII
    • Sir Christopher Wren
    • Queen Victoria

    The Tower of London was first built by William the Conqueror after he became king in 1066. Handbook section 4.15.

  20. 20. Is Northern Ireland part of the United Kingdom?

    • Yes, it is one of the four countries of the UK — correct answer
    • No, it is a Crown dependency
    • No, it is a British overseas territory
    • No, it is part of the Republic of Ireland

    Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the UK, alongside England, Scotland and Wales. Handbook section 2.1.

  21. 21. In which year was the Great Fire of London?

    • 1666 — correct answer
    • 1688
    • 1642
    • 1660

    The Great Fire of London broke out in 1666, the year after the plague. It destroyed much of the city. Handbook section 3.11.

  22. 22. What are the BAFTAs?

    • British awards for film and television — correct answer
    • A chain of British cinemas
    • A film school in London
    • A television licensing body

    The BAFTAs are British awards for film and television and are often described as the British equivalent of the Oscars. Handbook section 4.11.

  23. 23. Which of these is NOT a freedom that the UK offers?

    • Freedom to ignore a tax bill — correct answer
    • Freedom of speech
    • A right to a fair trial
    • Freedom from unfair discrimination

    Paying tax is a duty, not something you may opt out of. Free speech, a fair trial and protection from unfair discrimination are all offered. Handbook section 1.2.

  24. 24. Who is the patron saint of Wales?

    • St David — correct answer
    • St Patrick
    • St George
    • St Andrew

    St David is the patron saint of Wales, and Welsh people mark his day at the start of March each year. Handbook section 4.3.

What paper 23 asks about

These 24 questions come from 5 chapters of the official handbook. By the difficulty the questions were written at, that is 13 easy, 9 medium and 2 harder.

Chapters in this paper

The topics it leans on most

Revise before the next paper

A mock test tells you where you stand. These pages are where you close the gaps.