Free practice test 8
Life in the UK Practice Test 8
24 questions on Britain since 1945, Arts and culture and How you can support your community. Read through them here with every answer explained, or take the same set as a timed test.
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Questions and answers
Every answer below is marked, with a short explanation and a link to the part of the official handbook it comes from.
Question 1 · Britain since 1945
What did Sir Peter Mansfield co-invent that revolutionised diagnostic medicine?
- A.The CT scanner
- B.The MRI scanner
- C.The X-ray machine
- D.The ultrasound scanner
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B. The MRI scanner
Sir Peter Mansfield co-invented the MRI scanner, which enables doctors and researchers to obtain exact and non-invasive images of human internal organs and has revolutionised diagnostic medicine.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 2 · Britain since 1945
Who invented the World Wide Web?
- A.Sir Frank Whittle
- B.Sir Tim Berners-Lee
- C.Alan Turing
- D.James Goodfellow
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B. Sir Tim Berners-Lee
The World Wide Web was invented by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, a British inventor. Information was successfully transferred via the web for the first time on 25 December 1990.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 3 · Britain since 1945
What was the name of the first mammal to be successfully cloned, in 1996?
- A.Molly the sheep
- B.Dolly the sheep
- C.Dolly the cow
- D.Polly the sheep
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B. Dolly the sheep
Dolly the sheep was the first mammal to be successfully cloned, in 1996, by a team led by Sir Ian Wilmot and Keith Campbell.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 4 · Britain since 1945
What was distinctive about the Harrier jump jet, designed and developed in the UK?
- A.It was capable of flying faster than the speed of sound
- B.It was the first jet-powered military aircraft
- C.It was the first supersonic passenger aircraft
- D.It was capable of taking off vertically
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D. It was capable of taking off vertically
The Harrier jump jet, designed and developed in the UK, was a military aircraft capable of taking off vertically — a unique capability that set it apart from conventional aircraft.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 5 · Britain since 1945
What was Sir Robert Watson-Watt's key contribution to British defence technology?
- A.He developed the jet engine for use in military aircraft
- B.He invented the Harrier jump jet, capable of taking off vertically
- C.He developed radar, proposing that enemy aircraft could be detected by radio waves
- D.He developed the atomic bomb for Britain's nuclear defence
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C. He developed radar, proposing that enemy aircraft could be detected by radio waves
Sir Robert Watson-Watt, a Scottish scientist, developed radar by proposing that enemy aircraft could be detected by radio waves. The first successful radar test took place in 1935.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 6 · Britain since 1945
What does 'balance of payments' problem mean in the context of the late 1970s British economy?
- A.The pound was worth more than other currencies
- B.The government was spending more than it was collecting in taxes
- C.Imports of goods were valued at more than the price paid for exports
- D.British banks had more debt than savings
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C. Imports of goods were valued at more than the price paid for exports
In the late 1970s, Britain faced problems with the balance of payments, meaning imports of goods were valued at more than the price paid for exports.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 7 · Britain since 1945
What was a key concern about trade unions in Britain during the late 1970s?
- A.They were too powerful and their activities were harming the UK
- B.They were preventing workers from going on strike
- C.They were controlled by the government
- D.They were not representing enough workers
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A. They were too powerful and their activities were harming the UK
During the late 1970s, many industries and services were affected by strikes. People began to argue that the trade unions were too powerful and that their activities were harming the UK.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 8 · Britain since 1945
Approximately how many people lost their lives in the violence in Northern Ireland in the decades after 1969?
- A.5,000
- B.3,000
- C.10,000
- D.1,000
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B. 3,000
The 1970s were a time of serious unrest in Northern Ireland. In 1972, the Northern Ireland Parliament was suspended and the region came under direct rule by the UK government. Some 3,000 people lost their lives in the decades after 1969 in the violence.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 9 · Britain since 1945
What happened to the Northern Ireland Parliament in 1972?
- A.It was given greater powers over taxation and defence
- B.It was suspended and Northern Ireland came under direct UK government rule
- C.It was dissolved and merged with the Scottish Parliament
- D.It was replaced by a power-sharing assembly with Ireland
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B. It was suspended and Northern Ireland came under direct UK government rule
In 1972, during a period of serious unrest in Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Parliament was suspended and the region came under direct rule by the UK government. Some 3,000 people lost their lives in the decades of violence after 1969.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 10 · Britain since 1945
In which city was Mary Peters born?
- A.Manchester
- B.Belfast
- C.Birmingham
- D.Liverpool
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A. Manchester
Mary Peters was born in Manchester but moved to Northern Ireland as a child.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 11 · Britain since 1945
Which event did Mary Peters win an Olympic gold medal in at the 1972 Olympics?
- A.Decathlon
- B.Heptathlon
- C.Long jump
- D.Pentathlon
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D. Pentathlon
Mary Peters won an Olympic gold medal in the pentathlon in 1972. She went on to raise money for local athletics and became team manager for the women's British Olympic team.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 12 · Arts and culture
Which art movement was David Hockney an important contributor to in the 1960s?
- A.The pop art movement
- B.The abstract expressionist movement
- C.The Pre-Raphaelite movement
- D.The Impressionist movement
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A. The pop art movement
David Hockney (1937-) was an important contributor to the pop art movement of the 1960s and continues to be influential today.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 13 · Arts and culture
What does the Turner Prize celebrate?
- A.Traditional British painting
- B.Landscape painting
- C.Contemporary art
- D.British sculpture and engraving
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C. Contemporary art
The Turner Prize was established in 1984 and celebrates contemporary art. It was named after the landscape painter Joseph Turner and is recognised as one of the most prestigious visual art awards in Europe.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 14 · Arts and culture
Which of the following are previous winners of the Turner Prize?
- A.David Hockney
- B.Damien Hirst
- C.Richard Wright
- D.Lucian Freud
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B. Damien Hirst · C. Richard Wright
The Turner Prize was established in 1984 and celebrates contemporary art. Previous winners include Damien Hirst and Richard Wright. The prize is recognised as one of the most prestigious visual art awards in Europe.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 15 · Arts and culture
Which of the following are examples of medieval cathedrals in the UK?
- A.Westminster and Salisbury
- B.Lincoln and St Paul's
- C.Canterbury and York
- D.Durham and Canterbury
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D. Durham and Canterbury
During the Middle Ages, great cathedrals and churches were built across the UK, many of which still stand today. Examples include the cathedrals in Durham, Lincoln, Canterbury and Salisbury.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 16 · Arts and culture
What is the White Tower in the Tower of London?
- A.A Tudor palace
- B.A medieval cathedral
- C.A Roman fortress
- D.A Norman castle keep
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D. A Norman castle keep
The White Tower in the Tower of London is an example of a Norman castle keep, built on the orders of William the Conqueror. It is part of the rich architectural heritage of the UK.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 17 · Arts and culture
Which famous building did Sir Christopher Wren design in the 17th century?
- A.St Paul's Cathedral
- B.Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire
- C.The Queen's House at Greenwich
- D.The Banqueting House in Whitehall
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A. St Paul's Cathedral
Sir Christopher Wren helped develop a British version of the ornate styles popular in Europe. He designed the new St Paul's Cathedral in London in the 17th century.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 18 · How you can support your community
Approximately how long does it take to give blood in the UK?
- A.30 minutes
- B.Three hours
- C.One hour
- D.Two hours
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C. One hour
Giving blood only takes about an hour to do. Donated blood is used by hospitals to help people with a wide range of injuries and illnesses.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 19 · How you can support your community
What can living people donate in the UK?
- A.A heart
- B.A lung
- C.A liver
- D.A kidney
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D. A kidney
Living people can donate a kidney in the UK. Registering as an organ donor also makes it easier for your family to decide whether to donate your organs when you die.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 20 · How you can support your community
Which of the following is a UK charity that works with children?
- A.Crisis
- B.Age UK
- C.NSPCC
- D.Shelter
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C. NSPCC
The NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) is a UK charity that works with children. Age UK works with older people, while Crisis and Shelter work with the homeless.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 21 · How you can support your community
Which TWO of the following are UK environmental charities?
- A.Friends of the Earth
- B.The National Trust
- C.The British Red Cross
- D.Cancer Research UK
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A. Friends of the Earth · B. The National Trust
The National Trust and Friends of the Earth are both environmental charities in the UK. Cancer Research UK is a medical research charity and the British Red Cross is an international humanitarian organisation.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 22 · How you can support your community
Which of the following charities works with the homeless in the UK?
- A.Shelter
- B.PDSA
- C.Cancer Research UK
- D.Age UK
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A. Shelter
Shelter is a UK charity that works with the homeless. Crisis also works with the homeless. Age UK works with older people, PDSA works with animals and Cancer Research UK is a medical research charity.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 23 · Chapter 2: What is the UK?
Which of the following correctly describes the composition of the UK?
- A.England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
- B.England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- C.England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland
- D.England, Scotland and Wales only
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B. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
The UK is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The rest of Ireland is an independent country.
Read this in the study guideQuestion 24 · The values and principles of the UK
Which TWO of the following freedoms does the UK offer to its residents?
- A.Freedom to carry a weapon for self-defence
- B.Freedom of belief and religion
- C.Freedom of speech
- D.Freedom of movement within the EU
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B. Freedom of belief and religion · C. Freedom of speech
The UK offers freedom of belief and religion, freedom of speech, freedom from unfair discrimination, a right to a fair trial and a right to join in the election of a government.
Read this in the study guide
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