Tuesday 17 March 2009

Okay my British friends, what do you really know...

... about 'Life in the UK'?

I’m nearing the end of my fifth year here. This means that it is time for me to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. Yup, I’m here in this rainy country indefinitely and more than likely permanently. What can I say? I love it here. As part of the process to get my Indefinite Leave I have to take a ‘Life in the UK Test.’ Now some of these questions are no-brainers if you have been here for as long as I have, but then there are these.

So, I put forth a challenge to all you UK citizens. Answer these questions without looking them up anywhere (online, in books, etc). After all, aren’t you expected to just know this? Then, leave your answers as a comment (Yarp) or email me (you can find an email link in my Blogger profile) with your answers. You must submit your answers before 9AM GMT on Friday the 19th March. That is the day that I will be taking my ‘Life in the UK’ test for real. If you pass my little version of this test with 75% (9 out of 12 questions correct), I will buy you a pint (provided you live within the London metropolitan area). 75% is what I’m expected to get in order to pass.

I will publish the answers after I take my test. Of course I'll also be letting you know how I scored.

Good Luck! And no cheating!


1. How many seats for representatives from the UK are there in the European Parliament?
a. 78
b. 88
c. 98
d. 108

2. What is the population of Wales?
a. 2.9 million
b. 2.2 million
c. 1.9 million
d. 1.2 million

3. Which of the following countries does NOT use a proportional representation electoral system?
a. Wales
b. England
c. Scotland
d. Northern Ireland

4. From which TWO locations did Britain admit refugees during the late 1960s and early 1970s?
a. South East Asia
b. Ethiopia
c. Turkey
d. Uganda

5. How many member countries are there in the EU?
a. 17
b. 22
c. 27
d. 32

6. What proportion of people in the UK own their own home?
a. One-third
b. One-half
c. One-quarter
d. Two-thirds

7. During the 1980s, the largest immigrant groups to the UK came from which countries?
a. China, Japan and South Korea
b. Russia, Poland, Belarus and Ukraine
c. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
d. United States, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand

8. What is the difference in the average hourly pay rate for men and women?
a. The average hourly pay rate is 5% lower for women.
b. The average hourly pay rate is 10% lower for women.
c. The average hourly pay rate is 20% lower for women.
d. No difference- the average hourly pay rate for women is the same as men.

9. What proportion of young people who became first time voters in the 2001 general election actually used their vote?
a. One in two
b. One in three
c. One in five
d. One in six

10. Why did Britain admit 28,000 people of Indian origin in the late 1960s and early 1970s?
a. They were escaping religious persecution
b. Because of an agreement with the Indian government
c. They were forced to leave Uganda
d. To address shortages in skilled labour

11. What percentage of England's population is made up of ethnic minority groups?
a. 3%
b. 9%
c. 18%
d. 24%

12. According to the 2001 Census what percentage of the UK population reported that they had a religion?
a. 45%
b. 55%
c. 65%
d. 75%

(Note: This competition is over, but try anyway and then check your answers here)

11 comments:

curpin said...

Hi H,
If you are interested, and for a help you can always try my free website to help with the studies, it is http://uklifetest.com

Anonymous said...

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! *strokes British pasport in relief*

Good luck!

H~ said...

Hey Toni! Thanks, but I'm already taking practice tests online and have a revision book with practice tests in addition to the Home Office publication.

Come on people! Show me what you know. You DO NOT have to buy me a pint if you fail my little test and you might just get one for free. You have nothing to lose!

Anonymous said...

Haha that's a joke. How does knowing any of that make you a better British citizen? The only ones I even have a chance of guessing are 7 (d?), 10 (c) and 11 (I thought the figure was 7.5%, but I'll go with b). Good luck and we'll have to have that drink anyway - just you won't have to buy mine ;)

David de Vynél said...

1. Currently 78 but has been recommended to be reduced to 72 (I think).

2. 2.9m, with about 4 times that amount in sheep.

3. B (BOOO!)

4. A and possibly B

5. C but with almost 50 in the Council of Europe.

6. Hmmmmm. D?

7. D due to tightening of the rules, making it less-accessible where there was no family connection.

8. Depends who you ask but I would say 'officially' it is C, 20%, but actually lower.

9. C or D... Err... C

10. Because of the Ugandan crisis in the mid 60's. C

11. D, 24%. Officially somewhere near 50% in London.

12. Hmmmm. Now, I know that almost 1% said they were Jedi. Okay, it's going to be C or D. Does agnostic count as none? Technically it shouldn't and many confuse agnosticism with atheism. C. Final answer, Chris. C.

Anonymous said...

[Any beer accrued can be donated to worthy cause, having drunk self to death in the $pub over I.B. internal assessments. Remember, citizenship does not give one the right to strike up conversation on public or quasi-public transport. This is England.]

1 A

[Trick question. No M.E.P.s represent any of the member states, the parliament largely exists to serve the interests of organic hessian producers.]

2 B

[Trick question. The best thing about Wales is its people; there are none, just trolls.]

3 A

[Trick question. Big Brother and Pop Idol are strictly "first past the post" in all independant T.V. regions.]

4 A,D

[N.B. Most copies of "Thed Last King of Scotland" remain shrink-wrapped approximately eighteen months after seeing the theatrical release...]

5 B

6 A

[Trick question. No-one does. All houses are owned by a bank, specifically the Toxic Sub-Prime Catfish Bank of Orifice, Alabama USA.]

7 C

8 B

9 B

10 C

[(See 4.) ...largely because of the bit where they hang him up by the....]

11 C

[Trick question. They all are, the murdering Norman scum.]

12 D

[Trick question. Discounting "complaining about the weather", "loathing the French" and 'getting Toby and Jocasta into a good school" all devout U.K. residents are in fact Zorroastrians.]

Attila the Mom said...

Gak!! Good luck!!

H~ said...

That's 2 and 1/2 tests completed so far. Less than 24 hours left.

Anonymous said...

Im the least 'British' British person i know, therefore i wont even attempt to answer the questions. Load of beaurocratic c**p. Good luck, dont spose u'll need it : )

Anonymous said...

Ask them when Guy Fawkes day is, and ask "Who was Guy Fawkes?"

Kim W said...

I shall be surrendering my passport immediately. Where the hell are the questions on xfactor?