Life in the UK

[scottnsilky]

Prompted by a remark from a Somalian immigrant in a TV drama programme, about taking the test for naturalisation, he said it was hard to pass, you had to answer a minimum of 18 questions correctly, out of the 24 in the test, I thought I'd have a go myself. As a born and bred Brit, how could I fail? Easier said than done, though I passed two tests, one was touch and go. Starting at the beginning, test no 1, only two wrong answers, one of those a silly mistake over the Queen's
accession and coronation. Thinking they might get harder as they progressed, I went to the last one I could take without logging in, whatever that entailed, no 15. I just squeezed through that one, two questions I had never heard of. One was what month does a festival take place, the name sounded Indian, but not one I knew, so just a one in four chance to guess it, which I didn't.

Quite an interesting experience, the tests are at

lifeintheuktests.co.uk

Sorry, the linking mechanism doesn't seem to be working......

[PinkDalek]

Here you go https://lifeintheuktests.co.uk/.

I recall attempting some of these a while back when prompted by someone who'd done the real thing. I don't recall if I passed! Had another go and stuck at level 1. Can't say I've ever heard of Tilda Someone who apparently won an Oscar but guessed correctly. A pass it would appear.

Edit: Scraped a pass on UK Test 15. I failed the same festival question but didn't think What do the National Insurance Contributions fund? was validly covered in the suggested answers (we know they go into a black hole).

[stevensfo]

I passed the first test, but had to guess some. Not sure about the century when the first Christian communities appeared in the UK. I'd like to see a reference for that!

Steve

[elkay]

I think Teacher Assessment might be more appropriate then tests

[Nimrod103]

Are the questions varied each time, or is it the same test, the answers for which can be memorized?

Also the question about the first Christian communities in the UK could have at least three different answers.

[gryffron]

I also passed... just. Not really sure that oscar winners and olympic gold medallists are crucial to British citizenship.

The questions vary a bit. 24 from a selection of what 50ish? Judging by previous comments.

Spoiler on Christianity:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/history/uk_1.shtml
From 313 AD onwards, Christian worship was tolerated within the Roman Empire.
During the 4th Century, British Christianity became more visible
I got that one right. Cos I knew it was well established by the time the Romans packed their bags c410.

Gryff

[Nimrod103]

I also passed... just. Not really sure that oscar winners and olympic gold medallists are crucial to British citizenship.

The questions vary a bit. 24 from a selection of what 50ish? Judging by previous comments.

Spoiler on Christianity:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/history/uk_1.shtml
From 313 AD onwards, Christian worship was tolerated within the Roman Empire.
During the 4th Century, British Christianity became more visible
I got that one right. Cos I knew it was well established by the time the Romans packed their bags c410.

Gryff

Ah yes, but the question as reproduced here was first in the UK, which didn't exist until 1707. Some evidence indicates it arrived in Britain during the 2nd century, but archaeological evidence only dates from the early 4th century.

[Rhyd6]

I used some of the questions from this in one of my Tuesday night quizzes, the only one who passed was a girl who was married to a Brit and had to take the quiz. She was from New Zealand. It's amazing how ignorant we are because we've never had any reason to bone up on the subject. Mind you I'm often amazed when I use Welsh questions just how many Welsh people are ignorant of our history, I used mainly Welsh questions in a quiz about 5 weeks ago and the winners were a team from Patagonia whose great grandparents enigrated there. They still speak Welsh and take great pride in all things Welsh. Perhaps its true that familiarity breeds contempt.

R6

[UncleEbenezer]

I also passed... just. Not really sure that oscar winners and olympic gold medallists are crucial to British citizenship.

The questions vary a bit. 24 from a selection of what 50ish? Judging by previous comments.

Spoiler on Christianity:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/history/uk_1.shtml
From 313 AD onwards, Christian worship was tolerated within the Roman Empire.
During the 4th Century, British Christianity became more visible
I got that one right. Cos I knew it was well established by the time the Romans packed their bags c410.

Gryff

Ah yes, but the question as reproduced here was first in the UK, which didn't exist until 1707. Some evidence indicates it arrived in Britain during the 2nd century, but archaeological evidence only dates from the early 4th century.

Lesson 1 in tests: No Pedantry. Thou shalt not quibble with thy betters.

A lot of those questions have very dodgy and indeed subjective answers. But perhaps that's exactly right: for example the candidate will always get the right answer to a "values" question if (s)he has grasped the British Establishment penchant for arrogant complacency and self-deception.

As for Christianity, it first emerged in a form recognisable as an ancestor of what we know today when Constantine tamed and adopted it. Seems a reasonable supposition that it spread around the Empire in his time, so I got it right. Very tenuous Britishness connection there, as in quite a lot of the questions ...

[gryffron]

Some evidence indicates it arrived in Britain during the 2nd century, but archaeological evidence only dates from the early 4th century.

I suspect that's why the question said "communities", rather than "arrival". There wouldn't have been much in the way of "communities" whilst it was illegal prior to 313AD. The Roman authorities would have stamped them out with their usual efficiency. Christianity was an underground religion during it's early history, and largely amongst slaves.

Gryff

[GrahamPlatt]

20/24 on the first test. Fails on Who appoints life peers (doh) and yes, the Christianity question (opted for C4th and later), who built the Tower of London + 1 other (which I forget).

[MaraMan]

Some evidence indicates it arrived in Britain during the 2nd century, but archaeological evidence only dates from the early 4th century.

I suspect that's why the question said "communities", rather than "arrival". There wouldn't have been much in the way of "communities" whilst it was illegal prior to 313AD. The Roman authorities would have stamped them out with their usual efficiency. Christianity was an underground religion during it's early history, and largely amongst slaves.

Gryff

Glad I wasn't the only one who fell down on this question, I got the rest right though. 23/24.

MM

[richfool]

I bet the average Brit in the street would fail the Life in the UK test, unless of course they happen to have a degree in History and/or British Constitution.

I can understand the theory of having such tests, but I struggle to see the relevance of many of the questions for most migrants in to the UK.
Example question: Why were the Heath taxes introduced in Scotland?

As a native born Brit, that was one I didn't know when I first took and failed the test some years ago.

[didds]

I It's amazing how ignorant we are because we've never had any reason to bone up on the subject.

But matybe THAT is the point. That this stuff is irrelevant to living in Britain in the 21st century.

As for what IS relevant ... well... that is frankly so subjective its in itself meaningless.

I suspect if we each came up with just 5 topics to be cocvered by suich a test very few of them would match let alone a sizeable "mode"

didds

[dealtn]

I It's amazing how ignorant we are because we've never had any reason to bone up on the subject.

But matybe THAT is the point. That this stuff is irrelevant to living in Britain in the 21st century.

As for what IS relevant ... well... that is frankly so subjective its in itself meaningless.

I suspect if we each came up with just 5 topics to be cocvered by suich a test very few of them would match let alone a sizeable "mode"

didds

Isn't the point that it isn't about being relevant to living in Britain in the 21st Century, but rather it's a form of filtering to ensure only the serious, and those willing to invest in the process and buy in, are attracted to come here? The less inclined, in theory, being distracted.

I'm not sure how efficient and effective that is in practice, but it's a proxy for only attracting and welcoming those who will, on average, be "assets" not "liabilities" on arriving here.

Maybe I am wrong as I don't know much about it.

[didds]

Interesting.

Of the couple of quizzes Ive done thus far Id say some fo those questions are not really British based, but more european/or global maybe.

Is Lent ONLY called Lent in the UK?

[stevensfo]

Interesting.

Of the couple of quizzes Ive done thus far Id say some fo those questions are not really British based, but more european/or global maybe.

Is Lent ONLY called Lent in the UK?

Well here in Italy, it's Quaresima and in France, Careme. I have no idea where 'Lent' came from, and it's Friday afternoon, so I'm too lazy to do an internet search. .

In the UK you have to remember that Whitsun is also called Pentecost, similar to Pentecote in French and Pentecoste in Italian. Again, where on earth did 'Whitsun' come from? I know all about Whit Monday. A relative in Yorkshire plays the tuba and apparently every Whit Monday, the county is full of marching brass bands that terrorise the neighbourhoods.

I feel we deserve to know the truth.

Steve

[Dod101]

Apparently lent comes from the Old English lencten, the 'Spring season'. So says Mr Google.

Dod

[UncleEbenezer]

Interesting.

Of the couple of quizzes Ive done thus far Id say some fo those questions are not really British based, but more european/or global maybe.

Is Lent ONLY called Lent in the UK?

Lent has more than one meaning even in Blighty: it's also the winter/spring university term (not sure how widespread that is). And never mind Dod's old English: in German, Lenz is just a word for spring!

[scotia]

Lent has more than one meaning even in Blighty: it's also the winter/spring university term (not sure how widespread that is). And never mind Dod's old English: in German, Lenz is just a word for spring!

In the ancient Scottish Universities the three academic terms were Martinmas, Candlemas and Whitsun. And in more than 40 years exposure to these archaic terms, I was never the wiser as to which was when.