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Timed practice · Test 12 of 24

Life in the UK practice test 12: Halfway Check

Paper 12 is the halfway mark. Twelve papers in, a settled score above 20 out of 24 means you are ready; anything below 18 means the handbook needs another pass before you book.

How to sit this one. Full exam conditions: timed, no notes, one sitting. Treat the result as a genuine prediction rather than practice.

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 12, 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. Who is the patron saint of England?

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

    St George is the patron saint of England, and each country of the UK has a patron saint of its own. Handbook section 4.3.

  2. 2. What do most Commonwealth countries have in common historically?

    • They were once part of the British Empire — correct answer
    • They all use the pound sterling
    • They were all founding members of NATO
    • They all share a land border with the UK

    Most members were once part of the British Empire, although membership is now open to other countries that share the Commonwealth's values. Handbook section 5.13.

  3. 3. Who led the campaign in Parliament against the slave trade?

    • Isambard Kingdom Brunel
    • William Wilberforce — correct answer
    • Robert Walpole
    • Adam Smith

    William Wilberforce was an MP and evangelical Christian who led the campaign in Parliament against the slave trade. Handbook section 3.14.

  4. 4. How can the public follow debates in Parliament?

    • They are broadcast on television and published in official reports — correct answer
    • They are kept secret for 30 years
    • They are described only in party newsletters
    • They are available only to journalists

    Parliament's proceedings are televised and written up in the official report, so anyone can see and read what was said. Handbook section 5.12.

  5. 5. What is a 'Sunday roast'?

    • A traditional family meal of roast meat and vegetables — correct answer
    • A market held on Sunday mornings
    • A pub competition held at weekends
    • A dish served only at Christmas

    A Sunday roast is a traditional family meal of roast meat with vegetables and gravy, eaten in the middle of the day. Handbook section 4.13.

  6. 6. Which date is New Year's Day, a public holiday across the UK?

    • 1 January — correct answer
    • 31 December
    • 2 January
    • 6 January

    New Year's Day on 1 January is a public holiday throughout the UK, and celebrations begin the evening before. Handbook section 4.4.

  7. 7. What is civil law used for?

    • Settling disputes between individuals or organisations — correct answer
    • Punishing people for crimes
    • Choosing the government
    • Deciding who sits in the House of Lords

    Civil law resolves disputes rather than punishing offenders. Typical cases involve debt, housing, employment or discrimination. Handbook section 5.17.

  8. 8. The James Bond films are based on the novels of which British writer?

    • Ian Fleming — correct answer
    • Graham Greene
    • Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
    • Evelyn Waugh

    The James Bond films are based on the spy novels of Ian Fleming and have been made in Britain for decades. Handbook section 4.11.

  9. 9. Who is the patron saint of Northern Ireland?

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

    St Patrick is the patron saint of Northern Ireland, and his day is celebrated widely in March. Handbook section 4.3.

  10. 10. Who is responsible for cleaning up after a dog in a public place?

    • The dog's owner — correct answer
    • The local council
    • The police
    • Nobody is responsible

    The owner must clean up after their dog in a public place, and councils can fine people who do not. Handbook section 4.14.

  11. 11. Select the TWO kinds of member who sit in the House of Lords.

    • Life peers — correct answer
    • Senior bishops of the Church of England — correct answer
    • Elected councillors
    • Chief Constables

    The Lords is made up of appointed peers, most of them life peers, together with senior Church of England bishops. Councillors and police chiefs have no seat there. Handbook section 5.5.

  12. 12. Who may look at the full electoral register?

    • It is open to public inspection, though it must be viewed under supervision — correct answer
    • Only the police
    • Only Members of Parliament
    • Nobody, it is completely secret

    The register is a public document that can be inspected, which helps keep elections honest. There are strict rules on how the information may be used. Handbook section 5.8.

  13. 13. To whom are government ministers answerable for the work of their departments?

    • Parliament — correct answer
    • The Supreme Court
    • The Chief Constable
    • The Commonwealth

    Ministers must answer to Parliament. They face questions in the House of Commons and can be called before committees to explain what their department has done. Handbook section 5.2.

  14. 14. In which year did women get the right to vote at the same age as men?

    • 1945
    • 1918
    • 1922
    • 1928 — correct answer

    In 1928 women won the right to vote at 21, the same age as men. Voting rights were now equal. Handbook section 3.17.

  15. 15. In the UK, who has to obey the law?

    • Everyone, including people in government — correct answer
    • Only people who hold a British passport
    • Only adults over the age of 21
    • Only people who have lived here for five years

    The rule of law means the law applies to everyone equally. Nobody is above it, including members of the government and the police. Handbook section 1.1.

  16. 16. What were women who campaigned for the right to vote known as?

    • Chartists
    • Jacobites
    • Roundheads
    • Suffragettes — correct answer

    Campaigners for votes for women were known as suffragettes. Some chained themselves to railings or went on hunger strike in prison. Handbook section 3.17.

  17. 17. Which king authorised a new English translation of the Bible that still carries his name?

    • Charles I
    • Henry VIII
    • Charles II
    • James I — correct answer

    James I authorised a new English translation of the Bible. The King James Bible is still read in churches today. Handbook section 3.10.

  18. 18. Which distances did Sir Mo Farah win Olympic gold medals in at the 2012 Games?

    • The 5000 metres and the 10000 metres — correct answer
    • The 800 metres and the 1500 metres
    • The 100 metres and the 200 metres
    • The marathon only

    Sir Mo Farah won the 5000 metres and the 10000 metres at the 2012 Olympic Games and is one of Britain's greatest distance runners. Handbook section 4.5.

  19. 19. Who led the first Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC?

    • Emperor Hadrian
    • Mark Antony
    • Julius Caesar — correct answer
    • Emperor Claudius

    Julius Caesar led a Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC. It was not a success, and the Romans left again. Handbook section 3.2.

  20. 20. How many people sit on a jury in a Scottish criminal trial?

    • 15 — correct answer
    • 12
    • 10
    • 18

    Scotland has its own legal system, and a criminal jury there has 15 members rather than the 12 used elsewhere in the UK. Handbook section 5.15.

  21. 21. What is the capital city of the United Kingdom?

    • London — correct answer
    • Birmingham
    • Manchester
    • Edinburgh

    London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and also the capital of England. The UK Parliament sits there, at Westminster. Handbook section 2.3.

  22. 22. Where are the Crown Jewels kept?

    • At the Tower of London — correct answer
    • At Edinburgh Castle
    • At Westminster Abbey
    • At Buckingham Palace

    The Crown Jewels are kept at the Tower of London, where visitors can see them on display. Handbook section 4.15.

  23. 23. What does 'individual liberty' mean in the UK?

    • People are free to make their own choices, within the law — correct answer
    • People may ignore any law they disagree with
    • Only citizens may make their own choices
    • People do not have to pay for public services

    Individual liberty is a fundamental principle of British life. It means you can make your own choices about how you live, as long as you stay within the law. Handbook section 1.1.

  24. 24. In which year did the Romans successfully invade Britain?

    • AD 600
    • AD 43 — correct answer
    • 55 BC
    • AD 410

    The successful Roman invasion of Britain took place in AD 43, almost 100 years after Julius Caesar first tried. Roman rule then lasted about 400 years. Handbook section 3.2.

What paper 12 asks about

These 24 questions come from 5 chapters of the official handbook. By the difficulty the questions were written at, that is 15 easy, 7 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.