Life in the UK -- The Test

aruna · Mar 11, 2011

Well folks, this year I'm taking the plunge and applying for British Citizenship. They've changed the rules considerably in the last 10 years since I've been here; back then you only paid about £200, not £780 as now -- and you didn't have to take the Life in the UK Test.

Right now I'm practicing. It's not a hard test. Some of the questions are baby light, like when does Father Christmas come down the chimney? (honestly!)

But I've never had a good head for numbers, and having to learn by heart all kinds of useless informetion like this is driving me nuts:

What percentage of the population in England is estimated to regularly attend church?
Between 8% and 10%
Between 8% and 11%
Between 8% and 12%

Now, tell me you Brits, do you know the answer offhand? And what difference does it really make, whether it's between 8% and 10%, or 12%? Does that 1% make you a better Brit?

Anyway, I've got the book and I'm swotting. And practicing. You can try it out here. I've failed on the practice tests a couple of times, and all because I couldn't remember the exact numbers. Bummer! Curious to know how much the average Brit knows offhand.

ANd in about 6 months time, I reckon, I'll be one of y'all.

Mr Flibble · Mar 11, 2011

As much as 8%? Hmm, depends on what you call regular. 'Weddings, christenings and funerals'? Once a year at Christmas? Or more often?

I'm just popping off to see if I fail at being a Brit

JimmyB27 · Mar 11, 2011

20/24, I'm British enough - even if I did guess a few...

I'd fail the religion one though. And I don't really understand the purpose of it. My honest answer is 'who cares?'.

seun · Mar 11, 2011

It's probably the 10% one although it's phrased pretty vaguely. As IRU said, what's regular?

We had the book of this at work recently and went through a few of the questions. Based on how poorly we did, we're all being deported for not being British enough.

ETA: 19 for me. Who knew the Welsh only accounted for 5%? Not me, obviously

Torgo · Mar 11, 2011

aruna said:
Now, tell me you Brits, do you know the answer offhand? And what difference does it really make, whether it's between 8% and 10%, or 12%? Does that 1% make you a better Brit?

Anyway, I've got the book and I'm swotting. And practicing. You can try it out here. I've failed on the practice tests a couple of times, and all because I couldn't remember the exact numbers. Bummer! Curious to know how much the average Brit knows offhand.

Welcome to the club! No, I have no idea what the correct answer is there and I bet you that 99% of British people would be just guessing.

What this is, is some civil servant, or more likely a committee of civil servants, desperately trying to come up with some questions for a test which doesn't really have any clear purpose or philosophy behind it apart from the need to have some sort of test that requires memorisation.

At some point someone piped up in the committee room and expressed the concern that there ought to be some sort of question about religion because religion is jolly important and there will be a stink if it isn't represented on the test. But it had to be really neutral, so they went for something like this.

There are a bunch of questions there that are just statistical trivia that require rote learning. What percentage of the population lives in Wales - 5, 6, 7 or 11%? God knows. I got 87%, but I was just guessing for a few of them.

aruna · Mar 11, 2011

I keep getting 22 out of 24. And I've finally learnt that the Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998 and not 1997 or 1996.
I guess if I just keep at it again and again I'll get them all right one day. sigh. I'm too old for this. Brain too full.

JimmyB27 · Mar 11, 2011

aruna said:
I keep getting 22 out of 24. And I've finally learnt that the Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998 and not 1997 or 1996.
I guess if I just keep at it again and again I'll get them all right one day. sigh. I'm too old for this. Brain too full.

The one I did said you need 18/24 to pass. Or is anything less than 100% not good enough for Aruna?

Mr Flibble · Mar 11, 2011

I scraped through.

Some of the questions though...

What are the two characteristics of civil servants?
Friendliness and efficiency
Long holidays and quick service
Political neutrality and professionalism
Political correctness and slow but careful service

Kinda depends on your point of view really.

Many people remark on the great variety in the British landscape

What hell kind of question is that?

Nowadays, children in the UK do not play outside the home as much as they did in the past, This is because
They dislike active sports
There is Home Entertainment

Neither of those, IMO.

Also the grammar and some spelling was atrocious.

aruna · Mar 11, 2011

I see the point of the test for people who come from wildly different cultures; I guess they should know for instance (if they have kids) when compulsory schooling begins and ends and what they need for a driving test. Everyday things that people like you and me would know offhand. But there's so much crap in there...

aruna · Mar 11, 2011

JimmyB27 said:
The one I did said you need 18/24 to pass. Or is anything less than 100% not good enough for Aruna?

I want to get 100% consistently for a couple of tries, just to ensure that when I do take it in a couple of weeks, I pass the first time! It costs $36 a try, plus train fare to Brighton and a waste of time. I've failed a coulple of times, so I need to be sure I pass every single time.

aruna · Mar 11, 2011

Here's one I got wrong:

National days are not celebrated in Britain in the same way as they are in a number of other countries
It's the same
Yes
No it's very wrong

Try and figure that one out. What's the difference between It's the same and yes, and if you say it's very wrong, are you saying... oh I give up.
The answer is Yes.

Torgo · Mar 11, 2011

aruna said:
It costs $36 a try

Ahhh.... Suddenly it starts to make more sense.

aruna · Mar 11, 2011

I meant £36, nnot $$$, of course. And I finally got 100%. But it was a test I'd taken already, so the right answers were fresh in my mind.

seun · Mar 11, 2011

Let's just deport everyone who looks a bit funny.

Of course, East Anglia would then become a very lonely place.

aruna · Mar 11, 2011

Anyone know the answer to this one?

What is an L plate?
It's a tray for children's drinks and plates
It's a sign for women who are having a party and getting married the next day
A sign put on a car or motorcycle if you are learning to drive
It's a bridge that is used in British dental surgery

*rolls eyes*

seun · Mar 11, 2011

It's definitely the second one. It must be worn with angel wings, those furry ear things, and no tights if the temperature is below 5c.

Silent Rob · Mar 11, 2011

seun said:
Let's just deport everyone who looks a bit funny.

Of course, East Anglia would then become a very lonely place.

I s'pose we could make an allowance for people who have webbing between their fingers.

Anyway, have fun, aruna! Judging by the slight air of cynicism pervading this thread, I'd say you're already just as British as the rest of us!

Btw, does the test have a question on chavs? Like 'What proportion of the British population is human, and what proportion is charva?'

That would be useful to know.

Chris P · Mar 11, 2011

I might try that test later. I'm looking for a job in England, but they've recently made it literally impossible for Americans (well, any non-commonwealth, non-EU national) to get a work permit without sponsorship--Tier 1 visas from overseas have been axed. I had an interview in Ipswich last month, but the job was offered to someone else. It's been very frustrating but I'm not giving up.

Silent Rob · Mar 11, 2011

Keep at it, Chris. Good luck.

BunnyMaz · Mar 11, 2011

Man, some of those questions are just bizarre and completely arbitrary. Who cares where we sent people for construction work after WWII? Surely there are far more important things we should quiz incoming people on.

Like their ability to understand complex queuing systems.
Or their relationship with tea.
Or a requirement that they be awful at cricket.

mirandashell · Mar 11, 2011

I only got 19... and I guessed half of the questions! Problem is, my ancestry is so mixed, depending on how far back you go, where would they deport me to?

You're all right, a lot of the questions are ridiculous. Good luck Aruna!

crunchyblanket · Mar 11, 2011

Best of luck! I was born and raised in England and I know I'd fail the citizenship test. I really don't understand how knowing the church-going population of the UK is at all relevant to your becoming a citizen, but hey. As long as you like a nice cup of tea it's all good.

Chris P · Mar 11, 2011

The "% of regular church goers" questions might be based on the idea it is important to understand the culture of the country you are hoping to enter. I'd be interested in seeing how I'd score on a US citizenship test. I think of myself as pretty well read in US history and politics, so I might be surprised at how little I know.

And how selfish of me: Good luck Aruna!

Torgo · Mar 11, 2011

Chris P said:
The "% of regular church goers" questions might be based on the idea it is important to understand the culture of the country you are hoping to enter. I'd be interested in seeing how I'd score on a US citizenship test. I think of myself as pretty well read in US history and politics, so I might be surprised at how little I know.

Yeah, but the possible answers are so close together that you can't guess it based on your knowledge of the country - you have to have learned the answer.

pdblake · Mar 11, 2011

JimmyB27 said:
20/24, I'm British enough - even if I did guess a few...

I'd fail the religion one though. And I don't really understand the purpose of it. My honest answer is 'who cares?'.

22/24 here but I'll be blowed if I know how some of them relate to being British. A lot of them, like driving laws, apply to holidaymakers too.

Most are so simple I thought I was entering a GMTV competition :Shrug:

As for the OP question. I have no idea, but I would reckon the lower figure.

ETA: I remember seeing the very first swearing in of people who had passed this test on the news. They were all in a room, swearing some kind of allegience, guided by a group of officals all sat at a table with the Union Flag hanging down the front........upside down (one of my particular pet hates).

Life in the UK -- The Test

On a wing and a prayer

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

Hoopy frood

Horror Man

Formerly Phantom of Krankor.

On a wing and a prayer

Hoopy frood

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

On a wing and a prayer

On a wing and a prayer

On a wing and a prayer

Formerly Phantom of Krankor.

On a wing and a prayer

Horror Man

On a wing and a prayer

Horror Man

Riff-Raff

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred

Riff-Raff

Ruining your porn since 1984

the Juggernaut of Imperfection

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred

Formerly Phantom of Krankor.