UK Citizenship Practice Test 4

The Prime Minister (PM) is the leader of the political party in power. The official home of the Prime Minister is 10 Downing Street, in central London, near the Houses of Parliament.

Local authorities provide a range of services in their areas. They are funded by money from central government and by local taxes.

Many local authorities appoint a mayor, who is the ceremonial leader of the council. In some towns, a mayor is elected to be the effective leader of the administration.

The UK is part of the United Nations (UN), an international organisation with more than 190 countries as members. The UK is one of five permanent members of the Security Council.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 29 North American and European countries. The organization implements the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on 4 April 1949.

Elizabeth I never married and so had no children of her own to inherit her throne. When she died in 1603 her heir was her cousin James VI of Scotland. He became King James I of England, Wales and Ireland but Scotland remained a separate country.

NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is a group of European and North American countries that have agreed to help each other if they come under attack. It also aims to maintain peace between all of its members.

The Queen has reigned since her father’s death in 1952, and in 2012 she celebrated her Diamond Jubilee (60 years as queen). She is married to Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Her eldest son, Prince Charles (the Prince of Wales), is the heir to the throne.

Thomas Hardy was an author and poet, whose novels include Far from the Madding Crowd and Jude the Obscure. Graham Greene wrote many novels including The Heart of the Matter, The Honorary Consul, Brighton Rock and Our Man in Havana.

The Prime Minister (PM) is the leader of the political party in power. He or she appoints the members of the cabinet (see below) and has control over many important public appointments.

In 1921 a peace treaty was signed and in 1922 Ireland became two countries.

The voting franchise was also extended to women over 30, and then in 1928 to men and women over 21. In 1969, the voting age was reduced to 18 for men and women.

The Council is composed of 5 permanent members: China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly (with end of term year): Belgium (2020).

The BBC started radio broadcasts in 1922 and began the world’s first regular television service in 1936.

The Irish Nationalist movement had grown strongly through the 19th century. Some, such as the Fenians, favoured complete independence. Others, such as Charles Stuart Parnell, advocated ‘Home Rule’, in which Ireland would remain in the UK but have its own parliament.

The economist John Maynard Keynes published influential new theories of economics. 

The British constitution is not written down in any single document, and therefore it is described as ‘unwritten’. Some people believe that there should be a single document, but others believe an unwritten constitution allows for more flexibility and better government.

The Prime Minister and almost all the members of the cabinet are members of the House of Commons (MPs). Each MP represents a parliamentary constituency, which is a small area of the country.

There are a few MPs who do not represent any of the main political parties. They are called ‘independents’ and usually represent an issue important to their constituency.

The second-largest party in the House of Commons is called the opposition. The leader of the opposition usually becomes Prime Minister if his or her party wins the next General Election.

Many local authorities appoint a mayor, who is the ceremonial leader of the council (However in some towns, a mayor is elected to be the effective leader of the administration.)

Pressure and lobby groups are organisations which try to influence government policy. They play an important role in politics. Some are representative organisations such as the CBI (Confederation of British Industry), which represents the views of British business. Others campaign on particular topics, such as the environment (for example, Greenpeace) or human rights (for example, Liberty).

The Queen has reigned since her father’s death in 1952, and in 2012 she celebrated her Diamond Jubilee (60 years as queen). She is married to Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Her eldest son, Prince Charles (the Prince of Wales), is the heir to the throne.

The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 provided the basis for the establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Anyone aged 18 or over can stand for election as an MP but they are unlikely to win unless they have been nominated to represent one of the major political parties. These are the Conservative Party, the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, or one of the parties representing Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish interests.

There are a few MPs who do not represent any of the main political parties. They are called ‘independents’ and usually represent an issue important to their constituency.