Life in the UK test: The twentieth century practice questions

Write a short timeline first: 1914–18, 1939–45, D-Day in June 1944, the NHS in 1948, the Belfast Agreement in 1998. Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain are both 1940, but one is an evacuation and the other an air battle.

Question 1

The First World War was fought between which years?

  1. 1805 to 1815
  2. 1939 to 1945
  3. 1914 to 1918
  4. 1642 to 1651

Answer: 1914 to 1918

The First World War lasted from 1914 to 1918. 1805 to 1815 covers the last decade of the wars against Napoleon, 1939 to 1945 is the Second World War, and 1642 to 1651 is the English Civil Wars.

Question 2

What was the Battle of Britain?

  1. The air battle of 1940 in which the RAF defended Britain
  2. Nelson's sea victory at Trafalgar
  3. The Norman victory at Hastings
  4. The evacuation of Allied troops from Dunkirk

Answer: The air battle of 1940 in which the RAF defended Britain

The Battle of Britain was fought in the air in 1940. Dunkirk, earlier in 1940, was the evacuation of troops from France, not that air battle. Trafalgar was in 1805 and Hastings in 1066.

Question 3

Allied forces landed in Normandy on 6 June 1944. What is that day called?

  1. Armistice Day
  2. The Glorious Revolution
  3. VE Day
  4. D-Day

Answer: D-Day

D-Day, 6 June 1944, was the Allied landing in Normandy. Armistice Day is 11 November, the Glorious Revolution was in 1688, and VE Day, 8 May 1945, marked victory in Europe almost a year after the landing.