to ask you, if you are British born, to answer these six questions without Googling?

[IceLollyMolly]

Just a small experiment. Not a marketing gimmick, but I will explain shortly, once a few people have answered. Or not answered!
If you are British born, can you answer these five questions without Googling or using any other materials for the answers?
(1) Who was the first person to circumnavigate the world without stopping?
(2) What date was the Battle of Boyne?
(3) How many local authorities are there in London?
(4) Which composer composed music for George the I?
(5) What significant event took place in 1284?
(6) Who is the paralympian who won six gold medals over two Paralympic Games?

It isn't the questions per se so much as the intent behind them. Preparation and commitment to a new country that you wish to become a citizen of are what you need to show. They're wide ranging and, if you're interested, then you can find out much more background information. The actual questions are not that important.

Not a single one, and my general knowledge is excellent

1 Magellan? But he isn’t British, so was it Francis Drake

2 I don’t know, was it during the glorious Revolution? I will say after 1666 but before 1700

3 No idea. Richmond, Kensington and Chelsea, Islington, barking, Barnet, Westminster, tower hamlets, newham, hackney. I’ll say I can’t come up with at least half, so 18.

4 Handel, I think I do know that one.

5 During the reign of Edward 1, I think. Something to do with parliament first being used as an instrument of government? Or something to do with Wales? The prince of wales first being part of the English royal family?

6 no idea, maybe Ellie Simmonds or Tanni Grey Thompson

Yeah and he was German...

(1) Who was the first person to circumnavigate the world without stopping?
No
(2) What date was the Battle of Boyne?
Day yes, year no. (Though i knew roughly within 20 years.)
(3) How many local authorities are there in London?
1 out
(4) Which composer composed music for George the I?
yes
(5) What significant event took place in 1284?
Didn't know. Really feel i should know this for a number of reasons, including where i am sitting at this moment of typing.
(6) Who is the paralympian who won six gold medals over two Paralympic Games?
no

Voting for women on same basis as men - after WW1 I think - going to go for 1929.

I had a Canadian colleague who was taking citizenship and it was insane. But when I lived in the US for years, I knew stuff about local history my friends did not know because it was all new to me and I made an effort to find out. But citizenship tests are bonkers!

As was the King he was composing for

That's six questions, not five as in your opening paragraph, but I don't know if this has been pointed out as I didn't want to see anyone else's answers before I left mine.

I think the answer to question one is Christopher Columbus. I do not know why his name came to mind, or if it's even correct.

I have no idea about the other five, and I've managed to live more than 47 years without needing to know.

This ⬆️

They both were, weren’t they? The composer and the king?

The 1284 one I have no idea about, could answer the rest.

If it's about the Life in the UK test, then I think it should be changed. I'd want people to know things like the minimum age of marriage, certain employment rights and responsibilities, for example. I don't think less of you if you don't know the year of Magna Carta.

Not a clue to any.

I am a well educated British born.

Looked it up and only 1 year off!

The answers are:

(1) I messed this up, as I forgot to mention it's singlehandedly. It's Robin Knox-Johnston. In the multiple choice, I guessed Francis Chichester because I remember studying about him and the Gipsy Moth, but he stopped on the way! One of the other choices was Dame Ellen McArthur who is the fastest. So a bit of a tough multiple choice.

(2) 1690. I need a mmenonic for dates. Can anyone help? I forget them

(3) 33 local authorities

(4) Handel. I got this because it's interesting.

(5) Statute of Rhuddlan which annexedmWales into England. I got this too.

(6) David Weir. I guessed Ellie Simmonds.

I only know one, and that was a guess. Handel?

I think other types of questions are involved.

I think that's nonsense. As if the vast expense and years of intrusive applications isn't commitment enough... it's just difficult and outdated because there's no incentive to change it.

I knew 2 and I have helped my DH revise the liuk but that was 10 years ago

Hmm I only got one right, Handle

I thought there were 21 London boroughs and Im a Londoner!!!

Stupid test.

DH did his last year, we revised together so I should know all the answers. I've forgotten it all already. Waste of time.

1690. I need a mmenonic for dates

I split the numbers down into memorable events. So for me, 1690 would split into 16/90 and comprises the age I was when I left secondary school and the age I will be when I can afford to retire.

I know that Magna Carta was 1215. They really hammered that in on Horrible Histories. I also have a history degree but that has done very little for my general knowledge tbh.

I'd guess Christopher Columbus for the first. I'm totally clueless on the others, and have never heard of that battle!

Thats interesting because google says 32 boroughs?

Many have joined up with others anyway which is why I thought it was a lot less

Re people going on about German kings, German composers etc etc, do we say the same of someone whose ancestors moved here in the 60s or at any time actually, we say they're British if they are (or English whatever they prefer) we dont say for generations that people are still Irish, or Nigerian or Latvian or whatever, someome coming here to live permanently.

I know the Handel one, but it's more a reflection of our shocking history syllabus - the Anglo Saxons, skip a few years to the tudors, then the victorians and then the nazis.

My son did the first world war and the nazis for history gcse and then the nazis again for A level!