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?

I am Scottish and don’t know any of these

Nope.

I would say at least 3 of the questions in the OP have the square root of fuck all to do with British “history, culture and general mores”. And I’m only giving Q4 a pass because the music is still used for coronations.

It's not the point of the test to know the answers without googling. It's probably an English comprehension test as much as anything. Plus aren't the questions available in the preparation guide? It's also likely that some of the decoy answers will be so ridiculously wrong that they can be excluded, making it more likely to be able to guess the right answer.

Eg how much is a first class stamp for a letter:

A 5p
B £1.70
C £8.50
D £1200

And yes, I did have to google the right answer, as would most British people.

Thy are very English questions. I’m Scottish so knowing facts from another country like England is fairly hit and miss.

I think most people my age in Central Scotland would know that its 1690.

I got Handel as well. Thats it. I thought it was Tanni Grey-Thomson. No idea about 1284 or the London boroughs. Never heard of the sailor and if given multiple choice, would have chosen Ellen.

2/6. But honestly, they are daft questions! Like something off Mastermind.

I did the German test, 30 questions (5 of these focused on the state where you sit your test) and they were a lot more relevant to new citizens.

A test of Britishness and involving yourself in British society needs to focus on how the majority live, so manners, please and thank yous, putting your rubbish in bins, driving carefully (lol) being considerate to neighbours, a focus on education (no native Brit manages this however), queuing, no spitting in the street, equality of opportunity, embracing of diversity, involving yourself in your whole community, giving eye contact, not cycling on pavements.

Most British would fail however.

Only knew Handel and would have guessed one of the Barron wars for 1284- which is wrong.

I get your point, but both Handel and George I were born in what is now Germany…

Isnt it 1918 for women getting the vote (property owners only)? And then 1928 for everyone over the age of 21?

I'd guess Tanni Grey-Thompson for number 6. Not a clue about the rest.

1. Who was the first person to circumnavigate the world without stopping? Christopher Columbus? James cook? (2) What date was the Battle of Boyne? Dunno (3) How many local authorities are there in London? 52 (4) Which composer composed music for George the I? Dunno (5) What significant event took place in 1284? Was it something to do with the magna carts? (6) Who is the paralympian who won six gold medals over two Paralympic Games? Dunno

Not 1

Many British people would not be able to answer these particular questions off the top of their heads. But there are many other questions in the test on government and voting, women’s rights, disabled rights etc the answers to which would be obvious to most (all) British citizens.

I think the whole point of this easy, multiple choice, test is that it requires a bit of preparation. This shows a degree of commitment to the idea of becoming a British citizen which should be seen as a serious step bringing with responsibilities in addition to

Gosh and here I was thinking that my my twenty years of living in the UK, giving birth to British children, supporting the NHS, paying taxes, learning all about the UK and marrying a British man showed commitment. 🥴

It's test, of largely useless information. For some people who can cram well, it's a couple day's work. For those who struggle for various reasons it will take ages and still not show the commitment they have made every day but living in this country.

We need an emoji that has its eyes literally roll out of the head and into the next post.

Shocked that I couldn’t get any of them. I thought I was highly educated and stuffed with general knowledge!

But if it’s a situation where you get material that contains the answers and revise from that, then get tested on it, I think that’s OK. Pointless but not exceedingly demanding.

Knew the Battle of the Boyne because my OH is from Northern Ireland. Nearly got London boroughs (out by one). Not a scooby about the rest.

Obviously very few people will know all of these unless they are a history graduate or work for a tourist agency.

I suppose in fairness it is designed to test your willingness to learn about the UK and apply yourself to learning why these things matter to the country and the culture. Not that every UK citizen is automatically expected to know this by osmosis.

Yes Handel wasn't British born, but he gave the right answers to all the multiple choice questions like
'How many acres was Bosworth Field?' and
'Aren't Catholics awful?'
'When did Scottish and French people stop having automatic right to be nationals of each others' countries?' and
'What sport does Danny Mendoza practise?' and
'Who said "The essence of tyranny is the enforcement of stupid laws"?'

so he became British

Born and raised in England. In my 60s. Educated to degree level. Have lived in London since 1986. I didn't know any of them. I had an incorrect guess at the Magna Carta being signed in 1284.

Yep just like someone who emigrates here from India, Slovakia, Canada whatever.

They then become British. Its a bit like the 'no, where are you REALLY from' question isnt it

Im from Croydon, 'no, where are you REALLY from'

I knew the answer to all of these questions when I was studying for the Life in the UK exam, but forgot a lot of them since, simply because we don’t use these kind of facts in everyday life. That’s why it’s important to book the exam while the knowledge is still extra fresh in one’s mind.

3 I think but may well be wrong.

I am British born but could not answer all 6 questions. If you are not interested in sport those questions will baffle you. I did do the sample test a few times out of curiosity when my friend was preparing for it and I averaged 85% I couldn't get the sport or film industry ones but was more or less ok on the history questions. I suppose it partly depends on your own interests for some of it. I think it is quite challenging for those not British born but probably good that there is a need to have some understanding of British culture for those who want to have British citizenship 😀

I got two, the ones most people are getting right.

An antipodean colleague once asked me some questions about the UK that she thought I would get wrong, because apparently most people don't know the answer:

• Who is the head of state in the UK?
• Have we got a constitution?

I did know the answer to these, which seem to me to be far more relevant than knowing who sailed round the world, but I suppose it's always going to be subjective.

(1) Without stopping, I think RK-J?
(2) I know the day and month but not the year.
(3) x plus the City of London = an unknown number + 1. 30-odd?
(4) GFH.
(5) No idea. If it was multiple choice I might get it.
(6) Sport and therefore of no interest.