How many answers can you get right?

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  • Dave2002
    Full Member
    • Dec 2010
    • 18062

    How many answers can you get right?

    Here are some example questions from the kind of tests for UK citizenship.

    Who cares about the height of the London Eye? As for the curry house - needless to say the answer is somewhat surprising.

    What a joke!

  • Bryn
    Banned
    • Mar 2007
    • 24688

    #2
    Originally posted by Dave2002 View Post
    Here are some example questions from the kind of tests for UK citizenship.

    Who cares about the height of the London Eye? As for the curry house - needless to say the answer is somewhat surprising.

    What a joke!

    https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/two-thir...don-eye-831594
    Utterly ridiculous! It even starts with a question using an officially obsolete mensuration system.

    Oh, hang on. That's so very British.

    Comment

    • Pulcinella
      Host
      • Feb 2014
      • 11268

      #3
      Originally posted by Bryn View Post
      Utterly ridiculous! It even starts with a question using an officially obsolete mensuration system.

      Oh, hang on. That's so very British.
      And essential for Hansard, isn't it, following a decree from Mogg Towers?

      Comment

      • cloughie
        Full Member
        • Dec 2011
        • 22242

        #4
        Originally posted by Dave2002 View Post
        Here are some example questions from the kind of tests for UK citizenship.

        Who cares about the height of the London Eye? As for the curry house - needless to say the answer is somewhat surprising.

        What a joke!

        https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/two-thir...don-eye-831594
        Not being a Londoner or very interested in the Eye - I hadn’t a clue but I think I’d probably get around 75% of the answers through a mix of my knowledge and inspired guesses. One question I have is - why does the Olympic Team GB include NI?

        Comment

        • gradus
          Full Member
          • Nov 2010
          • 5648

          #5
          I think the case for revising the test questions is reasonable but I support the idea of a test that requires people to have a basic understanding of the way the country works.

          Comment

          • Dave2002
            Full Member
            • Dec 2010
            • 18062

            #6
            Originally posted by gradus View Post
            I think the case for revising the test questions is reasonable but I support the idea of a test that requires people to have a basic understanding of the way the country works.
            Possibly, and I can't remember the details for other countries. mrs d had to do a test to teach in California, and I think she may know more about the American constitution than most US citizens as a result.

            An English language test would be perhaps the most useful - though would disadvantage some from non-English speaking countries - such as some refugees. In Sweden, which also takes in refugees, language lessons were an essential part of being integrated into the country. Language lessons were provided.

            Comment

            • Pulcinella
              Host
              • Feb 2014
              • 11268

              #7
              Originally posted by cloughie View Post
              Not being a Londoner or very interested in the Eye - I hadn’t a clue but I think I’d probably get around 75% of the answers through a mix of my knowledge and inspired guesses. One question I have is - why does the Olympic Team GB include NI?
              I've often wondered why NI didn't kick up a fuss about that.
              Presumably, being top nation, we wanted to appear earlier in the batting order than if we were Team UK?

              Comment

              • Bryn
                Banned
                • Mar 2007
                • 24688

                #8
                Originally posted by Pulcinella View Post
                And essential for Hansard, isn't it, following a decree from Mogg Towers?
                Heh, heh. In my first 'proper job', back in 1968, working as a research assistant at the Heating and Ventilation Research Association, conversion to SI was already in progress. All measurements in our day to day work were made in SI but also converted to Imperial for external use. By then, school taught using SI units. That said, when I was studying geotechnics at Bolton IHE (now Bolton University) in 1990, a mix of Imperial and American mensuration was still the first recourse. Road lengths were still given in chains!

                Comment

                • Pulcinella
                  Host
                  • Feb 2014
                  • 11268

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Bryn View Post
                  Heh, heh. In my first 'proper job', back in 1968, working as a research assistant at the Heating and Ventilation Research Association, conversion to SI was already in progress. All measurements in our day to day work were made in SI but also converted to Imperial for external use. By then, school taught using SI units. That said, when I was studying geotechnics at Bolton IHE (now Bolton University) in 1990, a mix of Imperial and American mensuration was still the first recourse. Road lengths were still given in chains!
                  I've often wondered if in reports of such things as comparisons of petrol/gasoline costs in the US with the UK or elsewhere, account is taken of the fact that a US gallon is not the same as a UK gallon. Now if only we all used litres, even if the US called them liters.

                  Comment

                  • Dave2002
                    Full Member
                    • Dec 2010
                    • 18062

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Pulcinella View Post
                    I've often wondered if in reports of such things as comparisons of petrol/gasoline costs in the US with the UK or elsewhere, account is taken of the fact that a US gallon is not the same as a UK gallon. Now if only we all used litres, even if the US called them liters.
                    Another car related issue is tyre (tire) pressures - PSI or Bar? Probably should be Newtons anyway.

                    Comment

                    • Pulcinella
                      Host
                      • Feb 2014
                      • 11268

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Dave2002 View Post
                      Another car related thing is tyre (tire) pressures - PSI or Bar? Probably should be Newtons anyway.
                      At least there's an order of magnitude difference there, so you're not likely to get too confused:
                      1 bar = 14.5 psi

                      Whereas 1 UK gallon = 1.2 US gallons.

                      Pascals, not Newtons (pressure, not force)?

                      Comment

                      • Padraig
                        Full Member
                        • Feb 2013
                        • 4266

                        #12
                        Originally posted by cloughie View Post
                        One question I have is - why does the Olympic Team GB include NI?
                        Where to start. . . About 400 years ago, possibly more, . . .

                        Comment

                        • french frank
                          Administrator/Moderator
                          • Feb 2007
                          • 30666

                          #13
                          I passed. Got exactly18, so providing there weren't too many others on 18 to allow them all, I would just scrape in. Only guessed one (origin of shampooing - ). It's just a cramming test, nothing to do with how familiar applicants are with British life and culture (Trivial Pursuit questions would be just as informative): they just learn the answers to random questions.
                          It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

                          Comment

                          • Petrushka
                            Full Member
                            • Nov 2010
                            • 12391

                            #14
                            I got 22 out of the 28 questions correct.

                            Most of these are basic general knowledge for anyone in the UK, or should be, but I do take issue with the Scottish banknotes question This problem came up a few times when I was at work and we were told by the banks themselves that Scottish notes are valid unless they are Bank of Scotland notes. If they are Royal Bank of Scotland they are ok but not Bank of Scotland.

                            Despite having been on it and, moreover, watched it from Westminster Bridge being lifted into place, I got the London Eye question wrong.
                            "The sound is the handwriting of the conductor" - Bernard Haitink

                            Comment

                            • cloughie
                              Full Member
                              • Dec 2011
                              • 22242

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Pulcinella View Post
                              I've often wondered if in reports of such things as comparisons of petrol/gasoline costs in the US with the UK or elsewhere, account is taken of the fact that a US gallon is not the same as a UK gallon. Now if only we all used litres, even if the US called them liters.
                              I’ve often thought that it would save a lot of mental arithmetic if consumption rates on cars sold in the UK quoted miles per litre.

                              Comment

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