MC questions from the workbook Flashcards
What is Scotland Yard?
The headquarters of the MET police
What is the MET?
Metropolitan Police Force -> London police force
Which of these is not a collective slang term for the police? Bill / Bobby / Fuzz
Bobby
In serious criminal cases in Britain, who decides on the guilt or innocence of the accused?
a jury
What is the popular name for the Central Criminal Court in London?
The Old Bailey
Which of these is not the title of a type of lawyer in England and Wales?
advocate, barrister, solicitor
Advocate
What letters are judges entitled to write after their names?
QC
Which section of Britain’s armed forces is sometimes known as ‘the senior’ service?
The Royal Navy
Which town is a base of the Royal Navy?
Portsmouth
Why do the main political parties in Britain rarely offer any firm opinions about the matter of Britain’s position in the EU during election campaigns?
They are divided about it
The Union Jack does not include a symbol for Wales. Which group wants to keep ik this way?
Welsh nationalists
Why do so few white British people learn another language?
They don’t need to.
Which war is connected with the largest public demonstration in British history?
the Iraq war
What is CND?
an anti-nuclear group
Who is the religious head of the Church of England?
The Archbishop of Canterbury
Of which Christian denomination is the Church of England an example?
Episcopalian
Which of the following is the odd one out?
Church of… England / Scotland / Wales
Church of Wales
What is the attitude of most people in modern Britain to organized religion?
they are not interested
Which Christian group in Britain often call themselves the Society of Friends?
Quakers
What is the fastest-growing type of Christianity in Britain?
Charismatic
Which two non-Christian religions have their own state schools in Britain?
Islam and Judaism
What percentage of children in Britain go to public schools?
less than 10%
What percentage of British children go to independent schools?
less than 10%
What proportion of 17-year-olds in England study a foreign language?
less than 10%
What proportion of 20-year-olds in Britain study at university?
about 35%
Most British children between the ages of 5 and 11 go to … schools.
primary
Most British children between the ages of 11 and 16 go to … schools.
comprehensive
At which of these places could you not study for A-levels?
further education college / sixth form college / grade school
grade school
What is the typical number of subjects studied at school by students in their second year of A-levels?
three
What kind of qualification does a student who completes a course of undergraduate university study in Physics normally get?
BSc
Which of these schools is the odd one out?
Eton / Harrow / Summerhill
Summerhill
What are the hours of the typical school day in Britain?
9am to 4pm
Compared to the European average, how long is the school year in Britain?
long
What is the word used to describe the act of submitting written work as your own when in reality it was written by someone else?
plagiarism
How long do most university students in England take to graduate?
three years
Who or what is the old lady of Threadneedle Street?
The Bank of England
Which of these would it not be acceptable to write on a British bank document?
L20 / twenty pounds / twenty quid
twenty quid
If you buy 12oz of cheese, about how much do you have?
much less than a kilo
What is the biggest supermarket chain in Britain?
Tesco
Which of the following is not a well-known high street bank in Britain?
Boots / Lloyds TSB / NatWest
Boots
When people talk about ‘the City’, what aspect of London are they referring to?
banking and finance
By what name is the area in town where most of the shops are concentrated known?
the high street
Which of these is regarded as a ‘quality’ newspaper?
The Daily Express / The Daily Mirror / The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
Which of these is not regarded as a ‘quality’ newspaper?
The Guardian / The Sun / The Times
The Sun
Which newspaper is famous for its ‘page three girls’?
The Sun
Where does BBC television gets its money from?
licence fees
Which of these is not a TV soap opera?
The Archers / Coronation Street / Eastenders
The Archers
Which BBC radio station has the most in-depth news coverage?
Radio Four
Which of these has the largest sales?
The Economist / Private Eye / The Radio Times
The Radio Times
What is the cheapest way to travel between cities in Britain?
coach
Trainspotters, bird watchers, and people with similar hobbies are sometimes known as…
anoraks
Which of these is not an organization for motorists?
the AA / the M25 / the RAC
the M25
What is a Routemaster?
a famous bus
Which of the following is not a main line rail station in London?
Gatwick / Paddington / Victoria
Gatwick
What is the name often used to describe London’s underground rail system?
the Tube
What is the name of the system by which car drivers have to pay for entering the central area of London?
the congestion charge
How does Britain’s road safety record compare with those of other European countries?
it is one of the best
What is the official speed limit on Britain’s motorways?
70mph
What form of transport, which disappeared from Britain in the 1960s, is now reappearing?
the tram
What is Heathrow?
a London airport
What is a person who drives a taxi generally known as?
a cabbie
What is the name of the exam which all drivers of licensed London taxicabs have to pass?
the Knowledge
Near which town does the English end of the channel tunnel start?
Folkestone
What is the name for the money that workers pay regularly so that they can get free medical treatment and a state pension?
national insurance contributions
What is the name for the system of payments made to people who are in need?
the benefits system
What does ‘GP’ stand for?
General Practitioner
In the nineteenth century, where did the poor go if they could not look after themselves?
the workhouse
What is the name of the organization which represents the country’s doctors?
the BMA
In Britain, a person who is out of work can go to the Job Centre and …
sign on
How does the number of doctors in Britain compare with the European average?
fewer than the average
What is the most common name in twenty-first century Britain for the room in the house with armchairs, a sofa, and a TV?
living room
If you wanted to buy or sell a house in Britain, where would you look in the phone book?
estate agents
What is the name used by lawyers and officials for all the people who live in a house?
household
Which of these is not a charity which supports the homeless?
Crisis / the Samaritans / Shelter
the Samaritans
If you wanted to find a place to live, where in a newspaper’s adverts would you look?
accomodation
By what name are people who own the house in which they live generally known?
owner-occupiers
What is the name for a group of houses all built at the same time, often to the same design?
an estate
What kind of cooking is involved in traditional national dishes in Britain?
roasting
What chicken dish is sometimes regarded as the modern national dish in Britain?
chicken tikka masala
What kinds of dishes does a ‘greasy spoon’ most typically serve?
fry-ups
Which kinds of dish on a restaurant menu are most likely to be given English names?
puddings
Which of these drinks is most frequently served in a pub?
beer
What would be the reaction of most British people if you said ‘I got very drunk last night’.
amusement
If a British person mentions ‘the local’, to what is he or she probably referring?
the neighbourhood pub
Before the 1970s, when amateur cricketers were called ‘gentleman’, what were professionals called?
Players
Which sport is the most popular in Britain?
football
In which of these sports are Yorkshire, Lancashire and Middlesex top-class teams? cricket / rugby league / rugby union
cricket
In which of these sports are ‘test matches’ played?
cricket
In England, which of these sports was traditionally confined to the middle classes?
cricket / rugby league / rugby union
rugby union
In England, at what sporting events is crowd trouble a possibility?
a football match
By what name is the practice of killing birds with guns generally known?
shooting
What is the name given to fishing when it is done competitively?
angling
Which of these has been called ‘the sport of kings’?
horse racing
If someone asks ‘Who won the 3.30 at Chepstow?’, to what sport are they referring?
horse racing
Which of these names is not used for people who organize gambling on sports events?
bookmakers / card markers / turf accountants
card markers
How many times has a British team won the football World Cup?
once
If a British person thinks that something is unfair or unjust, what might they say?
It’s not cricket!
Which two national teams often compete for ‘the Ashes’?
England and Australia.
In which city is a famous annual international festival of the performing arts held?
Edinburgh
Where is the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company?
Stratford-upon-Avon
Which previously out-of-print Victorian novel sold 500,000 copies after a TV adaptation?
The Forsyte Saga
How does the balance of public and private financial support for the arts in Britain compare with the European average?
more private, but less public
In general, how much does it cost for admission to museums and galleries in Britain?
nothing
In general, with which medium for the arts do the British feel most comfortable?
words
Which of the following is not generally regarded as part of ‘the arts’ in Britain?
cinema / sculpture / theatre
cinema
Which of the following exemplifies the American influence on British music in the popular idiom?
the accent of the singers / the topics of the songs / the musical structure
the accents of the singers
Which of the following is not a famous auction house for art collectors?
Christie’s / Sadler’s Wells / Sotheby’s
Sadler’s Wells
Where is the annual Royal National Eisteddfod held?
Wales
What is Glyndebourne?
an opera festival
Which of the following is not regarded as part of ‘fine arts’?
music / painting / sculpture
music
What is another word for the arts often used in Britain?
culture
Which book is Britain’s favourite book?
Lord of the Rings
About how much paid holiday does the average employee in Britain get each year?
4 weeks
Which of these is not a well-known seaside resort town?
Blackpool / Brighton / Bristol
Bristol
Very roughly, what proportion of Britain’s population takes a holiday abroad each year?
50%
Which country is the most popular holiday destination for British tourists?
Spain
What is the common name in Britain for public holidays?
bank holidays
