Simon Beale's Blog

How British Are You?

I'm feeling thick! I've just tried the test on Toby's blog . Hmmm, didn't do too well. To be honest, no-one likes tests & exams and most people's worst nightmare is when Auntie Ethel suggests playing Trivial Pursuit at Christmas. So why when asked "Do you want to be part of our team for a quiz?" do we all go "YEAAAAAHHHHHH!!!".

We did, last weekend. Tom & Naomi's school were having a quiz night, so a few of us took our drinks and snacks and settled down for an evening of finding out how much we don't know. Actually, we had a real laugh. It was one of those quizzes that had about 10 rounds and you were allowed to play a team joker when you thought you might do particularly well so you can earn double points.

We opted for "Life In The UK" as our specialist subject, thinking "surely we'll be alright on this". How wrong we were. They were questions from the citizenship test they give to foreigners who want to come and live in Britain. Slightly worrying that we didn't even know most the answers - what hope have immigrants got?! Right, here's a few sample questions:

As well as 999, which other number can you dial for the emergency services? There's ANOTHER number?? Someone on our table suggested 118, until we realised you'd get those 70s-looking blokes in vests that are only good at knowing phone numbers. I suppose at least they'd know the answer. Someone else said 123 . isn't that the speaking clock??! I can't remember what we put down now, but it wasn't the right answer (112) and it wasn't 888 - only good for subtitles on Ceefax.

Here are a few others. Answers at the bottom of the page.

1) When did all 18-year-olds get the vote? a) 1918  b) 1928 or c) 1969.
2) What is the one thing all dog owners must legally have?
3) What is the minimum time you must have been married before you can divorce?
4) Almost 60million people live in the UK. By what factor do the native-born English outnumber their Scots or Welsh neighbours? a) 9-1  b) 7-1  c) 6-1
5) How many hours a day can a 13-16 year old legally work (to earn money) on a Sunday or school-day?

And there was me thinking the questions would be "What's the biggest supermarket chain?" or "What's on BBC One on Saturday and Wednesday night?".

Weirdly, our best round was Science & Technology - and that's only because one of the questions was "What does FM stand for?". I wouldn't have been popular if I didn't know that.

See you on Sunday @ 10!

Simon
x

PS: The answers were:
1) 1969
2) A collar with the owner's name & address. Licences were abolished in 1987.
3) One year
4) 9-1
5) 2 hours

Posted by Simon Beale on March 14, 2008 at 10:44AM

back to blog index