<x-tad-smaller>As an applicant for U.S. citizenship, I am having to learn answers to questions many U.S. citizens can't answer. "Name the original thirteen colonies," comes to mind. Well it turns out that the same applies if you are applying to become a British citizen, but there are also tricky philosophical questions thrown in, "What is the Purpose of a Pay Slip"? Try answering the following:
Applicants need to get 75 per cent of the questions right to pass.</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>Applicants can ask to sit the test in Welsh or Gaelic. The answers given here are taken from Life in the United Kingdom: A Journey to Citizenship.</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>1. POPULATION </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>a) How many people live in the countries of the UK? </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>b) What is the census and how is census data collected and used? </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>c) How many people in the UK belong to an ethnic minority and which are the country's largest minority groups?</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>3. RELIGION AND TOLERANCE </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>a) How many people say they have a religion? </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>b) What are the largest religious groups? </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>c) What is the Church of England and who is its head? What is the main Christian group in Scotland?</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>4. CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>a) Which sports and sporting events are popular in the UK? </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>b) Do people tend to live in towns and cities or in the country? </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>c) What and when are the patron saints' days of the four countries of the UK?</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>d) What are the main Christian festivals?</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>6. HOW THE UNITED KINGDOM IS GOVERNED </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>a) What is proportional representation and where is it used? </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>b) What services are provided by local authorities? </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>c) What are quangos and non-departmental public bodies? </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>7. THE CHANGING ROLE OF WOMEN </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>a) Do women have equal rights in voting, education and work, and has this always been the case?</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>8. HOUSING </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>a) How many people in the UK own their own home? What is a mortgage? </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>b) How is the process of buying a house different in Scotland? </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>c) Which organisations can people rent houses from? How do people apply for council accommodation? </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>d) Which organisations offer help to homeless people?</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>9. SERVICES IN AND FOR THE HOME </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>a) What does the amount of council tax charged by local government depend on? b) Which groups of people can receive a reduction in the council tax they pay or benefits?</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>12. EDUCATION </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>a)What are the ages of compulsory education? How does this differ in Northern Ireland?
b) At what age do children go to secondary school? How does this differ in Scotland? </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>c) What are faith schools? </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>d) What is the role of a school governing body (or a school board in Scotland)?</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>14. TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>a) How long can overseas driving licences be used for in the UK? </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>16. AT WORK </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>a) What is the purpose of a pay slip? </x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>
David Ritchie,
Portland, Oregon</x-tad-smaller>
