TEST 10

The ancestors of the first farmers probably came from south-east Europe. These people built houses, tombs and monuments on the land. One of these monuments, Stonehenge, still stands in what is now the English county of Wiltshire.

Burns’ best-known work is probably the song Auld Lang Syne, which is sung by people in the UK and other countries when they are celebrating the New Year (or Hogmanay as it is called in Scotland).

The cross of St David, patron saint of Wales does not form part of the Union Flag because, when the first Union Flag was created in 1606 from the flags of Scotland and England, the Principality of Wales was already untied with England.

Halloween is celebrated on the 31st of October.

Mo Farah (1983-) is a British distance runner, born in Somalia. He won gold medals in the 2012 Olympics for the 5,000 and 10,000 metres and is the first Briton to win the Olympic gold medal in the 10,000 metres.

In Scotland, the 31st December is called Hogmanay and 2 January is also a public holiday. For some Scottish people, Hogmanay is a bigger holiday than Christmas.

Many theatres produce a pantomime at Christmas time. They are based on fairy stories and are light-plays with music and comedy, enjoyed by family audiences.

The Laurence Olivier Awards take place annually at different venues in London. There are a variety of categories, including best director, best actor and best actress. The awards are named after the British actor Sir Laurence Olivier, late Lord Olivier, who was best known for his roles in various Shakespeare plays.

The Tower of London was first built by William the Conqueror after he became king in 1066.

The European Union (EU), originally called the European Economic Community (EEC), was set up by six western European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands) who signed the Treaty of Rome on 25 March 1957.

Important British composers include Gustav Holst, whose work includes The Planets, a suite of pieces themed around the planets and the solar system.

The population of the UK in 1998 was 57 million people.

Debates in the House of Commons are chaired by the Speaker. This person is the chief officer of the House of Commons.

The British constitution is not written down in any single document, and therefore it is described as ‘unwritten’.

In 1837, Queen Victoria became queen of the UK at the age of 18.

On 28 June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated. This set off a chain of events leading to the First World War (1914-18).

Judges (who are together called ‘the judiciary’) are responsible for interpreting the law and ensuring that trials are conducted fairly.

There are many large venues that host music events throughout the year, such as: The O2 in Greenwich, south-east London.

The Killing Fields (1984) was directed by Roland Joffé.

Inveraray Castle and Crathes Castle are located in Scotland.

The Wars of the Roses ended with the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

In Scotland, minor criminal offences go to a Justice of the Peace Court.

If an MP dies or resigns, there will be a fresh election, called a by-election, in his or her constituency.

Anyone who does not pay enough National Insurance Contributions will not be able to receive certain contributory benefits such as Jobseeker’s Allowance or a full state retirement pension.