Citizenship exam not easy to pass! (From News Shopper)

Citizenship exam not easy to pass!

10:27am Wednesday 9th November 2005

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New citizenship tests aimed at integrating immigrants into British life have been launched. With questions ranging from religion to pub etiquette, the exam aims to test immigrants' knowledge of life in the UK. But how would the area's civic representatives fare? News Shopper reporters found out ...

THE test, which came into effect last week, consists of 24 questions taken from a pool of 200 and costs £34 to sit.

Once an immigrant passes, they must then hand over a further £268 to complete the naturalisation process, which involves a citizenship ceremony, before they receive their British passport.

Entrants who fail to get 75 per cent correct are able to sit the test again until they get the required 18 correct answers.

We took 10 questions from the test:

Q1 Which of these courts uses a jury system?
(a) Magistrates' court
(b) Crown court
(c) Youth court
(d) County court

Q2 Where are the Geordie, Cockney and Scouse dialects spoken?

Q3 What is the Church of England and who is its head?
(a) Catholic; the Pope
(b) Anglican; Archbishop of Canterbury
(c) Anglican; Vicar of Dibley
(d) Anglican; the Queen

Q4 If you spill somebody's pint in a pub, what should you do?
(a) Offer to buy the person another pint
(b) Dry their shirt with your own
(c) Challenge them to a fight in the pub car park
(d) Run off

Q5 Almost 60 million people live in the UK. By what factor do the English-born outnumber their Scots or Welsh neighbours?
(a) By nine to one
(b) By seven to one
(c) By six to one
(d) By 100 to one

Q6 What is the minimum time you must have been married before you can divorce?
(a) Six months
(b) One year
(d) Two years

Q7 Where does Father Christmas come from?
(a) Lapland
(b) Iceland
(c) The North Pole

Q8 Who or what is PG?
(a) A brand of tea
(b) Parental guidance: a film classification where some scenes are not suitable for children
(c) A personal guide, a British-born mentor provided to each immigrant applying for nationality

Q9 How old must you be to buy a lottery ticket?
(a) 21
(b) 18
(c) 16

Q10 True or false: The heir to the throne must marry someone of the Protestant faith?
(a) True
(b) False

Did they find it too testing?

Ian Muir of the West Beckenham Residents' Association got 70 per cent.

What he got wrong and what he said:

Q6 A Six months

Q9 B 18

Q10 B False

He said: "The questions are a bit of a mix, ranging from some sensible ones to some which are quiet a novelty and from some which are simple to quite hard.

"The Santa Claus question might be tricky for non-Christians.

"A lot of questions are about England, so considering I'm Scottish, I didn't do too badly."

Petts Wood Residents' Association chairman Peter Varley got 70 per cent.

What he got wrong and what he said:

Q5 B By seven to one

Q7 A Lapland

Q9 B 18

He said: "The Father Christmas question was a bit odd because it is not really relevant to citizenship and I think for most people question five would be a pure guess.

"On the whole I'm in favour of the test.

"I think people who want to become citizens of this country should have some knowledge of it and I suppose this is a way of testing it."

Orpington Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Maines got 90 per cent.

What he got wrong and what he said:

Q6 C Two years

He said: "The citizenship test is really not the right approach. It's very subjective and the questions have no relevance to living in the wider community.

"There should be practical questions which help people integrate and fit in with the community and culture, such as those relating to the emergency number or to other helplines."

BROMLEY Council's portfolio holder for the environment and Conservative councillor for Shortlands George Taylor got 80 per cent.

What he got wrong and what he said:

Q6 A Six months

Q10 B False

He said: "Some of the questions would be very difficult for an immigrant or indeed any person.

"I don't see the test as a problem, it shows people have learned something about the culture of the country they want to live in."

Dartford councillor Martin Murphy, who represents Greenhithe ward, only scored 60 per cent.

What he got wrong and what he said:

Q5 D By 100 to one

Q6 C Two years

Q7 A Lapland

Q8 C A personal guide, a British-born mentor provided to each immigrant applying for nationality

He said: "I'm surprised I got four wrong but I don't feel anything really. It just demonstrates you need to do a little bit of research before a test.

"Question eight has got to be a trick question. It must be in the book which tells you how to pass the quiz."

Councillor Dee Morris, who represents Hextable on Swanley Town and Sevenoaks District councils, also got 60 per cent.

What she got wrong and what she said:

Q6 A Six months

Q7 A Lapland

Q8 All of the above

Q9 B 18

She said: "Some of the questions are not things I have ever needed to know.

"It is a good idea in principle but I am opposed to these trick questions, I think they need to ask basic everyday questions which people encounter in everyday life"

New England Party member Councillor Mike Tibby, who represents Littlebrook ward on Dartford Council, scored 70 per cent.

What he got wrong and what he said:

Q3 B Anglican, Archbishop of Canterbury

Q6 C Two years

Q8 A A brand of tea

He said: "The nature of these questions is ridiculous and I think the test is an absolute joke.

"It's just another Government gimmick. Instead of getting down to the nitty gritty and getting people who live here to be proud of their country they've come up with this silly idea."

Former Gravesham Council leader Councillor Rosemary Leadley scored 60 per cent.

What she got wrong and what she said:

Q4 D Run off

Q5 B By seven to one

Q6 C Two years

Q7 A Lapland

She said: "What bizarre questions. It is important we work to understand a culture. If I was moving to France I would want to do the same. Mind you, seeing as I failed the British test, perhaps I should."

Lewisham councillor Mark Morris, who represents Downham Ward, managed 60 per cent.

What he got wrong and what he said:

Q1 D County court

Q6 A Six months

Q7 A Lapland

Q10 False

He said: "I can't believe I got Lapland wrong.

"I don't think it is right putting people up for a test.

"General knowledge doesn't define people. It is what their values are such as equality and about how to treat people."

Greenwich councillor Chris Taylor, who represents New Eltham ward, managed 70 per cent.

What he got wrong and what he said:

Q5 C By six to one

Q6 C Two years

Q8 C A personal guide, a British-born mentor provided to each immigrant applying for nationality

He said: "Does that mean I'm going to be deported?

"It is like a pub quiz, a good laugh, like something which is sent via email trying to finding out what vegetable you are.

"I'm quite shocked though this is a citizens' test."

Blackheath Society chairman Frank Smith achieved 70 per cent.

What he got wrong and what he said:

Q3 B Anglican, Archbishop of Canterbury

Q6 C Two years

Q7 C The North Pole

He said: "These questions are not really adequate as a British citizenship test.

"You need to have a good understanding of the way the UK works and get some familiarity with how it is organised.

"This test is just a bit of fun."

New School Campaign secretary John Hamilton passed with 90 per cent.

What he got wrong and what he said:

Q5 B By seven to one

He said: "It sounds a bit of a gimmick to me.

"It does not seem to be a valid test especially if you can take it again and learn the answers.

"You would expect questions to be more about the English language or the geography of the country."

THE CORRECT ANSWERS:

Q1: B. Q2: Tyneside, London, Liverpool. Q3: D. Q4: A. Q5: A. Q6: B. Q7: C. Q8: B. Q9: C. Q10: A.

We think some of the questions are very tricky. What do you think? What would you ask? Email us

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