Chapter 6 of 32 · Updated for 2026

The 20th Century: practice questions

Ten Life in the UK test questions on The 20th Century, each checked against the official handbook and set in the four formats the real test uses. Pick your answer, then tap Show the answer to see why.

1. One answer

   1. When was the First World War fought?

   • A1899 to 1902
   • B1910 to 1914
   • C1939 to 1945
   • D1914 to 1918
   Show the answer

   D: 1914 to 1918

   The First World War began in 1914 after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and ended at 11 am on 11 November 1918 with victory for Britain and its allies.

2. One answer

   2. In which year did the UK hand Hong Kong back to China?

   • A1984
   • B1997
   • C1999
   • D2003
   Show the answer

   B: 1997

   Hong Kong was handed over to China on 1 July 1997, as agreed in the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984.

3. True or false

   3. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE?

   Emmeline Pankhurst was born in 1858.

   • ATrue
   • BFalse
   Show the answer

   A: True

   Emmeline Pankhurst was born in Manchester in 1858 and died in 1928.

4. One answer

   4. What were coal miners protesting against in the Miners' Strike of 1984 to 1985?

   • APlans to close coal mines
   • BA new ban on trade unions
   • CThe introduction of the Poll Tax
   • DThe privatisation of the railways
   Show the answer

   A: Plans to close coal mines

   The Miners' Strike of 1984 to 1985, led by Arthur Scargill of the National Union of Mineworkers, was a year-long strike against plans to close coal pits.

5. Choose TWO answers

   5. Which TWO of these were protest methods used by the suffragettes?

   • ARunning for Parliament as independents
   • BSmashing windows
   • CGoing on hunger strike
   • DForming a new army regiment
   Show the answer

   B: Smashing windows
   C: Going on hunger strike

   Suffragettes used civil disobedience: they chained themselves to railings, smashed windows, committed arson and went on hunger strike.

6. One answer

   6. Churchill said 'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few' about which event?

   • AThe Battle of Britain
   • BThe evacuation of Dunkirk
   • CThe D-Day landings
   • DThe Battle of the Somme
   Show the answer

   A: The Battle of Britain

   Churchill made this tribute to the RAF pilots in a speech to the House of Commons during the Battle of Britain in 1940.

7. Which statement is correct

   7. Which of these statements is correct?

   • AEmmeline Pankhurst was born in Manchester.
   • BEmmeline Pankhurst was born in Edinburgh.
   Show the answer

   A: Emmeline Pankhurst was born in Manchester.

   Pankhurst, leader of the suffragettes, was born in Manchester in 1858.

8. One answer

   8. Roughly how many British casualties were there in the First World War?

   • AMore than 2 million
   • BAbout 200,000
   • CAbout 60,000
   • DMore than 20 million
   Show the answer

   A: More than 2 million

   Millions were killed or wounded in the First World War, including more than 2 million British casualties.

9. True or false

   9. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE?

   Harold Macmillan's 'wind of change' speech was about decolonisation and independence for the countries of the Empire.

   • ATrue
   • BFalse
   Show the answer

   A: True

   Macmillan, Conservative Prime Minister, was famous for the 'wind of change' speech about decolonisation.

10. One answer

    10. Which of these was NOT one of the five 'Giant Evils' named in the Beveridge Report?

    • AWant
    • BDisease
    • CSqualor
    • DInequality
    Show the answer

    D: Inequality

    The five Giant Evils were Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor and Idleness. Inequality was not one of them.

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