Trade and industry — Life in the UK Test practice questions
These practice questions cover Trade and industry, part of the A long and illustrious history chapter of the official handbook, Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents. The correct answer and a clear explanation sit under every question.
Practice questions
What happened to the Corn Laws in 1846?
- They were renamed
- They were extended
- They were created
- ✓ They were repealed — Correct answer
The Corn Laws were repealed in 1846. They had stopped cheap grain from being imported.
Where did Brunel’s Great Western Railway run from?
- Portsmouth
- St Thomas’ Hospital
- ✓ Paddington Station in London — Correct answer
- Trafalgar Square
The Great Western Railway ran from Paddington Station in London to the south west of England, the West Midlands and Wales.
What limit was set by law in 1847 for women and children at work?
- 14 hours per day
- ✓ 10 hours per day — Correct answer
- 8 hours per day
- 12 hours per day
In 1847, the law limited the working day for women and children to 10 hours per day. This was part of gradual improvements in factory working conditions.
Which law was repealed in 1846 to help free trade?
- ✓ The Corn Laws — Correct answer
- The Navigation Acts
- The Act of Union
- The Reform Act
The Corn Laws were repealed in 1846. They had placed limits on imported grain, and ending them was an important step towards free trade.
What building hosted the Great Exhibition in 1851?
- The Royal Albert Hall
- ✓ The Crystal Palace — Correct answer
- Tower Bridge
- Buckingham Palace
The Great Exhibition opened in 1851 in the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park. The building was built for the exhibition and was later moved. It was a huge building made of steel and glass.
In 1847, what limit was set on the working day for women and children?
- ✓ 10 hours per day — Correct answer
- 14 hours per day
- 8 hours per day
- 12 hours per day
In 1847, the law limited the working hours of women and young people to 10 hours a day. The other options are too high and do not match the limit set by that law. Factory conditions were beginning to improve.
Which transport system was expanded with the help of George and Robert Stephenson?
- ✓ The railways — Correct answer
- The slave trade
- The canals
- The postal system
George and Robert Stephenson pioneered the railway engine, and railways expanded greatly in the Victorian period.
Which engineer built the Great Western Railway?
- Florence Nightingale
- Charles Stuart Parnell
- Admiral Nelson
- ✓ Isambard Kingdom Brunel — Correct answer
Isambard Kingdom Brunel was responsible for constructing the Great Western Railway. Nelson was a naval commander, Parnell was linked with Irish Home Rule, and Nightingale was a nurse.