High's and Low's of the Diamond Jubilee!?

[Margaret Pilkington]

Another high of the Jubilee Celebrations is - the way communities have worked together with a common goal, whether that was to hold a street party, or to clean up the area in which they live.
It just shows that a common goal is a good motivating factor.

[susie123]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Pity they don't have to do the same if they come to live in this country Eric

I have been looking into this. Since 2007, anyone who wishes to become a British citizen has to take a test about life in the UK

UK Border Agency | Knowledge of language and life in the UK

They then have to take an oath and a pledge at a citizenship ceremony. The wording of these is not dissimilar to the Canadian one quoted by Eric.

UK Border Agency | Citizenship ceremonies

The pass mark for the citizenship test is 75%. There are many sample tests on the www - I have taken a couple and failed to meet the required pass mark. This is quite disconcerting as my Polish neighbour is considering applying for citizenship and has suggested that I might be able to help her prepare for the test! I have to say that some of the questions seem completely ridiculous, for example the ones in this example from the BBC about Santa Claus. Most British people wouldn't have a clue about a lot of this stuff - I don't know who came up with the questions.

BBC NEWS | Magazine | Can you pass a citizenship test?

How British Are You? | You may think you know everything about being British, but could you pass the British citizenship test?

[Eric]

Originally Posted by susie123

I have been looking into this. Since 2007, anyone who wishes to become a British citizen has to take a test about life in the UK

UK Border Agency | Knowledge of language and life in the UK

They then have to take an oath and a pledge at a citizenship ceremony. The wording of these is not dissimilar to the Canadian one quoted by Eric.

UK Border Agency | Citizenship ceremonies

The pass mark for the citizenship test is 75%. There are many sample tests on the www - I have taken a couple and failed to meet the required pass mark. This is quite disconcerting as my Polish neighbour is considering applying for citizenship and has suggested that I might be able to help her prepare for the test! I have to say that some of the questions seem completely ridiculous, for example the ones in this example from the BBC about Santa Claus. Most British people wouldn't have a clue about a lot of this stuff - I don't know who came up with the questions.

BBC NEWS | Magazine | Can you pass a citizenship test?

How British Are You? | You may think you know everything about being British, but could you pass the British citizenship test?

Ok ... I passed ... so, now what Do I pack up my bags and my critters and head for the UK? Nah ... think I'll stay in the colonies.

[susie123]

Originally Posted by Eric

Ok ... I passed ... so, now what Do I pack up my bags and my critters and head for the UK? Nah ... think I'll stay in the colonies.

Shame... we could do with someone like you over here to redress the balance but I'm not sure they'd let your critters in.

You passed? Obviously folks who don't belong here have a better grasp of what the question setters are after than we natives...

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by susie123

I have been looking into this. Since 2007, anyone who wishes to become a British citizen has to take a test about life in the UK

UK Border Agency | Knowledge of language and life in the UK

They then have to take an oath and a pledge at a citizenship ceremony. The wording of these is not dissimilar to the Canadian one quoted by Eric.

UK Border Agency | Citizenship ceremonies

The pass mark for the citizenship test is 75%. There are many sample tests on the www - I have taken a couple and failed to meet the required pass mark. This is quite disconcerting as my Polish neighbour is considering applying for citizenship and has suggested that I might be able to help her prepare for the test! I have to say that some of the questions seem completely ridiculous, for example the ones in this example from the BBC about Santa Claus. Most British people wouldn't have a clue about a lot of this stuff - I don't know who came up with the questions.

BBC NEWS | Magazine | Can you pass a citizenship test?

How British Are You? | You may think you know everything about being British, but could you pass the British citizenship test?

So ya recon everybody who lives in this country speaks English, there's a article on one of the papers this morning which has a photo of a classroom full of kids where 31 different languages are used as the kids first language and most of were born in this country. There are women who have lived in this country for 30 years who still can't speak a word of English

[gynn]

My low points were Cheryl Cole singing live (without anyone to digitally correct the flat notes)......Peter Kaye resurrecting an old routine first heard 10 years ago.....and the appalling Lenny Henry interrupting Rolf Harris's rendition of Two Little Boys.......

Best part was seeing so many tens of thousands of people not letting the weather get to them.

[cashman]

At least half those questions are irrelevant n therefore a waste of time.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by cashman

At least half those questions are irrelevant n therefore a waste of time.

I'm with Cashy on that one.

[susie123]

Originally Posted by jaysay

So ya recon everybody who lives in this country speaks English, there's a article on one of the papers this morning which has a photo of a classroom full of kids where 31 different languages are used as the kids first language and most of were born in this country. There are women who have lived in this country for 30 years who still can't speak a word of English

Well all I can say is you have to pass an English test as well as the citizenship test

UK Border Agency | ESOL course in English with citizenship

And Cashy, Margaret, as I said earlier I don't know who sets the questions or what the criteria are for what they include. I think they should have a far more practical slant. Perhaps we need to read the book to find out more. I just took the official practice test on this website and failed again but possibly because they had failed to include all the multiple choice options on some of the pages!! Ho hum...

Life in the United Kingdom - The Official Practice Citizenship Test

[Guinness]

Originally Posted by susie123

I have been looking into this. Since 2007, anyone who wishes to become a British citizen has to take a test about life in the UK

UK Border Agency | Knowledge of language and life in the UK

They then have to take an oath and a pledge at a citizenship ceremony. The wording of these is not dissimilar to the Canadian one quoted by Eric.

UK Border Agency | Citizenship ceremonies

The pass mark for the citizenship test is 75%. There are many sample tests on the www - I have taken a couple and failed to meet the required pass mark. This is quite disconcerting as my Polish neighbour is considering applying for citizenship and has suggested that I might be able to help her prepare for the test! I have to say that some of the questions seem completely ridiculous, for example the ones in this example from the BBC about Santa Claus. Most British people wouldn't have a clue about a lot of this stuff - I don't know who came up with the questions.

BBC NEWS | Magazine | Can you pass a citizenship test?

How British Are You? | You may think you know everything about being British, but could you pass the British citizenship test?

This is being taken out of context.

As anyone knows who's been on a training course recently, a 2hr course is usually stretched into an 8hr course by adding meaningless, mundane and irrelevant information.

However as part of the questionaire(sp?) at the end of the course you are usually asked something mundane, meaningless and irrelevant.

This is no different, it's simply the way courses are run these days. You get a lecture, you get a questionaire and you write the answers.

Without looking it up, do any of you drivers know the thinking, braking and stopping distance of a car, and do any of you drive with this in mind, and for you motorway drivers...how many chevrons between cars? How many non drivers know the box junction rule?

You guys, and me (who also failed on 68%), are going in cold, without the assisting 8hr training session or preparation book, we are set up to fail.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Personally, I think it is a ploy to get would - be citizens to part with their money to buy the booklet and then sit the test(I didn't check to see if there were fees involved, but I am cynical enough to suppose that there are).
I took the test and got all of the questions right......and only one of them was a calculated guess.
I do not really see their relevance to life in the UK.....it would be much more relevant to make sure these people had a good grasp of the English language, a job, somewhere to live, and the means to support themselves for at least two years without a recourse to benefits. But then that is too much to expect...isn't it??

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by Guinness

Without looking it up, do any of you drivers know the thinking, braking and stopping distance of a car, and do any of you drive with this in mind, and for you motorway drivers...how many chevrons between cars? How many non drivers know the box junction rule?

You learn all this stuff in order to answer questions when you take your driving test(and I know that is your point)........and whilst you may not be able to parrot off the answers after 30 years or so of driving.....you develop the instinct of recognising your stopping distances in different circumstances/weather(you know your reaction time, and your car)....which as a learner you actually don't........you pass your test and then you really learn to drive once you have passed.

I do not drive any more, but yes, I did always consider my speed and the condition of the road, the weather and the amount of traffic.
My husband used to tell me that I thought too much about how I drove...but to me you cannot(and should not) drive if your brain is not engaged.

[susie123]

Originally Posted by Guinness

This is being taken out of context.

You guys, and me (who also failed on 68%), are going in cold, without the assisting 8hr training session or preparation book, we are set up to fail.

You're right of course. No one would take that test without preparation and if you look at the answers to the official practice test it tells you which page of the book to refer to if you don't get it right.

I just wonder what subjects they include in the test and why. I hope my neighbour does decide to go for citizenship (see post 32) then I might get a chance to find out otherwise I will have to buy the book!

[Wynonie Harris]

Also costs about eight hundred quid, I believe. Fortunately, it was all so much simpler and cheaper 20 years ago when 'er indoors applied for British citizenship!

[Margaret Pilkington]

So, I was right to be cynical then........I didn't think it would be free.