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Driving, discovery and modern artLife in the UK Test practice exam 12
Paper 12 is a practical-and-cultural mix: the rules that apply to your car, the physics that came out of Cambridge, and contemporary British art.
What this paper is like
Practice exam 12 follows the shape of the official test exactly: 24 multiple-choice questions, 45 minutes on the clock, and 18 correct answers needed to pass — 75%. You can flag questions and come back to them, and if you close the tab mid-paper we save your place so you can pick it up where you left off.
The paper is fixed, so exam 12 is always exam 12 — useful if you want to re-sit it after revising and compare scores honestly. Driving rules, scientific heritage, the arts.
Topic mix in this paper
| Topic | Questions |
|---|---|
| History and key dates | 5 |
| Government, elections and Parliament | 4 |
| Culture, sport and traditions | 4 |
| Geography of the UK | 3 |
| The UK today | 2 |
| Values and principles | 2 |
| The law and your role | 2 |
| People who shaped Britain | 2 |
Three questions from this paper
These are real questions from exam 12, shown with the answer and the reason behind it. The other 21 are in the timed paper.
Sample question 1
When must a car in the UK normally have an MOT test?
- Every year once it is three years old — correct
- Every year from new
- Every two years from new
- Only when it is sold
Why: Cars and motorcycles must have an annual MOT test once they are three years old.
Sample question 2
Which scientist described the laws of motion and gravity in his Principia?
- Isaac Newton — correct
- Charles Darwin
- Michael Faraday
- Robert Hooke
Why: Newton, born in Lincolnshire, published Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica and remains one of the most influential scientists in history.
Sample question 3
What is the Turner Prize awarded for?
- Contemporary art — correct
- Popular music
- Literature
- Architecture only
Why: The Turner Prize, named after the painter J. M. W. Turner, is awarded annually for contemporary British art.
How to use this paper
- Sit it cold, once. No notes, no pausing. A first score tells you what you actually know.
- Read every explanation in the results, including the ones you got right by guessing.
- Revise the weak topic in the handbook chapters, then re-sit this same paper.
- Move on to a paper you have not seen once you are scoring 21 or more here.