Global English
In how many countries is English an official language? (approximate)
A) About 20
B) About 40
C) About 60
D) About 100
c) About 60
What are the four countries that make up the United Kingdom?
A) England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland
B) England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
C) England, Scotland, Wales, Republic of Ireland
D) England, Britain, Scotland, Wales
b) England, Scotland, Wales and Northers Ireland
What is the Commonwealth of Nations?
A) A military alliance between the USA and the UK
B) A voluntary association of former British Empire countries
C) The British government excluding Scotland
D) An economic union between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
b) A voluntary association of former British Empire countries
What does “accent” mean?
A) Vocabulary choice
B) Pronunciation of a language
C) Grammar rules
D) Slang usage
B) Pronunciation of a language
In Romeo and Juliet, from which city are the two families?
A) Venice
B) Verona
C) Florence
D) Rome
B) Verona
What is meant by English as a lingua franca?
A) English spoken only by native speakers
B) English used as a common language between speakers of different first languages
C) British English as the global standard
D) Simplified English for tourists
b) English used as a common language between speakers of different first languages
B: What is the official residence of the British Prime Minister?
A) Buckingham Palace
B) 221B Baker Street
C) Westminster Abbey
D) 10 Downing Street
D) 10 Downing Street
What is the capital of Australia?
A) Sydney
B) Melbourne
C) Canberra
D) Perth
C) Canberra
Give one example of an American word not common in British English.
A) Biscuit
B) Petrol
C) Flat
D) Sidewalk
D) Sidewalk
Name a 19th-century English novel.
A) 1984
B) The Great Gatsby
C) Pride and Prejudice
D) Harry Potter
C) Pride and Prejudice
Which variety of English has the largest number of speakers worldwide?
A) British English
B) American English
C) Indian English
D) Australian English
b) American English
Why does the UK not have a written constitution?
A) It was lost
B) It developed gradually through laws and traditions
C) The monarch refused it
D) Parliament voted against it
b) It developed gradually through laws and traditions
Which Commonwealth country has three capital cities, and why?
A) South Africa – divided governmental functions
B) Australia – historical reasons
C) Canada – federal system
D) India – colonial legacy
a) South Africa – divided governmental functions
What does the Irish slang word “grand” usually mean?
A) Expensive
B) Important
C) Big
D) Fine
D) Fine
Which movie focuses on the theme of slavery in the United States before the Civil War?
A) The Patriot
B) 12 Years a Slave
C) Glory
D) Lincoln
B) 12 Years a Slave
B: In which year did English become an official language of India?
A) 1858
B) 1947
C) 1987
D) 1965
D) 1965
B: Which British region has its own parliament, and since when?
A) Scotland, since 1999
B) Wales, since 1800
C) England, since 2010
D) Northern Ireland, since 1922
A) Scotland, since 1999
Which Australian state was founded as a penal colony?
A) Victoria
B) New South Wales
C) Queensland
D) Western Australia
B) New South Wales
Which English variety uses the word “y’all”?
A) Northern British English
B) Southern American English
C) Southern Australian English
D) Canadian English
B) Southern American English
Which theme is central to the song “Born in the USA” by Bruce Springsteen?
A) Patriotism
B) American dream fulfilled
C) Immigration
D) Criticism of the Vietnam War and its consequences
D) Criticism of the Vietnam War and its consequences
A: Which country removed English as an official language in 2023?
A) Tuvalu
B) Kenya
C) Malawi
D) Tanzania
C) Malawi
A: Which British prime minister introduced the NHS?
A) Clement Attlee
B) Margaret Thatcher
C) Winston Churchill
D) Tony Blair
A) Clement Attlee
Which treaty ended British rule in New Zealand?
A) Treaty of Waitangi
B) Treaty of Sydney
C) Treaty of Wellington
D) Treaty of Auckland
A) Treaty of Waitangi
Which accent is traditionally associated with Liverpool?
A) Geordie
B) Brummie
C) Scouse
D) Cockney
C) Scouse
Which theme is shared by the national anthems of the United Kingdom (“God Save the King”) and the United States (“The Star-Spangled Banner”)?
A) Celebration of natural landscapes
B) Call for social revolution
C) Loyalty to the nation during conflict or crisis
D) Focus on equality and democracy
C) Loyalty to the nation during conflict or crisis