Life in the UK · Chapter 4 · 3 min read
Chapter 4: A modern, thriving society
Religion, festivals and national days, sport, the arts, leisure and famous places in today's UK. Study notes for the Life in the UK test.
Why this chapter matters
This chapter covers everyday life in the UK: what people celebrate, the sports they play, the places they visit and the people whose work shaped British culture. It supplies about a quarter of most tests. Dates of national days and the location of landmarks are favourite question topics.
Religion
The UK is historically a Christian country, and Christianity is still the largest religion. There are also many Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Jews and Buddhists, and many people have no religion. Everyone is free to follow any religion, or none.
- The Church of England is the state church in England. Its spiritual leader is the Archbishop of Canterbury.
- In Scotland, the national church is the Church of Scotland, which is Presbyterian.
Festivals and special days
| Day | When | What it marks |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas Day | 25 December | the birth of Jesus Christ |
| Boxing Day | 26 December | a public holiday after Christmas |
| Easter | March or April | the death and resurrection of Jesus |
| New Year | 1 January | the start of the year; Hogmanay in Scotland |
| Valentine's Day | 14 February | a day for lovers |
| April Fool's Day | 1 April | jokes until midday |
| Bonfire Night | 5 November | the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605 |
| Remembrance Day | 11 November | those who died in wars; people wear poppies |
Other faiths' festivals are widely celebrated too, among them Diwali, Eid al-Fitr, Vaisakhi and Hanukkah.
Patron saints
| Nation | Saint | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Wales | St David | 1 March |
| Ireland | St Patrick | 17 March |
| England | St George | 23 April |
| Scotland | St Andrew | 30 November |
Only Scotland and Northern Ireland have their patron saint's day as an official public holiday.
Sport
- Football is the UK's most popular sport. Each nation has its own league and national team.
- Cricket, rugby union and rugby league are widely played.
- Wimbledon in London hosts the oldest tennis tournament in the world.
- St Andrews in Scotland is known as the home of golf.
- London has hosted the Olympic Games three times: 1908, 1948 and 2012.
The arts
- British music ranges from classical composers to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
- London's West End is famous for its theatres.
- In literature, the best-known writer is William Shakespeare. Many great novelists and poets are British.
- The Edinburgh Festival is one of the world's largest arts festivals.
Leisure and famous places
Gardening, walking and visiting the countryside are popular pastimes. Well-known places include:
- England: the Tower of London and the London Eye; the Lake District, England's largest national park; and the Eden Project in Cornwall.
- Scotland: Edinburgh Castle; Loch Lomond; and Ben Nevis, the UK's highest mountain.
- Wales: Snowdonia (Eryri), a national park.
- Northern Ireland: the Giant's Causeway, thousands of six-sided basalt columns.
Check yourself
- When is St Andrew's Day?
- What do people wear on Remembrance Day?
- Where is the oldest tennis tournament in the world held?
- In which part of the UK is the Giant's Causeway?
Ready to try a full test? Start Life in the UK practice test 1.