# Can You pass this US citizenship test? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 3, 2016, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004 "2016-07-03T15:42:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/1 "2016-07-03T15:42:46Z")
In honor of Independence Day. 10 questions selected from the real test. > **[Quiz: Can you pass the U.S. citizenship test? | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2016/06/30/us/4th-of-july-quiz-us-citizenship/index.html)** > > The U.S. Citizenship test features 100 civics questions, and hopeful American citizens are asked up to 10 of these during an interview. How do you think your civic knowledge compares? > [@](#): > > In addition to barbecuing, beer-drinking, and fireworks-watching, we’d like to suggest another way to celebrate July 4th: Taking a quiz on American history and politics! > [@](#): > > Applicants are given a list of 100 civics questions to study from, but they are asked up to 10 questions from that list in an oral interview. They have to answer six out of the 10 questions ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/2 "2016-07-03T15:50:50Z")
The National pass rate is 91%. Very easy test. :D. I missed one. I knew we had roughly 420 to 460 House members. But didn’t have the exact number memorized. I probably did memorise it in my 9th grade Civics class (1975) but I’ve slept since then. Hope everyone has a great 4th of July. Eat plenty of watermelon and wear sunscreen. 😉 Otherwise it wasn’t hard. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/3 "2016-07-03T15:54:35Z")
Seriously? Only ten easy questions. (I answered them all correctly.) ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/4 "2016-07-03T15:58:58Z")
I am proud and relieved that I got all 10 right. The only one I really had to think about was the number of members of the House of Representatives. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/5 "2016-07-03T16:13:45Z")
I guess this test is a bit challenging for a recent immigrant. The questions are a mixture of Civics and history. But they only require 6 correct answers out of 10. That makes it easy. ---
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/6 "2016-07-03T16:16:40Z")
Amazing I got 9 right being as I did not pay much attention to this stuff in high school! (members of the House of Representative missed.) I’ve since read tons of non-fiction books, so must have learned these things later. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/7 "2016-07-03T16:24:30Z")
I have taught citizenship classes, and I emphasize that most people are denied their N-400 for inconsistencies in the information the provide on the form, rather than the civics questions. Also, they need to realize that the oral component of the test actually begins the moment they walk into the room. The officer considers how they engage in small talk, etc,–their acculturation. ---
**Author:** ![pidgeon92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/50afbb/32.png) [@pidgeon92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pidgeon92)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/8 "2016-07-03T16:42:48Z")
I expected the questions to be more difficult. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/9 "2016-07-03T17:04:16Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The National pass rate is 91%. Very easy test. :D. > > I missed one. I knew we had roughly 420 to 460 House members. But didn’t have the exact number memorized. I probably did memorise it in my 9th grade Civics class (1975) but I’ve slept since then. There’s a (sort of) mnemonic for that. Nate Silver’s site is called FiveThirtyEight (dot com). With 100 Senate EVs, this is only three Reps away from the actual number in the HoR. Embarrasingly, I had to look it up to find the three Washington, D.C. electors to make the numbers fit (while I was writing this post, not when taking the quiz). ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/10 "2016-07-03T17:55:57Z")
Canuck, here. Got 9 out of 10. Missed the number of representatives, and got lucky with the Secretary who isn’t in cabinet. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/11 "2016-07-03T18:05:41Z")
Well I got 10. Now have a go at the UK test: [http://www.mirror.co.uk/play/quizzes/can-you-pass-uk-citizenship-7108104](http://www.mirror.co.uk/play/quizzes/can-you-pass-uk-citizenship-7108104) (PS: Yes, I know there is a questionable claim about television). ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/12 "2016-07-03T18:06:06Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > the oral component of the test actually begins the moment they walk into the room. The officer considers how they engage in small talk, etc,–their acculturation. Wow–this concept catches me by surprise! Are there objective criteria? What causes a person to fail and be denied? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/13 "2016-07-03T18:46:34Z")
10/10, didn’t even break a sweat. Ask me something hard, like where the Secretary of Commerce falls in the line of presidential succession or how Congressional seats are apportioned between when a state is admitted to the Union and the next census redistricting, and I’d probably have to guess. Got 18 out of 24 on the UK quiz, which is just barely a pass, and I’ll admit having to guess on a number of those - that test has a whole element of stuff like dog-walking and Diwali and such. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/14 "2016-07-03T19:05:32Z")
Easy 10/10. The only one I paused on was the “last day you can send in your income tax” one. I picked what I expected they meant the answer to be…but you can certainly send it in later, and if you do a different form, not even be penalized. The rest seemed straight forward enough. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/15 "2016-07-03T19:15:38Z")
The British test would require studying the book they mentioned. I got 10 out of 24. Several lucky guesses The biggest surprise was missing the Channel Islands question. I knew Germany occupied them in WWII. I thought they were part of the UK. Nope. I checked Wikipedia and they are Crown dependencies. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/16 "2016-07-03T19:17:44Z")
Aced it - guess that means I don’t get de-citizenized, right? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/17 "2016-07-03T20:53:37Z")
Got 10/10 on the US test. Got 21/24 on the British test. Missed two about British inventions, and the one about the jurisdiction of the English County Court. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/18 "2016-07-03T22:38:28Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > Wow–this concept catches me by surprise! > Are there objective criteria? What causes a person to fail and be denied? Actually, not an “acculturation” test but more of a verbal English language proficiency test. [Description here](https://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume12-PartE-Chapter2.html). Senior citizen applicants and others are exempted from the English test. From that page: > [@](#): > > **1. Speaking Test​** > > ​An officer determines an applicant’s ability to speak and understand English based on the applicant’s ability to respond to questions normally asked in the course of the naturalization examination. The officer’s questions relate to eligibility and include questions provided in the naturalization application.​ [7] The officer should repeat and rephrase questions during the naturalization examination until the officer is satisfied that the applicant either understands the questions or does not understand English.​ > > ​An applicant​ who does not qualify for a waiver of the English requirement​ must be able to communicate in English about his or her application and eligibility for naturalization. An applicant does not need to understand every word or phrase on the application.​ > > _​Passing the Speaking Test​_ > > ​If the applicant generally understands and responds meaningfully to questions relevant to his or her naturalization eligibility, then he or she has sufficiently demonstrated the ability to speak English. ​ > > \*Failing the Speaking Test​ > \* > > An applicant fails the speaking test when he or she does not understand sufficient English to be placed under oath or to answer the eligibility questions on his or her naturalization application.​ > > The officer must still administer all other parts of the naturalization test, including the portions on reading, writing, and civics.​ The small-talk part is a bit of a misdirection/red herring tactic, the pass/fail is on whether the non-exempted person can understand and communicate the material relevant to their application and the civics test IOW does s/he understand what’s going on here today and can s/he express so in English? ​ ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/19 "2016-07-03T22:41:58Z")
I already did, just to be a citizen. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004/20 "2016-07-03T23:03:26Z")
BTW, 10/10 for the US; and 18/24(pass, barely) for the UK relying on a lot of extrapolations and wild guesses. I’ve often argued that any of our homeborn who fancies him/herself going into politics should be made to take the test. Now, the US makes you study 100 items, some of them with multiple “right” answers (e.g. name a cabinet department) while according to the linked article the UK makes you deal with “an estimated 3,000 facts and 278 dates” :eek: _Roight…_ look 'ere, guv’nor, I get that Ye Olde Sceptered Isle has been in business (and up in other people’s business) 4 to 5 times as long as the USA, depending on how you count, but really. And yeah, what’s with the dog-walking? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pass-this-us-citizenship-test/759004.md?page=2)