Skip to content
GK24
Prime
Static GKHard

In London, Big Ben is the name of which of the following?

  1. A.The clock tower of the Palace of Westminster
  2. B.The great bell inside the Elizabeth Tower
  3. C.The residence of the British Prime Minister
  4. D.The chamber of the House of Lords

Correct answer

B. The great bell inside the Elizabeth Tower

Explanation

The correct answer is B, the great bell inside the Elizabeth Tower. Big Ben is strictly the name of the large bell hung in the clock tower at the northern end of the Palace of Westminster. Popular use has moved the name to the tower, but the tower was called the Clock Tower and was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012, so an exam that tests the distinction expects the bell.

Option A is wrong for that reason: the tower has its own name. Option C is wrong because the Prime Minister's residence is 10 Downing Street, a few minutes away. Option D is wrong because the House of Lords chamber is a room inside the Palace of Westminster and carries no such name.

In the exam, read the option with care: a question about the clock tower expects the Elizabeth Tower, and one about the bell expects Big Ben, while the Palace of Westminster is the building that holds both and is itself a World Heritage Site.

Read the full article: Famous Buildings and Official Residences: Exam Notes

Practice Questions

View all
Q2.Static GKEasy

10 Downing Street in London is the official residence and office of which of the following?

  1. A.The reigning British monarch
  2. B.The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
  3. C.The Chancellor of the Exchequer
  4. D.The Speaker of the House of Commons
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Number 10 Downing Street has been the London house and the working office of the British Prime Minister since the eighteenth century, and the cabinet meets in it.

Q3.Static GKMedium

The Pentagon is the headquarters of which organisation?

  1. A.The United States Congress
  2. B.The Federal Bureau of Investigation
  3. C.The United States Department of Defense
  4. D.The Central Intelligence Agency
Show answer
Correct answer: C. The United States Department of Defense

The Pentagon stands at Arlington in Virginia, across the Potomac river from Washington D.C., and houses the American defence department along with the headquarters of its armed services.