Mini practice paper: 8 questions
Mixed-difficulty questions from across the History syllabus. Tap "Show answer" after each to check yourself.
Q1 · Difficulty 1/3
In 1925, John Scopes, a teacher in Tennessee, was put on trial. What was he accused of?
- Teaching communist ideas to students
- Refusing to teach the Bible in school
- Teaching Darwin's theory of evolution
- Allowing African American students into his classroom
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — Teaching Darwin's theory of evolution
Award 1 mark for identifying that the 'Monkey Trial' resulted from Scopes teaching Darwin's theory of evolution, which contradicted the literal interpretation of the Bible and violated Tennessee state law. A is incorrect — the trial was not about communism. B is incorrect — Scopes was not accused of refusing to teach the Bible. D is incorrect — this was not related to racial segregation.
Q2 · Difficulty 1/3
Which parallel of latitude divided Korea into two zones of occupation after 1945?
- 36th parallel
- 37th parallel
- 38th parallel
- 39th parallel
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — 38th parallel
Award 1 mark for identifying the 38th parallel as the dividing line between Soviet and American zones of occupation in Korea after 1945. A is incorrect — the 36th parallel was not used as the division. B is incorrect — the 37th parallel was not the agreed boundary. D is incorrect — the 39th parallel was not the line of division.
Q3 · Difficulty 1/3
What term was used to describe the division between communist Eastern Europe and capitalist Western Europe after 1945?
- Iron Curtain
- Berlin Wall
- Truman Doctrine
- Marshall Line
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — Iron Curtain
Award 1 mark for identifying the term used by Winston Churchill in his 1946 speech at Fulton, Missouri to describe the ideological and physical division of Europe. B is incorrect — the Berlin Wall was a physical barrier built in 1961, not a term for the whole division. C is incorrect — the Truman Doctrine was a US policy of containment. D is incorrect — 'Marshall Line' is not a historical term.
Q4 · Difficulty 2/3
Why did President Truman dismiss General MacArthur from command of UN forces in Korea in April 1951?
- MacArthur had lost a major battle against Chinese forces
- MacArthur publicly disagreed with Truman's policy of limited war
- MacArthur refused to lead the Inchon landing
- MacArthur had secretly negotiated with North Korea
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — MacArthur publicly disagreed with Truman's policy of limited war
Award 1 mark for recognising that MacArthur was dismissed for insubordination after publicly advocating for expanding the war into China, including the use of nuclear weapons. A is incorrect — MacArthur was not dismissed for military defeat. C is incorrect — MacArthur successfully led the Inchon landing. D is incorrect — there was no secret negotiation with North Korea.
Q5 · Difficulty 2/3
In February 1945, Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin met at Yalta to discuss the post-war settlement. Which of the following was NOT agreed at the Yalta Conference?
- Germany would be divided into four zones of occupation
- Free elections would be held in liberated Eastern European countries
- The United Nations would be established
- Germany would pay $__(removed value) billion in reparations, with half going to the USA
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — Germany would pay $__(removed value) billion in reparations, with half going to the USA
Award 1 mark for identifying that it was agreed half of reparations would go to the Soviet Union, not the USA. A is incorrect because division into zones was agreed. B is incorrect because free elections were promised (though later broken by Stalin). C is incorrect because the UN was agreed upon at Yalta.
Q6 · Difficulty 2/3
A historian studying the 1920s wrote: 'The Ku Klux Klan experienced a major revival, reaching a membership of around 5 million by 1925.'
Which group was NOT a target of the Klan during this period?
- African Americans
- Catholics
- Recent immigrants from Northern Europe
- Jewish people
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — Recent immigrants from Northern Europe
Award 1 mark for identifying that Northern European (especially Anglo-Saxon Protestant) immigrants were not targeted by the Klan. The Klan promoted WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) supremacy. A, B, and D are incorrect — African Americans, Catholics, and Jewish people were all targeted by the Klan during its 1920s revival.
Q7 · Difficulty 1/3
In 1994, South Africa held its first democratic elections with universal suffrage. The election results showed that the ANC won 62.65% of the vote. Which of the following was a direct consequence of this election result?
- The continuation of National Party rule
- Nelson Mandela becoming President of South Africa
- The establishment of separate homelands
- The introduction of pass laws
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Nelson Mandela becoming President of South Africa
Award 1 mark for identifying that the ANC's electoral victory led to Mandela's inauguration as the first democratically elected President on 10 May 1994. A is incorrect — the National Party lost power. C is incorrect — homelands were abolished. D is incorrect — pass laws had been repealed in 1986.
Q8 · Difficulty 1/3
President Eisenhower used the 'domino theory' to justify American involvement in Vietnam. What did this theory suggest?
- That Vietnam would collapse without American economic aid
- That if one country fell to communism, neighbouring countries would also fall
- That North and South Vietnam would eventually reunify peacefully
- That the Soviet Union would directly invade Southeast Asia
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — That if one country fell to communism, neighbouring countries would also fall
Award 1 mark for identifying the core concept of the domino theory. A is incorrect — the theory was about the spread of communism, not economic collapse. C is incorrect — the theory predicted communist expansion, not peaceful reunification. D is incorrect — the theory focused on internal communist takeovers, not direct Soviet invasion.
CIE IGCSE History FAQ
What does the CIE IGCSE History exam look like?
The CIE IGCSE History exam is structured across 3 components. Paper 1 (Multiple Choice): 40 multiple-choice questions, 1 mark each. 45 minutes. Tests breadth of knowledge. Paper 2 (Core) / Paper 4 (Extended): Structured written paper. 1 hour 30 minutes (Core) or 1 hour 45 minutes (Extended). Tests depth of understanding and application. Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical): Written paper assessing practical skills for candidates without lab access. 1 hour. Worth ~20% of the total. Total exam time: ~3 hours, depending on tier (Core vs Extended).
Can I download a free CIE IGCSE History past paper?
Real CIE past papers are published directly by CIE on their official website. Kramizo doesn't redistribute copyrighted past papers, but we do generate free AI-written practice papers in the exact same style — same command words, same difficulty tier, same mark conventions. Use this practice paper as warm-up, then time yourself on official past papers before exam day.
How is CIE IGCSE History graded?
Grades: A* (highest) to G (lowest), with U (ungraded). Most universities require C or above. Kramizo's practice questions are tagged with difficulty 1-3 mapping roughly to the lower, middle, and top grade boundaries you'll encounter in the real exam.