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CIE · IGCSE · Religious Studies

Free CIE IGCSE Religious Studies
Practice Paper

8 mixed-difficulty practice questions in the style of real CIE IGCSE papers — answers, mark-scheme-style explanations, and the official exam structure all on one page.

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What the real CIE IGCSE Religious Studies paper looks like

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).
Grading: Grades: A* (highest) to G (lowest), with U (ungraded). Most universities require C or above.

Mini practice paper: 8 questions

Mixed-difficulty questions from across the Religious Studies syllabus. Tap "Show answer" after each to check yourself.

Q1 · Difficulty 1/3

Which Hebrew term refers to the complete body of Jewish dietary laws?

  1. Kashrut
  2. Halakha
  3. Mitzvot
  4. Tzedakah
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — Kashrut
Kashrut is the specific term for the body of Jewish dietary laws derived from the Torah. Halakha refers to Jewish law in general, not dietary laws specifically. Mitzvot means commandments broadly. Tzedakah refers to the concept of charity and justice.
Q2 · Difficulty 1/3

What is the raised platform in a synagogue from which the Torah is read aloud?

  1. The Aron Hakodesh
  2. The ner tamid
  3. The bimah
  4. The sukkah
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — The bimah
Award 1 mark. The Torah scroll is carried from the ark to the bimah, where it is unrolled and read to the congregation.
Q3 · Difficulty 1/3

Which lamp burns continuously above the ark in a synagogue?

  1. The havdalah candle
  2. The yahrzeit candle
  3. The hanukiah
  4. The ner tamid
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — The ner tamid
Award 1 mark. Ner tamid means "eternal light". It is never allowed to go out, unlike the candles lit for Havdalah, for Hanukkah or on the anniversary of a death.
Q4 · Difficulty 2/3

Why is the ner tamid kept burning in the synagogue?

  1. It marks the seat of the rabbi, who leads the service from beside the ark
  2. It shows that the synagogue is open for visitors who arrive at night
  3. It recalls the lamp that burned in the Temple and the everlasting presence of God
  4. It is lit to remember a member of the congregation who has died
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — It recalls the lamp that burned in the Temple and the everlasting presence of God
Award 1 mark. The ner tamid echoes the command in Exodus 27 to keep a lamp burning continually in the Tabernacle, a sign that God is always present.
Q5 · Difficulty 2/3

Why do many Jews fix a mezuzah to the doorposts of their home?

  1. To show visitors which room of the house has been kept kosher for meat
  2. To record the names of the family members who live in the house
  3. To mark the house as one where the Seder is held each Pesach
  4. To obey the command in the Shema to write God's words on the doorposts of the house
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — To obey the command in the Shema to write God's words on the doorposts of the house
Award 1 mark. The mezuzah holds a small scroll with the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4–9). Many Jews touch it as they pass through the door as a reminder of God.
Q6 · Difficulty 2/3

Which of the following fish would be considered kosher according to Jewish dietary law?

  1. Shark, because it lives only in the sea
  2. Prawn, because it is widely eaten
  3. Eel, because it can be caught in rivers
  4. Salmon, because it has fins and scales
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — Salmon, because it has fins and scales
For a fish to be kosher it must have both fins AND scales. Salmon possesses both, making it kosher. Sharks have fins but their scales are a different type (placoid/denticles) not considered scales under Kashrut. Prawns are shellfish with neither fins nor scales and are therefore forbidden. Eels have no scales and are not kosher.
Q7 · Difficulty 3/3

A Jewish doctor is called to a serious emergency during Shabbat. According to the principle of pikuach nefesh, what should she do?

  1. Treat the patient at once, because saving a life overrides almost all Shabbat laws
  2. Wait until Shabbat ends on Saturday night and then go to treat the patient
  3. Ask a non-Jewish colleague to go instead, because she must not work that day
  4. Treat the patient only if the patient is also Jewish and keeps Shabbat
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — Treat the patient at once, because saving a life overrides almost all Shabbat laws
Award 1 mark. Pikuach nefesh ("saving a soul") is based on Leviticus 18:5, "live by them" — the commandments are meant for life, so danger to life sets them aside.
Q8 · Difficulty 3/3

Why do Orthodox and Reform Jews often observe Shabbat in different ways?

  1. Reform Jews keep Shabbat on Sunday instead, so that it fits around the modern working week
  2. Orthodox Jews treat the laws of the Torah as binding as given, while Reform Jews interpret them in the light of modern life
  3. Orthodox Jews do not hold Shabbat services in a synagogue, but pray only at home with family
  4. Reform Jews reject the Ten Commandments, so they do not see Shabbat as a commandment
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Orthodox Jews treat the laws of the Torah as binding as given, while Reform Jews interpret them in the light of modern life
Award 1 mark. Both keep Shabbat from Friday to Saturday. A Reform Jew may drive to the synagogue or use a phone, which an Orthodox Jew would see as breaking the laws of work.
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CIE IGCSE Religious Studies FAQ

What does the CIE IGCSE Religious Studies exam look like?
The CIE IGCSE Religious Studies 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 Religious Studies 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 Religious Studies 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.