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GCSE History (OCR)

Key study periods, source skills and interpretations. OCR board.

Pass mark 24/40 60 minutes OCR How many can I get wrong?
Little and often beats one big session. Five minutes on the bus counts.
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Q1. According to the Theory of the Four Humours, illness was believed to be caused by:
  • A.  An imbalance of blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile
  • B.  Invisible creatures too small to see entering the body
  • C.  Poisonous air called miasma alone
  • D.  Punishment sent directly by God with no physical cause
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✓ Answer: A. An imbalance of blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile
The Four Humours theory, developed by Hippocrates and later refined by Galen, held that the body contained four fluids and that illness resulted from these falling out of balance. Miasma was a separate, later explanation used especially to explain the Black Death. Understanding this theory is essential because it dominated medical thinking for over 1500 years.
Q2. What was the main reason Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914?
  • A.  Germany invaded neutral Belgium, breaking the 1839 Treaty of London
  • B.  Germany sank a British passenger liner without warning
  • C.  Germany attacked British colonies in Africa
  • D.  Germany refused to withdraw from Alsace-Lorraine
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A. Germany invaded neutral Belgium, breaking the 1839 Treaty of London
Britain had guaranteed Belgian neutrality under the 1839 Treaty of London, and Germany's Schlieffen Plan required marching through Belgium to attack France. When Germany ignored Britain's ultimatum to withdraw, Britain declared war. The Lusitania sinking (1915) came later and helped draw in the USA, not Britain.
Q3. By late 1918, what combination of factors led Germany's military leaders to seek an armistice?
  • A.  A sudden naval defeat at Jutland forced surrender
  • B.  Allied advances, exhausted troops, and collapsing morale at home made victory impossible
  • C.  France invaded Bavaria directly
  • D.  The Kaiser personally negotiated peace terms in Paris
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B. Allied advances, exhausted troops, and collapsing morale at home made victory impossible
By autumn 1918 Germany faced Allied breakthroughs on the Western Front, a starving population due to the naval blockade, and mutinies such as at Kiel, convincing Ludendorff and Hindenburg an armistice was necessary. Jutland (1916) was indecisive, not a sudden late defeat, and the Kaiser had abdicated by the time terms were finalised.
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Medicine & health through time · 40
Warfare & conflict · 36
Germany 1890-1945 · 61
Cold War & superpower relations · 35
Elizabethan England · 34
Source analysis & interpretations · 37
GCSE History (OCR) — common questions
Frequently asked
How many questions are in the GCSE History (OCR)?
The exam has 40 questions. Every Revision Robin mock uses the same 40-question format so your practice matches the real thing.
What is the pass mark for the GCSE History (OCR)?
You need 24 out of 40 correct to pass, which is about 60%. Our mocks mark you against this exact threshold.
How long do you get?
The test is timed at 60 minutes. Our full mock runs on the same clock so you can practise your pacing.
Are these the real exam questions?
No. Our questions are original and written to match the current syllabus, so they give realistic practice without copying the official paper. Every answer comes with a plain-English explanation. Always confirm current rules and content with OCR.