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Describe a magazine that you like to read.

You should say:

what magazine it is

how often you read it (or, when you read it)

what the magazine is about (or, what the articles in the magazine are about)

what kinds of people generally read this magazine or newspaper *

and explain why you like to read it.

Part 3

Magazines

· What are some of the different types of magazine that are available in your country? *

· What types of magazines do people in your country (like to) read? FQ

· (Similar to above) What (types of) magazines are most popular in your country? FQ

· Are there any differences between the types of magazines that males and females like to read? FQ

· Do old people like to read the same types of magazines that young people do?

· Why do people read magazines?

· Can you suggest why some magazines are so interested in having articles about famous people?

· When do people usually read magazines?

· What do you think are the similarities and differences between magazines and newspapers? FQx2

· What do you think are the similarities and differences between books and magazines?

· What do you think are the similarities and differences between books and newspapers?

· What influence(s) do magazines have on people?

· What can we learn from reading a magazine, compared to what we can learn from a newspaper?

· What information can we get (or, what can we learn) from magazines?

· Is the information in magazines different to that in newspapers?

· Do you think everything you read in magazines is true?

· Do you think electronic magazines will replace paper ones in the future?

The Reading Habits of People in Your Country

· Is reading very important?

· (Similar to above) Is reading very important to you?

· Would you say that people in your country like reading?

· What kinds of things do people in your country like to read? FQ

· Do you think people's reading habits today are different to people's reading habits in the past (e.g., 30 yrs ago)? FQ

· Do you think people today are reading less than people did in the past? FQx2

· Why do some people like reading novels?

· What do you think are the differences between a book (a novel) and a film based on that book? FQ

· Why do you think some people don't like reading?

· How do you think people could be encouraged to read more?

· Are there any differences between the reading habits of old people and those of young people? FQx2

· Do young people and old(er) people like to read the same types of things? FQx2

· What do you think are the differences between reading for pleasure and reading for other purposes?

· Why do some people still read newspapers?

· How do you think people's reading habits might change in the future? FQ

E-Books

· In what ways do you think e-books and paper books are similar and in what ways are they different?

Journalism / The Media

· Would you like to work as a reporter?

· (Similar to above) Do you think working as a reporter would be (or, is) a good job? FQ

· What does a reporter do in his or her job?

· Do you think it's a dangerous job?

· Do you think it would be (or, is) an interesting job?

· What qualities (including skills) do you think a good reporter (or, journalist) should have? FQx2

· Are there any differences between a TV reporter and a newspaper reporter?

· Is it important to you that journalists report the facts?

· Do you think that all reporters are objective (or, report/write objectively)?

· What would cause them not to be objective?

Newspapers

· Do you think there are differences between local (or, national) newspapers and international ones?

· What are the differences between traditional paper newspapers and electronic versions of those newspapers?

· What are the advantages of reading (& seeing) the news on the internet compared to reading it in newspapers and magazines?

Describe something you did to help another person (or other people) *

You should say:

what you did

when you did it

who you helped

and explain how you felt after (or, when) you gave this help.

Part 3

Helping in Everyday Life

· Do you think people today are more willing to help others than people in the past?

· Do you think more people in society today need help than in the past?

· Are there many lonely people (living in cities) who need some kind of help? (Why?)

· How do you suggest those people could be helped?

· In general, who do you think gives more help in a family (or marriage), the husband or the wife?

· If somebody gave you some help, how would you react to that person?

· What do you think are the drawbacks and possible benefits of being selfish?

· Do you think volunteer work is important in society?

·

Neighbours

· Do you think neighbors are important? FQ

· Do you think it's important to have good relationship with one’s neighbours?

· What benefits do people get from helping their neighbours?

· Do you think a person can learn anything from helping their neighbours?

· Do you think people's relationships with their neighbours are the same as they were in the past? FQ

· (Similar to above) Do you think people today communicate with their neighbours as much as they used to, in times past?

· Would you say these are changes are for the better or changes for the worse?

· How do (or, how can) neighbours help each other? FQ

· Which neighbours need help (more than others)?

· Why are some people reluctant to help their neighbours (or, help others)?

· Do you think many people living in cities feel lonely? FQ

· Do you think the size of the city makes a difference to how lonely someone is (or feels)?

· Do you think peoples' relationships with their neighbors are the same in the cities as they are in rural areas? FQ

· Do you think today's urban living environment encourages people to get to know their neighbours? FQ

· Who do you think is more likely to help their neighbours, people living in cities or people in living rural environments? FQ

· Why do people living in cities not communicate with their neighbours very often? FQ

· What are the benefits of belonging to a community?

· Why are online "virtual communities" becoming more popular nowadays?

· Around where you live (= in your neighborhood), are there any activities that groups of people can participate in?

· Do you think these local events are very beneficial to people

Helping in the Workplace

Note that some questions here are about employees giving help (to other employees and even to the employer) and other questions are about employers giving help to employees.

· Do you think colleagues need to help each other in the workplace?

· How do (or, how can) colleagues help each other at work? FQ

· Do you think teamwork is important in the workplace?

· Do you think a person should receive more pay if they help others at work (or should they do it for free)?

· How do (or, how can) an employee help their (his or her) employer?

· How do employers in your country help their employees?

· Do you think that employees are encouraged to work better (or work harder/ work more) when the employer helps them?

· What do you think is the role of (departmental) managers in a company (or the CEO)?

· What benefits do employees get in your country?

· Do you think employers should be obligated (by law) to provide benefits for their employees?

· In your country, in what ways are employers obligated (by law) to provide benefits for their employees?

· Do you think it benefits the employees if a company provides leisure facilities at the workplace?

Children Learning to Help

· Do you think children naturally want to help others, (or do they need to be taught this)? *

· Do you think it's important for parents to teach their children to help others? *

· How can parents teach their children to help others?

· (Similar to above) How can parents teach their children the value of helping others?

· Do you think engaging children in team (or group) activities helps them learn about helping others?

· Who do you think should be more responsible for teaching children about helping, the parents or the child's school teachers?

· In what ways do parents want their children to help them (around the home)?

· (Similar to above, but different) How can (or, how do) children help their parents at home?

· Do parents in your country expect their adult children to give them help?

· Do you think children should help with the housework at home? FQ

· In general, who do you think is more willing to give help (e.g., with the housework), boys or girls (males or females)? FQx2

· (Similar to above) In general, who do you think is more willing to help others, boys or girls (or, males or females)?

· Do you think children can learn about helping from other children?

International Help

· How can (or, how do) countries give help to other countries? FQ

· Do you think countries are obligated to share their research discoveries with other countries?

· Do you think countries should help one another in times of disasters?

· Do you think natural disasters are consequences of the nature or caused by human beings?

· Do you think international organizations should exist to provide help when a natural disaster strikes a country?

Describe a family celebration that you attended.

You should say:

where this celebration was held

why it was held

what you did at this celebration

and explain why you enjoyed this celebration.

Marriage & Weddings

· Are weddings considered very important in your country?

· Would you say marriage (or, weddings) today is (are) considered less important than it was in the past? FQ

· (Similar to above but a little different) Are weddings today considered less important, or more important than they were in the past? FQ

· (Similar to above) Are weddings today (in your country) the same as weddings have always been? FQx2

· Are weddings today more expensive (= dearer) than weddings in the past, or cheaper?

· Do you think people spend too much money on weddings? FQ

· (Similar to above) Do you think it's worthwhile to spend so much money on a wedding? FQ

· Where are weddings held? (= where are wedding ceremonies held)

· Where are wedding banquets held?

· Who usually pays for the costs of a wedding (a wedding celebration or banquet)?

· What preparations need to be done before a wedding takes place?

· In your culture, who does most of the preparation when a couple are going to get married? FQ

· (Similar to above) Who do you think should do the preparation work for a wedding?

· (Possibly) Who officiates (= carries out) weddings in your country?

· Do you think it's important to marry someone who has the same level of education as you do? FQ

· Can you suggest why more and more people are getting married today at a later age than they used to? FQx2

· (Similar to above) Can you suggest why more and more people are getting married today at a later age than they used to and delaying having children? FQx2

Other Celebrations Besides Weddings

Note: Be careful of saying "holidays" when you mean traditional festivals such as the Lunar New Year celebrations, or Christmas. In British English, "on holidays" or "during holidays" etc. most often means "during one's vacation (from school or work)", 假期. Although traditional festivals / celebrations, 节日, are usually also public holidays, I suggest using words such as "festival" or "celebration". This question is further complicated by the fact that English speakers tend to use the word "festival" to refer more to public festivals that are celebrated, for example, on the street or in public places, involving large crowds of people, not traditional celebrations that are held in the home..

· On what occasions do people in your country hold a celebration?

· What would you say are the most important family celebrations in your country?

· Besides weddings, on what other occasions do people in your country hold celebrations?

· Besides weddings, on what other occasions do people in your country hold family celebrations?

· Do you prefer celebrating with your family or with your friends?

· Do you think everybody enjoys attending family celebrations? FQ

· Are young people and old people equally enthusiastic about family celebrations?

· Do you think people like attending national celebrations (e.g. National Day)?

· What do you think are the differences between family celebrations and national (or public) celebrations? FQ

· Do people in your country generally prefer family celebrations to national celebrations, or vice versa?

· Do you think all public holidays are "celebrated"?

· Have their been any changes to the culture of your country resulting in celebrating something that was not traditionally celebrated in your culture? (changes in the past few decades)

Describe your first mobile phone (or communication device).

You should say:

when you got it (or, how old you were when you got it)

how you got it *

what you used it for *

and explain how the mobile phone changed your life.

Notes

· "Cell-phone" is more American usage while "mobile phone" is more common in British English. But either is OK.

Part 3

Mobile Phones in Your Country

· What do you think are the main differences between cell phones today and the first cell phones (in the 1990's)?

· Do you like having a mobile phone? FQ

· (Similar to above) Is your mobile phone important to you? FQ

· Are mobile phones very common in your country? FQ

· Are mobile phones very popular in your country? FQ

· Do all types of people use mobile phones or is it mostly a case of certain types of people (certain groups) using them?

· What do people use their mobile phone for? FQ

· Would you say cell-phones are useful when one is traveling?

· Do you think it is important for someone going on a business trip to use a mobile phone while on the trip?

· Do many old people use mobile phones? FQ

· (Similar to above) Who do you think uses mobile phones more, young people or old(er) people? FQx2

· Who changes their cell phones for newer models more often, young people or older people? (Why?)

· Do you think old people find it easy to use a cell-phone?

· Do old(er) and young people use mobile phones in the same way?

· Do you think there are any downsides (bad points) to using a cell-phone? FQ

· Do people use their cell-phones more for speaking or more for sending text messages? FQx2

· (Similar to above) What are the differences between sending text messages and making calls on a cell phone? FQx2

· (Similar to above) Would you say that text messaging is replacing making call calls?

· What are the shortcomings of using cell phones? FQ

· (Similar to above) Do you think that cell phones have any brought any negative influences to people (or, society)?

· Do you think there are times when it is acceptable (or, reasonable) to ask others to turn off their cell-phones?

· What can someone do if they lose their cell-phone?

· What problems can result if a person loses their cell-phone?

· What are the major differences between a fixed-line phone and a mobile phone?

· Do you think the use of cell phones will increase in the future?

· Do you think that you will be using a cell phone more in the future, or less?

Smart-Phones

· Why do we have smart phones (or, why do people use) smart phones when we already have mobile phones and the internet?

· Why do people (like to) use smart-phone apps? FQ

· Would you say cell phone apps are important?

· Which apps are most popular? FQ

Children and Mobile Phones

· At what age do people in your country usually get their first cell-phone? FQx2

· Why do you think kids aged about 11 or 12 need to (or, want to) have a cell phone?

· Which do you think is more suitable for young children to use, a mobile phone or a fixed-line phone at home?

· What do you think could be done to stop school students from using their cell-phone during class? FQ

Describe a foreign language you would like to learn (besides English).

You should say:

what language

how you would learn it

what difficulties you think you might (or would) have when learning this language.

and explain why you would like to learn this language.

Learning Another Language

· Do you think it's important to learn a foreign language? FQ

· What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of learning (or studying) a foreign language?

· Do you think everyone should learn a foreign language? FQ

· Would you agree that some people are better at learning a language than others?

· Do you think it's good that some school students are forced to study a foreign language (= it is compulsory for them to study a foreign language)?

· (Similar to above) Do you think it's necessary (or, important) for schools to teach foreign languages? FQ

· Do you think it's important to learn a foreign language in a formal classroom?

· What people need to learn a foreign language?

· What benefits do children (or, people) get from studying (learning) a foreign language?

· Do you think there are any possible downsides from studying a foreign language?

· What difficulties do people experience when they try to learn another language?

· Why do you think different people seem to have different capabilities for learning languages? FQ

· (Similar to above) Why do you think some people are better than others at learning languages? FQx2

· How do high school teachers in your country teach English?

· How do you think school teachers could make studying a foreign language more interesting? FQ

· How do you think school teachers could make studying a foreign language more effective? FQ

· What are the reasons why people learn a foreign language?

· What kinds of people are most likely to learn a foreign language?

· In your country, which are the most commonly studied foreign languages?

· How can people use the knowledge they have of a foreign language?

· On the question of learning a foreign language, do you think there are any differences between men and women?

· Who do you think finds it easier to learn a foreign language, men or women?

· How would you convince a person of the importance of learning your language?

· Do you think there is a strong relationship between language and culture?

· How important (or, how useful) is it to learn a language in a formal classroom?

International Communication

· How do people use social media (or, use the internet) to make contact with foreigners (who speak a foreign language)?

· What do you think are the similarities and differences between the way people of different languages communicate?

An International Language

· Do you think it would be good to have one main international language? FQ

· (Similar to above) Do you think it is important to have one main international language? FQ

· Which language would you say is the dominant language in the world today? FQ

· Which language do you think will be the dominant language in the future? FQ

· (Similar to above but different) Which language would you say is the most important language in the world today? FQ

· Some people say that all languages are important. Do you agree?

· Do you think English should be made the official international language? FQ

· In the future, what language do thing will be the most prevalent in the world?

· Do you think Chinese should be made an (or, the) international language?

Describe a school you have attended (in your childhood).

You should say:

where it was (or, what school it was)

what the classrooms were like (or, looked like)

what the teachers were like *

and explain how you felt about this school.

Part 3

Schools

· Which do you think is better, a big school or a small school?

· (Similar to above, but different) Which do you think is better, a big class or a small class?

· What age do you think is most suitable for children to start school?

· What do you think are the benefits of extra-curricula activities at school?

· Do you think it should be compulsory for all children to attend a school?

· Do you think it's better for high school-aged boys and girls to be educated together, or separately?

· (Similar to above) What are the pros and cons of single-sex high schools as compared to co-educational high schools?

· Do you think school students today are overburdened?

· Have there been any changes to the education system in your country in the recent past?

Teachers

· Is teaching a very popular profession in your country?

· Would you like to work as a teacher?

· Why do some people choose to (or, want to) become teachers of children? FQ

· What kinds of people become (or, work as) school teachers?

· What do you think are some of the differences between high school teachers and primary school teachers? FQ

· Who do you you think is easier to teach, primary school students or high school students? FQ

· Why do you think some people prefer to teach adults (e.g., over 18 yrs old) rather than children?

· What qualities do you think a good (primary school) teacher should have? FQx2

· Were your teachers strict when you were a child?

· What are the differences between male and female teachers? FQ

· Who do you think is more suitable for working as a primary school teacher, men or women?

· Can you suggest why we see more female than male primary school teachers?

· Do you think teachers should allow their students to speak to each other during class?

· Do you think a "spoon-feeding" style of education is the best method?

· Should school students be encouraged to ask questions?

Kindergartens

· Do you think kindergartens are important? *

· Would you like to teach little kids?

· Do you think teaching little kids is a difficult job?

· What qualities do you think good kindergarten teachers have?

Describe something you bought but don't often use. *

You should say:

when you bought it

where you bought it

what it is used for *

why you bought it

and explain why you don't often use it.

Part 3

Shopping & Consumerism

· Do you think many people are many things that they don't really need?

· What do you think has caused these people to love shopping so much?

· Do you think people (or, these "shopaholics") will change their attitudes in the future?

· How often do you go shopping (or, buy something)?

· Do people in your country like to go shopping?

· Do many people buy things in street markets?

· What do you think are the pros and cons of shopping in a large department store? FQ

· What factors do people consider before they decide to buy something?

· For you (or, for most people), which is more important when buying something, the price or the quality? FQ

· Do you think more expensive, brand-name clothes are always better quality than cheaper clothes?

· What are the differences (and similarities) between buying something in a shopping mall and buying something online?

· Why do some people prefers to buy things online? FQ

· (Similar to above) Do you prefer to buy things online or in the real world? FQ

· Do you think there are any problems associated with the quality of products when buying online?

· Do many people in your country buy fake (fake brand name) goods?

· Do you think it's safe to use credit cards?

Recycling

· Do you often use products made from recyclable materials?

· What types of materials can be recycled?

· Do you thing recycling is important? (Why? / Why not?) FQ

· (Similar to above) In your country, is recycling considered to be important?

· (Similar to above) Why did people in your country start recycling?

· Do you think it's important to recycle things made of plastic?

· Have people's attitudes towards recycling changed in recent years?

· When did people in your country start recycling?

· Why do you think more people are promoting and practicing recycling nowadays?

· What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of recycling? FQ

Advertisements

· What do you think about advertisements?

· Are they effective?

· Are they useful (or beneficial) for people?

· Can you compare advertisements on TV and those in magazines?

· Do you think advertising methods always ethical?

· What do you think are the pros and cons of having government supervision of the advertising industry?

Describe an indoor game that you played when you were a child.

You should say:

what the game was

who you played it with *

how you played it *

and explain why you played that game.

Part 3

Games in General

· Do people of all ages play games, or is it only children?

· Which do you think are better, indoor or outdoor games? FQ

· (Similar to above) What are the differences between indoor and outdoor games? FQ

· What are the most popular indoor games in your country? FQ

· How do people learn to play games?

· Do you think it's hard to learn the rules of games?

Children's Games

"Games" here includes all games, not just indoor games unless the examiner specifies "indoor".

"Indoor games" does not mean "indoor sports".

· What games do children play today? FQx2

· Are those the same as the games kids used to play in the past? FQ

· Do you think it's good for children to play games? FQ

· What can they learn from games? FQx2

· (Similar to above) How do you think children can benefit from playing games? FQ

· Do you think children can learn new skills from games?

· Would you say children in your country prefer outdoor games, or indoor games? FQ

· Which do you think is more beneficial for children, indoor games or outdoor games? FQ

· How can (or how do) children benefit from outdoor games (or, outdoor activities)?

· How do children's (indoor) games and those of adults differ?

· What do you think would be some of the qualities of a good game for a 3-year-old child (or, 3-yr-old children)?

· Do you think it's necessary for children's games to be competitive? FQ

· How do competitive games at school affect children?

· How important would you say it is to develop a sense of competition in children?

· Do you think playing (some) games can help children develop their imagination?

· Do you think games can be useful when teaching children in the classroom?

· Do you think it's good for children to play competitive games (i.e., games with winners and losers)?

· Do you think electronic games are good for children?

· Some traditional games that are hundreds of years old are still popular with children today. Can you suggest why (or how) that happens?

Children's Play

These questions were reported only once, so they might be mistakes. "Play" and "play a game" are not exactly the same thing.

· Do you think it's good for children to play?

· What benefits do children get from playing?

· Do you think children's play is more for fun or for learning?

Recreational Facilities / Parks

· Do you think parks play an important role in the lives of people?

· Can you suggest how parks could be improved?

· Do you think your city should have more parks?

·

Describe a good law in your country.

You should say

what the law is

how you first learned about this law (or, how you know about this law)

who benefits from this law (or, who is affected by this law)

and explain why you think this is a good law. *

Part 3

The Law

· Do you think rules and laws are important? FQx2

· (Similar to above) Why do you think we need to have rules and laws? FQx2

· How do people benefit from having rules and laws?

· What types of work particularly involve the law?

· In relation to the law, what is the difference between the work of government officials and that of lawyers? (Difficult question)

· Do you think all laws are fair?

· Would you say that the behavior of people is restricted by the laws we have?

· Is that a good situation? *

· In your country, do people generally feel that they should obey the law? FQ

· (Similar to above) Are rules and laws strictly obeyed in your country? FQ

· Do you think it's OK to occasionally break the law, (in a small way)? FQ

· (Similar to above) In what circumstances do you think it would be acceptable to break the law? FQx2

· (Similar to above) Do you think we should obey all laws, all the time?

· (Similar to above) Can you suggest any situations when a person can be excused for not obeying a law? FQx2

· (Possibly) Can you suggest any occasions when a person cannot obey a law?

· (Possibly) Can you suggest any occasions when a person should not obey a law? *

Lawyers and the Police

Several of these questions are asking you to make comparisons between lawyers and the police.

Lawyers

· What are some of the situations when a person needs to use a lawyer?

· What qualities does one need in order to be a good lawyer? FQx2

· Do many people in your country want to be lawyers? FQx2

The Police

· What do you think is the purpose of having police?

· (Similar to above) What do you think are the duties / responsibilities of the police (Br. = policemen & policewomen, U.S. = police officers)?

· Are there different types of police?

· What do you think is the difference between a policeman directing traffic on a road and other policeman?

· Do you think the police should carry guns?

· Who do you think is more suitable for being a police officer, men or women?

· Who do you think is more suitable for being a lawyer, men or women?

· What is the difference between the work of the police and that of lawyers?

· Do many people in your country want to be police officers? FQx2

· (Similar to above) Do you think being a police officer would be a good job? FQ

· (Similar to above) Why do some people prefer to be police officers and some prefer to be lawyers? FQx2

· Which job do you think would be (or, is) more interesting, being a police officer or being a lawyer?

· Which do you (or do people) respect more, lawyers or the police?

· Who do you think provides more of a service (or better service) to society (or, the people), police or lawyers?

· Which would most parents prefer their children to marry, a police officer or a lawyer?

· Who do you think earns more money, lawyers or police officers?

· What qualities does one need in order to be a police officer? FQx2

· Do you think it's important for a police officer to be punctual (or, have good time management skills)?

· What sorts of training do you think trainee police officers receive?

International Law

· Do you think it's important to have international law? FQ

· Can you give any examples of international law?

· Who decides what the international laws should be?

· Do you think the United Nations should exist and, if so, what should it regulate?

· How can international law be enforced?

· Do you think there are any difficulties (or, problems) concerning the enforcement of international law?

· Do you think there should be an international police bureau (or organization)?

Describe something that you have shared with others (or another person) *

You should say:

what you shared

who you shared it with.

why you shared it

and explain how you felt about sharing it.

Part 3

Sharing in General

· Do you like sharing things with others?

· Can you suggest why some people don't like sharing?

· Besides the example that you just spoke about (in Part 2), what are some other examples of sharing in everyday life?

· Do people in your country (or, you) prefer to share public transport or do they (you) prefer to use private transport? FQx2

· How do (or can, or could) people share transportation? FQx2

· (A little different to above) How do you think more people could be encouraged to share public transport? FQx2

· Do you think sharing one's car with others is a good idea? (car pooling)

· Do many people in your country share their home with other or do they mostly live alone? *

· Why do you think people share some things with others? FQx2

· (Similar to above) What are the benefits of sharing? FQ

· Do you think rural people share more than city people?

· Do you think there are any advantages to sharing your home with other (non-family) people?

· When people share a house, do you think it's important to have some "house rules"? FQ

· (Possibly) Do you think there should be (or are) some general rules for people when they share things? *

· Do you think it's good to share personal information with others on the internet? FQ

· Do you think online privacy is important?

· Would you share your clothes with a friend if they were cold?

· Would you ever share your food with someone else?

· Do you think sharing food is important?

· Do people (in your country) share food during celebrations (or, festivals)? FQ

· How do people share information online?

· (Possibly) Can you think of any things that people don't usually share with others? *

Children and Sharing

· In general, are children willing to share things? FQ

· What are some examples of things that children share?

· Do you think there are any things that children should not be expected to share with others?

· What are some examples of things that children don't like to share?

· Do you think children like sharing their parents with their brothers and sisters?

· Do you think children need to be taught to share? FQ

· How do you think children could be taught to share? FQx2

International Sharing

· Do you think countries should share things? (If so, what?)

·

Describe a situation (or time) when you received some useful advice. *

You should say:

what the situation was

who gave you the advice

what the advice was

and explain how this advice was useful to you.

Part 3

· Where should consumers look for prices?

· Do you read customer reviews?

· Do you find them useful?

· Do you think harmful cosmetic products should be banned? Why?

· Do you like receiving advice?

· Do your friends often ask you for advice?

· Do you usually follow the advice of your parents?

· Which do you think is better, advice from one's family members or advice from one's friends? FQx2

· On what topics do you think young people might ask their friends for advice? *

· Do people, such as your family or friends, generally offer advice to you or do you usually need to ask for advice?

· When you are given advice, do you usually follow that advice or do you make your own decisions? FQ

· What do you do when you have an opinion about what is best to do that is different to that of your parents?

· Do you think people should get advice from others before they decide on what career to follow?

· Do you think that the advice that people gave 50 years ago is still relevant today?

· What kind of people are suitable for giving advice to others?

· What type of personality do you think someone needs to have in order to be a good advice-giver?

· Do you think a teacher should give any kind of advice to students or should he or she only give advice about academic questions? FQ

· Do you think teachers should give (or, are suitable for giving) advice to their students about career choices?

· What should (or, what does) a teacher do when a student needs advice of a more personal nature?

Advice on the Internet

· Do you think it's a good idea to seek advice, or look for advice, on the internet?

· Where can people get information about prices for products on sale on the internet?

· Do you think it's useful to read customer reviews at (or about) online buying and selling websites?

Government Advice / Information

· What kinds of advice does the government give people?

· Where (or how) can a person get advice from the government?

Describe a foreign film that you enjoyed watching. *

You should say:

what type of film it was

who the actors were

what the film was about *

and explain what you liked (and possibly disliked) about this film.

Part 3

Foreign Films

· What kinds of films are most popular in your country? FQ

· Do you like films from your own country?

· (Possibly) Do you prefer films from your own country, or foreign films?

· What are some English language films that have been (or are) popular in your country?

· Is it easy for people in your country to watch foreign films (or, films in English)? FQ

· Do you think it's easier to watch foreign films today than it was 20 or 30 years ago?

· Can they understand the film just by listening?

· Which do you think are more enjoyable, foreign films that are dubbed into your language or foreign films that have subtitles (in your language)?

· What do you think we can learn from foreign films?

· Do you think a person can improve their English by watching foreign (English language) films? FQx2

· Which do you think is better for improving one's English, reading books written in English or watching foreign films? FQ

· What are the differences between Hollywood (= American) films and films from your country? FQ

· What types of Hollywood films are most popular in your country?

· Do you think people can learn about the culture of a foreign country by watching films from that country? FQ

Films in General

· What do you think are the differences reading a novel and watching a film based on that same novel?

· What types of people are most likely to watch films?

· At what age do people mostly go to the cinema in your country?

· How (or why) do some films become popular while other are not so popular?

Describe a famous person (still living), not from your country, who you would like to meet.

You should say:

where this person comes from

how you first learned about him or her

(or: how you know about this person)

why / how this person is famous

and explain why you would like to meet this person

Part 3

Fame / Famous People

· Do you think everyone would like to be famous?

· Would you like to be famous? (Or: Do you want to be famous?)

· Is it easy to become famous in your country?

· How do people become famous? FQ

· What types of people become famous?

· Do you think some people are born to be famous?

· How can a famous person maintain his or her fame? (= stay famous or well-known)

· What kinds of famous people stay famous for a long time? (How? / Why?) FQx2

· (Similar to above) Why do you think some people who died a long time ago are still famous? FQx2

· (Similar to above) Why do you think some people are famous just for a short time while others are famous for a long time (e.g., hundreds of years)? FQx2

· (Similar to above) What factors determine which famous people stay famous for a long time (e.g. historically) and which people don't stay famous? FQx2

· Do you think all famous people are wealthy?

· (Similar to above) Do you think being famous is the same as being rich?

· Do you think famous people have much influence on young people? FQ

· Have you, personally, been influenced by any famous person?

· In what ways do famous people influence ordinary people?

· (Similar to above) How do famous people influence ordinary people?

· Do you think that the impression that average people have of famous people is accurate (or is it just an illusion)?

· Do you think famous people ever do thinks such as commit crimes or get drunk?

· How do you think famous people can contribute to society (or, the community)?

· Do you think they can help society overcome big problems?

· What are the benefits of being famous?

· Are there any disadvantages from being famous? FQ

· Why do the media so often report on the private lives of celebrities? FQ

· Do you think celebrities have a right to preserve their privacy? FQ

· Do you think the internet will help more people become famous?

· How can (or how does) a country benefit from their famous people?

· Do you think that famous people can do some things that average people cannot do?

· Do you think that famous people are capable of doing things that are good for society (or, for the country)?

Describe a job that you think is interesting

You should say:

who this person is

what job the person does

what this person does in this job

how he/she (they) got this job *

and explain why you think this person's job is interesting.

Part 3

Jobs / Careers + Part-time vs. Full-time Work

· Do you think that job you just spoke about only has positive sides? Are there any downsides to doing that job?

· What (types of) work do people (most commonly) do in your country? FQx2

· Do men and women work in these areas equally?

· In your country, what jobs (or, careers) are the most popular choices among young people? FQ

· What job would you like to do?

· Would you (or, do you) prefer to work full-time or part-time? FQ

· What jobs give people the highest salary?

· How do people choose their careers (or jobs)? (Note: A "job" and a "career" are not exactly the same in meaning) FQx2

· (Similar to above) How do people make their choice of career or the subject (the major) they study at university? FQx2

· Do you think it's easy (or difficult) for people to choose a career (or job)? FQ

· Which do you think is more important when choosing a career (or job), the salary or what one is interested in? *

· (Similar to above) Which factor is more important for people in your country when they choose a career (or job), the salary or what one is interested in? *

· (Separate from choosing a career) How do people find jobs (= find employment) in your country?

· Is it easy for find a job in your country?

· In what occupations does your country have a shortage of workers?

· Is it easy to find work abroad?

· Do people more often change a job these days?

· Does it mean that they are unhappy with their jobs?

· How can a person stay interested in their job for many years?

· Do you think it's good to move to a different part of one's country for work?

· Do you think it's good for a country to have a mobile workforce?

· Do you think it's easy to find a job overseas?

Employers / Companies

· Why do many (or some) people want to work for the government?

· In what ways do you think big and small companies are different (and similar)? FQx2

· Why do you think some people prefer to work for small companies, while others prefer to work for large companies? FQx2

· Can you suggest why some people prefer to work in a small company? FQx2

· Do you think it's easier to work in, and to learn things in a small company or a big one?

· In your opinion, what are the qualities of a "good company" to work for?

· Would you like to have your own business (or, company)?

· What types of companies prefer to hire university graduates?

Qualifications / Traineeships + Part-time vs. Full-time study

· Do you think people have to do some study (or learn some skills) in order to get a good job?

· Do you think it's important for people to gain educational qualifications? FQ

· (Similar to above) Do you think it's important to have good educational qualifications? FQ

· (Similar to above but different) Do you think it's important for people to gain university qualifications?

· What do you think are the most important qualifications?

· Why do some companies invest in (or attract) highly educated employees by offering them high salaries? FQ

· (Similar to above) Can you suggest why many companies pay higher salaries to employees who have more (or higher) educational qualifications than others? FQ

· Do most (tertiary) students prefer to study full-time or part time? FQ

· (Similar to above) What are the pros and the cons for tertiary students to study full-time as opposed to studying part-time? FQx2

· (Similar to above) Do you (or, would you) prefer to study part-time or full-time? FQ

· Why do some students study part-time (while working)? FQ

· What is the value for companies of giving traineeships to students (students who are studying part-time)? *

· What do you think is the value for students doing traineeships (while studying part-time)? *

· Do you think most companies prefer to hire trainees (who are still studying) or do they prefer to hire people who have graduated from university (or some training college)?

· In your country, do companies and other employers invest in the training of their employees? FQ

· Why do so many (or some) companies send their employees to advanced training? FQ

· Should companies pay for training courses for their employees?

Describe a time when you saw an interesting animal.

You should say:

what animal it was

where you saw it

what happened when you saw it

and explain why you thought it was interesting. *

Part 3

Teaching About Animals in School Frequent Sub-topic

· Do you think school students should learn about animals in school?

· (Similar to above) Do you think it's important for school students to learn about animals in school? FQ

· (Similar to above but different) Do you think it's necessary for school students to learn about animals in school? FQ

· If you were a teacher, how would you teach your students about animals?

· Do you like to watch TV programs about animals?

· Which do you think is better for children, to learn about animals from TV or to have personal contact with animals?

· What do you think is the difference between learning about animals from TV and learning about them from books?

The Protection of Wild Animals Frequent Sub-topic

· Do you think all wild animals should be protected? See Note

· How do you think endangered animals could be / should be protected?

· Is the government in your country doing anything to protect wild animals?

· Would you say it is one of the duties (or, responsibilities) of government to protect endangered animals?

· Do you think it's good to keep wild animals in a zoo? FQx2

· (Similar to above) Do you think keeping endangered animals in a zoo is a good way to protect them? FQx2

· Do you think average people can play a role in helping to prevent the extinction of wild animals? (Hint: ivory) FQ

Pets

· What do you think are the pros and cons of a child having a pet? FQ

· Do you think it's good for a child to have a pet? FQ

· (Similar to above) What are the benefits of a child having a pet? FQ

· Which animals do you think are most suitable for children to have as pets?

· What does a person have to do in order to take care of a pet?

Zoos

· Are there any zoos in your hometown (or, where you are living)?

· Is it good to take children to a zoo?

· Do you think it's good to keep wild animals in a zoo? FQx2

· (Similar to above) Do you think keeping endangered animals in a zoo is a good way to protect them? FQx2

· What do you think are the good and bad points of (having) zoos? FQ

· (Similar to above) What do you think are the good and bad points of (having) wild animals living in zoos? FQx2

· (Similar to above) Why do you think some people are opposed to zoos? FQ

· If you were planning a zoo, what would it be like? *

Other Uses of Animals in Society

· Do you think it's good that humans kill animals?

Animals Eaten for Meat

· What animals do people in your country eat?

· Are there any animals that people in your country do not eat? *

Work Animals

· Do you think animals should be used for work?

Experimentation on Animals

· Do you think it's good to perform experiments (or tests) on animals in laboratories?

·

· Describe something special you brought home from a holiday. *

· You should say:

what it was

when and where you went on this holiday

what you did with it after you brought it home

and explain why you thought it was special.

Notes

· It's possible that this topic has the words, "why you bought it" but not every souvenir is something that people buy.

· Don't confuse the two words, "brought" and "bought".

· The wording for this is not clear. It might say, "Describe something special you brought home from a holiday trip". Such a trip could simply be a one-day or two-day trip to the countryside, for example, or to another city.

Part 3

New word - "memorabilia"

Souvenirs

· Do you (or, do people in your country) prefer to buy souvenirs when they visit a place or do they prefer to simply take something (not buy it) from the places they visit?

· Why do people buy souvenirs? FQ

· What (types of) things do people buy as souvenirs? FQ

· Do you think it is really worth the money to buy souvenirs? FQ

· Do you think different types of people tend to buy different sorts of souvenirs?

· Are children and adults the same when it comes to souvenirs?

· What types of souvenirs do visitors to your country buy?

· If you bought a shirt as a souvenir from some place you visited, would you prefer to wear that shirt or hang it on the wall as a display?

· Do you think some people buy souvenirs in order to show others where they have been? FQ

· (Different to above) Do you think some people just buy souvenirs to show off (to impress others)? FQ

· What do you think is the value of keeping a souvenir for a long time?

The Souvenir Industry

· Do any people earn a living from souvenirs?

· Do you think it would be a good investment for a local person living in a tourist area to open a shop to sell souvenirs?

· (Similar to above) Do you think it is a good investment for a local person living in a tourist area to open a shop to sell souvenirs?

· (Similar to above) Do you think it's good for people to earn money by selling souvenirs? FQ