THE DISCUSSION ON QUIZZES
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)
(1) What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘quiz’?
(2) What is your favourite quiz subject?
(3) Do you like watching quiz shows on TV?
(4) Do you ever take online quizzes?
(5) Have you ever been on a quiz team?
(6) Why are quizzes so popular?
(7) What do you think of personality quizzes and find the perfect partner’ quizzes?
(8) What can you do to study for a general knowledge quiz?
(9) Do you think lots of quiz questions would be a good format for a school exam?
(10) Do you think you’d be quick on the buzzer in a quiz contest?
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)
(1) What do you think of quizzes?
(2) What quiz subject do you think you’d do very well in?
(3) Are young people or old people better at pop quizzes?
(4) What impossible quiz question would you like to add to a quiz?
(5) Are you interested in the trivia that is often found in quizzes?
(6) Do you like doing quizzes in English?
(7) Do you think you’d do well in a quiz about the English language?
(8) Do you think taking quizzes can help your English?
(9) What’s the difference between a test, an exam and a quiz?
(10) Have you ever quizzed anyone whose story you didn’t believe?
THE DISCUSSION ON MUSIC
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)
(1) What images spring to mind when you hear the word ‘music’?
(2) What does music mean to you?
(3) What would life be like without music?
(4) Which is more important to you, music or TV?
(5) What kind of music do you like?
(6) How have your musical tastes changed since when you were a kid?
(7) What music can change the way you feel?
(8) What’s the best time and place to listen to music?
(9) Where does the best music come from, the USA, UK or other?
(10) What decade has produced the best music?
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)
(1) How varied are your musical tastes?
(2) What artists/band do you want to see at a music festival?
(3) What musical genres do you really hate?
(4) Do you think most music (say 90%) is rubbish?
(5) Is the Internet helping or hindering musicians?
(6) Do you agree with Shakespeare that music is the food of love?
(7) What new music have you bought or listened to recently?
(8) What do you think of the music your parents listen to?
(9) Why do humans like music so much?
(10) What do you think of the music they play in supermarkets and elevators?
What are some things that define a culture? For example, music, language, …
What do you think is interesting about your culture?
Do you know much about your own culture?
When people from other countries think about your culture, what do they usually think of?
In your culture is it polite to be straightforward and direct when you talk to someone?
To whom is it OK and to whom is it not OK?
What has surprised you when you’ve met people from other countries?
Have you looked at Internet pages from a different culture? If so, how were they different from those of your own culture?
What do you like about your culture?
What don’t you like about your culture?
How do young people in your culture behave differently from older people?
How do young people in your culture behave differently from people in this culture?
Are there many people of different cultures in your country? Are you friends with any?
Have you ever felt confused by the actions of someone from another culture?
If so, tell me about it.
How are your language teachers who are not from your country different from your other teachers?
How are they the same?
Who in your culture do you admire most?
What your culture are you most proud about?
Why do you think culture is important?
If you could change one thing about your culture, what would it be?
Would you ever consider marrying or dating someone from another culture?
Would you ever consider living permanently in a country other than your home country? Why or why not?
What does it mean to be polite in your culture?
What is considered rude in your culture?
Is there anything in this culture that is considered rude that may not be considered rude in your culture?
If a group of people just came to your country from overseas, what advice would you give them?
What other cultures have you met people from?
What do you think is important when visiting another culture?
Do you think “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” is always good advice? Why or why not?
Have you ever been in a situation where you felt you had to “do as the Romans do”?
What culture besides your own do you admire and why?
If aliens visited your country, what might surprise them?
Do you pray before each meal?
How do you feel when you leave your home culture and enter into a completely new culture?
What is the best/most important thing your culture has given to the world?
What is the best/most important thing your culture/country has adopted from another culture?
If you could choose three aspects of your culture to put in a “time box” for the future, what would you put in it?
What is culture shock?
Have you ever experienced culture shock?
What is reverse, or re-entry, culture shock?
Have you ever experienced reverse culture shock?
On what occasions do you exchange flowers in your country?
On what occasions do you exchange flowers in your country?
What are some things that define a culture? For example, music, language, …
Do you know much about your own culture?
What do you think is interesting about your own culture?
What do you like most about your own culture?
What do you like least about your culture?
What does it mean to be polite in your culture?
What is considered rude in your culture? Is there anything in Canadian culture that is considered rude in your culture?
In your culture is it polite to be straightforward and direct when you talk to someone? To whom is it OK and to whom is it not OK?
What has surprised you when you’ve met people from other countries?
How do young people in your culture behave differently from older people?
How do young people in your culture behave differently from people in Canada?
Are there people of different cultures in your country? Are you friends with any of them?
What other cultures have you met people from?
Have you ever felt confused by the actions of someone from another culture? If so, tell me about it.
How are your language teachers different from your teachers in your culture? How are they the same?
What are the five most important values of your culture? (For example, Family)
What in your culture are you most proud about?
If you could change one thing about your culture, what would it be?
Would you ever consider marrying or dating someone from another culture?
Would you ever consider living permanently in a country other than your home country? Why or why not?
Do you think “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” is always good advice? Why or why not? Have you ever been in a situation where you felt you had to “do as the Romans do”?
What do you think is important when visiting another culture?
If a group of people just came to your country from overseas, what advice would you give them?
What culture besides your own do you admire? Why?
If aliens visited your country, what might surprise them?
What is the best/most important thing your culture has given to the world?
What is the best/most important thing your culture/country has adopted from another culture?
What are some things that define a culture? For example, music, language, …
THE DISCUSSION ON SECRETS
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)
(1) What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘secret’?
(2) Can you keep a secret?
(3) Do you ever tell your friends secrets?
(4) Do you like to know secrets?
(5) How important is it to keep other people’s secrets?
(6) Have you told someone a secret and they told other people?
(7) Who is the person you know who is worst at keeping secrets?
(8) Why do governments keep secrets from us?
(9) What secret do you really want to know?
(10) Do you have a secret recipe?
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)
(1) How do you feel when someone doesn’t tell you their secret?
(2) What are the secrets of the universe?
(3) Who is the most secretive person you know?
(4) What’s the secret to looking young?
(5) Do you like it when your friend tells you a secret? Why or why not?
(6) If you won the lottery would you keep it a secret?
(7) How hard is it to keep a secret?
(8) What’s the secret to success and a happy life?
(9) Why do people have secrets?
(10) Are men or women better at keeping secrets? Why?
THE DISCUSSION ON FOOD
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)
(1) What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘food’?
(2) How often do you think about food?
(3) Can you eat anything?
(4) Can you go without food for a whole day?
(5) Do you have to watch what you eat?
(6) What is your favourite breakfast, lunch and dinner?
(7) Do you think your country’s food is the best?
(8) Do you think “you are what you eat”?
(9) What do you think about canned, frozen and processed food?
(10) What kinds of international cuisine do you like?
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)
(1) Are you fussy or particular about the food you eat?
(2) Have your favourite kinds of food changed over the years?
(3) Do you like fast food and slow food?
(4) What do you think about food additives?
(5) Do you care where the food you eat comes from?
(6) What national dishes from your country would you recommend to the world?
(7) Do you worry about the rising cost of food?
(8) Do you think the world’s food will ever run out?
(9) What do you think of genetically-modified (GM) food?
(10) Is your food bill big?
THE DISCUSSION ON TRAVEL
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)
(1) Do you like travelling?
(2) What is travel for you?
(3) What different kinds of travelling are there?
(4) What’s the best place you’ve ever been to?
(5) Would you like to go travelling for a few years non-stop?
(6) What are the good and bad things about travelling?
(7) Where do you want to travel to before you die?
(8) Is it better to travel or to arrive?
(9) Lin Yutang said: “No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” Do you agree?
(10) Elizabeth Drew said: “Too often travel, instead of broadening the mind, merely lengthens the conversation.” What does this mean? Do you agree?
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)
(1) What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘travel’?
(2) Are you a traveller?
(3) Is travel an education?
(4) Would you like to travel in space or to the moon?
(5) Would you like to work in the travel industry?
(6) What are the pros and cons of traveling first class and backpacking?
(7) Is travel helping the world?
(8) What would make you wiser – travelling around the world for ten years or reading 10,000 books?
(9) Mason Cooley said: “Travelers never think that they are the foreigners.” Do you agree?
(10) St. Augustine said: “The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” What does this mean? Do you agree?
THE DISCUSSION ON COSMETICS
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)
(1) What do you think of cosmetics?
(2) Is there anything strange about people using cosmetics?
(3) How much more beautiful do you / do people look with cosmetics?
(4) Do you think cosmetics are reasonably priced?
(5) What do you think of men wearing lipstick, mascara and foundation?
(6) Why is most lipstick red or pink? What’s wrong with black or green?
(7) Do you think people look better without make-up and cosmetics?
(8) Don’t you think cosmetics are a waste of money?
(9) Do people use cosmetics because they lack confidence?
(10) Do you think we’ll always use cosmetics?
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)
(1) How important are cosmetics?
(2) Do you think cosmetics are good for the skin?
(3) From what age is it OK to start using cosmetics?
(4) Do you believe cosmetics companies’ ads that say their products erase wrinkles and slow down the aging process?
(5) Do you know anyone who uses too much make-up?
(6) Do people use cosmetics differently in different countries?
(7) Which cosmetics and cosmetics companies are best?
(8) Do you think cosmetics companies should advertise their products using ‘normal’ women, instead of supermodels?
(9) How long do you think people spend each day applying and removing cosmetics?
(10) What new type of cosmetics would you like to see on the market?
THE DISCUSSION ON AMUSEMENT PARKS
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)
(1) What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘amusement park’?
(2) What is your experience of amusement parks?
(3) Why do people like amusement parks?
(4) What are the differences between amusement parks and theme parks?
(5) What’s the best amusement park in the world?
(6) What do you think of Disneyland?
(7) Is ‘amusement park’ the right word, or should it be ‘excitement park’?
(8) What kind of rides are best?
(9) Are amusement parks good value for money?
(10) Do amusement parks have to be based on cartoon characters?
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)
(1) Would you be a good amusement park designer? Why?
(2) What do you think of jet coasters?
(3) Are there any bad things about amusement parks?
(4) What kind of new amusement park would you like to see built?
(5) How dangerous are the rides at amusement parks?
(6) Who enjoys theme parks more, children or adults?
(7) What is the best job at a theme park?
(8) What do you think of the price of food and merchandise at amusement parks?
(9) What three adjectives best describe amusement parks and why?
(10) What will amusement parks be like in the future?
THE DISCUSSION ON BREAKFAST
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)
(1) What did you have for breakfast this morning?
(2) Has what you eat for breakfast changed over the years?
(3) What do you do while having breakfast?
(4) Do you prefer to eat breakfast alone or with other people?
(5) Do you ever eat breakfast in a restaurant or canteen etc.?
(6) What do you think of breakfasts in other countries?
(7) Is the breakfast you usually eat very healthy?
(8) How often do you skip breakfast or have it on the go?
(9) Can you eat “lunch-style food” or “dinner-style food” for breakfast?
(10) What do you think of breakfasts at hotels?
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)
(1) Do you always have time to eat what you want for breakfast?
(2) How important is having breakfast?
(3) Do you watch breakfast television?
(4) Do you make your own breakfast?
(5) What is a traditional breakfast in your country?
(6) Must breakfast be eaten in the morning?
(7) Do you ever eat breakfast at fast food restaurants?
(8) Do you like having breakfast in bed?
(9) What is the origin of the word “breakfast”?
(10) Do you prefer a cooked breakfast?
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)
(1) What images spring to mind when you hear the word ‘love’?
(2) How important is love?
(3) Do you think it is possible to love everyone?
(4) How do people fall in love?
(5) How and why do people fall out of love?
(6) What is your favourite love song and why?
(7) How does love make you feel?
(8) Does love last forever?
(9) What does love look like?
(10) Has love changed over the past 10,000 years?
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)
(1) What is love?
(2) What would your life be like without love?
(3) What does it feel like to say, “I love you”?
(4) Do you love to live or live to love?
(5) Are there any rules to love?
(6) What kind of love is the best love?
(7) Is there a thin line between love and hate?
(8) Do you love yourself? Should you do so?
(9) What is the difference between love and being in love?
(10) Is it more important to love or be loved?
