Do people eat, drink and dance at wedding celebrations in China? ? Why do many people spend a lot of money on wedding celebrations? ? Why do you think people spend a lot of money on their wedding?
? Do you think it is important to spend a lot of money on wedding celebrations?
? Compare the advantages of small wedding celebrations and large wedding celebrations. ? What would be the ideal wedding celebration for you?
? Compare modern weddings in China with traditional Chinese weddings (i.e., weddings many years ago). ? Which would you prefer, a modern-style wedding or a traditional-style wedding? Why? ? Do you know of any differences between weddings in China and those in the West? Maintaining a Sense of Family
? Can you think of any other important family events in China, besides weddings? ? Have you ever attended a family event in someone else's family? ? Do you like family reunions?
? What do you think are the benefits of family reunions?
? Do you think spending money on traveling, as a family, is a waste of time or is it useful? ? Do you think family is important?
? In general, how important are special family events, compared with public events?
? In China, are family events considered more important than community (public) events? * ? Do you think people's ideas about (the importance of) family have changed in recent years?
? Do you think society as a whole (esp. the government) has a responsibility towards maintaining the strength
of the institution of 'the family'? Why?
?
A Person who Spoke Another Language
Describe a person you met who spoke (or, speaks) a foreign language. You should say:
where you met this person
what this person is (or, was) like what this person does
and explain what you learned from this person.
Communication
? Do you like communicating with new people? ? How do you communicate with them? Living Overseas
? Are you planning to go overseas? (Where to? Why?) ? Do you think migrating to a different country is good?
? Do you think it's beneficial for people to live (to move) overseas? ? What benefits do people get from going abroad to live?
? Do you think people have problems with the different culture when they go overseas? ? How do immigrants to a new country learn the new language? Globalization
? What are some ways that different two countries could engage in cultural exchange?
? What changes (or, what benefits) do you think \
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A Childhood Teacher
Describe a teacher you had when you were a child and who you would like to meet again. You should say:
the name of the teacher what he or she taught
how often you saw him or her
and explain why you would like to see him or her again.
Teachers
? Would you say teaching is a good job?
? Do many young people in your country want to be teachers?
? Would you say that teachers today have less status in society than they used to have?
? Do you think the government should encourage more (suitable) people to become teachers? ? How do you think the government could do that?
? What do you think are the most important qualities that a good teacher should have? ? Do you think a person who is not very \
? Do you think a teacher can still be a good teacher if the students are \Teaching Methods / Styles
? How do you think teachers can (or could) motivate students to learn?
An Old Friend
Describe a friend you have known for a long time. You should say:
how you first met
how you keep in contact
what kind of person he or she is
and explain how your friendship has lasted so long.
The Nature of Friendship
? Do you think having friends is important?
? What are some differences between friendship in the past and friendship today? Making (New) Friends
? How do people in your country meet (make) new friends? ? Where do people go to meet new people (make new friends)?
? What do you think is the most important factor when making new friends?
? Do you think it's easy for people to make friends with others who are (much) older or younger than
themselves?
? Do you think the way people make new friends today is different to the way people used to make friends in
the past?
? Do you think modern technology influences how people make friends? ? Do you like making new friends on the internet?
? What's the difference between making friends on the internet and making friends by face to face contact? ? Why do you think some people have problems making (new) friends?
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A Successful Person
Describe a person who you think is successful. You should say:
who he or she is (or, who they are) what they did (or, what they do)
why (or how) he or she became so successful why you choose to talk about this person
and explain how his/her success has contributed to society.
The Nature of Success
? What do think the word, \
? How do you think success can be measured (or judged)? Do you think it's only associated with material
success ( = money)?
? Do you think a rich person is the same as a \
? Do you think career success can ever cause problems in one's personal life?
? Do you think it's important for children (and young people) to have role models? ? Do you think the criteria for (defining or judging) success might change in the future? Work versus Family Life
? Which do you think is more important, success in one's career or a happy family life?
? How do you think one could achieve a balance between (spending time on) success in one's career and a
happy family life?
A Family Member
Describe a member of your family who you admire. You should say:
who this person is
what kind of person he or she is
what you and this person usually do together
and explain why you admire him or her (or, why you admire them).
Family Life in Your Country
? In your country, who usually makes the important decisions at home?
? What is the role of the oldest family members (grandparents) in the family today? Family Size
? What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a big family (= many children)? Children
? Do you think children should carry more responsibility towards the family than most children do now? ? Do you think the role of children in the family (or, the parent-child relationship) will change in the future? ? Are young people today as willing to stay living with their parents as young people used to be in the past?
An Adventurous Person
Describe an adventurous person who you know. You should say:
who the person is
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how you know this person
what this person does that is adventurous
and explain why you think this person likes to take risks.
New & Exciting Activities
? Some people think that it's good to experience new things, such as exploring new places. Do you agree? ? What are some of the difficulties a person might have when they try something new? ? Are you willing to experience new things?
? Why do people generally like new (and exciting) experiences? ? What type of people like to try new (and exciting) activities? Adventurous/Risky Activities
? Are adventurous activities popular in China? (Why?/Why not?)
? What is your opinion about (people who do) dangerous activities such as bungee jumping? ? Can you give some (other) examples of adventurous or risky activities? ? Do you like to do 'extreme sports'?
? Why do some people like to do exciting but dangerous things? ? Do any businesspeople do adventurous or risky things in business?
? What qualities do people need (or have) in order to engage in adventurous (or risky) activities? ? Do young people and older people have the same attitudes towards adventurous activities? ? Who is more suited for trying adventurous or risky activities, young people or older people?
? If someone doing a risky activity such as mountain climbing has an accident or becomes lost, who should pay
for helping this person, the government? Or should this person pay for it himself?
A Friend Who is a Good Leader
Describe a friend who you think is a good leader. You should say:
who this friend is
how you first met this person
how other people behave towards him/her and explain why you think he/she is a good leader.
Leadership Qualities
? Would you like to (do you want to) be a leader? ? Why do some people not want to be a leader? ? Why do we need leaders?
? What abilities are needed to be a leader, for example, a company manager? ? What are the differences between a leader and other (ordinary) people? ? What are the responsibilities of leadership? ? How can leaders influence others? Training Future Leaders
? How do some people become leaders?
? What can parents do to encourage the development of leadership abilities in their children? ? Do you think future leaders will be better than present ones? ? What roles (in society) will leaders of the future have to play?
? What will be the major concerns and responsibilities of future leaders?
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The Oldest Person You Know
Describe the oldest person that you know. You should say:
who this person is how old he or she is
how you know this person
and explain what kind of person he or she is. *
Old people in China
? How do you think you will spend your old age? ? In China, what is the attitude towards old people? ? Why do you think we should respect old people?
? Would you like to live with an old person? (Why?/Why not?)
? Have there been any changes in the past few years in the roles of men and women in society? ? Who do you think should take responsibility for looking after old people? ? What are the main problems facing old people in China today? ? What should family members do for elderly parents/grandparents Retirement
? In your country, at what age do people usually retire from work?
? Do you think many old people would like to continue working after they retire? ? In your country, what do old people do after they retire?
A Traveling Companion
Describe a person who you would like to travel with. You should say:
who this person is
where you would travel
what kind of person he or she is
and explain why you would choose to travel with this person.
Traveling
? Would you prefer (do you prefer) to travel with your parents or with some friends? (Why?) ? What are the differences between traveling alone and traveling in a group? ? Do Chinese people prefer to travel in groups or individually? (Why?)
? Would you prefer (do you prefer) to travel alone or with a friend? (Why?) ? What are the qualities of a good travel companion?
? If you were going to go on a trip, who would you most like to go with? ? Who would you most dislike going with? (why?)
? What are some possible problems that a person might have while travelling? International Travel
? What do people in your country prefer, to travel internationally or to travel within their own country? ? What do you think are the benefits of traveling overseas? ? How does international tourism benefit a country?
? When foreigners come to visit your country, what benefits does it bring to your country? ? What impact does foreign culture have on your country?
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