CONVERSATION TOPICS - ADVANCED LEVEL
1. Rich world, poor world
o What kind of aid should the governments of rich countries give to poor
countries? (money - food - medicine - machinery/equipent - hospitals - schools -
training ...)
o Do you think all citizens should be encouraged to do voluntary service overseas
so as to understand the problems of poorer countries?
o Are poor people poor because they lack opportunities or because they are
lazy? What reasons can you think of?
o Is it right for rich countries to have strict immigration controls?
2. Fake news
Fake news (fabricated news) is the deliberate spread of misinformation.
Sensationalist, dishonest or outright fabricated headlines are often used to increase
readership.
o Do you agree with the above definition?
o Where do we most often find fake news? (newspapers, social media ...)
o What sort of fake news can you think of? (politics, show business...)
o How can we tell if a news story is ‘fake’ or not? (checking sources, dates,
photos…)
o What is the purpose of the misinformation?
o Is fake news used in election campaigns?
o Have any countries recently been accused of spreading fake news?
o Can you think of ways to prevent the circulation of fake news?
3. Violence in the world today
o When you hear the word "violence", what do you think of?
o Is the world more violent today?
o Are there different sorts of violence? (physical / mental /psychological/domestic
…)
o What forms of violence have you noticed?
o Do people tend to be more violent when they group together? (gangs / mobs /
crowds…)
o In what areas is there an increase in the level of violence? (football, politics,
religion, environment …)
o What are the causes of violence? (jealousy, frustration, unemployment, poverty,
conspiracy theories, fake news …)
o What violent conflicts are going on around the world?
o Does the repetition of violent images in TV news reports have a positive or
negative effect?
o Does violence ever achieve anything?
o Is the increase in violence a worldwide phenomenon?
o What could be done to reduce violence?
4. What would you do if ...?
o If you were given the opportunity to be born again, what would you change in
your life?
o If you could have dinner with someone, dead or alive, who would you choose
and why?
o If you always had to tell the truth, what kind of problems would you encounter?
o If you could live without sleeping, how would you spend your nights?
o If you were given a choice beween great wisdom or great wealth, which would
you choose?
o If you could live forever on earth, as it is now, would you? Why or why not?
5. Natural disasters
o What is a natural disaster? (fires, flooding, landslides, earthquakes ...)
o Has there ever been a natural disaster where you live?
o Have you ever been in a fire or witnessed one?
o If you had to leave your home quickly, what would you take with you?
o What are the worst consequences of a natural disaster?
o What would you do if you lost all your possessions?
o Can a person rebuild his/her life after losing everything?
6. Annoying things
o Do people have habits that annoy you?
o Do you annoy people with some of your habits?
o What does 'pet peeve' mean?
o Do you have a pet peeve?
o What annoys you when you are driving a car?
o What are some things that car drivers do that annoy you?
o Does it annoy you if someone cuts in front of you when you are waiting in line?
o Does smoking bother you?
o Does something that your parents or friends do annoy you?
o Do some people in your office/company do annoying things?
o Can you think of any celebrities that are annoying? Why?
o What do people do on public transport or on the street that annoys you?
7. Success-Failure
o How would you define success?
o Do you have the same idea of success as your parents?
o To what extent will your encourage your children to become successful?
o Do you think failures can contribute to a person's success?
o Can you think of any famous people who encountered failure before success?
8. Social Networking
o What is social networking?
o Can social networking sites be dangerous?
o What precautions would you advise people to take?
o Should the use of social networking sites be banned at work?
o Are social networking sites changing our daily behaviour?
o Is it possible to become a social networking addict?
9. Diseases
o What dangerous diseases are people scared of nowadays?
o Should we be better-informed about the dangers of these diseases?
o What is the best way to stop diseases from spreading?
o Do diseases have an effect on travel?
o Which disease is it urgent to find a cure for?
10. Manners
o Are good manners important?
o Do people have better manners today than before?
o Can you give examples of what you think are good manners?
o What do you think are bad manners?
o Can good manners in one country be bad manners in another country?
o What about table manners? Can you give examples of some good table
manners?
o How about bad table manners?
o Can manners affect your success in life? How?
o What's the best way to teach manners to children?
o What advice about manners would you give a foreigner visiting your country?
11. News coverage in the media today.
o Do you think news coverage today correctly describes what is going on in the
world?
o Do you trust everything you hear or see on the news?
o What improvements would you make?
o What is the most important current news story?
o Do certain types of events get too much/too little coverage?
o Do you trust the media? Are you sure the information given is always true?
o Is it important to keep up with current events?
12. Job interviews
o Is it necessary to prepare for a job interview?
o How can a person make a good first impression?
o Is there a recommended dress code for an interview?
o Can you think of any difficult questions one should be prepared for?
o Is there anything a candidate should avoid mentioning?
o Is it ok to make negative comments about your present employer?
o Is it ok for interviewers to ask questions about age, marital status, etc.?
o What information should a candidate have about the company?
13. Environment
o What are some of the most serious environmental problems today?
o Can you find ten things that each of us can do to help preserve our planet?
o What is your opinion on climate change?
o In what way will our children be affected by climate change?
o How can we make our homes more environmentally friendly?
o What can companies do to help preserve the environment?
o Which countries cause the most pollution?
o If we run out of oil, where will we get our energy from?
14. Shopping on the internet
o Do you often do your shopping online?
o What do you buy online? :
- food
- clothes
- furniture
- services : airline tickets, theatre reservations, flowers, greeting cards ...
- other
o Are the prices the same as in the shops/agencies or less expensive?
o Have you ever had any disappointments or bad surprises?
o What are the advantages of shopping online?
o What are the dangers?
o What advice would you give future online shoppers?
15. Risk
o What is your definition of risk?
o Do you know any risk takers?
o In your opinion why do people take risks? (pleasure, work, challenge ...)
o What risks do you come across in your work/life?
o Are some people obliged to take risks in their jobs?
o When is a risk stupid or unnecessary?