IELTS SPEAKING TEST

Part 1
Work or study
1. Do you work or are you a student?
2. What subject(s) are you studying?
3. Why did you choose to study that subject?
4. (For high school) Why did you choose those subjects?
5. Is that a popular subject (to study) in your country?
6. Do you think it's popular because people want to gain knowledge or is there some other
reason?
7. What are the most popular subjects (= university degree courses = majors) in China?
8. Did your family help you choose that course?
9. What school (or university) do you go to?
10.Why did you choose that university (or, school)?
11.Do you have any recreational or entertainment activities at your school/university?
12.How do you like your subject?
13.What do you like about your subject?
14.Do you think it's important to choose a subject you like? (Why?)
15.(For university students) What are your favourite classes/ courses/ subjects at
university?
16.(For high school students) What's your favourite subject at school?
17.Is your subject interesting? (Why? / Why not?)
18.Do you think it's important to choose a subject you are interested in? (Why?)
19.What's the most interesting part of your subject?
20.(For high school) What's the most interesting of your subjects at school?
21.What are your future work plans? (after you graduate)
22.Do you think what you are studying now will be very useful (or, relevant or, important)
for this type of work?
23.How will you (or, how do you plan to) get the job you want?
24.Do you think it will be easy to find that kind of work?
25.Why are you taking the IELTS test?
26.In addition to gaining knowledge, what other ways have you benefited from your
school/university experience?

Accommodation
1. What kind of housing/accommodation do you live in?
2. Who do you live with?
3. How long have you lived there?
4. Do you plan to live there for a long time?
5. Can you describe the place where you live?
6. Which room does your family spend most of the time in?
 7. What do you usually do in your house/flat/room?
8. Are the transport facilities to your home very good?
9. Do you prefer living in a house or a flat?
10.Please describe the room you live in.
11.Is there anything you don't like about the place where you live?
12.Which is your favourite room? (Why?)
13.What kind of decorations does it (do the rooms/does your room) have?
14.How do you think this room (your favourite room) could be improved?
15.What can you see when you look out the window of your room (or, the windows of your
home)?
16.Are there many people living near you?
17.Do you know all your neighbours?
18.How well do you know your neighbours?
19.What kind of people are your neighbours?
20.Do you spend much time socializing with your neighbours in your neighbours' homes?
21.Do you like the environment (around) where you live?
22.Would you say the place where you live is good for families with children?
23.Would you like to move to another place to live? (Why? Where?)
24.In the future, what type of place would you like to live in?
25.What kind of neighbourhood/environment/surroundings would you like to live in?
26.What kind of housing is most popular in China?

Hometown
1. Where do you come from?
2. Where do you live at the moment?
3. How long have you been living there/here?
4. Do your parents also live there?
5. Did your family ever move away from the place you were born? (Why? /Why not?)
6. What tourist attractions are there in your hometown?
7. Would a foreign visitor enjoy them?
8. Is your hometown famous for anything?
9. Do you know much about the history of your hometown?
10.Did you learn much about the history of your hometown in school?
11.What do you think needs to change in your hometown?
12.What form of transport do you prefer to use in your hometown?
13.What do people in your hometown do in their free time?
14.What place(s) in your hometown do you go to in your spare time?
15.Why did you choose to live here/there? (If not living in your hometown)
16. What do you like (most or, best) about (living in) your hometown (or, about living
where you are living now)?
17.What do you think needs to be done to make your hometown a better place to live in?
18.Do you plan to live there/here for a long time?
19.What (other) place would you like to live in (in the future)?
20.For you, what benefits are there to living in a big city?
21.What facilities does your hometown have?
 22.What sorts of buildings are there in your hometown?
23.What's the most attractive part of your hometown?
24.Has your hometown changed much in the past few years? (e.g. 20 years)
25.What forms of transport do visitors use to come to your hometown?
26.How could your hometown (be improved in order to) attract more visitors?
27.What's the weather usually like in your hometown?
28.Has the weather in your hometown changed much in recent years?

Museums
1. Are there any museums or art galleries in your hometown?
2. Have you ever visited any of these art galleries or museums?
3. How often do you visit museums and art galleries?
4. Did you ever go to art galleries or museums when you were a child?
5. Would you recommend that schools take their students to visit museums?
6. Do people in China like visiting museums and art galleries?
7. Do you think people should go to art galleries and museums more?
8. What do you think is the role (or the purpose) of museums and art galleries?
9. Which kind of art do you think is more important, the art we see in the cinema or the
art we see in art galleries and museums?
10.Do you think going to museums and art galleries is beneficial for children?
11.Do you like art? (Why?)
12. What forms of art do you like the most?
13.What kind of art are you best at?
14. In your childhood, what experience of art did you have?
15.Do you ever buy (or, have you ever bought) a painting?
16.Do you think art is an important part of life?
17.What benefits does (participating in) art bring to people?
18.How important do you think art is in the lives of people?
19.Why do you think people like to have a painting (or other artwork) in their homes?

Daily Routine
1. What do you do mainly do with your time?
2. What is the best part of the day for you? (Why?)
3. When do you do most of your study?
4. How do you think your daily routine could be improved?
5. What are you usually doing at this time?
6. Do you do the same thing(s) every day?
7. Tell me something about your daily routine.
8. In a typical day, what do you do in the classroom?
9. (If you do not work) For you, what's the best time of day for studying?
10.(If you work) For you, what's the best time of day for working?
11.What time do you usually get up?
12.What do you usually do after you get up (or, in the morning)?
13.Is your life now the same as it was before?
14.If you could make one change to your daily routine, what would it be?
 15.If you had more free time, what would you do?
16.Do you get together with your fellow students/ work colleagues (=classmates/
workmates) after classes/ work? (What do you do?)
17.Do you like to plan what you will do each day? (Why? /Why not?)
18.How do you plan your day?
19.Do you usually do the same things at the same time each day?
20.How do you plan (organize) your study time?
21.Do you ever (or, do you often) change these plans?
22.Can you think of any improvements to your daily routine?

Animals
1. Do you like animals?
2. What's your favourite animal? (Why?)
3. Are people in your country fond of animals?
4. Do many people in your country keep animals at home (or, keep a pet)?
5. What kinds of animals as a pet do the people have in your country?
6. Compared with the past, have there been any changes concerning pets in your
country?
7. Do you think cities are suitable places for keeping a pet?
8. Do children like animals?
9. What animals do children like?
10.What was your favourite animal when you were a child?
11.Did you have any pets when you were a child?
12.Have you ever raised (or, had) a pet?
13.What do you think are the benefits of a child having a pet?
14.What benefits did you get from having a pet?
15.If you have children in the future, will you allow them to raise a pet?
16.If you were a parent, would you let your children raise a pet?

Time
1. Would you say you are good at managing (or, organizing) your time?
2. Do you (usually) wear a watch (a wrist watch)? (Why?)
3. What do you use your watch for?
4. Do you think time is very important? (Why?)
5. Is time very important to you? (Why?)
6. Do you think time management is important?
7. Have you ever been late for anything?
8. Were there any serious consequences when you were late?
9. Do you think it's important to be on time?
10.Do you think punctuality is important?
11.How do you feel when you are late?
12.How do you feel when (other) people are late?
13.Do you feel that time moves slowly, or fast?
14.When do you feel time moves fast?
15.When do you feel time moves slowly? (Why?)
 16.When does time seem to move fast and when does it seem to move slowly?
17.If you could go back in time, would you do?
18.Do you think punctuality is important?
19.What are some examples of occasions when it's important to be on time?
20.How would you feel if the person you were waiting to meet with was not on time?
21.Do you think older people and younger people both have the same attitudes towards
punctuality?
22.Do you think time management is important?
23.Do you think it's necessary for people to manage their time well?
24.Do you have any suggestions (or ideas) on how people can better manage their time?
25.Do you think parents should try to teach their children about time management?

Music
1. Do you often listen to music?
2. When do you listen to music?
3. How much time do you spend listening to music every day?
4. What kinds of music do you like to listen to?
5. How often do you listen to (that type of) music?
6. When did you start listening to this type of music?
7. Where do you listen to it?
8. How do you feel when you listen to this music?
9. Do you like listening to songs?
10.Have you ever been to a musical performance?
11.Have you ever learned to play a musical instrument?
12.If you had the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, what instrument would you
learn? (Why?)
13.What musical instrument(s) is (are) most popular in China?
14.Which instrument would you prefer to study - the piano or the violin?
15.What musical instrument do you most enjoy listening to?
16.What benefits do children gain by studying music?
17.Do you think it's important to learn to play a musical instrument?
18.Do you think schools should teach children how to play a musical instrument?
19.Is music an important subject at school in China?
20.What benefits do children gain by studying music in school?
21.Did you often listen to music when you were a child? (If yes, give details.)
22.What kinds of music did you like when you were a child?
23.What are some differences between the music you listened to as a child and the music
you listen to now?
24.Do you think it's important for children to learn (to play) a musical instrument?
25.Is music very important to people in China?
26.What kinds of music are (most) popular in China?
27.How does music affect (or influence) people?
28.Compare the music that young people like and the music that old(er) people like.
29.Why do many old people dislike pop music?
Colours
1. What's your favorite color? (Why?)
2. Do you usually (or, always) wear clothes in your favourite colour?
3. Are there any colours that have a special meaning in your country?
4. What colour would you choose to paint the walls of your room?
5. Do you think different types of people like different colours?
6. Do people care about the colour of their clothes? (Why?/Why not?)
7. Do you care about the colour of your clothes? (Why?/Why not?)
8. Do you think the colour of one's clothes is important? (Why?/Why not?)
9. What's your favourite clothes colour? (Why?)
10.When you buy clothes, how do you choose the colour?
11.Do any colours have special meaning in your culture?
12.Do you think colour(s) is (are) important in daily life?

Numbers
1. In your country, do any numbers have special meaning?
2. What's your favourite number?
3. Are there any numbers or dates that you think are important to remember?
4. How do people remember numbers?
5. Which do you think are easier to remember, names or numbers?

Collecting
1. Did you collect anything (such as stamps or CDs) when you were a child?
2. Do you still collect them now?
3. Do you collect anything as a hobby now?
4. Why do you like collecting things?
5. Do people in your country like to collect things?
6. Why do you think people like collecting things?
7. What are some examples of things that some people collect (as a hobby)?
8. Do you think you will collect anything in the future?
9. If you had a lot of money, what would you like to collect?
10.Have you ever collected anything?
11.Is collecting a popular pastime in China?
12.Does anyone in your home collect anything?
13.What are the benefits of collecting?
14.Do boys and girls usually collect the same things?

Films
1. Do you like to watch films?
2. How often do you watch a film? (=go to a cinema?)
3. What types of films do you like?
4. Are there any types of films that you dislike?
5. What kinds of films did you like to watch when you were a child?
6. Where do you prefer to watch films?
 7. Do you like to watch films in a cinema? (Why?/Why not?)
8. Do you prefer to watch films at home or in a cinema? (Why?)
9. Are most of the people in the cinema usually children or adults?
10.How much time does it take to watch one film?
11.How much time do you spend watching films?
12.Who do you usually watch films with?

Painting
1. Do you like drawing / painting?
2. Do you ever paint pictures?
3. Have you ever painted pictures?
4. Did you do any painting (or drawing) when you were a child?
5. Do you think you will paint any pictures in the future?
6. What do you think are the benefits of painting (or drawing; or art) for children?
7. Do you think painting (or drawing) is important for adults?
8. Why do some people like to draw (or paint)?
9. Have you ever taken a class in (drawing or) painting?
10.When you were a child, did you have art classes at school?
11.Have you kept any of your drawings or paintings (from when you were a child)?
12.Do you think children should learn drawing / painting (from a young age)?
13.Do you think children should have art classes in school?
14.Do you think art is necessary (or, important) in society?
15.Why do you think people buy paintings?
16.Why do you think people like to have a painting (or other artwork) in their homes?
17.Do you ever buy paintings (or, have you ever bought a painting)?

Flowers
1. Do you like flowers? (Why?)
2. What flowers do you like? (Why?)
3. Which/What is your favorite flower?
4. Do you think flowers are important?
5. On what occasions are flowers important?
6. What are the occasions when people send or receive flowers?
7. When was the last time you gave (or, sent) flowers to someone?
8. When was the last time you yourself bought flowers?
9. When was the last time you bought flowers for yourself?
10.Where did you buy these flowers?
11.Where do (can) people buy flowers?
12.What meaning do flowers (= does giving flowers) have for Chinese people?
13.What flowers have special meaning in China?
14.Do you like to have flowers in your home?
15.Do you (ever) grow flowers at home?
16.Do many people in your country grow flowers at home?
17.Do people in China like growing flowers?
 18.Does anyone in your family like growing flowers?
19.Do old people in China like gardening?

Science
1. Are you very interested in science?
2. Do you like science?
3. Is there anything about science that you dislike?
4. What science do students learn at school in your country?

Activities
1. Do you like outdoor activities?
2. What outdoor activities do you (most) like to do?
3. How often do you do that?
4. What kinds of outdoor activities do you do in your daily life?
5. Do people in your country prefer to spend time indoors or outdoors?
6. What (types of) outdoor activities are popular in your country?
7. Do people in your country have enough time to spend on outdoor activities?

Birds
1. How do you feel about birds? (Why do you feel that way?)
2. How do Chinese people feel about birds?
3. Are there many birds near your home?
4. Have you seen many different kinds of birds? (near your home)?
5. Do any birds have any particular significance in China? For example, does China have a
national bird?
6. Do you think birds should be protected? (Why? / Why not?)
7. Do Chinese people like raising (keeping) pet birds?
8. Have you ever kept a pet bird?
9. What did you feed it?

Concerts
1. Have you ever been to a live concert?
2. Are concerts ever held in your hometown?
3. When was the last time you attended a concert?
4. Did you listen to this concert on TV or did you listen to it live?
5. Would you like to go to (or watch) a concert in the future?
6. Would you prefer to watch a concert on TV or to attend a live concert?
7. Will you watch this concert on TV or watch it live?
8. Which would you prefer, to attend a concert of your favourite artist or to buy a CD of
this artist?
Gifts
1. Do you ever give people gifts?
2. Do you ever receive gifts?
3. Do you prefer receiving a gift or giving a gift?
4. Who did you last give a gift to?
5. When was the last time you received a gift?
6. Do you think it's difficult to choose what gift to give to people?
7. Do people in China like to give gifts (to other people)?
8. On what occasions do people in China give gifts?
9. What kinds of things do people (in China) give each other as gifts?
10.Do you and your friends or family members give each other gifts?
11.What sorts of gifts do you give to your friends?
12.Have your friends ever given you gifts?
13.Do you think it's difficult to choose what gifts to give people?
14.Do you think gift-giving is very important?
15.Would you say it's necessary to buy expensive gifts for people?
16.Have you ever given a gift that you made yourself?

Handicrafts
1. Did you ever make anything by hand when you were a child?
2. Do children in your country often make things by hand?
3. Do you think it's very useful for children to make things by hand?
4. Is there anything that you would like to make by hand in the future?

Housework
1. Do people in your country do much housework?
2. In your home, who does (most of) the housework?
3. Do you do much (or, any) housework? (If yes, what? Why?/Why not?)
4. What housework do you like to do?
5. What housework did you do when you were a child?
6. Do you think children should (learn to) do housework? (Why?/Why not?)
7. Do people in your country spend much time doing housework?
8. Do you feel people in your country have enough time to do housework?
9. Do you think people like doing housework by them?
10.Do you usually do any housework?
11.Who usually does the housework in your home?
12.Do you like to do housework? (Why?/Why not?)
13.What housework does you least like doing? (Why?)
14.When you were a child, did you ever do any housework?
15.Do you think it's important for children to do some housework?
16.If a child helps do some of the family housework, how do you think this affects the
child's development?
17.What do you do to help the family?
 18.Have there been any changes in the housework people do since the time when your
parents were your age?
19.Do you think people should be paid to do household chores?

Names
1. Does your name have any special meaning?
2. Who gave you your name?
3. Why did they choose that name?
4. When Chinese people name their children, are there any special customs that are
followed?
5. Are there any special names (or, special types of names) that Chinese parents choose
for their children?
6. Is there any special ceremony when babies are given their names?
7. How are Chinese names and Western names different?
8. What names do people at home (your family members) call you?
9. Do many people in China have a nickname?
10.Are there any big differences between people's names today in China and people's
names many years ago?
11.Are there any names that are very commonly used?
12.Do Chinese people like to have common names?
13.Why are some Chinese names very similar to each other?
14.Do Chinese people today usually have a third name?
15.Is your surname very common in China?
16.What's the most common surname in China?
17.Do Chinese people attach a lot of importance to (their) names?
18.Is your name very important to you?
19.Do you like your name?
20.Do people in China ever change their names?
21.Would you like to change your name?

Photograph
1. Do you like to take photographs? (Why?)
2. How (why) did you become interested in photography?
3. In what situations do you take photographs?
4. What kind of photos do you like to take? (Why?)
5. Do you prefer to take pictures of people or of scenery?
6. Who do you take photos of?
7. How do you keep your photos?
8. Do you keep your photographs on your computer?
9. Are there any photos on the walls of your home?
10.Do you frame (or have you framed) any of your photos? Do you prefer to send
postcards to people or to send photos that you took yourself? (Why?)
11.Is photography a popular hobby in China?
12.Why do (you think) some people do not like taking photographs?
 13.Why do you think some people like taking photographs when they visit another place?
14.Do Chinese people like to visit photograph exhibitions? What kind of photos do they like
to look at?
15.Do you think being a photographer would be a good job? (Why?/Why not?)
16.What factors make a good photograph?

Meals
1. How do people in your country usually eat a meal?
2. Do you prefer to sit together as a family for a meal, or to eat separately?
3. What are the benefits of doing that?
4. Which meal do you prefer, lunch or dinner (supper)? (Why?)
5. What do you usually eat for lunch?
6. What do you usually eat for your evening meal?
7. Do you prefer to eat three full meals a day or do you prefer to eat many snacks
throughout the day?
8. Which meal of the day do you think is the most important? (Why?)
9. Do you think breakfast is important? (Why?/Why not?)
10. What do you usually eat for breakfast?
11. Is there any special food that you particularly like?
12. Would you like to try any new food? (If yes, give an example &/or say why.)
13. Do you like cooking (or, preparing your own meals)? (Why?/Why not?)

Computers
1. What do you use computers for?
2. Do you think computers are important?
3. Do computers have much impact on your life?
4. What computer skill(s) would you like to learn?
5. Do you use computers very much?
6. When do you use a computer?
7. What do you use computers for?
8. When did you start using computers?
9. What was your impression (or feeling) when you used a computer the first time?
10. How did you learn to use a computer?
11. Have computers changed your life in any way? (If yes, how?)
12. Are computers used much in your country?
13. Do you think computers are useful (or important) in everyday life? (How?)
14. Do you think computers have changed our lives for the better? (How? Compare today &
our lives in pre-computer times.)
15. Do you think a computer can give you better access to knowledge?
16. Do you think there are any disadvantages (or, drawbacks) to using computers?
17. Computers are now used a lot in education. What do you think of this?
18. What do you think are the advantages of this?
19. how to use a computer?
Happiness
1. What do you think, "happiness" is?
2. What do you think makes people feel happy?
3. Do you do anything to keep yourself happy?
4. Why do people feel happy when they are at a natural place (such as in a forest)?
5. Do you think money plays an important part in people's happiness?

Swimming
1. Can you swim?
2. Do you like swimming?
3. Have you ever tried to learn to swim?
4. Did you learn to swim when you were a child?
5. When did you learn to swim?
6. Who taught you to swim?
7. How did you learn to swim?
8. Where do (or can) people go swimming in your hometown?
9. Is swimming very popular in China?
10. Why do many people like swimming?
11. Do you think it's important to know how to swim?
12. What do you think are the benefits of swimming?
13. Do you think swimming should be taught in school?
14. Do many people in your city (or, country) swim?
15. How do (or, how can) children learn to swim?
16. Do you prefer to swim in the sea or in a swimming pool?

Television
1. Do you like watching TV?
2. What types of TV programs do you (most) like to watch?
3. What programs do you (most like to) watch?
4. What's your favourite TV program?
5. Do you prefer to watch TV or listen to the radio? (Why?)
6. Do you think watching TV is an important part of people's lives?
7. Do you prefer reading a newspaper, (or reading a magazine) or watching TV?
8. What type(s) of television program do you watch when you want to relax?
9. Do you ever watch programs from other countries?
10. What benefits can people get from watching foreign TV programs?
11. Do you think watching TV can help students in their studies?
12. Has watching TV (ever) helped you in your work?
13. Is there any difference between different people when they watch TV?
14. Do people in China watch any foreign TV programs?
15. Do you think English language programs are necessary? (Why?/Why not?)
16. What do you think are the benefits of watching TV programs in English?
17. Would you say entertainment is important for people?
18. What kind of entertainment do you prefer, TV or radio? (Why?)
 19. How are radio programs and television programs different?
20. What programs do you like to watch/listen to?
21. When do you watch TV/listen to the radio?
22. In China, has television/radio changed much in the past few years? (How?)
23. How do you think TV/radio broadcasts in China could be improved?

Weather
1. What's the weather usually like in your hometown?
2. What season do you like best?
3. What do you do in that season?
4. What season do you think is most suitable for work and study?
5. Do you like sunny weather?
6. Has the weather in your country changed much in the past few years?
7. Describe the four seasons in your hometown.
8. Which season is your favourite? (Why?)
9. What do you usually do during your favourite season (or weather)?
10. Do you do the same thing in different seasons?
11. Is there any season you dislike? (Why?)
12. What changes are there between the different seasons in your country?
13. Would you prefer to have the same climate all year, or a place that has different
seasons?
14. When is the best weather in in your country (or, in your hometown)?

Holidays
1. Are weekends important to you? (See Note)
2. How do you (usually) spend the weekend?
3. Which do you prefer, Saturday or Sunday?(Why?)
4. What do you usually do on that day?
5. Are your weekends today more interesting than your weekends were when you were a
child?
6. What are you going to (planning to) do next weekend?
7. What do you like to do when you have holidays?
8. What did you do during your last holidays?
9. Do you like to travel in your holidays?
10.When you have holidays, do you prefer to do things alone or with others?
11.Who do you prefer to spend you holidays with?
12.Do you think holidays are important?
13.Do you have any plans to travel during your holidays?

Part 2 & part 3

A Wild Animal
Describe an interesting wild animal from your country.
You should say:
 where you learned about this animal
what it looks like
where it lives
and explain why you think this is an interesting animal.

Zoos
 Do you think zoos are good or bad?
 Do you think it's cruel to keep wild animals in zoos?
 Why do you think so many cities have zoos?
 In your opinion, what features should a good zoo have?
 Compare a nature reserve and a zoo.
 Do you think zoos might disappear in the future?
 What future developments do you think we will see concerning zoos?
The Protection of Wild Animals
 Why do you think wild animals should be protected?
 In what ways does human activity result in the extinction (or near extinction) of some
animal species?
 At present, many animals are already facing extinction. How do you think average
citizens could (help) protect wild animals?
Mankind's Relationship with Animals
 Why do you think films or books for children so often include animals?

A Practical Skill
Describe a useful practical skill that you learned
You should say:
why you learned this skill
how (and when) you learned it
how difficult it was to learn
and explain how this skill is useful to you.

Learning Skills
 What are some differences between the skills people learn today and the skills people
learned in the past?
 Do you think it's better to learn things in "real life" or from textbooks?
 Do you think it's better to learn practical skills in "real life" or from textbooks?
Children and Skills
 What skills do you think children should (or, need to) learn?
 What are the earliest skills that children learn?
 Do you think children learn skills faster than adults?

A New Law
Describe a new law (or regulation) that you would like to see introduced in your country.
You should say:
 what the law would be
why this law is needed
how popular this law would be
how this law would be enforced
and explain why you would like to have this law in your country.

The Police
 Do you think the police have a difficult job enforcing the law?
 Do you think the police have a difficult job to do in your country?
 In your country, if people need help from the police, do they approach the police on the
street or do they go to the police station?
 Are there any differences between policemen and policewomen?
Lawyers
 Have you ever used a lawyer?
 What are the responsibilities of lawyers?
 Do you think men and women are equally as good as lawyers?

A Project
Describe a project or some work that you did with others.
You should say:
what the project or work was
who was with you
how easy or difficult it was
and explain why you did this with other people.

Co-operation / Collaboration
 Do you think it's very important for people to co-operate with others?
 Is co-operation very important in your culture (your country)?
 Can you give any examples of how people in your culture co-operation with others?
 What do you think are the benefits of co-operation?
 What are some differences between working alone and working in a group?
 Do you think co-operation at school (or university) and at work are the same?
 How is co-operation in education (at school) important?
 Do people co-operate with others in the business world?
 How is co-operation at work (or, in business) important?
Children Learning Co-Operation
 Do you think children are co-operative by nature or do they need to learn it?
 How could a parent teach their child to co-operate with others?

Something You are Good At

Describe something you are good at doing.
You should say:
 what it is
how often you do it
when you learned to do it
how you learned to do it (or, who taught you how to do it)
and explain how you feel when you do it

Intellectually Talented Children

 If a parent wants his/her child to be exceptionally talented in a certain area, how do you
suggest they achieve this goal?
 Do you think exceptionally intelligent children have more problems (as a result of their
talents) than average children?
 Do you think they have difficulty making friends?
 What solutions can you suggest for this problem?
Skills
 What are some examples of skills that people learn?
 Compared to a few decades ago, do people in your country now have more
opportunities to learn new skills, such as foreign languages?
Invention / Creativity
 What do you motivates some people to make something great (or, wonderful)?

A Quiz Show
Describe a quiz show on TV that you would like to take part in.
You should say:
what kind of quiz show it would be
what kinds of questions would be asked
what preparation you would need to do for this show
and explain why you would like to be a competitor in this program.

Quiz Programs on TV
 Is this kind of TV program (i.e., quiz shows) popular in your country?
 Do many people want to compete in quiz shows? (Why?)
 What kinds of people do you think compete in quiz shows on TV? (Why?)
 Do you think there'll be more quiz shows (more than now) on TV in the future?
Competition
 Some people say that there are disadvantages in competition. Do you agree?
 Do you think competition is good?
 Do you think it's good to be a competitive person?
 Do you think people are born competitive? (If not, how do they become competitive?)

An Item of Clothing that was Bought for You

Describe an item of clothing that was bought for you.
You should say:
 what it is
what it looks like
why it was bought for you
and explain how you feel (or felt) about this item of clothing.

Shopping for Clothes

 Where do people in your country usually buy their clothes?
 What are the differences between buying clothes in big shops and buying clothes in
small shops?
 Are there any differences between men and women when they go shopping for clothes?
 Is there much difference between young people and old(er) people when it comes to
shopping for clothes?
 How do people buy clothes online (on the internet)?
 Do you think buying clothes online is good?
 Why are some clothes considered to be "luxury" clothes?
 Why are some people so keen to buy "designer clothes"?
Second-hand Clothes
 Do people in your country ever buy second-hand clothes?
 What do you think of the idea of buying second-hand clothes?
Custom-made (tailor-made) Clothes
 What are the advantages of having your clothes made for you by a tailor (or
dressmaker)?

A Piece of Advice
Describe a situation when you needed some advice.
You should say:
when you received the advice
who gave you the advice
what the advice was
and explain why you needed this advice.

Advice Giving
 What kind of advice do parents give their (adult) children?
 Do you think that some young people reject the advice of their parents simply as a
result of a generation gap?
 Do you think teachers are capable of giving students advice about life situations?
 In general, what do you think of the value of advice from old people? Is it useful?
 Which do you think is more useful (=effective), giving advice to someone or actually
showing them or teaching them how to do something?
The Helping Professions
 Can you think of any occupations where the person gives advice as part of their job?
 What is your opinion of the advice that these people give?
  Do you think these professionals should receive special training in giving advice? (Why?
What specific training?)
 How should people in the helping professions, such as doctors and teachers, be trained
and regulated?
 How do you think these so-called experts can be controlled (regulated)?
Work Suggestions
 Has anyone given you advice at work? (Who? What advice?)
 Was this person trained to give you advice?
 Do you think special training (for giving advice) is useful?

A Broken Piece of Equipment

Describe an occasion when a piece of equipment at home broke down or stopped working.
You should say:
what the equipment was
how badly it was broken
how this affected your life
and explain how you handled this situation.

The Quality of Products

 What are some examples of equipment at home that most easily break?
 What are some of the reasons why (some) things break down?
 Do you think the quality of products (in your country) has improved, compared to the
past, or has it deteriorated?
 Can you give any examples of that?
Second-hand Goods
 What are some examples of equipment (or, goods) that people can buy second-hand in
your country?
 Why do some people buy second-hand things?
 What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of buying second-hand
goods?
 Would you ever buy a second-hand car?

An Advertisement
Describe an advertisement that you think is successful.
You should say:
what is advertised
what the advertisement contains
what kinds of people would be (or, are) interested in
and explain why you think this advertisement works well.

The Nature of Advertising

 What are some examples of places where we often see advertisements?
  Why do you think many (most) advertisements use good-looking people (to promote
the product or service)?
The influence of advertisements
 What are the different kinds of advertising?
 What kind of advertising is most common in China?
 What are the ways in which advertisements catch the attention of viewers?
 Is advertising on the internet very influential?
 How do advertisements attract the attention of people?
 What is the purpose (= the function) of advertising? = Why do companies spend money
on advertising?
 What kinds of advertisements are most attractive to children (or, young people)?
 Do you think advertisements are a good or bad influence on children?
 Do you think advertisements actually influence people to buy things (perhaps things
they don't really need)?
 Do overseas advertisements used in, or adapted for use in China affect Chinese culture
and values?
Controls on Advertisements
 Does the Chinese government control advertisements in any way?
 What should happen to those people or companies who engage in false advertising?
 Do you think there should be controls on (= laws concerning) advertising, for example
cigarette and alcohol advertising?

A Small Thing to Protect the Environment

Describe a small thing that you do to help the environment.
You should say:
what it is you do
why you do it (why you want to help the environment)
how you know about this
and explain how you think this will help the environment.

Environmental Problems and People's Lifestyles

 Can you give any other examples of how people (or governments) could improve the
environment?
 What are the different kinds of pollution that exist in our environment?
 Do you think that if people changed their lifestyles it would help improve the
environment?
 Do you think people will change their lifestyles in the future (in response to the needs
of the environment)?
 Do you think it will be (or, would be) difficult for people to change their lifestyles, such
as using public transport instead of driving their own cars?
 How do you suggest this difficulty could be overcome?
Environmental Awareness
 Do young people today and old(er) people have the same level of awareness (or,
understanding) about environmental problems?
  Some people think that, as individuals, there's nothing much we can do. (They think
that this is a problem for governments to tackle.) Do you agree?

A Type of Book You Like to Read

Describe a type of book you like to read.
You should say:
what type
what’s kind of content
and explain why you like to read this type of book.

Books and other Media

 Besides textbooks, what other materials (or teaching media) are used in schools in
China?
 Do you think textbooks will be replaced in future by other teaching media such as small
notebook computers?
Education
 Is education important? (Why?)
 How do people in China consider teaching, as a profession?
 Who should decide what is taught in schools & universities - the students, the teachers
or the government?
The Importance of Reading
 Why do children like adults reading stories to them?
 What are some of the main differences between books and films?
 What can a person learn from reading books from overseas?
 Do you think it's a good idea to learn a foreign language by reading materials such as
novels in that language?

A Vehicle You Would Like to Buy

Describe a vehicle you would like to own.
You should say:
what kind of vehicle
why you would like to have it
how you would get (buy) it
and explain why you would prefer this means of transport.

Public versus Private Transportation

 Compare and contrast the different types of transport that exist today.
 What are the advantages and disadvantages of public and private (= individual)
transportation?
 What are the advantages to society of having more people using mass transportation?
 Should it be the responsibility of governments or of individuals to limit the number of
cars that are in use?
  Do you think that governments should control the number of private cars that are on
the roads? How could this be done?
 How can the government encourage more people to use public (mass) transportation?
Buying a Car
 Why do people like to drive cars?
 Why do some people want to buy a car and other people not want to buy a car?
 Do men and women like to buy the same kind of car?
 How do different vehicles reflect the social status of the users of those vehicles?
 What's your impression of advertisements for cars?

A Foreign Food You Would Like to Try

Describe a (type of) foreign food that you would like to try.
You should say:
the name of this food
where you can eat it
how you know about this food
and explain why you would like to try it.

Cooking
 Do many people cook nowadays? (Why?/ Why not?)
 What typical kitchen equipment do people have in your country?
 How has kitchen equipment changed (or, improved), compared to many years ago?
Diet
 What do people in your country typically eat?
 What is the most popular food in your country?
 What factors determine what foods different people eat?
 Do you think the food we eat now is healthier than in the past?
 In your opinion, do any people in industrialized countries have health problems that are
related to food?
 (If you say, "Yes") What are the reasons for these health problems?
 How do you think people could be better educated about food?

A Gift You Gave

Describe a gift you gave to a friend.
You should say:
what the gift was
who you gave it to
why you gave it
and explain why you chose to give that gift.

Gift Giving in Your Country

 What do you think is better, giving or receiving a gift?
  Where do people buy things to give as gifts?
 What are the occasions (or, the circumstances) when people in your country give gifts?
 Do you think it's difficult to choose gifts for people?
Money and Gifts
 Do you think that when someone receives a gift from a friend, they care about the
financial value (the cost) of that gift?
 Do you think that the more expensive the gift, the better it is?
Charity
 What do you think of charities?
 Do people in your country place much importance on charities?
 Have you ever donated to a charity?
 Do you agree that rich people should donate part of their wealth to charity?

A Photograph
Describe a photograph
You should say:
who took the photo
when it was taken
where it was taken
and explain why you like it.

The Purposes of Photographs

 Do you like taking photographs?
 Why do so many people like to take photographs (as a hobby)?
 Some people don't like taking photographs. Can you make any guesses about why?
 What are the occasions when people take photographs?
 Why do some people invade the privacy of celebrities by taking photographs of these
celebrities?
 Do you think news photographs are an important part of newspaper stories?
 Do you think photographs are important in understanding (or representing or
recording) history?
Technology and Photographs
 Compare old cameras with those in use today.
 How has photography (or, photographic technology) changed over the past few
decades?
 Compare the photos that you take with those that professional photographers take.
 Some people prefer to take still photographs while others prefer to take videos. Why?
Photographs as Art
 Compare a typical family photograph and an artistic photograph.
 Do many Chinese people visit photograph exhibitions?
 Compare painting pictures and taking photographs (as art forms).
 Which leaves a deeper impression on people, a picture or a written description of some
event or scene
A Successful Company
Describe a (small) company in your hometown that you think is successful.
You should say:
the name of this company
what this company produces (or does)
how you know this company
and explain why you think this company is successful.

Organizations
 In general, how do you think businesses become successful?
 What types of companies (or, businesses) are most successful in your hometown?
 Why do you think some companies are more successful than others?
 Which would you prefer to do, be an employee or a manager of a company?
 Which work do you think is easier, being an employee or being a manager?
Finding Jobs
 Is it hard to find work in China today?
 Would you like to do shift work, for example, working during the night in a 24-hour
convenience store?
 How do you think doing that kind of work impacts a person's (personal & family) life?
 Do you think there are any advantages from working at night?
 Would you like to work in a factory?
 Compare working in a factory and working in an office.
 What kind of work do people do in your hometown?
 Why are these factories on the edge of the city?
 Besides companies, what are some of the common types of organization in China?
 Do you think small businesses have much impact on the world?

A Lifestyle Change to Improve Your Health

Describe a change you would like to make to your lifestyle in order to improve your health
You should say:
what change you would like to make
how you would make this change
how difficult you think it would be
and explain why you think this change would improve your health (or fitness)

Healthy Living
 Have there been any changes in the past few years (e.g., 20 to 50 years) concerning
people's health habits?
 Is there much difference between men and women when it comes to the question of
having a healthy lifestyle?
People's Knowledge about Healthy Living
 Where can people get information about what is a healthy lifestyle?
 How can children and young people learn about good health habits?
  Do you think schools should have some classes on the topic of health (or, a healthy
lifestyle)?
 Do you think the government (or, the community) has a responsibility to provide
facilities that people can use to help them maintain good health?
 How can the government help people make healthy lifestyle decisions?

An Educational Program
Describe an educational TV program that you like to watch
You should say:
the name of the program
what type of program it is
what contents it has
and explain what you learn from this program.

Television Tastes
 What types of TV programs do you like?
 In general, what types of TV programs are most popular in China?
 Have TV programs changed in the past few years? (If yes, how?)
Educational Television
 Do you think there should be more educational TV programs?
 How do you think television will develop (or change) in the future?
The Effects and Influence of Television
 In your opinion, how does watching TV influence people?
 What do you think are the benefits, and the drawbacks, of watching television?
 What do you think can be the result if a person watches too much TV?
TV Celebrities
 Do you want to be a TV celebrity (or, "star")?
 Do you think it's good that TV celebrities are often role models for young people?
 In your opinion, what qualities does someone need to have to become a TV celebrity?
 Many TV stars have an income that is very high. Do you think this is reasonable?

A Useful Website
Describe a useful website that you like to visit. (Or, that you have visited)
You should say:
what he contents of the website are (or, were)
how and when you first found this website
how often you go to this website
and explain why you think this website is (or, was) useful.

The Different Types of Internet Users

 Is the internet used very much by people in China?
 What (different) things do these (different kinds of) people use the internet for?
  What (kinds of) people don't use the internet and what are the disadvantages that
these people suffer because they don't use the internet?
Old people and the internet
 Do old people access (= go onto = use) the internet very much? (Why not?)
 How do you think these difficulties for old people could be overcome?
 Do you think it is useful to teach old people how to use the internet?
The Importance of the Internet
 What are some of the most popular websites in China?
 What are the good points about the internet?
 Do you think the internet is important?
 What is the value (the usefulness) of the internet for society?
 Do you think the internet is playing a role in changing the world?
The Bad Points about the Internet
 Does the internet have any bad points? and some of the bad points about the internet?
 In your opinion, is there anything negative about the internet?
The Development of the Internet in Your Country
 How do you think the internet might develop in the future?
 How do you think the internet will change society in the future?

An Interesting News
Describe an interesting news story that you read or heard about recently.
You should say:
what this news was
how you got this news
who was involved in this news
and explain why you think (or, thought) it was interesting.

The News Media in Your Country

 How do people in your country usually get their news?
 Why do people read newspapers?
 Who prefers to read newspapers in your country, old people or young people?
 Do people in your country prefer local news or international news?
 Do you think governments should be able to control what news is in the media?
 What do you think the future of the news media will be like?
 Do you think the usage of satellite news transmission will mean the end of
newspapers?

Something Expensive You Bought

Describe something expensive you bought.
You should say:
what it was
how long you saved for it
where you bought it
and explain why you wanted to buy it.

Saving Money
 Do you think it's easy to save money?
 Do you think it's better to spend money or to save money? (Why?)
 What about children? Do you think children should learn how to save money?
Spending Money
 What sorts of things do young people buy (or, like to buy)?
 Do you think people are more materialistic today than they used to be?
 Why do some (young) people buy things that they don't really need?
The Effect of Advertising
 Do you think advertising has much effect on people's shopping behaviour?
 Do you think advertising can have bad effects on children?
 Do you think parents should always buy something whenever their children want it?
Shopping
 Do you like shopping?
 Is there much difference between shopping in the city and shopping in a small place
(such as a village or town)?
 Is there much difference between the attitudes of people towards shopping in big cities
and in rural areas?
 How do you think shopping will change in the future?

Something You Would Like to Learn More About

Describe something that you are interested in and would like to learn more about.
You should say
what it is
when you first became interested in it
how you would learn it
and explain why you would like to learn more about this topic.

Learning
 Do you think that there is a lot to learn nowadays?
 Is it important to learn new things?
 What qualities do people who like learning have?
 Who do you think learns easier, adults or children?
 Who do you think is more receptive to learning, adults or children?
 How important do you think childhood education is?
Adult Education
 Do you think adult education is important?
 So, why do people go to work and stop learning things after they graduate from
university?
 Who do you think should pay for this education?
 What facilities are there in your hometown for adults (working people) to continue
learning?
 Do you think governments should support adult education?
Information
 In your opinion, what has the greater influence on a child's development, his or her
family or other things?
 What are the main sources of knowledge or information that are available today?
 Is this different to the past?
 What do you think is the most convenient way to get information?
 Do you think that government should provide free public libraries for the people?
 Do you think information that we find on the internet is reliable?

A Childhood Song
Describe a song or melody that you remember from your childhood.
You should say:
where you (first) heard this song or melody
how old you were when you first heard it
what the song (or melody) was about
and explain how you felt (or feel now) when you heard (or hear) this song.

Music in Your Society

 What's your favourite type of music?
 Do your parents also like that kind of music?
 Compare the music that young people like to listen to with the music that older people
like to listen to.
 Compare classical music and modern music.
 Compare the music that people of different age groups like.
 Do you think people's tastes in music change as they get older?
 What do old people like to listen to?
 Has music in China changed much in the past 30 years or so?
 Do you think people in different countries listen to different music? Why?
 Compare Western and Chinese music.
 Has Chinese music been influenced by Western music?
 Is there any relationship between people’s culture and the kind of music they listen to?
 Why do you think Western popular music has such a big influence throughout the whole
world?
The Uses of Music
 What are the different places where people can listen to music?
 Nowadays, a lot of shops play background music in their shops. Can you suggest why
they do that?
 What do you think of the background music that is often played in department stores or
shopping malls?
 Why do you think these places play that kind of music?
 Some people think the music played in shopping malls is annoying. What do you think?
 Do you agree that music can sometimes be considered to be noise pollution?
An Enjoyable Phone Conversation
Describe an enjoyable conversation you had with someone by mobile phone.
You should say:
who you spoke to
when you had this conversation
what you spoke about
and explain why this conversation was enjoyable.

Telephones
 Do you think telephones are important for communication?
 Do people in China use telephones (including cell-phones) very much?
 Which do people in China use more, cell phones or fixed line phones?
 Which do you think is better, cell phones or fixed line phones? (Why?)
 What changes has the introduction of cell phones brought to people's lives?
 Some people don't like using cell phones very much. Can you suggest why?
 Some people don't like telephones (both cell-phones and fixed line phones). Can you
suggest some reasons why they feel that way?
Communication Methods/Tools
 Do you think communication is important in a relationship?
 Do you think people today communicate with others more than before?
 Compare emails as opposed to cell-phones as a means of communication.
 What impact have modern communication technologies such as mobile phones and the
internet had on people's work lives?
 With the increasing use of computers for communication, what do you think the
eventual result might be?
 Do you think the skill of handwriting might one day disappear?
 How do you think people will be communicating with each other in the future?

A Musical Show
Describe a musical event you attended or saw on TV that you liked.
You should say:
what kind of musical event it was
when you saw it
where you saw it
and explain why you liked it.

People's Musical Preferences

 What is the importance of music in people's lives?
 Do you think that music adds something to people's lives?
 What's your favourite style of music?
 What are the differences between the music old(er) people like and the music young
people like?
 How does music affect people's mood?
 Do you think aggressive music has an effect on people?
 What kinds of music are popular in your country?
  Is Beijing (Peking) Opera very popular?
 Do you think it's good for children to study music?
 Is there any difference between children studying music today and in the past?
The Music Industry
 Do you think music can become commercialized?
 Is the internet having any effect on the music industry?
 Do you think this will (or could) have an effect on the music industry?
Being a Pop Singer or Musician
 Would you like to work in the music industry?
 Many young people go through a stage when they dream of being a being a pop singer
or a musician. Why do you think they have this dream?
 Do you think it's reasonable to say that since you love music, you would like to make it
your profession?

A Park or Garden
Describe a beautiful park or garden that you have visited.
You should say:
where it was
when you saw it.
what you did there
and explain why you thought it was beautiful.

Public Parks
 How do you feel about parks?
 What kinds of people most often go to parks?
 What are the functions of city parks?
 Do you think it's better to have parks in the middle of the city or to have them on the
edge of the city or even just outside the city?
 Which is better, to have a park that is beautiful or a park that is functional?
 Should people pay to use parks? (Why?/Why not?)
 How should parks be paid for?
 Who should pay for public parks, the government or local citizens?
 Do you think it's important to have gardens or green spaces in cities?
 What role do these places have in the lives of city people?
Growing Things / Gardening
 Do many people in your country have a garden?
 Was this the same several generations ago?
 Do you think it's useful to teach children about growing things? (or, gardening)?
 What about planting trees? Do you think it's useful to teach children how to plant trees?
 Do you think planting trees is important?
The Environment
 How do human activities affect the environment?
 Do you think it’s important for governments to do something about the environmental
changes happening today? (Why? How?)
 Do you think people play a role in causing climate change today? (Why? How?)
  In China, have there been any changes in the urban (city) climate in recent years?
 How do you think big cities affect the (rural) areas surrounding them?

A Place You’d Like to Travel to

Describe a place that you would like to travel to.
You should say:
where you would like to go
how you would go there
who you would go with
and explain why you would like to go to this place.

Travel
 Would 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?
 Would you prefer (do you prefer) to travel alone or with a friend?
 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? (Why?)
 Who would you most dislike going with? (why?)
 What are some possible problems that a person might have while travelling?
Travel Destinations
 What are the benefits of travelling to new places?
 If you had the choice, where would you like to travel to? (Why?)
 What are some of the best travel destinations in China?
 Which places are Chinese people most interested in visiting?
 How have attitudes about international travel changed in China in the past 20 years?
 Do you think the government should encourage people to make trips overseas?
 Compare the types of travel destinations that people your age choose and the
destinations that people your parents' age choose.
Tourism
 Is tourism an important industry in China?
 How can people benefit from visiting new places?
 When many people visit a particular place, what effects can that have on this place?
 What difficulties might a foreigner have while travelling as a tourist in China?

A Foreign Film
Describe a foreign film that you recently enjoyed watching.
You should say:
what film it was
who the actors were
what the film was about
and explain why you enjoyed this film.

Film-watching Preferences in Your Country

  What kinds of films are most popular in your country?
 What kinds of films do young people (i.e., people aged 15 to 25) like to watch?
 What kinds of films do children (i.e., people aged 4 to 12) like to watch?
 What kinds of films do you prefer to watch?
 Do you think films have much influence on young people?
 What about children - what impact do films have on children?
 Do you think films that show violence can affect children?
 Do you think parents should supervise what films their children watch?
 Do you ever learn anything from watching a film?
 Do you think that you can learn about other (foreign) cultures from watching films?
 In what ways can a country's culture be represented in a film?
 To what extent do films influence a country's culture?
 How could a film enrich (or, strengthen) a country's culture?
The Film Industry
 In your opinion, what is a "good" film (and what is a "bad" film)?
 In your opinion, what is a "successful" film?
 Do you think it's necessary for film-makers to spend a lot of money in order to produce
a successful (or, a good) film?
 Do you think we will continue to have cinemas in the future?
 In the future, do you think that cinemas will be replaced by DVD's (and/or films
downloaded off the internet)?
 What do you think would be the result if everyone watched films on DVD (instead of
going to the cinema)?

A Job that Would Make the World Better

Describe a job that you know about that makes the world a better place.
You should say:
what job this is
how you know about this job
what types of people do this job (or, can do this job)
and explain why you think this job makes the world a better place.

Jobs
 In general, what kinds of jobs do people prefer to do (if possible)?
 Do you think the salary is important in a job?
 Can you think of any dangerous (or, unpleasant) jobs that some people do?
 Why do these people do those dangerous (or unpleasant) jobs?
 What jobs help ensure public safety?
 Are those jobs dangerous?
 If the jobs are meant to ensure public security, why are we told that we are in danger?
 Do you think people who do those jobs should be paid more than other people?
 In what ways do you feel that the world needs to be improved?
 Can you suggest any ways to bring about these improvements?
A Magazine or Newspaper
Describe an article you recently read in a newspaper or magazine.
You should say:
what magazine or newspaper it was
when you read it
what the article was about
and explain why you remember this article.

Magazines and Newspapers in Your Country

 Which do you prefer to read, magazines or newspapers?
 In your opinion, why do people like reading magazines?
 What (types of) information can people get from magazines?
 Do you think the news in magazines is reliable?
 Is there much difference between newspaper articles and magazine articles?
 Do you think it's important to read newspapers?
 What sections of the newspaper do you (or, do people) prefer to read?
 What are some of the different types of magazines (and newspapers) that exist in your
country?
 Is it easy to buy magazines in in your city?
 In China, do people from 'different walks of life' (different jobs) read the same
magazines and newspapers?
 What types of magazines do you (or, do people) prefer to read?
 And what about different age groups in China – do everyone read the same (kinds of)
newspapers and magazines?
 Who do you feel is more interested in reading magazines, men or women?
 What topics (or, subjects) do these magazines cover?
 Many girls spend a lot of time reading fashion magazines. What's your opinion about
this?
 Do you think that (all) magazines are interesting (or suitable) for young people?
 What kinds of articles are you most interested in reading?
 What impact do magazines have on young people?
 Can you think of any positive and any negative things about magazines for young
people?
 Do you think fashion magazines are beneficial?
 Do you think fashion magazines tend to make people all the same?
 What kinds of magazines do you think will be the most popular in the next 20 or 30
years?
 Why do many people prefer to read newspapers rather than magazines?
 What do you think of the future of newspapers?
 Do you think newspaper readership will change very much in the future?
News in Different Media
 How do most people (in China) get their news?
 Is there much difference between news articles in newspapers and the news on TV?
 Which information do you think is the easiest to understand, that in newspapers,
magazines, on TV or the information on the internet?
  Which news stories do you think are more interesting, those on TV or those in
magazines and newspapers?
 Which news articles make a deeper impression on you, those in newspapers or those in
magazines?

A Sport You Took or Watched

Describe a sports competition that you took part in or watched.
You should say:
what the competition was (or, what the sport was)
who was competing
what you did during this competition
and explain how you felt about this competition.

Recreational Sport in Your Country

 Do you often take part in sport?
 Does everyone play a sport in your country?
 What sports do people play in your country?
 What benefits do people get from this sport?
 Which do you think is better, team sports or individual sports?
 What benefits do people get from playing team sports?
 In general, how would you describe the atmosphere in a stadium when a sporting
competition is being held?
 Why do you think people like to cheer when they are watching a sports competition?
 What's the difference between watching a sporting competition, such as a football
game, in a stadium and watching it on TV?
 Why do you think so many countries like to host the Olympic Games?

An Important Celebration
Describe an important celebration (in your culture).
You should say:
when this celebration is held
who attends this celebration (or, who is involved in this celebration)
what people do during this celebration
and explain why this celebration is important.

Celebrations
 Do you think celebrations are important?
 How important do you think it is to observe traditional celebrations?
 How do people in your culture learn about traditional celebrations?
 Are celebrations today different to the (traditional) celebrations in the past?
 Do you think that, today, there's too much emphasis on making money from
celebrations?
Traditional Culture
  How much do young people in China know about traditional culture?
 How do young people in your country learn about traditional culture?
The "Globalization" of Culture
 Do you think "globalization" will eventually bring all the cultures of the world closer
together?

A Time When You Were Late

Describe an important occasion when you were late.
You should say:
when this happened
what occasion you were late for
why you were late (Or, how you explained your lateness)
and explain the result of your being late.

The Causes of Lateness

 What do you think is the main reason why some people are late for something?
 Do you think people are often late because of the daily rush hour, when everybody is
going to work or school at the same time?
 Can you suggest any ways to ease the problems caused by of the daily?
 Do you think many people tell lies as excuses for being late?
 And do you think these lies are serious or can they be forgiven?
 Are there any occasions when it doesn't matter if you're late?
The Concept of Time
 In your country, what do people think about the concept of time?
 Do you believe this thinking could be changed?

An Outdoor Activity
Describe an outdoor activity that you like doing (or do regularly).
You should say:
what this activity is
where you do it
when you do it (or, how often you do it)
and explain why you like it.

Outdoor Activities
 How do people (in your country) feel about outdoor activities?
 What are the benefits of doing outdoor activities?
 Are there any differences between what young people do outdoors and what old people
do?
 Who do you think spends more time outdoors, young people or old(er) people?
 What are some examples of open-air transport that people use in your country?
Outdoor Work
  What are some examples of work that people do outdoors?
 Compare the advantages and disadvantages of working indoors and working outdoors?
 Is there any difference between the city and the countryside in the number of people
who work indoors and the number of people who work outdoors?

Something Naughty You Did

Describe something naughty you did when you were a child.

You should say:
what you did
when this happened
who was with you
why you did it
and explain what happened after that.

Naughty Children
 What sorts of things do children do that are considered to be "naughty" by their
parents?
 Do you think naughty children should stop (or, change) their behaviour?
 Do you think it's natural for children to stop doing everything that their parents think is
naughty?
 Do you think children should always obey (or listen to) their parents?
Growing Up
 When do you think people can be said to have "grown up"?
 At what age do you think children (or young people) become adults?
 What's your understanding of the word, "adult"?
 What are some of the main differences between children and adults?

A Happy Childhood Memory

Describe a happy event from your childhood that you remember well
You should say:
what the event was
when and where it happened
who participated in this event
and explain why you remember this event so well.

Memories of the Past

 What sorts of things do you think people are most likely to remember from the past?
 Many (old or older) people feel that their childhood was the happiest (or, the best) time
of their lives? Can you suggest why they might feel that way?
 Do you think people's memories of their childhood are always accurate?
  Some people like to keep things (such as a toy) from their childhood. Can you suggest
why these people do that?
Traditions
 Many young people are not very interested in traditions or in doing things the
traditional way. Why do you think they are like that?
 Do you think traditions (including traditional ways of life) are important to preserve?
 How do you suggest young people's interest in traditions (in their traditional culture)
could be stimulated?
History
 What do you think are some good ways to learn history?
 What do you think is the best way to learn history?

A Visit to a Friend or Family Member

Describe a visit you recently made (for example, to a friend or family member)
You should say:
who this person was
why you visited them
where you visited them
and explain how you passed the time together.

Hospitality
 What's the difference between being invited to visit and visiting someone of your own
accord?
 Do you think it's important to visit other people?
 How do Chinese people welcome guests?
 How do you think you could make a visitor 'feel at home'?
 If you traveled to visit someone, how would you like them to treat you?
 When you have guests, do you think it is better to eat at home or to go to a restaurant?
 How important is the living room in a person's house when guests visit?
 Why do people offer food and drink to visitors?
 Would you say the new generation today is less formal than previous generations on
the question of how to treat guests?
Visiting Customs in Your Country
 How do people in China welcome visitors to their homes?
 In China, when someone is a guest in another person's house, in what ways should he
or she express their respect to the host?
 Should the guest offer help to the host?
 In China, when you have visitors, do you usually eat at home or outside the home?
 How do people entertain guests at home?
 In China, what do people generally do when they visit each other?
 What do they talk about?
 Do people in China treat different kinds of visitors in different ways?
 Is there much difference between having relatives visit and having friends visit?
A Walk
Describe a place where you often walk.
You should say:
where and when you walk
what you see on this walk
who you walk with
and explain why you walk.

Walking and health

 Do many people in China go for walks?
 How do you think walking is beneficial to health?
 Are there any disadvantages to walking?
 Do you think that playing sport is better for your health than walking? Do you think
people in the past walked more than people today, or less?
 What is the relationship between people’s standard of living and the amount of walking
they do?
 Compare the amount of walking that rural people, such as farmers do with the amount
of walking that city people do.
 Would you say that it's easy for city people, living in a world of skyscrapers and
concrete, to go for a walk?
 In China, do many city people go to rural areas in order to go for a walk and have a
picnic?
 City people spend more time riding in cars or other vehicles, rather than walking. What
do you think are some of the results of this lifestyle?
 How do you think the government could encourage people to walk more?
 Can you think of any examples where people walk a lot while doing their jobs?

A Day Off
Describe what you would do if you had a day off, free from work or study.
You should say:
where you would go
what you would do there
who you would go with
and explain how you think you would feel at the end of this day.

Working Hours
 In your country, how many hours do most people work per week?
 Do you think people (today) work longer hours than they used to?
 Do they have any days off (days free from work)?
 Does the government in your country have a law stating how much free time
employees must have per week?
 Do you think it's good to have such a law?
 Do people ever ask their employers for extra time off work?
 What are the reasons for asking this?
 Do you think these reasons are always true?
Something Unusual or Interesting You Did Recently
You should say:
what it was
who was with you
why you did it.
and explain why you think it was unusual or interesting.

Work/Leisure Time
 How do people in China spend their leisure time, for example, after school, after work
or on weekends?
 What kinds of things do families in China do together in their leisure time?
 Would you say that people have enough leisure time today?
 How do you think science and technology has changed people's lives in China in the
past few years?
 Has the amount of leisure time that people have (in China) changed in recent years?
 Compare the way men spend their leisure time and the way women spend their leisure
time.
 Do men have more free time than women?
 Compare the role of women in society today to their role several generations age.
 Do men and women have equal status in China today?
Children and Free Time
 How do children in China spend their leisure time?
 Do you think that children spend their leisure time effectively or do they often waste
their time?
 Do you think parents in China should spend more of their leisure time with their
children?
 What are some examples of 'the leisure industry'? Is this is an important part of the
economy in China?
 How do you think the leisure industry will develop in China over the next few years?

A Family Event
Describe an enjoyable family event that you attended.
You should say:
where and when this event took place
what you did (or, what happened at this event)
who was there at this event (or, who participated in this event)
and explain why this event was enjoyable.

Weddings
 Have you ever been to a wedding celebration?
 What happens at a wedding celebration in China?
 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 "globalization" has brought to your
hometown?

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 "nice" can still be a good teacher?
 Do you think a teacher can still be a good teacher if the students are "bad" (=
misbehave) in class?
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?

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, "success" means?
 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 "successful" person?
 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
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?

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?

A Good Neighbour
Describe a good neighbour of yours.
You should say:
how long you have known this neighbour
what sort of person he or she is
how often you see him or her
and explain what kind of relationship you have with them.

Neighbours Community
 Do you think (good) neighbours are important?
 What are the qualities of a good neighbour?
 Do most Chinese people know their neighbours? *
 Now that most people watch a lot of TV, how do you think this has affected people’s
relationships with their neighbours?
 How should modern people communicate with their neighbours?
 What are some of the qualities of a good community?
  In China, are there any facilities for improving relations between neighbours?
 Do you think it’s important to teach children how to have good relations with
neighbours?
 What is the best kind of neighbour for a child to have?
 Is it important for children to grow up in a good neighbourhood?

Your Personality
Describe an important aspect of your personal character.
You should say:
what it is
what this part of your personal character is like
how it affects your life or work
and explain why you think it is important.

Personal Traits
 What would you say are the most distinct personality/character traits of the people in
your country?
 What would you say are the most interesting personality/character traits of the people
in your country?
 Do you think that people from different countries have "national" personality traits?
 Do you think that members of a team should all have the same (or similar)
personalities?
 Do you think it's important for friends to share the same, or similar, personal traits?
 If you were considering whether to be friends with someone, what personal traits would
be important for you?
 Do you think happiness is important?
 What do you think is the secret of happiness?
 Do you think money is important for happiness?
 In your opinion, can money ever take the place of happiness?

Someone in the News

Describe someone who has recently been in the news who you would like to meet.
You should say:
who this person is
why this person has been in the news
what kind of person he or she is
and explain why you would like to meet him or her

People in the News

 In general, what kinds are people are usually in the news?
 Why are they in the news?
  Do you think that all of the "famous people" in the news are really news-worthy?
 What news topics are shown on the TV news in your country?
 What types of news (or, what topics in the news) are you most interested in?
 Are people in your country more interested in national news or international news?
 Which do you think is more important, national or international news?
 Do you think that everything you read or hear in the news is true?
 What do you think about "fake news"?

A Place with a Lot of Noise

Describe a place you have been to that had a lot of noise.
You should say:
what place it was (or, where it was)
why you went there
why it had a lot of noise
and explain how you felt about this noise.

Noise
 What noises (= sounds) can we hear in a city?
 Do you think noise ever has any benefits?
 Does noise ever cause a problem for you?
 Do you think noise can be considered to be a form of pollution?
 What harm can noise do to people's health?
 How do you suggest this noise could be controlled (or, decreased)?
 (In the future), what do you think the government should do (or, could do) about
excessive ( = too much) noise?
 What sorts of penalties should be imposed on people (or companies) who produce
excessive noise?
 Do you think it's possible to completely eliminate all noise?
 Do you think the noise that crowds of people make can be a problem?
 If someone (or some group of people) were making too much noise, what could be done
about this problem?

A Restaurant
Describe a place where you sometimes go to eat lunch (or dinner).
You should say:
where it is
what it looks like
who you usually eat with
what you usually eat
and explain why you like to go to this place.
Restaurants
 Where do most people (go to) eat their lunch?
 Do people in your country prefer to eat at home or in a restaurant?
 Why do people like to eat in restaurants?
 What are some reasons why people eat in restaurants?
 What are some of the benefits of eating in restaurants?
 Do you think the food in the restaurants is safe?
 How can (or do) restaurants attract (or, keep) customers?
Food
 What (kind of) food do you like to eat?
 What do you think is "healthy food"?
 Do you think home-cooked meals are usually healthy food?
 How do you think school students can maintain a healthy diet?

A Hotel
Describe a hotel you visited (or stayed at) or have seen.
You should say:
where it was
what the name of the hotel was
what the hotel looked like
and explain why people like to/choose to stay at this hotel.

Types of Hotels
 What are the different types of hotels?
 Which hotel(s) would you recommend people stay in?
 In general, what are the differences in quality between the different types of hotels?
 Do many people stay in five star hotels?
 How important are hotels to the tourism industry?
Hotel Facilities and Service
 When judging the quality of a hotel, what do you think is the most important thing to
consider?
 How important do you think the service is?
The Tourism Industry
 Do you think the tourism industry in your country has much potential for development?
 How do you think the tourism industry in your country compares to that in other
countries?

Your Favourite Room When You Were a Child

Describe the room in your home where you spent the most time when you were a child.
You should say:
what it looked like
what was in the room
 what you did in that room
and explain why you spent most of your time in that room.

Rooms
 Do you think children should have their own rooms?
 How do children benefit from sharing a room with others?
 In China, do parents usually have rules about how children keep their rooms?
 Do you think it's important for parents to have rules for how children keep their rooms?
 Do you think people have enough privacy today?
 What do you think of people who decorate their houses in a very flamboyant manner?
 Have the rooms in people’s houses changed much compared to the rooms of your
parents’ time? *
 How do you think rooms will change in the future? *
Places for Public Use
 What kinds of places for public use does your hometown have? (parks, children’s
playgrounds, etc.)
 Do you think it’s important to have such facilities as public parks and children’s
playgrounds?
 Compare public facilities (such as parks) in China today to those of the past.
 In your opinion, how will public facilities change in the future?

Your Ideal Home

Describe the ideal home that you would like to live in.
You should say:
where it would be
what type of house it would be
how you would decorate it
and explain why you would like to live in this kind of home.

Housing in China
 Would you prefer to live in a flat (= apartment) or a house? (Why?)
 Compare houses that rural people live in with the flats (apartments) that most city
people live in.
 Do you think the prices of homes in China are too expensive for the average person?
 What is the government doing about this problem? Or: What can the government do
about this problem?
 Do you think the government should help low-income people buy a home? (Why?
How?/Why not?)
Crowded Cities
 living conditions in cities?
 How can these problems be addressed?
 How does living in high-rise apartments affect the people who live there?
The Relationship between the Environment and Building Design
  How do buildings in different parts of China differ from each other? For example, how
are buildings in southern China different to those in northern China?
 What factors are important when designing a building?
 In what ways can buildings be more 'environmentally friendly'? (Hint: Buildings can be
well-insulated to help decrease the use of energy for heating and cooling.)

A Place Near Water

Describe a place near a lot of water that you enjoyed visiting.
You should say:
where this place was
what you did at this place
why (& when) you went there
who you went there with
and explain why you liked this place.

How People Use Places With a Lot of Water

 Why do people like places with a lot of water?
 Why do you think is the ocean so important to people who live near it?
 What are some of the things that people can do when they live near (or visit) the
ocean?
 Do you think people get mostly emotional (or, mental) benefits from living near water
or physical benefits?
 Do you think schools should teach children how to swim?
Water Usage
 Do people in China use a lot of water?
 Is the way people use water today (= people's habits of use) the same as the way
people used water, say, 50 years ago?
 Do you think people use more water today than they did before (e.g., 20 or 50 years
ago)?
 Do you think it's important to try to save (conserve) water? (Why?)
 Do you think it's necessary to control the amount of water that people use? (Why?/Why
not?)
 Do you know how water can be (or, is) recycled?

A Peaceful Place
Describe a peaceful place that you have been to.
You should say:
where it is
when you went there
who you went there with
and explain what you did there.
Noise in Cities
 What are the sources of noise in (large) cities?
 How (or why) does noise sometimes make people unhappy?
 How do you think noise in cities could be reduced?
 What are the sources of noise?
 Do you think noise can be considered to be a form of pollution?
 What harm can noise do to people's health?
 Do you think noise can cause more harm to people's health than air pollution?
 How do you suggest this noise could be controlled (or, decreased)?
 What sorts of penalties should be imposed on people (or companies) who produce
excessive noise?
Being Alone
 In what circumstances do people want to be alone?
 How can a person be alone in a big city?

A Historic Building
Describe a historic building that you visited.
You should say:
what building it was
when you went there
why you went there
and explain how you felt about this building.

Historic Buildings
 Do many people in your country visit historical buildings?
 Why do they visit these buildings?
 What kinds of people (e.g., ages) like to visit historic buildings?
 What do you think are the differences between actually visiting a historic place and
reading about it in a book (or seeing pictures of it on the internet)?
 Do you think people should have to pay to visit these historic buildings?
 Do you think these historic buildings should be preserved?
 Who do you think should pay for these reparations?
 Do you think the government should pay for the maintenance and repair of historic
buildings?
Studying History
 Why do students study history in school?
 Do you think learning about history has any benefits for children?
 How do you think teachers could make history lessons more interesting?

A Leisure Centre
Describe a leisure centre in your area (such as a cinema or sports centre).
You should say:
where it is
what it is like
 what people do there
and explain why people like to go there.

Leisure Centres
 Do you think everyone should do some leisure activities?
 Do you think it's good to have leisure centres in the community?
 How is it good for young people?
 Are these facilities only used by young people or are they used by all age groups?
 If there were no leisure facilities, what could people do in their spare time?
 What are the differences between recreational facilities in big cities and in the
countryside?
 Do you think companies should provide leisure facilities for their employees?
 Do you think most people prefer to engage in leisure activities with friends or with work
colleagues?
Sports Facilities
 Do you think people need to spend more time on keeping fit?
 Is sport popular with all age groups in your community?
 What do people in your community think about leisure sports?
 What kinds of sports facilities are there in your hometown?

A School or University Building

Describe a building in a school or university that you attended.
You should say:
where it was
what it looked like
what facilities it has
and explain how you felt (or feel) about this building.

School Buildings and Facilities

 What are some differences between schools (or, school buildings) in the countryside
and city schools?
 Do you think the design of school buildings is important?
 How are schools for young children (i.e., primary schools) different to schools for
teenagers (i.e., high schools)?
 How do you think schools could be improved (not just the buildings)? *
 How do you think school buildings in the future might be different to school buildings
that we have today?
 How do you think school facilities could be improved in China?
 How do you think school facilities will change in the future?

A Road/Street in Your Hometown

Describe a street/road in your hometown.
You should say:
 where it is
what the main buildings are on that street/road
what you usually do on that street/road
and explain how you feel about this street/road.

City Living
 Many people prefer to live in a city rather than in a town or in the countryside. What do
you think are the advantages of living in a city?
 Do you think cities are more suitable for young people, or old people?
 In some Western countries, old people move out of the city to retire in the countryside.
Why do you think they choose to do that?
 Do you think city living has nay disadvantages?
 Why do so many people in cities want to own a private car?