1. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Television, newspapers, magazines, and other media pay too much attention to the personal lives of famous people such as public figures and celebrities.
2. Some people believe that the Earth is being harmed (damaged) by human activity. Others feel that human activity makes the Earth a better place to live. What is your opinion?
3. Some people spend their entire lives in one place. Others move a number of times throughout their lives, looking for a better job, house, community, or even climate. Which do you prefer: staying in one place or moving in search of another place?
4. Is it better to enjoy your money when you earn it or is it better to save your money for some time in the future? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
5. You have received a gift of money. The money is enough to buy either a piece of jewelry you like or tickets to a concert you want to attend. Which would you buy?
6. Businesses should hire employees for their entire lives. Do you aGREe or disagree?
7. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Attending a live performance (for example, a play, concert, or sporting event) is more enjoyable than watching the same event on television.
8. Choose one of the following transportation vehicles and explain why you think it has changed people's lives. (1) automobiles (2) bicycles (3) airplanes
9. Do you aGREe or disagree that progress is always good?
10. Learning about the past has no value for those of us living in the present. Do you aGREe or disagree?
11. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? With the help of technology, students nowadays can learn more information and learn it more quickly.
12. The expression "never, never give up" means to keep trying and never stop working for your goals. Do you aGREe or disagree with this statement?
13. Some people think that human needs for farmland, housing, and industry are more important than saving land for endangered animals. Do you aGREe or disagree with this point of view? Why or why not?
14. What is a very important skill a person should learn in order to be successful in the world today? Choose one skill and use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
15. Why do you think some people are attracted to dangerous sports or other dangerous activities?
16. Some people like to travel with a companion. Other people prefer to travel alone. Which do you prefer?
17. Some people prefer to get up early in the morning and start the day's work. Others prefer to get up later in the day and work until late at night. Which do you prefer?
18. What are the important qualities of a good son or daughter? Have these qualities changed or remained the same over time in your culture?
19. Some people prefer to work for a large company. Others prefer to work for a small company. Which would you prefer? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.
20. People work because they need money to live. What are some other reasons that people work? Discuss one or more of these reasons.
21. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Face-to-face communication is better than other types of communication, such as letters, email, or telephone calls.
22. Some people like to do only what they already do well. Other people prefer to try new things and take risks. Which do you prefer?
23. Some people believe that success in life comes from taking risks or chances. Others believe that success results from careful planning. In your opinion, what does success come from?
24. What change would make your hometown more appealing to people your age?
25. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? The most important aspect of a job is the money a person earns.
26. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? One should never judge a person by external appearances.
27. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? A person should never make an important decision alone.
28. A company is going to give some money either to support the arts or to protect the environment. Which do you think the company should choose?
29. Some movies are serious, designed to make the audience think. Other movies are designed primarily to amuse and entertain. Which type of movie do you prefer?
30. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Businesses should do anything they can to make a profit.
31. Some people are always in a hurry to go places and get things done. Other people prefer to take their time and live life at a slower pace. Which do you prefer?
32. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Games are as important for adults as they are for children.
33. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Parents or other adult relatives should make important decisions for their older (15 to 18 year-old) teenage children.
34. What do you want most in a friend ?someone who is intelligent, or someone who has a sense of humor, or someone who is reliable?
35. Which one of these characteristics is most important to you?
36. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Most experiences in our lives that seemed difficult at the time become valuable lessons for the future.
37. Some people prefer to work for themselves or own a business. Others prefer to work for an employer. Would you rather be self-employed, work for someone else, or own a business?
38. Should a city try to preserve its old, historic buildings or destroy them and replace them with modern buildings?
39. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Classmates are a more important influence than parents on a child's success in school.
40. If you were an employer, which kind of worker would you prefer to hire: an inexperienced worker at a lower salary or an experienced worker at a higher salary?
41. Many teachers assign homework to students every day. Do you think that daily homework is necessary for students?
42. If you could study a subject that you have never had the opportunity to study, what would you choose?
43. Some people think that the automobile has improved modern life. Others think that the automobile has caused serious problems. What is your opinion?
44. Which would you choose: a high-paying job with long hours that would give you little time with family and friends or a lower-paying job with shorter hours that would give you more time with family and friends?
45. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Grades (marks) encourage students to learn.
46. Some people say that computers have made life easier and more convenient. Other people say that computers have made life more complex and stressful. What is your opinion?
47. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? The best way to travel is in a group led by a tour guide.
48. Some universities require students to take classes in many subjects. Other universities require students to specialize in one subject. Which is better?
49. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Children should begin learning a foreign language as soon as they start school.
50. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Boys and girls should attend separate schools.
51. Is it more important to be able to work with a group of people on a team or to work independently?
52. Your city has decided to build a statue or monument to honor a famous person in your country. Who would you choose?
53. Describe a custom from your country that you would like people from other countries to adopt. Explain your choice, using specific reasons and examples.
54. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Technology has made the world a better place to live.
55. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Advertising can tell you a lot about a country.
56. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Modern technology is creating a single world culture.
57. Some people say that the Internet provides people with a lot of valuable information. Others think access to so much information creates problems. Which view do you aGREe with?
58. A foreign visitor has only one day to spend in your country. Where should this visitor go on that day? Why?
59. If you could go back to some time and place in the past, when and where would you go? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.
60. What discovery in the last 100 years has been most beneficial for people in your country? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
61. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Telephones and email have made communication between people less personal.
62. If you could travel back in time to meet a famous person from history, what person would you like to meet?
63. If you could meet a famous entertainer or athlete, who would that be, and why?
64. If you could ask a famous person one question, what would you ask? Why?
65. Some people prefer to live in places that have the same weather or climate all year long. Others like to live in areas where the weather changes several times a year. Which do you prefer?
66. Many students have to live with roommates while going to school or university. What are some of the important qualities of a good roommate? Use specific reasons and examples to explain why these qualities are important.
67. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Dancing plays an important role in a culture.
68. People have different ways of escaping the stress and difficulties of modern life. Some read; some exercise; others work in their gardens. What do you think are the best ways of reducing stress?
69. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? Teachers should be paid according to how much their students learn.
70. In your opinion, what is the most important characteristic (for example, honesty, intelligence, a sense of humor) that a person can have to be successful in life? (not limited to the examples listed in the question.)
71. People learn in different ways. Some people learn by doing things; other people learn by reading about things; others learn by listening to people talk about things. Which of these methods of learning is best for you?
72. Decisions can be made quickly, or they can be made after careful thought. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? The decisions that people make quickly are always wrong.
73. Do you aGREe or disagree with the following statement? All students should be required to study art and music in secondary school.
74. If you could invent something new, what product would you develop? Use specific details to explain why this invention is needed.
75. Plants can provide food, shelter, clothing, or medicine. What is one kind of plant that is important to you or the people in your country? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.
76. The twentieth century saw GREat change. In your opinion, what is one change that should be remembered about the twentieth century?
77. Is the ability to read and write more important today than in the past? Why or why not?
78. People do many different things to stay healthy. What do you do for good health?
79. You have decided to give several hours of your time each month to improve the community where you live. What is one thing you will do to improve your community? Why?
80. People recognize a difference between children and adults. What events (experiences or ceremonies) make a person an adult?
81. People listen to music for different reasons and at different times. Why is music important to many people?
82. Groups or organizations are an important part of some people's lives. Why are groups or organizations important to people?
83. Imagine that you are preparing for a trip. You plan to be away from your home for a year. In addition to clothing and personal care items, you can take one additional thing.
84. When students move to a new school, they sometimes face problems. How can schools help these students with their problems?
85. Some students like classes where teachers lecture (do all of the talking) in class. Other students prefer classes where the students do some of the talking. Which type of class do you prefer?
86. Holidays honor people or events. If you could create a new holiday, what person or event would it honor and how would you want people to celebrate it?
87. The 21st century has begun. What changes do you think this new century will bring? Use examples and details in your answer.
88. What are some of the qualities of a good parent? Use specific details and examples to explain your answer.
89. Movies are popular all over the world. Explain why movies are so popular.
90. In your country, is there more need for land to be left in its natural condition or is there more need for land to be developed for housing and industry? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
