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1
"To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear." Buddha. Much attention is paid to healthy food and lifestyle. • Do you think it is worth all efforts taken? • Do you think that clear mind depends on healthy diet and exercising?
2
"Every generation revolts against its fathers and makes friends with its grandfathers," said Lewis Mumford. • When do you feel the generation gap the most? • How does a generation gap affect interaction between two people? • What do you think are some of the advantages or disadvantages of another generation?
3
"Don’t judge a book by its cover" is a popular English idiom. • Do you think that too much attention is paid to appearance? • What value does our culture place on appearances? • How far do you agree that clothes and appearance are not important in judging a person?
4
"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know," said Ernest Hemingway. • What do you think it is so difficult for intelligent people to be happy? • What are the three most important things for you to be happy? • What can you do to make other people happy?
5
"One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way," said Frank Smith. • What is the value of learning languages? • Why is it important for people to communicate and share ideas? • Why do some people have more difficulty than others when learning a language?
6
"Those who forget the past will repeat it." • What do you think this means? • What things are it important to remember? • What things would you prefer to forget? Why? • Are there some things or times that you will never forget?
7
Social networking websites like Facebook or Instagram are incredibly popular, but some are concerned that young people are being too free with their personal information. ● What information about yourself are you comfortable sharing on the Internet? ● Do you think people are being careless about their private lives? ● What are the possible effects, good or bad, of so much online sharing?
8
What advice would you give a small business that is creating a website? • What kind of information is most important to display to make the site user-friendly? • Are colours and patterns important? • What colours and patterns would you choose? Why?
9
Imagine that you are a newspaper reporter. You have the opportunity to interview any person in the world. • Who would you choose to interview? • How has this person influenced people's lives? • What three questions would you ask first?
10
Zoos are places where animals are collected for study and education. The first zoo was created by the Egyptians in 3500 BC! But many people think that keeping animals in zoos is not right, and that it is cruel to keep animals in cages. • What do you think of zoos? Have you ever visited a zoo, petting farm or animal preserve? • What are the positive and negative aspects of zoos? • Do you think that it is cruel to keep animals in zoos? Why or why not?
11
Urbanization is the process of people moving into the city, causing it to grow and expand. Cities all over the world are getting bigger and more crowded. • Do you think it is better to live in the city or in the country? Why? • Is it a good thing for so many people to move into the city? What are some positive or negative effects? • If you could live in any place, in any city or any country, where would you live? Why?
12
“A good traveller has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu. • What does this quote mean to you? Do you agree with it? • Describe a memorable journey that you took with your family or friends. • How has technology changed the ways we travel, and what we do as we travel?
13
Bullying has always been a problem in school, but now acts of cyber-bullying, or harassment, take place on the Internet. It deeply affects teens and can lead to serious consequences. • In your opinion, who is responsible for addressing the issue of cyber-bullying, parents or school? • If so, in what ways can they do this? • Explain some ways that students can more safely communicate through the Internet. How can a community combat this phenomenon?
14
With all the pressures of the modern world, time is an important factor in our lives today. ● How does time impact your life? Do you have enough time to do all the things you'd like to do? ● How do you prioritize your time to accomplish the things that are most important to you? ● Do you follow a strict schedule and calendar, or do you "take life as it comes"? What are the advantages and disadvantages of your approach?
15
Imagine you have become stranded on a desert island. ● How could you spend your time without a computer, a phone or television? ● What do you know about survival skills like planting food, building houses, or making clothes? ● If you could choose two people to be stranded with you, who would they be and why?
16
People are often interested in foreign people and cultures.● Which foreign culture do you find most intriguing? Which tradition from that culture would you like to experience? ● How has the classical understanding of that culture evolved overtime? ● What are the advantages and disadvantages of accepting foreign traditions into your own culture?
17
Henry David Thoreau said, “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals”. ● What is your biggest goal in life? How do you plan to achieve that goal? ● What are your “short-term” and “long-term” goals? ● Once you have finally achieved your life goal, what will you do then?
18
"Travelling is no longer necessary because modern technology has made it possible to learn about the rest of the world from computers and televisions." ● Do you agree with this statement? ● Why do people like travelling? ● Do you think foreigners could really understand Ukrainian life and culture without visiting Ukraine? Justify your opinion.
19
Choosing a career path can be a difficult decision. ● What should be one's motivation in choosing a career path? ● When you have a family to support, is it fair to choose a job that gives you personal satisfaction even if the salary is lower than other available jobs? ● How can people balance their professional and personal lives?
20
Fantasy books such as the Harry Potter and Twilight series have been very popular for some years now. ● Why do people like fantasy books? Are they targeted to one age group? ● In your opinion, what is the most interesting genre of books? Explain what makes it more interesting to you than the others. ● If you could bring a character from a fantasy book to life, who would it be and why?