6- ‘Reading’ Topics

1. Do you like reading?

Yes, I like reading a lot. I read all sorts of things, including novels, newspapers, magazines, and online articles.

2. Do you usually read for leisure or for work purposes?

Well, I have to do a certain amount of reading as part of my job, but I probably read more for enjoyment. I pick up a newspaper most days, and I usually have a book on the go.

3. What was your favourite book or story when you were a child?

The first book that I remember really enjoying was ‘……….’. It only took me a few days to read because I liked it so much that I couldn’t put it down.

4. Do you think it’s important that children read regularly?

Definitely. I think reading is possibly the most important skill that children learn. The ability to read opens the door to all aspects of education.

7- ‘Study’ Topics

1. Do you like studying? Why / why not?

Yes, I like studying because it’s the best way to gain a deeper insight into any subject. I like reading, learning from others, and trying to understand difficult concepts.

2. Do you prefer to study alone or with others? Why?

I prefer to study alone because I need to be able to concentrate fully. Other people are a distraction.

3. Where do you prefer to go when you need to study? Why?

I like to find a quiet corner in my local library; being in an old building and surrounded by books seems to help me to focus on my work.

4. How do you feel if someone disturbs you when you are studying?

It frustrates me because it breaks my concentration. I prefer to avoid distractions by going somewhere where nobody will interrupt me.

8- ‘Walking’ Topics

1. Do you like walking?

I’m not one for going on really long walks in the countryside, but I don’t mind walking when I’m in a town or city, for example when I’m sightseeing in a new place.

2. Do you think walking is important?

Yes, I think it’s important to be active, and walking is the most basic physical activity that we can do.

3. Do you think walking in the countryside is better than walking in the city?

Personally, no. As I said before, I like walking in the city, especially if it’s somewhere with a lot of history like London or Paris.

4. What could be done to improve the experience of walking in cities?

I suppose the main issues are space and safety.

Pavements need to be wide enough to accommodate lots of pedestrians, and we need safe places to cross the street.

8- ‘Parks’ Topics

1. Do you like parks? Why / why not?

Yes, I like parks because they’re great places to relax or go for a walk. I think every city needs some green space where people can escape from the crowds.

2. How often do you visit parks?

There’s a park very close to where I live, so I probably go there once or twice a week if the weather’s nice.

3. Why are parks an important part of many towns and cities?

Parks are like an oasis where people get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. They are where people go to have lunch, to take some exercise, or to forget about work for a while.

4. What do you think could be done to make parks better?

The parks in big cities are already really good in my opinion. If I think about the famous parks in London, Paris or New York, I can’t imagine what I would do to improve them.

9- ‘Maps’ Topics

1. Do you ever use maps?

Yes. Whenever I go somewhere new, I plan my journey with the help of a map.

2. When do people usually need to use a map?

I imagine that some people use a map every day if they travel to different places for work. Others might only use a map when they’re on holiday.

3. Do you prefer electronic or paper maps?

I still prefer paper maps for a long journey; I like being able to open the map out on a table and see the full journey ahead.

4. Do you ever ask people for directions instead of using a map?

Only if I’m really lost. Whenever I ask for directions, I find it difficult to remember what the person said. So I prefer to find my own way.

10- ‘Games’ Topics

1. What games are popular in your country?

Well, if we can consider sports as games, then football is definitely the most popular game in my country, but we also love board games like chess.

2. Do you play any games?

Not regularly these days. I play the occasional game of tennis with my brother-in-law, and I recently played a bowling game on the Nintendo Wii with my nephew. I wasn’t very good at it.

3. How do people learn to play games in your country?

I think children teach each other to play games. I remember a friend at primary school teaching me to play chess, for example.

4. Do you think it’s important for people to play games?

Yes, it’s really important, especially for children. I think research has shown that play can improve brain development, intelligence, creativity, and the ability to cooperate with others.

11- ‘Travel’ Topics

1. What form of transport do you prefer to use? Why?

I prefer to travel by car because it means that I have my own space. Also, the buses and trains in my city are usually overcrowded; my car is much more comfortable.

2. How much time do you spend travelling on a normal day?

I probably spend about an hour and a half travelling to and from work. I travel during the rush hours, so there is quite a lot of traffic.

3. What do you do while you are travelling?

I usually listen to the radio or a CD. In the morning I like to listen to the news to find out what is happening in the world.

4. Do you ever have problems with transport?

Yes, as I said, I get stuck in traffic on my way to and from work. I used to get annoyed by traffic jams, but now I’m used to them.

12- ‘Work’ Topics

1. Do you work or are you a student?

I’m a qualified doctor, but at the moment I’m studying English so that I can work in this country.

2. Do you enjoy your job?

Yes, I really enjoy my job. Ever since I was a child I have always wanted to be a doctor; I’ve always wanted to be able to help people.

3. What’s the best thing about your job?

The best thing about my job is that I can make a difference in people’s lives. It’s a great feeling to see someone recover after an illness because my colleagues and I were able to help.

4. Do you prefer working alone or with others? Why?

In a hospital you have to work as part of a team. I’ve got used to working with others, and I think you can achieve a lot more as a team than you would alone.

13- ‘Collecting’ Topics

1. Have you ever collected anything as a hobby? (What?)

Yes. When I was younger I used to collect keyrings. I remember that my favourite was a Lego man keyring that someone bought me as a present.

2. What kinds of thing do people often like collecting?

Some people collect cheap items like stamps, keyrings or toys. Others collect expensive antiques, watches, jewellery or even cars.

3. Why do you think people collect certain objects?

Maybe they like the constant search for a new item, or they want to remember past experiences. Others might like the feeling of organising and presenting what they own.

4. Is there anything that you would like to collect in the future?

Yes. If I could afford it, I’d love to have a collection of guitars in different colours, shapes and sizes!

14- ‘Cocking’ Topics

1. Do you like cooking? Why / why not?

Sometimes, I like preparing a special meal for family or friends who visit, but everyday cooking is a bit boring; it’s something that has to be done, but it’s not really fun.

2. Who did the cooking in your family when you were a child?

My mother almost always did the cooking when I was young. I don’t think she trusted my father to make a nice meal.

3. Do you think that it’s important to know how to cook well?

I’m not sure whether it’s important to cook well, but I do think that everyone should know the basics. It definitely isn’t healthy to rely on pre-prepared meals or fast food.

4. Do you think that children should be taught cookery at school?

Yes, that’s probably a good idea. If all children knew how to cook a few basic, healthy meals, that would surely be a good thing.

15- ‘Laughing’ Topics

1. What kinds of thing make you laugh?

I laugh most when I’m with friends talking about funny things that have happened to us. I also like watching comedians and comedy films.

2. Do you like making other people laugh?

Yes, it’s a nice feeling when you can make someone laugh because you can see that you’ve made them happy. It’s great to share a funny moment with someone.

3. Do you think it’s important for people to laugh?

Yes, of course. It’s important to see the funny side of things; humour helps us not to take life too seriously. I think that laughter is good for our health.

4. Is laughing the same as feeling happy?

It’s not exactly the same because you can be happy without laughing, and sometimes we laugh when something bad has happened; a sense of humour can help us to cope with difficult situations.

16- ‘Emails’ Topics

1. At work or in your studies, do you often write things?

Yes, I write a lot of emails as part of my job. I work for a company that has offices in several countries, so we use email to communicate.

2. How often do you send e-mails?

I probably write between 5 and 10 work emails every day, and I send emails to friends or family a few times a week.

3. Do you prefer to write by hand or on a computer?

It depends what I’m doing. I prefer the computer for most things because it’s faster and you can save or copy things, but I still like making notes or writing ideas down by hand.

4. Do you think computers might one day replace handwriting?

No, I think we will always write by hand as well. I think it’s an important skill, and schools will continue to teach children to write by hand before they learn to type.

17- ‘Accommodation’ Topics

1. Tell me about the kind of accommodation you live in.

I live in a house that has a living room, a kitchen, two bedrooms, a bathroom and a small garden. It’s not a very big house, but it’s just right for me.

2. How long have you lived there?

I’ve lived there for about five years. It’s the first house that I’ve owned; before that I was renting an apartment.

3. What do you like about living there?

I like living there because I think the house reflects my personality: I decorated it myself, I chose all the furniture, and everything is where I want it to be.

4. What sort of accommodation would you most like to live in?

If I could, I’d buy a bigger house near a beach or in the mountains, preferably somewhere with a warm climate.

18- ‘Communication’ Topics

1. How do you usually keep in touch with members of your family?

I mostly keep in touch with my family by phone, and I’ve started using the Internet to make video calls. I also try to visit members of my family in person as often as I can.

2. Do you prefer to speak to people by phone or by writing emails?

It depends on the situation. I use email and text messages to communicate with friends, but my parents prefer it if I phone them.

3. Do you ever write letters by hand? (Why / Why not?)

No, I don’t write letters by hand because it’s so much easier to send an email that will arrive immediately.

4. Is there anything you dislike about mobile phones?

Well, I don’t like listening to other people’s conversations in public places, and I don’t like it when someone’s phone rings in the cinema or during a lesson.

19- ‘Clothes’ Topics

1. Are clothes and clothing fashions important to you? (Why/Why not?)

No, clothes and fashions are not really important to me. I tend to wear clothes that are comfortable and practical rather than fashionable.

2. What different clothes do you wear for different situations?

Well, I have to dress quite formally for work, so I wear a shirt and trousers. At home I prefer to wear jeans and a T-shirt, and on special occasions I might wear a suit.

3. Do you wear different styles of clothes now compared to 10 years ago?

No, not really, because I don’t follow fashion. I think I have dressed in a similar way for the last 10 years.

4. Do you think the clothes we wear say something about who we are?

Yes, they probably do. Some people are really careful about what they wear because they want to be seen as stylish. Other people wear clothes that show wealth or status, such as clothes by famous designers.

20- ‘Musical Instruments’ Topics

1. Which musical instrument do you like listening to most? (Why?)

My favourite musical instrument to listen to is the guitar. I like the fact that there are different types of guitar, like classical, acoustic and electric. I love the variety of sounds a guitar can make.

2. Have you ever learned to play a musical instrument?

I took some guitar lessons when I was younger and still have a guitar at home. I don’t play it much nowadays. I wish I had more time to practise.

3. Do you think children should learn to play an instrument at school?

Yes, I think it’s a great skill and it’s really enjoyable to be able to play a musical instrument. All children should be given this opportunity.

4. How easy would it be to learn to play an instrument without a teacher?

It would probably be more difficult without a teacher. You need someone to show you what to do and correct your mistakes. You need a lot of discipline to teach yourself.