Advertising

• Do you think adverts have a big impact on what people buy?
• Are adverts useful for people?
• What kinds of adverts are most common in your country?
• Which are more effective: adverts on TV or adverts on social media?
• Do you think advertising aimed at children is acceptable?
• What do you think about advertising for fast food?
• Do you think some types of adverts should be banned?

Art

• What kind of art do you enjoy?
• What are the tradition art forms in your country?
• What makes a good painting?
• Do you think children should study art at school?
• How can children benefit from learning art?
• How has art changed in the last few decades in your country?

Books

• What kinds of books do children in your country like to read?
• Do you think children can learn a lot from books?
• Do you think fairy tales are useful books for children?
• Why do some adults read books written for children?
• Do you think paper books will some day disappear?
• What are the advantages of e-books?
• Do you think libraries are still useful in today’s society?

Business

• What are popular small businesses in your country?
• What kinds of products does your country produce?
• Do you think it’s important to purchase products from your own country rather than from abroad?
• Why do some people like to run their own business?
• Do you think family business are problematic?
• What does it take for a business to be successful?
• Has globalisation affected small businesses in your country?

Celebrities

• How does someone become a celebrity?
• Are all celebrities actors or singers?
• Do you think a person needs to be talented to be a celebrity?
• Are all celebrities good role models?
• What do you think about celebrities who behave badly in public?
• Do you think children should learn from celebrities?
• How do celebrities have a positive impact on the world?
• Are there any downsides to fame?
• Do you think famous people have the right to privacy?
• Are modern celebrities different to celebrities a few decades ago?

Clothes

• Can clothing tell you much about a person?
• Why do some companies ask their staff to wear uniforms?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of having uniforms at work?
• When do people wear traditional clothing in your country?
• How have clothes fashions change in your country over the last few decades?
• What is the difference between clothes that young people and old people like to wear?

Culture

• What popular traditions do you have in your country?
• Do you think it’s important to keep these traditions alive?
• Are young people less interested in traditions these days?
• Do you think foreign culture is influencing the culture of your country?
• How has your country’s culture changed over the last few decades?
• What can be done to keep culture alive?
• What kinds of traditional foods are there in your country? 
• When do people wear traditional clothing in your country?
• What popular festivals are typical of your country’s culture?

Decision Making

• Why do some people find it difficult to make decisions?
• What kinds of big decisions do people have to make in their lives?
• Do you think people ought to get advice before making big decisions?
• Do you think young people today have different types of decisions to make about their lives compared to young people in the past?
• Should children be allowed to make decisions on their own?
• What do you think about people who change their minds after making a decision?

Education

• What makes a good student?
• What role should the teacher have in the classroom?
• Do you think computers will one day replace teachers in the classroom?
• How has teaching changed in your country in the last few decades?
• What is the difference between the way children learn and the way adults learn?
• How can a teacher make lessons for children more interesting?

Environment

• What are the biggest environmental problems in your country?
• What should individuals be doing to protect the natural environment?
• Is pollution a problem in your country?
• How could the government help prevent pollution?
• Do you think young people today are more aware of environmental problems compared to the older generation?
• Do you think it’s important to protect trees?
• Do you think more money should be spent on protecting wild animals?
• Do you think zoos are important?

Family

• Is family important in your country?
• How has the size of the family changed in the last few decades in your country?
• How do you think the family will change in the future?
• What role do grandparents play in the family in your country?
• Who do you think should be responsible for the care of the elderly, the family or the government?

Food

• Do you think diet is important?
• What is a balanced diet?
• What is the typical diet of people in your country?
• Do many people eat in restaurants in your country?
• Why do some people enjoy eating out?
• What’s the difference between restaurant food and home cooked food?

Health

• How can people improve their health?
• Do elderly people do much exercise in your country?
• Do you think all illness can be prevented?
• Do you think there will be less illness in the future?
• Do you think health care should be free?
• What makes a good doctor?

Internet

• Do most people have a computer at home in your country?
• Do you think all information on the internet is true?
• How can people find reliable information on the internet?
• How has the internet changed the way we live?
• How has the internet changed the way we work?
• Do you think the internet is safe for children to use unsupervised?

Language

• At what age should children start learning a foreign language?
• Why do someone people struggle to learn a new language?
• Do you think it’s easier to learn a new language if you are in the country where the language is spoken?
• What kinds of dictionaries do people use to learn a language?
• Why do some people want to learn a new language?
• Do you think it is important to learn the language of a country that you are visiting on holiday?

Leadership

• What traits does a good leader have?
• Do you think leaders should be physically attractive?
• Is there a leader in your country who is or has been greatly admired?
• Why do some leaders loose popularity?
• Do you think people are born to be a good leader or is it something someone can learn?
• How could leadership be taught in schools?
• Do you think leaders should be good listeners?
• How do leaders motive people to follow them?

Media & News

• Do you believe everything you read in the newspapers?
• How do most people get their news in your country?
• How do you think people will get their news in the future?
• How has TV changed our lives?
• Do you think TV influences the way we think?
• Should children be allowed to watch a lot of TV?
• Are all people on TV famous?
• Do you think famous people have a responsibility to act as role models for the younger generation?

Movies

• Is going to the cinema to watch a movie popular in your country?
• What kinds of films are popular in your country?
• Do many people enjoy watching foreign films in your country?
• Do you think it’s better to have subtitles or dubbing in a foreign film?
• What does it take for a film to become successful?
• Which do you think are more important to the success of a film: the director or the stars?
• Are drama series popular in your country?
• Do you think people prefer watching films at home or in the cinema?
• Are there any films which are not suitable for children to watch?
• Do you think films about real life events should be 100% true to the actual facts?

Nature

• What are the main environmental problems in your country?
• Why should people be concerned about the environment?
• How can people protect the environment?
• Do you think money should be spent on protecting animals?
• Do you think more should be done to protect natural beauty spots in your country?

Photography

• Do many people like taking photos in your country?
• Which device do they usually use to take photos?
• What types of photos do people like to take?
• What do you think of selfies?
• Do you think it’s ok to share photos online without people’s permission?
• What makes a good photo?
• How does a photo differ from a painting?
• Is it true that a photo can tell no lies?
• What does it take to be a good photographer?

Punctuality

• Is punctuality important in your country?
• Do you think being on time is more important now than in the past?
• How do people make sure they are on time for an appointment?
• Do people in your country usually wear a watch?
• Why do you think some people are frequently late?
• Is it easy to control one’s time?
• How can a person balance their daily schedule?
• What is the main reason people run out of time?

Socialising

• How do people in your country meet new people?
• Do you think it’s safe to meet new people online?
• Do you think it’s important for friends to spend time together?
• What kinds of things do friends in your country like to do together?
• Do you think families spend enough time together these days?
• How has socialising changed over the last few decades?
• Do you think it’s safe for children to socialise online?

Society

• What social problems are there in your country?
• What can be done to alleviate poverty?
• Are there many charities in your country?
• What is the difference between major crime and minor crime?
• Do you think all criminals should go to prison?
• Why do so many people move to live in cities?
• What problems does over population cause?

Transportation

• How do most people travel around cities in your country?
• How do most people travel around your country?
• What do you think of the public transportation in your country?
• How could the public transportation be improved?
• How has transport changed over the last few decades?
• Do you think trains are better than buses?
• What do you think of budget air travel?
• Do you think all transport will one day be run on green energy?
• Do you think people should walk more rather than use cars?

Travel

• Why do some people prefer to travel abroad rather than in their own country?
• Do you think traveling to another country can change the way people think?
• Do you think it is good for children to experience life in a foreign country?
• How have holidays changed over the past few decades?
• Do you think it is safer to travel now than in the past?

Weather

• How many seasons are there in your country?
• Does your country ever have extreme weather?
• Does weather ever disrupt things in your country?
• Why do you think some people enjoy living in a hot climate?
• What types of activities can people do in cold climates?
• What do you think it must be like to live in a country with only one type of weather all year round?
• Is the weather easy to predict in your country?
• Do you think weather influences people’s moods?
• Do you think the world’s climate is changing?
• What do you think is affecting the world’s climate?
• Do you think individuals should take responsibility for the world’s global climate?

Work

• Do you think job satisfaction is more important than salary when choosing a job?
• What skills do you think are needed to get a good job these days?
• Do you think women should be able to do all the same jobs that men do?
• How has technology changed the way we work?
• What is the difference between white collar and blue collar jobs?
• What jobs do you think are most valuable to society?
• At what age should people be allowed to retire?