Speaking Questions About Different Topics

 TOPIC 1: WORK                                                                Preparation time: 5 minutes

                       

PART 1. CONVERSATION

Talk to each other about some or all of the following. (8 minutes approx.)

1. Advantages and disadvantages of working from home.

2. Work-life balance. How to improve it. 

3. Work experience. How important is it?

4. Equal work deserves equal pay.

PART 2. MONOLOGUE

Talk about at least two of the following ideas. (4 minutes approx.) The examiner may ask you further questions about the topic.

CANDIDATE A

1. Do schools and universities prepare students for the world of work?

2. Are we slaves of our jobs? 

3. How do you recharge your batteries?

CANDIDATE B

1. ‘Burnout’ at work? What might lead to this situation and how to prevent it?

2. How Important is ‘job satisfaction’ in today's workplace?

3. What dream jobs would fulfil your wildest expectations?

TOPIC 2: RELATIONSHIPS                                                    Preparation time: 5 minutes

 

PART 1. CONVERSATION

Talk to each other about some or all of the following. (8 minutes approx.)

1. What are the benefits of online dating? Are there any risks?

2. How have families changed in recent years? What will families be like in the future?

3. How can you build good rapport with your colleagues?

4. Can social networking sites be harmful to teenagers?  

PART 2. MONOLOGUE

Talk about at least two of the following ideas. (4 minutes approx.) The examiner may ask you further questions about the topic.

CANDIDATE A

1. How to handle difficult family members or colleagues.

2. Why do friends drift apart at times? 

3. What kind of problems can put a great strain on a relationship?

CANDIDATE B

1. How to strengthen a parent-child relationship.

2. The importance of looking after our elders. 

3. What are the characteristics of a person who seems to get along well with everyone?

TOPIC 3: THE ENVIRONMENT                                        Preparation time: 5 minutes

 

PART 1. CONVERSATION

Talk to each other about some or all of the following. (8 minutes approx.)

1. Global warming: a fact or a myth?

2. What changes can we make to improve the environment?

3. How to teach children to take care of the environment?

4. Pros and cons of banning cars in city centres.  

PART 2. MONOLOGUE

Talk about at least two of the following ideas. (4 minutes approx.) The examiner may ask you further questions about the topic.

CANDIDATE A

1. Should companies shoulder more of the cost in combating climate change?

2. Can technology help address climate change? 

3. Could governments do more to tackle the problem of climate change?

CANDIDATE B

1. How do you think the world will look in a hundred years? What environmental damage can you think of?

2. What do you try to do: reduce, reuse, recycle, or refuse? How proactive are you in protecting the environment? 

3. What measures aim to reduce the impact of fossil fuels burning in our cities? What could be better regulated or even banned?

TOPIC 4: HEALTH                                                                    Preparation time: 5 minutes

PART 1. CONVERSATION

Talk to each other about some or all of the following. (8 minutes approx.)

1. What do you think about our health care system? 

2. How can we help teens to develop healthy eating habits?

3. What are the negative effects of not living a healthy lifestyle?

4. Traditional versus alternative medicine. Which one do you prefer? Why?

PART 2. MONOLOGUE

Talk about at least two of the following ideas. (4 minutes approx.) The examiner may ask you further questions about the topic.

CANDIDATE A

1. Health benefits of regular physical activity.

2. Ways to cope with work stress and avoid burnout

3. What do you think about new diet trends? Are they all healthy?

CANDIDATE B

1. Health benefits of social interaction .

2. What advice do you hear about getting and staying healthy?

3. What do you think are the benefits or potential dangers of online medical advice? Would you consult a medical service on the Internet?

TOPIC 5: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY                                Preparation time: 5 minutes

PART 1. CONVERSATION

Talk to each other about some or all of the following. (8 minutes approx.)

1. How has technology changed teaching and learning ? 

2. Is phubbing bad for our relationships?

3. Advantages and disadvantages of social media?

4. What will technology be like in the next 10 years?

PART 2. MONOLOGUE

Talk about at least two of the following ideas. (4 minutes approx.) The examiner may ask you further questions about the topic.

CANDIDATE A

1. Positive and negative effects of technology on people’s health.

2. At what age should children be allowed to have their first smartphones? Why?

3. What major technological breakthroughs do you think have had the greatest impact on society?

CANDIDATE B

1. In what ways has technology improved our lives? In what ways has it made life worse?

2. What are the pros and cons of AI?

3. What are the benefits and drawbacks of working from home via a computer?

TOPIC 6: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT                                       Preparation time: 5 minutes

PART 1. CONVERSATION

Talk to each other about some or all of the following. (8 minutes approx.)

1. Do you think there should be more surveillance cameras? Or are there too many already?

2. Should the purpose of prison be punishment or rehabilitation?

3. How could we end corruption?

4. How to prevent cybercrime.

PART 2. MONOLOGUE

Talk about at least two of the following ideas. (4 minutes approx.) The examiner may ask you further questions about the topic.

CANDIDATE A

1. Is prison an effective deterrent against crime? Why / why not?

2. How damaging is digital piracy?

3. Does Spain have a problem with squatters?

CANDIDATE B

1. What crimes bother you most and why.

2. Are you in favour of a zero tolerance policy for drink-driving? What about using a phone while driving?

3. Do you think there are criminals who instead of doing time should do some kind of community service? 

TOPIC 7: HOLIDAYS AND TRAVEL                                         Preparation time: 5 minutes

PART 1. CONVERSATION

Talk to each other about some or all of the following. (8 minutes approx.)

1. How can travel broaden our mind?

2. ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do.’ Discuss. 

3. What impact does tourism have on an area?

4. The future of travel and tourism.

PART 2. MONOLOGUE

Talk about at least two of the following ideas. (4 minutes approx.) The examiner may ask you further questions about the topic.

CANDIDATE A

1. Advantages and disadvantages of travelling solo.

2. What is the best travel advice you have ever received?

3. What is the positive and negative impact of having free public transport?

CANDIDATE B

1. Advantages and disadvantages of travelling with a group.

2. Do you feel that your physical and psychological well-being improves when you go away on holiday? In what ways?

3. What is the best age to travel? Why?

TOPIC 8: LANGUAGES                                                             Preparation time: 5 minutes

PART 1. CONVERSATION

Talk to each other about some or all of the following. (8 minutes approx.)

1. What are the benefits of learning a foreign language?

2. What is the best way to learn a language? 

3. Is it important to keep minority languages alive? Why? How can we preserve them?

4. Benefits and drawbacks of having a universal language.

PART 2. MONOLOGUE

Talk about at least two of the following ideas. (4 minutes approx.) The examiner may ask you further questions about the topic.

CANDIDATE A

1. Do you like the way your mother tongue is changing? What do you think the future of your mother tongue will be?

2. Should kindergarten students be taught foreign languages?

3. Should we promote and learn to use inclusive language? How? 

CANDIDATE B

1. Has technology changed the way we communicate? How are we going to communicate in the future?

2. What are the reasons to learn a foreign language?

3. Should multilingualism be promoted? What are its benefits?

TOPIC 9: EDUCATION                                                             Preparation time: 5 minutes

PART 1. CONVERSATION

Talk to each other about some or all of the following. (8 minutes approx.)

1. How would you tackle problems like bullying or other serious problems which might arise in schools?

2. What is the best way to learn a language? 

3. When it comes to rewards and punishments, which is more effective -- the carrot or the stick?   

4. Do schools and universities prepare people for the real world?  Why?  Why not? How might school and university education be improved?

PART 2. MONOLOGUE

Talk about at least two of the following ideas. (4 minutes approx.) The examiner may ask you further questions about the topic.

CANDIDATE A

1. What are the benefits and drawbacks of taking a gap year?

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling? 

3. “It takes a village to raise a child”.  Do you agree with this African proverb?  To what extent are we all responsible for the actions and behaviour of our children? 

CANDIDATE B

1. Advantages and disadvantages of online learning

2. What will the school of the future be like?

3. What makes a good teacher?

TOPIC 10: SHOPPING AND CONSUMERISM                         Preparation time: 5 minutes

PART 1. CONVERSATION

Talk to each other about some or all of the following. (8 minutes approx.)

1. Advantages and disadvantages of online shopping.

2. Should we shop more ethically? What would that involve?

3. Is the society we live in too consumer oriented? What are the alternatives to the current consumerism trends and our consumption behaviour?

4. “He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have” (Socrates).  Discuss.

PART 2. MONOLOGUE

Talk about at least two of the following ideas. (4 minutes approx.) The examiner may ask you further questions about the topic.

CANDIDATE A

1. Advantages and disadvantages of second hand apps. Do you agree that ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’?

2. How could we all contribute to improving working conditions in sweatshops? 

3. People spend a lot during the sales. Is this justified? Do you believe in the sales?

CANDIDATE B

1. What are the advantages and the disadvantages of the global economy? Is globalisation an opportunity or a threat?

2. What are the swings and roundabouts of using loyalty cards?

3. What are the effects of inflation on consumers?