FREE DISCUSSIONS~ Topics to be debated

1. The husband should bring most of the money in the family.

2. Women are less intelligent than men.
3. Football is for idiots.
4. Computers are very important in education.
5. Knowing English well is equivalent to a college degree.
6. The actual school system is not good.
7. Success in life means money.
8. Nationalism is a positive thing.
9. Talk shows on TV are useless and boring.
10. Husbands and wives should have the same educational level.
11. Friendship is the most important relationship in life.
12. Marketing and management should be taught in last two years of high
school.
13. Doing a job that you like is more important than to earn more money.
14. It is much more difficult to do business in the East than in western
European countries.
15. Business means trust.
16. Being a team worker is more important than to be a brilliantly creative
person.
17. What job would you like to do and why?
18. Living alone can be an advantageous and good solution.
19. Multinationals and globalization bring good and bad things.
20. Where would you like to travel if you had 3000 USD?
21. Managers should also be excellent psychologists.
22. Church is a positive factor in our society.
23. Teaching is one of the most fascinating jobs.
24. Speak about your image of a perfect teacher.
25. Light drugs should be treated more tolerantly.
26. Democracy has bad aspects too.
27. Working in an advertising agency would be very interesting.
28. Guns~ pros and cons
29. Organizing a travel agency.

30. Camping holidays vs. hotels.

31. Big family vs. an only child.
32. TV is bad for young people.
33. What would you do if you won 1 million ?
34. Private English classes vs. group courses.
35. Capitalism is not a fair society.
36. It s not fair that film stars or football players earn millions.
37. A common Europe- is it just a dream?
38. High Street shops vs. supermarkets.
39. Cosmetic surgery- pros and cons.
40. Women are not equal to men in our society.
41. Smoking should be banned.
42. TV is doing harm.
43. Grow fat and be happy!
44. Stricter traffic laws could prevent serious accidents.
45. Parents are too permissive with their children nowadays.
46. Vicious and dangerous sports should be banned.
47. Compulsory military service should be abolished everywhere.
48. Childhood is certainly the happiest time of your life.
49. Examinations exerts a bad influence on education.
50. Tourism doesnt contribute at all to the understanding between nations.
51. Living in a large, modern city- only a madman would choose it.
52. No one wants to live to be a hundred.
53. Equality of opportunities in a society- only a dream.
54. Capital punishment is the only way to deter criminals.
55. People should not spend billions on exploring the space.
56. The most important of all human qualities is a sense of humour.
57. I6ts foolish to give money to beggars.
58. Men are worse gossips than women.
59. Animals should not be kept in captivity.
60. Life begins at forty.
61. Vegetarianism is a way to find the way of good life.
62. The churches have nothing to do with modern life.
63. The United States of Europe is a fine ideal.

64. Teaching machines can replace teachers.

65. The customer is always right.
66. Emigration will solve our problems.
67. History is a purposeless activity.
68. Giving money to beggars is stupid.

Daily life questions

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Whats one thing in your home you couldnt live without?

Why?
If you had $5,000 that you had to spend today, how would
you use it? (You can always raise or lower the dollar amount
in the question.)
What are you going to do after class today? (If your
conversation partner gives a short answer like Watch TV or
Study, ask a follow-up question like What are you going to
watch? to get him or her to elaborate.)
How do you cope with stress? (Or How do you relax after a
busy week?)
What is the most challenging part of your job or your
studies? What is the most rewarding part?
If you could live anywhere in the world for one year, where
would you live and why?
Can you think of a time when a failure actually worked out
well? Tell me about it.

Hobby/interest questions
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What was the last movie you saw at the theater? Tell me
about it (without spoiling the ending).
What is one thing youve never done but would like to do?
If you had to give up your cellphone, your computer, or your
TV, which one item would you choose to give up and why?
If you could only eat one type of food for the rest of your life,
what would it be?
If you were going on a twelve-hour flight and the only
entertainment you could bring was a book, what book would
you choose? (Ask your conversation partner to tell you a
little about this book and why it would keep him or her
entertained.)
If you could meet one musician, living or dead, who would it
be? (If your partner is not particularly interested in music,

choose another category, like authors or scientists. The idea

is to get your partner to talk about someone he or she
admires without asking a question quite as broad as If you
could meet anyone, who would it be?)

Opinion questions
A note on opinion questions: Asking your conversation
partner how they feel about certain current events may be a
good way to start a lively discussion, but make sure you are
respecting one anothers ideas and not attacking each
others ways of thinking, even if you disagree.
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Do you think marriage as an institution is outdated? Why or

why not?
How do you think technology, such as smartphones and
social media, has changed the way we interact with people?
What is your opinion about legalizing marijuana?
Do you think US colleges are effective (or even necessary) in
preparing students for professional careers? (If your
conversation partner did not go to school in the US, ask
them what they think about their home countrys education
system.)
What do you think would happen if the drinking age in the
US was lowered to eighteen? (This might lead your
conversation partner to talk about the drinking culture in
their own country, especially if they grew up somewhere
with a lower drinking age.)
Do you think its possible to have a happy family and a
successful career at the same time? (Your conversation
partner may be able to talk about their personal
experiences.)
What is your opinion about violence in TV, movies, and video
games?

Miscellaneous questions
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Whats the worst job youve ever had? (If your conversation
partner is still in school and has never had a full-time job,
they may still be able to talk about a summer or weekend
job.)
If you could open up your own amusement park, what would
it be like? (Encourage your conversation partner to get

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creative and pretend they have as much money as they

need.)
Do you enjoy spending time on your own? (If your partner
answers yes, talk to them about what they like to do on their
own. If they say no, ask what they do to keep from spending
too much time alone.)
If you were making a movie about your life, which
actor/actress would play the part of you? Why did you
choose this person?
Keep in mind that this is just a small sampling of questions.
You can always elaborate on each question as needed or
come up with your own questions in order to keep your
conversation flowing.
If youve found these questions helpful, share this guide with
a friend. The two of you can practice asking each other
questions and having in-depth discussions.

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Example controversial topics:

Using animals in medical research helps people
Gay marriages are wrong
Women will never be equal to men in the workplace
You cant have a happy family life and a successful
career at the same time
Marriage is outdated
The death penalty is acceptable in some cases
Foreigners shouldnt be allowed to vote
Celebrities earn too much money
Military service should be obligatory
War is never an option for solving international disputes
Torture can be acceptable in some cases
Curfews keep teens out of trouble
We are becoming too dependent on computers
Smoking should be banned worldwide
Single-sex schools are evil
Homework is harmful

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A womans place is in the home

Committing suicide should be made legal
A man should have a wife for the family and a mistress
for pleasure
Soft drugs should be legalized.
Those who can - do, those who cant teach
You will be happier if you stay unmarried
Software piracy is not really a crime
We do not really need religion
Your race affects your intelligence
Euthanasia should be legal
Obesity is a disease
Video games contribute to youth violence
Drinking age should be lowered
Steroids should be accepted in sports
Cloning has a lot of benefits
Prenuptial agreements make families stronger
Corporal punishment should be allowed in schools.
Have you ever taught any controversial topics? What
to