Wednesday – May 1st – 2019


THE DISCUSSION ON QUIZZES
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)

(1) What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘quiz’?
(2) What is your favourite quiz subject?
(3) Do you like watching quiz shows on TV?
(4) Do you ever take online quizzes?
(5) Have you ever been on a quiz team?
(6) Why are quizzes so popular?
(7) What do you think of personality quizzes and find the perfect partner’ quizzes?
(8) What can you do to study for a general knowledge quiz?
(9) Do you think lots of quiz questions would be a good format for a school exam?
(10) Do you think you’d be quick on the buzzer in a quiz contest?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)

(1) What do you think of quizzes?
(2) What quiz subject do you think you’d do very well in?
(3) Are young people or old people better at pop quizzes?
(4) What impossible quiz question would you like to add to a quiz?
(5) Are you interested in the trivia that is often found in quizzes?
(6) Do you like doing quizzes in English?
(7) Do you think you’d do well in a quiz about the English language?
(8) Do you think taking quizzes can help your English?
(9) What’s the difference between a test, an exam and a quiz?
(10) Have you ever quizzed anyone whose story you didn’t believe?

Wednesday – April 24th – 2019

THE DISCUSSION ON MUSIC
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)

(1) What images spring to mind when you hear the word ‘music’?
(2) What does music mean to you?
(3) What would life be like without music?
(4) Which is more important to you, music or TV?
(5) What kind of music do you like?
(6) How have your musical tastes changed since when you were a kid?
(7) What music can change the way you feel?
(8) What’s the best time and place to listen to music?
(9) Where does the best music come from, the USA, UK or other?
(10) What decade has produced the best music?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)

(1) How varied are your musical tastes?
(2) What artists/band do you want to see at a music festival?
(3) What musical genres do you really hate?
(4) Do you think most music (say 90%) is rubbish?
(5) Is the Internet helping or hindering musicians?
(6) Do you agree with Shakespeare that music is the food of love?
(7) What new music have you bought or listened to recently?
(8) What do you think of the music your parents listen to?
(9) Why do humans like music so much?
(10) What do you think of the music they play in supermarkets and elevators?

Wednesday – April 17th – 2019


What are some things that define a culture? For example, music, language, …
What do you think is interesting about your culture?
Do you know much about your own culture?
When people from other countries think about your culture, what do they usually think of?
In your culture is it polite to be straightforward and direct when you talk to someone?
To whom is it OK and to whom is it not OK?
What has surprised you when you’ve met people from other countries?
Have you looked at Internet pages from a different culture? If so, how were they different from those of your own culture?
What do you like about your culture?
What don’t you like about your culture?
How do young people in your culture behave differently from older people?
How do young people in your culture behave differently from people in this culture?
Are there many people of different cultures in your country? Are you friends with any?
Have you ever felt confused by the actions of someone from another culture?
If so, tell me about it.
How are your language teachers who are not from your country different from your other teachers?
How are they the same?
Who in your culture do you admire most?
What your culture are you most proud about?
Why do you think culture is important?
If you could change one thing about your culture, what would it be?
Would you ever consider marrying or dating someone from another culture?
Would you ever consider living permanently in a country other than your home country? Why or why not?
What does it mean to be polite in your culture?
What is considered rude in your culture?
Is there anything in this culture that is considered rude that may not be considered rude in your culture?
If a group of people just came to your country from overseas, what advice would you give them?
What other cultures have you met people from?
What do you think is important when visiting another culture?
Do you think “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” is always good advice? Why or why not?
Have you ever been in a situation where you felt you had to “do as the Romans do”?
What culture besides your own do you admire and why?
If aliens visited your country, what might surprise them?
Do you pray before each meal?
How do you feel when you leave your home culture and enter into a completely new culture?
What is the best/most important thing your culture has given to the world?
What is the best/most important thing your culture/country has adopted from another culture?
If you could choose three aspects of your culture to put in a “time box” for the future, what would you put in it?
What is culture shock?
Have you ever experienced culture shock?
What is reverse, or re-entry, culture shock?
Have you ever experienced reverse culture shock?
On what occasions do you exchange flowers in your country?
On what occasions do you exchange flowers in your country?
What are some things that define a culture? For example, music, language, …
Do you know much about your own culture?
What do you think is interesting about your own culture?
What do you like most about your own culture?
What do you like least about your culture?
What does it mean to be polite in your culture?
What is considered rude in your culture? Is there anything in Canadian culture that is considered rude in your culture?
In your culture is it polite to be straightforward and direct when you talk to someone? To whom is it OK and to whom is it not OK?
What has surprised you when you’ve met people from other countries?
How do young people in your culture behave differently from older people?
How do young people in your culture behave differently from people in Canada?
Are there people of different cultures in your country? Are you friends with any of them?
What other cultures have you met people from?
Have you ever felt confused by the actions of someone from another culture? If so, tell me about it.
How are your language teachers different from your teachers in your culture? How are they the same?
What are the five most important values of your culture? (For example, Family)
What in your culture are you most proud about?
If you could change one thing about your culture, what would it be?
Would you ever consider marrying or dating someone from another culture?
Would you ever consider living permanently in a country other than your home country? Why or why not?
Do you think “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” is always good advice? Why or why not? Have you ever been in a situation where you felt you had to “do as the Romans do”?
What do you think is important when visiting another culture?
If a group of people just came to your country from overseas, what advice would you give them?
What culture besides your own do you admire? Why?
If aliens visited your country, what might surprise them?
What is the best/most important thing your culture has given to the world?
What is the best/most important thing your culture/country has adopted from another culture?
What are some things that define a culture? For example, music, language, …

Wednesday – April 10th – 2019


THE DISCUSSION ON SECRETS
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)

(1) What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘secret’?
(2) Can you keep a secret?
(3) Do you ever tell your friends secrets?
(4) Do you like to know secrets?
(5) How important is it to keep other people’s secrets?
(6) Have you told someone a secret and they told other people?
(7) Who is the person you know who is worst at keeping secrets?
(8) Why do governments keep secrets from us?
(9) What secret do you really want to know?
(10) Do you have a secret recipe?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)

(1) How do you feel when someone doesn’t tell you their secret?
(2) What are the secrets of the universe?
(3) Who is the most secretive person you know?
(4) What’s the secret to looking young?
(5) Do you like it when your friend tells you a secret? Why or why not?
(6) If you won the lottery would you keep it a secret?
(7) How hard is it to keep a secret?
(8) What’s the secret to success and a happy life?
(9) Why do people have secrets?
(10) Are men or women better at keeping secrets? Why?