TOPICS IN PRACTICAL ENGLISH

FOR THIRD-YEAR STUDENTS

1. Why are people so eager to achieve success in life? What are the keys to
success? Make a profile of a person likely to succeed. What are the personal
qualities that are necessary to make a successful career? Which of them do you
have? Which of them would you like to develop and how can you do that?
2. What makes people happy? Make a list of five things that make you happy.
Give arguments for your choice. What can make you feel unhappy or
depressed? Talk about an experience in your life when you felt really happy.
3. Experts say that though the quality of our life has improved many people feel
less satisfied with their life. Do you think people of previous generations felt
happier than we do now? Talk about the changes that have occurred. Why don’t
people feel happy?
4. Can money bring happiness? Give arguments for and against. What is your
attitude to money? How can it bring happiness to you?
5. Talk about a special moment in your life? When and where did it happen?
Who were you with? What did you feel? What makes you remember this
moment?
6. Talk about the role television plays in our life. How much time do you spend
watching TV? What are your favourite programmes? Have you ever taken part
in a talk show?
7. How do you usually spend your free time? Do you have a hobby? Talk about
your favourite pastime. What do you do? How do your family usually spend
their free time? What do you do together? What is the best way to relax for
students? Why do you think so?
8. Talk about a film genre you like best. What do you like about it? Talk about
a film you watched recently. Talk about the storyline and the characters. Do
you recommend it? Give you reasons.
9. Review a book you have recently read. Who wrote it? Talk about the plot
and the characters. What do you like about it? What don’t you like? Do you
recommend it? Give your reasons.
10. What do you prefer – to read a book or to watch its screen adaptation? Talk
about the advantages and disadvantages of both. Talk about a screen adaptation
you have watched and liked best. Have you read a book it is based on? What
made a greater impression on you – the film or the book?
11. Talk about your favourite actor/actress. Give some information about
his/her biography. What films has he/she made? What is your favourite film
they’ve made? Why? What has impressed you most about their acting?
12. The greatest sweetener of human life is friendship. (J. Addison) Do you
agree with the quotation? Make a profile of a person who could be a real friend
for you. What kind of people do you find difficult to make friends with?
13. How important are relations with other people? How do people in our
surroundings influence us? Who has been the greatest influence in your life?
What makes this person (these people) special? How have they influenced you?
14. How important is it to feel confident? Why do people suffer from lack of
confidence? What kinds of confidence-building exercises do you know? Talk
about the ones you find the most effective.
15. Nowadays there are husbands who are known as stay-at-home dads. Why
do some men choose to become househusbands and let their wives be the
breadwinners? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the situation?
16. A lot of marriages in the contemporary world end in divorce. Why does it
happen? What do experts and marriage counselors say about that? What is your
opinion? What should people do to have a happy family life?
17. There are often a few generations in an extended family. What makes the
relationships between grandparents and grandchildren so special? Why do they
sometimes start drifting apart? How can this gap be bridged?
18. Why is the first impression so important? How are people usually judged?
What do people do to enhance their appearance? What could you do to be more
attractive and what would you never do?
19. There are a lot of problems that worry people in their everyday life. What
are the most pressing problems of our community? Talk about the greatest one
in your opinion. What are the reasons for it? What are the consequences? What
can the state, the local authorities and the public do to help solve it? Suggest
your solutions.
20. Every person has committed a petty offence at least once in their lifetime.
Talk about “Judgment Day” in magistrate court. What kind of minor offences
are dealt with there? What drives people to break the rules? Have you ever
committed a petty offence? Have you been punished?
21. Crime rate is one of the most important figures in statistics which
characterizes stability of the country. Why do people turn to crime? What are
the main theories explaining criminal behavior? Which of them do you support?
22. “Punishment should fit the crime”. Do you agree with this statement? What
are the principal types of punishment? What are the aims of it? What kind of
punishment can be the most effective if a person commits a misdemeanor? How
should people who commit a felony be punished?
23. Why people are so much concerned with the problem of ageing population?
What are the main problems people face when they retire? What can the state,
the local authorities and the public do to help them lead a happy life?
24. What makes people set up charities? Why do people donate money to them?
Talk about charitable organizations you know. What is their message? Do you
approve of their activities? Do you give money to charities? Why? Give you
reasons.