Weekly Schedule

Round 1

How many heroes do you have? Who is your biggest hero? Do you think you are anyone’s hero? What makes someone a hero? Would you rather be a hero to your kids or a superhero to the world? 

VOCAB: Admired, Champion, Idealized 

Round 2

If you could live anywhere, where would it be? Where is the best place you’ve ever lived? What’s the most expensive place to live? What’s a cheap place you’d be willing to live? Who is someone you could never live with? 

VOCAB: Residing, Home, Argue

Round 3

What is your favorite family vacation? Where is somewhere you would never go on a family vacation? Where would you love to go on a family vacation? How is a family vacation different than a vacation with friends? What vacation destinations tend to be the most family-friendly?

VOCAB: Leisure, Recreation, Break

Round 1

How many bathing suits do you own? What is your favorite bathing suit? When is the last time you wore a bathing suit? How expensive are bathing suits in your country? Do you wear bathing suits often?

VOCAB: Swimwear, Garment, Beach 

Round 2

Do you live in a country with a lot of mountains? Have you ever climbed up a mountain before? When is a time you had a mountain of work to do? Do you prefer mountains or beaches? What are the best countries to visit to see beautiful mountains?

VOCAB: Mountainous, Elevation, Hills

Round 3

What songs are stupendous? When is a time you felt stupendous? What is a stupendous movie you’d recommend to anyone? What is something stupendous about your life right now? What people have achieved stupendous things?

VOCAB: Impressive, Amazing, Astounding

Round 1

What foods make you feel content? What people make you feel content? When is a time you felt the most content? Do you consume a lot of online content? Which social media platforms offer the best content?

VOCAB: Happy, Satisfied, Information

Round 2

When is the last time you applied for a job? Do you apply anything to your face to help your skin? Do you believe you could be extremely wealthy if you applied yourself? When is a time you applied yourself and had great success? Have you ever applied to an internship before?

VOCAB: Application, Spread, Request

Round 3

How often do you fold the laundry? Have you ever folded while playing poker? Would you rather fold laundry or do the dishes? If you and all your friends committed a crime and were questioned by authorities, which one of you would fold first? How do you fold your jeans?

VOCAB: Bend, Tuck, Crease

Round 1

What motivates you to work hard? What’s the hardest you’ve ever worked in your life? Outside of career, what takes hard work? Do you consider yourself a hard worker? Do you think working hard is important?

VOCAB: Dedicated, Tireless, Workaholic

Round 2

What would you change about yourself if you could? What’s something you would never change about yourself? What’s something you would change about the way you were raised? What’s something you would change about the life as it is right now? What’s something you would never change about your life right now?

VOCAB: Fix, Alter, Modify

Round 3

What makes you really angry? What makes you really sad? What makes you really happy? What makes you really jealous? What makes you really excited?

VOCAB: Upset, Depressed, Elated

Round 1

If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do? If you could choose to do any job for a year, which would you choose? If you could choose to live any place for a month, where would you live? If you could choose to be extremely rich for a week, what would you do? If you could have any superpower for 2 weeks, which would you choose?

VOCAB: Choice, Selection, Opportunities

Round 2

What is your favorite sport to play? What is your favorite video game to play? What is your favorite musical instrument to play? What is your favorite board game to play? What is your favorite social media platform to play on?

VOCAB: Engage, Amuse, Recreation

Round 3

Have you ever ridden a horse? Do you think riding a horse is difficult? Do people ride horses often in your country? Would you rather ride a horse or a bike? How would you describe the sound a horse makes when walking? What are some advantages to riding a horse versus driving a car and vice versa?

VOCAB: Animal, Trot, Gallop

Round 1

Who makes you laugh the most? Who makes you cry the most? Who makes you the most excited? Who makes you the calmest? Who makes you best at your career?

VOCAB: Friends, Family, Peaceful

Round 2

What was the last movie you saw? What did you think? Who was the main character? What lesson did they learn in the end? Would you recommend it to a friend? What would you rate it out of 5 stars?

VOCAB: Film, Acclaim, Interesting 

Round 3

What did you want to be when you were small? Did you end up being it? Do you prefer being what you are now? What did you think you’d accomplish by your age when you were small? If you could be anything now with the wave of a magic wand what would you be?

VOCAB: Accomplished, Career, Aspire

Round 1

Have you ever worked at night? What industries require workers to work through the night? Would you rather have a night job or a job with very long hours? What businesses are more popular during the night? What are some pros and cons to working nights?

VOCAB: Darkness, Overtime, Shift

Round 2

Which industries require a lot of physical labor? Have you ever worked a job that required physical labor? What are the physical labor requirements of your job currently? Would you work a very exhausting physical labor job for three times your highest salary? What small businesses require a lot of physical labor? 

VOCAB: Arduous, Strenuous, Grueling

Round 3

Which of your coworkers is the best listener? Is it important for bosses to listen well? In your experience, do bosses usually listen to the complaints of their employees? If you had a business, how would you ensure everyone felt listened to? What would you do if a customer wasn’t listening to you?

VOCAB: Hearing, Responding, Attentive

Round 1

What is your favorite thing about your career? What is your favorite thing about your home life? What is your favorite thing about your best friend? What is your favorite thing about your hobbies? What is your favorite thing about yourself?

VOCAB: Joy, Best, Grateful 

Round 2

What is your biggest complaint about your job? What is your biggest complaint about your home life? What is your biggest complaint about your best friend? What is your biggest complaint about your hobbies? What is your biggest complaint about yourself?

VOCAB: Unfortunate, Dislike, Change

Round 3

What is your proudest accomplishment? What is your proudest moment with your parents? What is your proudest career moment? What is your proudest moment where you stood up for someone/thing? What is the proudest moment of your entire life?

VOCAB: Satisfaction, Pleased, Gratifying

Round 1

What’s the last book you read? Who was the author? What did you think? What books do you enjoy more than the last book you read? What books do you enjoy less than that book? What was the lesson of the book? Would you recommend the book to a friend?

VOCAB: Read, Novel, Suggest

Round 2

Do you listen to the radio when you’re in the car? What radio stations do you listen to the most? How often do you listen to the radio? Would you rather listen to the radio or use a music streaming platform? Do you think we’ll still use the radio in 30 years?

VOCAB: Transmission, Reception, Frequency

Round 3

Have you ever sung Karaoke? When is the last time you sang karaoke? Do you have a good voice for karaoke? Does the idea of singing karaoke in public scare you? Would you rather sing karaoke or give a speech? 

VOCAB: Singing, Musical, Vocal

Round 1

What countries would you not mind relocating to for work? What are some pros and cons to relocating? Have you ever had to relocate for a job before? How much would your current boss have to offer you to relocate you to the closest country to you? Should all bosses offer a relocation fee? 

VOCAB: Move, Establish, Distribute

Round 2

How do you deal with workplace stress? From 1-10, how stressful do you think running your own business would be? Does your current job stress you out? Who has been your most stressed coworker? What do you do when your boss is stressing you out?

VOCAB: Pressure, Tension, Anxiety 

Round 3

What’s the best decision you’ve ever made in your professional life? What’s the worst? What advice would you give to any young professional working in your field? What advice would you give to any young professional in general? What has your professional life taught you about yourself? 

VOCAB: Choice, Growth, Occupation

Round 1

When’s the last time you cleaned the house? Which house cleaning task is the easiest? Which house cleaning task is the most difficult? How often do you have to clean the house to keep it tidy? Would you rather have a house cleaner or a personal chef? What’s the messiest your house has ever gotten?

VOCAB: Neat, Spotless, Disorganized

Round 2

Have you ever been to Hawaii? Have you ever been to Alaska? What is Hawaii known for? What is Alaska known for? Would you rather vacation in Hawaii or Alaska? 

VOCAB: Scenic, Traveled, Weather

Round 3

Who is your favorite author? Who is a popular author in your country? Who is your favorite actor? Who is a popular actor in your country? Who is your favorite musician? Who is a popular musician in your country?

VOCAB: Preferred, Well-known, Admired

Round 1

Have you ever had a nickname? What’s your favorite nickname for yourself? Have you ever gotten called a mean nickname? What are some common nicknames people will tease others with in your country? Do you call your best friend by a nickname?

VOCAB: Byname, Epithet, Label 

Round 2

Do you like or dislike surprises? Why or why not? What’s the best surprise you’ve ever received? Have you ever surprised someone with a gift? Have you ever thrown someone a surprise party? Have you ever attended a surprise party?

VOCAB: Unexpected, Shock, Startle

Round 3

When’s the last time you vacuumed? Is it easier to vacuum the house or do the dishes? Does vacuuming bother you? Who vacuums at your house? Have you ever vacuum-sealed your clothes?

VOCAB: Suction, Cleanly, Dust

Round 1

Who would you want to be stranded with on a deserted island? Who would you want to be with at a buffet? Who would you want to be stranded with during a zombie apocalypse? Who would you want to be with after you’ve had a meltdown? Who would you want to be partners with during a trivia show?

VOCAB: Leave, Hungry, Annoying

Round 2

When is the last time you visited a relative? Who is your favorite relative to see? When is the last time a relative came to your home? Do you get along with most of your relatives? Would you rather visit a relative, watch a movie, play a game, or read?

VOCAB: Relation, Married, Drop by 

Round 3

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? If you could only hear one song for the rest of your life, what would it be? If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be? If you could only talk to one person for the rest of your life, what would it be? If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

VOCAB: Sole, Infinitely, Single

Round 1

Would you rather win the lottery or work at the perfect job? Do you know anyone who has won the lottery? What is the perfect job position for you? What are the job requirements at the perfect job for you? What are some pros and cons to winning the lottery?

VOCAB: Gain, Obtain, Career 

Round 2

Do you have any help in keeping the house tidy? Have you ever hired help before? If you could hire someone to help you, would it be with cleaning, cooking or yard work? If you have/had a kid, would you request your help from someone to raise it? In your culture, is it common to have help around the house? In your culture, is it common for grandparents to help raise their grandchildren? 

VOCAB: Assist, Housekeeper, Nurture

Round 3

If money was no object, what would you do all day? If money was no object, what would you buy your family for the holidays? If money was no object, what kind of home would you buy? If money was no object, where would you visit? If money was no object, where would you donate to?

VOCAB: Limitless, Finances, Wealth

Round 1

What are your current hobbies? Do you prefer creative or physically active hobbies? What were your hobbies when you were 10 years old? What were your hobbies when you were 17 years old? What hobby have you been most passionate about in your life? What’s a hobby you’d love to pick up?

VOCAB: Activity, Interest, Pastime

Round 2

If you could go 300 years into the future, what year would you travel to? Who would you try to meet? What do you think would be different? What do you think would be the same? What would you take with you back to the past?

VOCAB: Unpredictable, Futuristic, Portal

Round 3

If you could share a meal with any 4 individuals, living or dead, who would they be? Which of those 4 individuals do you think you’d have the best conversation with? What is a topic all 4 of you guys could talk about? Which of those 4 individuals do you think would eat the most? Which of those 4 individuals do you think would enjoy themselves the most?

VOCAB: Supper, Converse, Situational

Round 1

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Where do you see yourself in 20 years? Are you good at accomplishing your goals? What are you most looking forward to in the next 5 years?

VOCAB: Plans, Ambition, Effort 

Round 2

Do you prefer planes or trains? Do you prefer a day in the sun or a day sleeping in? Do you prefer food from Italy or food from Mexico? Do you prefer waking up early or going to bed late? Do you prefer calling a friend or taking a walk?

VOCAB: Like, Favor, Rather

Round 3

What would your friends say is your best trait? What would your friends say is your worst trait? How would your friends describe your sense of humor? What stories do your friends like to tell about you? What would your friends say at your funeral?

VOCAB: Description, Perspective, Close

Round 1

How often do you buy clothes? How often do you buy groceries? How often do you go to the movies? How often do you watch YouTube? How often do you buy food from restaurants? How often do you go biking? How often do you get at least 8 hours of sleep? 

VOCAB: Frequently, Seldom, Frequency

Round 2

Would you rather trade intelligence for looks or looks for intelligence? Would you rather trade money for power or power for money? Would you rather trade compassion for success or success for compassion? Would you rather trade health for wealth or wealth for health? Would you rather trade respect for talent or talent for respect?

VOCAB: Barter, Exchange, Swap

Round 3

What's the most daring thing you've ever done? What's the cleverest thing you've ever done? What's the stupidest thing you've ever done? What's the most productive thing you've ever done? What's the wisest thing you've ever done?

VOCAB: Audacity, Witty, Silly

Round 1

What was the last thing you recorded on TV? What was the last thing you recorded on your phone? What was the last thing you recorded on a video camera? What is your last voice recording? Have you ever recorded over a tape?

VOCAB: Videotape, Audiotape, USB 

Round 2

What's your favorite type of foreign food? What's your favorite foreign language? Do you have any foreign friends? What's your favorite type of foreign dessert? Have you ever felt like a foreigner?

VOCAB: Domestic, Alien, Distant

Round 3

Are you a clean or messy person? Are you a happy or sad person? Are you an introverted or extroverted person? Are you a hyper or calm person? Are you a cooking or cleaning person?

VOCAB: Neat, Dirty, Jovial

Round 1

What's your favorite fast-food chain? What's your least favorite fast-food chain? What's the most popular fast-food chain in your country? If you owned a fast-food chain, what would you sell? What fast-food chains make the most money?  

VOCAB: Restaurant, CEO, Lucrative 

Round 2

What's your favorite family recipe? What's your least favorite family recipe? What is a family recipe you like from one of your friends’ houses? What is a family recipe you’d like to learn but haven’t yet? Do you think your family recipes are better than restaurant food? 

VOCAB: Best, Dish, Superior

Round 3

Have you ever ridden a rollercoaster? Do you love or hate rollercoasters? When is the last time you went to a rollercoaster park? Would you rather ride a rollercoaster or go to the beach? What’s the scariest rollercoaster you’ve ever ridden?

VOCAB: Ferris wheel, Enjoy, Amusement

Round 1

Who would you want to play you in a movie of your life? Who play your best friend in the movie of your life? What would be the high point in the movie about your life? What would be the low point in the movie about your life? What lesson would the main character (you) learn in the movie about your life? 

VOCAB: Film, Cast, Plot 

Round 2

How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? How long does it take you to get ready for a big event? How long does it take you to take a shower? How long does it take you to eat dinner? How long does it take you to get to work?

VOCAB: Prepared, Party, Commute 

Round 3

What kitchen appliance do you use every day? Who do you speak to every day? What is an activity you do every day? Is there anything you eat every day? What time do you get up every day?

VOCAB: Utensil, Talk, Errand

Round 1

Have you ever worked in the service industry? What’s a business that has good customer service? Would you rather own a company that offered goods or services? What services are common in your country? Is it better to have fast service or high-quality service?

VOCAB: Assistance, Routine, Agreeable 

Round 2

What is a precious commodity? What are some examples of precious commodities? What commodities are popular in your country? Do you think air will become a commodity eventually? What commodity would you sell if you had a business?

VOCAB: Material, Product, Valuable

Round 3

What is the difference between exports and imports? What is a main export in your country? Do exporters get paid a lot in your country? What costs a lot of money to export from your country? Does your country import or export more?

VOCAB: Dispatch, Sell, Overseas

Round 1

What's your favorite family tradition? What's your least favorite family tradition? What is a family tradition you plan to keep for your family? What’s a family tradition you plan to leave behind with your family? Are family traditions important to you?

VOCAB: Custom, Heirloom, Special

Round 2

What is your earliest childhood memory? What is your favorite childhood memory? Which of your childhood memories was most impactful? Can you recall a lot of childhood memories? Do you have any childhood memories associated with music?

VOCAB: First, Formative, Greatest 

Round 3

What three items would you take with you to a deserted island? What three people would you take with you to a deserted island? What three meals would you eat before going to a deserted island? What three games would you bring with you to a deserted island? What three outfits would you take with you to a deserted island?

VOCAB: Belongings, Remote, Friends

Round 1

What's the most unusual thing you've ever eaten? Who’s the most unusual friend you’ve ever had? Who’s the most unusual teacher you’ve ever had? What’s the most unusual job you’ve ever had? What’s the most unusual place you’ve ever visited?

VOCAB: Weirdest, Strangest, Professor 

Round 2

What decade had the best music? What decade had the best fashion? What decade was the worst for your country? What decade had the most financial stability? What decade would you re-visit if you could?

VOCAB: Era, Attire, Economic

Round 3

If you were the ruler of your own country… What would be the first law you would introduce? What else would you change? Who would you appoint as your right hand? Would you raise, lower or keep taxes the same? How many years would you rule for? Would you rename the country?

VOCAB: President, Past, Successor

Round 1

Are you related or distantly related to anyone famous? If you could be related to anyone famous, who would you choose? Do you know anyone that is related to anyone famous? What famous person looks like they could be related to you? Would you choose to be closely related to a famous person?

VOCAB: Connected, Pick, Someone 

Round 2

What do you do to keep fit? What do you do to keep sane? What do you do to keep calm? What do you do to appear confident? What do you do to be happy?

VOCAB: Healthy, Stay, Relaxed

Round 3

Which of the five senses would you say is your strongest? Which of your family members would you say is the strongest? Which of your coworkers do you think is the strongest? Which of your skills would you say is your strongest? Which of your friendships would you say is your strongest?

VOCAB: Weakest, Fit, Peers

Round 1

What do you think of online influencers? What does it mean to be an influencer? How much money do you think a YouTube influencer makes? What do you think a day in the life of an influencer looks like? Do you know any popular influencers by name? If you could be an influencer on any social media platform, which would you choose?

VOCAB: Socials, Promoting, Audience

Round 2

When is the last time you had a bad day? How do you like to cheer yourself up after a bad day? When is a time you cheered up a friend who was having a bad day? When you have a bad day, what is it usually about? Who would make you feel better if you saw them on a bad day? 

VOCAB: Negative, Unfortunate, Cheer

Round 3

Do you ever drink iced coffee? Have you ever tried an iced matcha drink? What drinks come better iced? Do you have an ice tray in your freezer? Do you like eating cake icing? 

VOCAB: Chilled, Cooled, Frosting

Round 1

Which of your friends knows you the best? Which of your family members knows you the best? Which of your coworkers knows you the best? Which of your teachers knew you the best? Which celebrity do you know the best?

VOCAB: Familiar, Close, Confidential 

Round 2

Think of your favorite teacher… What was their name? What subject did they teach? What grade were you in?  Why did you like them? What did they look like? Have you spoken to them since you graduated? If you could speak to them again, what would you say?

VOCAB: Professor, Education, Chummy

Round 3

How fast can you type? Are you a fast reader? Do you like fast food? Are you a fast writer? Are you a fast runner?

VOCAB: Quick, Speedy, Rapidly

Round 1

Would you rather be a runway model or a talk show host? Do you know any models? Would you like to wake up tomorrow and be a fashion model? What are some pros and cons to being a model? Do you think models in the media accurately represent people? Should they? 

VOCAB: Display, Fashionable, Pose

Round 2

When is the last time a door opened for you (an opportunity arose)? When is a time you wish a door opened for you? Why is it important to open doors for others whenever possible? In what specific ways can you open doors for other people in your career? Who do you know that could use a door opening right now?

VOCAB: Circumstances, Chance, Easier

Round 3

Do you like going to bed late? When is the last time you went to bed late? Do you know anyone who always goes to bed late? Do you prefer going to bed late or waking up late? What are some pros and cons to going to bed late? 

VOCAB: Bedtime, Night, Schedule

Round 1

What is the most interesting thing you’ve seen on vacation? What is the most interesting thing you saw this week? What is the most interesting thing you’ve seen in your life? What is the most interesting thing you’ve seen at work? What is the most interesting thing you’ve seen in a movie?

VOCAB: Absorbing, Engrossing, Fascinating

Round 2

If you could join any past music group which would you want to join? If you could join any current music group which would you want to join? If you could join any past TV show which would you want to join? If you could join any current TV show which would you want to join? If you could join the cast of any movie which would you want to join? 

VOCAB: Participate, Member, Addition

Round 3

What is one thing you’d like to try again? What is one thing you will never do again? What is one thing you do every day? What is one thing you will do for the first time in the future? What is one thing you wish you could do? 

VOCAB: Anew, Repetitively, Dream

Round 1

What businesses were popular 20 years ago? What businesses will be obsolete in 20 years? What industries were the most difficult to break into 20 years ago? What businesses or industries will thrive over the next 20 years? What business is still as successful today as it was 20 years ago?

VOCAB: Successful, Branch, Longevity 

Round 2

What were your career aspirations when you were a kid? How did your career aspirations change when you became a teenager? What are your career aspirations now? Have you achieved any of your career aspirations? Is it good to have high career aspirations? Whose career would you like to aspire to?

VOCAB: Ambition, Goals, Plan

Round 3

Have you ever been ripped off by a business before? What industries are most likely to rip people off? What product is currently being sold that’s actually a rip off? Would you own a business that ripped people off if it made you a millionaire? Is your country good at holding businesses liable when they rip people off? 

VOCAB: Scam, Swindle, Cheat

Round 1

Who do you know that is happily married? What makes for a happy marriage? How common is it to see happily married people in your country? Are you happily married, or do you intend to be one day? What are some happy marriage traditions in your culture? 

VOCAB: Contentedly, Union, Merrily

Round 2

What is your favorite hot drink? Have you ever spilled a hot drink on yourself? What hot drinks are popular in your country? What hot drinks are relatively cheap? Which are expensive? Do you make any hot drinks at home?

VOCAB: Burn, Spilled, Homemade 

Round 3

Do you prefer hugs or handshakes? Who is the last person that you hugged? When is the last time you initiated a hug? Which of your family members gives the best hugs? Which of your friends give the best hugs?

VOCAB: Embrace, Squeeze, Familiar

Round 1

Have you ever been to a concert before? Would you rather go to a rock concert or a rap concert? What has been the best concert in history? What concerts are the best for dancing? Do you prefer attending a concert or going to an amusement park? Are concerts better outdoors or indoors?

VOCAB: Musical, Performance, Public

Round 2

What’s the best city you’ve ever visit? Do you prefer a city with great views or great food? What are popular cities to visit in the U.S.? What is something great about the city you live in? Would you rather live in a rural or urban city? 

VOCAB: Town, Center, Institutions

Round 3

In your million-dollar mansion, would you rather have an indoor pool or outdoor pool? In your million-dollar mansion, would you rather have pillars or statues? In your million-dollar mansion, would you rather have 5 stories or one story with lots of land? In your million-dollar mansion, would you rather have a bowling alley or a movie theatre room? In your million-dollar mansion, would you rather have a chandelier or a spiral staircase? 

VOCAB: Spacious, Dwelling, Palace

Round 1

Have you ever danced salsa before? Would you ever take a salsa class? Do you like chips with salsa? Would you rather take a salsa class or a ballroom class? Do you like any dances more than salsa? What country has the best salsa dancers? 

VOCAB: Dance, Sauce, Sway

Round 2

When is the last time you shook someone’s hand? Do you prefer firm or soft handshakes? Have you ever given a handshake to accept a job offer or other deal? What makes for a great handshake? Do you prefer handshakes or high-fives? Do you think handshakes are less common now after COVID? 

VOCAB: Clasp, Deal, Flimsy

Round 3

What singer would you like to meet for a cup of coffee? Which family member would you like to meet for a cup of coffee? What politician would you like to meet for a cup of coffee?  Which of your friends would you like to meet for a cup of coffee? What actor would you like to meet for a cup of coffee?

VOCAB: Arrange, Grounds, Java

Round 1

What is your profession (if any)? Would you ever work in a bank? Have you ever been unemployed? Do you know anyone who runs their own business? At what age do you plan to retire?

VOCAB: Career, Banker, Jobless

Round 2

Are you married? Do you know anyone who’s gotten divorced? How long do people usually stay engaged for? How long do people in your country typically stay in a relationship for before getting married? What are some pros and cons to being single?

VOCAB: Connected, Behave, Romance

Round 3

Why are you studying English? Have you ever spoken English while traveling? What languages would you love to learn other than English? Would you ever immigrate to the U.S.? How long do you think it’ll take you to consider yourself fluent in English?

VOCAB: Communication, Speech, Grammar

Round 1

When is the last time you had to wake up really early? Would you rather be someone who is typically really early or really late? What is an event where it’s better to show up really early? Do you like waking up really early? How do you feel when you wake up really early?

VOCAB: Sunrise, Advance, Morning

Round 2

Are you on Twitter? What social media platforms do you think are better than Twitter? Do you think the world would be better or worse if we didn’t have Twitter? Would you ever work for the company Twitter? Do you think we’ll still have Twitter in 20 years?

VOCAB: Socials, Communication, Connected

Round 3

Is hunting a popular activity in your country? Have you ever gone hunting? Do you think hunting is moral? Would you rather go fishing or hunting? Do you think hunting should be for sport or for food?

VOCAB: Gathering, Farming, Animals

Round 1

Would you rather give up eating for a day or showering for a week? Would you rather give up having a pet or driving a car? Would you rather give up a healthy sleeping schedule or a healthy exercising schedule? Would you rather give up 20 extra hours a week of your free time or half your salary? Would you rather give up your house or the internet?

VOCAB: Concede, Surrender, Trade

Round 2

Other than Conversation Alive, where have you learned English? Do you have any TV shows or movies that help you learn English? Do you ever study English on your own? Do you know all the words to any songs in English? Does anyone else in your family or friend group speak English better than you?

VOCAB: Conversational, Convey, Vernacular

Round 3

What do you do in your free time? How often do you have free time? Would you rather hang out with friends or family in your free time? Do you do any physical activities in your free time? Would you rather volunteer or read in your free time?

VOCAB: Leisure, Freedom, Responsibilities

Round 1

When is the last time you went shopping? What can you say to a shopping attendant if you don’t want their help? What stores do you like to shop at? Are there lots of shopping malls in your country? Do you like going window shopping?

VOCAB: Purchase, Buy, Deals

Round 2

How are you feeling today? When is a time when you felt great? When is a time you followed a gut feeling? When is a time you felt like you needed a vacation? Do you know anyone that’s feeling down? When is the last time you asked someone how they were feeling?

VOCAB: Emotion, Reaction, Sympathy

Round 3

What is the weather like today? What is the weather typically like in your country? When is the last time it poured? Does it get chilly often in your city? How often would you expect to wear a jacket in your country? What city has the best weather in the world? 

VOCAB: Conditions, Bundle, Stormy

Round 1

Would you like to live to 100? Has anyone in your family lived to 100? Have you ever driven 100 miles per hour? What is something you would eat 100 of? Would you ever dive 100 meters into the ocean?

VOCAB: Number, Distance, Amount

Round 2

When is the last time you had friends over? Do you enjoy having friends over? What’s the worst part about having friends over? What’s the best part about having friends over? Would you rather have friends over or go to a friends house? Which of your friends do you like having over the most?

VOCAB: Visit, Hosting, Gathering

Round 3

Have you ever lived abroad? What are some pros to living abroad? What are some cons to living abroad? If you could live abroad in any country, which would you live in? If you had to give advice to someone living abroad in your country, what would you tell them?

VOCAB: Travel, Culture, Different

Round 1

Do you have Netflix? What are the best shows/movies on Netflix? Would you rather use Netflix or Disney Plus? Do you think Netflix will be the most popular streaming platform in 30 years? Do you think Netflix is too expensive?

VOCAB: Service, Content, Digital 

Round 2

Do you have a big house? Do you know anyone who owns a big house? What is the biggest house you’ve ever been in? What’s the difference between a big house and a medium sized house? Is it your goal to live in a very big house one day?

VOCAB: Home, Domicile, Dwelling 

Round 3

Have you ever attended a themed party? Have you ever thrown a themed party? What is your favorite theme for a party? Would you rather go to a themed party or to a themed bar? What costume would you wear to a Halloween themed party?

VOCAB: Host, Guest, Holiday

Round 1

What careers offer the highest incomes? Would you rather have a high income or live a very long life? How can you negotiate for a higher income? What jobs in your country are known for offering low incomes? If you are offered an income lower than you’d like, what could someone offer you to make the position worth your while?

VOCAB: Net worth, Pay, Salary

Round 2

What is the corporate tax rate in your country? Do independent contractors pay more in taxes in your country? Do you believe taxes in your country are too high? Do you have to pay a social security tax in your country? Do small business pay a lot in taxes in your country? 

VOCAB: Budget, Deduction, Fee

Round 3

What is something you own that has high value? What is a good or service being sold with a very low value? Would you rather purchase something that is valuable or cheap? What businesses do you value? How can a business show that it values it’s customers?

VOCAB: Amount, Quality, Worth

Round 1

Have you ever been skydiving? Would you rather go skydiving or scuba diving? Do you find skydiving scary? What is a location you think would be fun to go skydiving in? Is skydiving on your bucket list?

VOCAB: Airplane, Heights, Parachute

Round 2

How long has McDonald’s been in your country? What is your favorite thing to get at McDonald’s? Would you rather have McDonald’s or cook? Do you think McDonald’s tastes better in your country or other countries? Would you rather have McDonald’s or Starbucks? 

VOCAB: Cheap, Burger, Menu

Round 3

Have you ever been to summer school? Is summer school popular in your country? Would you rather go to summer school or night school? Would you like to teach summer school? Should they move summer school to winter? 

VOCAB: Education, Grades, Test

Round 1

What cities are good places to put down some roots?  Have you ever heard the band The Roots? What do you believe is the root of all evil? What is deeply rooted in your culture? Which values are deeply rooted in you as a person? Have you ever uprooted a plant before?

VOCAB: Tuber, Origin, Embedded 

Round 2

Do you bite your fingernails? Have you ever been bitten by a dog? Do you ever bite into ice cream with your front teeth? Would you rather be bitten by a scorpion or a dog? Do you get bitten by mosquitos often?

VOCAB: Chew, Puncture, Sting

Round 3

What can you transport on a vessel? Have you ever operated a vessel? Have you ever seen a vessel carrying cargo? Have you ever ruptured a blood vessel? Would you rather be stuck on a sinking vessel or in the middle of the desert?

VOCAB: Boat, Container, Passage

Round 1

Have you ever tried a cocktail? Do you have cocktails regularly? How many kinds of cocktails can you name? Can you make any cocktails without looking up the ingredients? What’s a cocktail with a funny name? If you could name a cocktail what would you name it? 

VOCAB: Alcoholic, Spirits, Mixed

Round 2

Would you ever work as a jailer? What are some job responsibilities of a jailer? Do you know anyone who’s a jailer? How much do jailers get paid in your country? What are some pros and cons of being a jailer?

VOCAB: Prison, Captor, Lookout 

Round 3

Did you ever have a childhood friend that was a figment of your imagination? Which characters in books are the best figments of imagination? Which characters in movies and TV are the best figments of imagination? Do you have any goals you’ve achieved that at one point felt like a figment of the imagination? What was an achievement in human history that people once thought would only be a figment of the imagination? 

VOCAB: Fabrication, Invention, Hallucination

Round 1

What kinds of birds are songbirds? Have you ever heard a songbird sing? What songbirds are common to see in your country? Would you rather hear the sounds of a songbird or a waterfall? Do you know any humans that have voices like songbirds?

VOCAB: Musical, Perching, Vocals

Round 2

Do you like peppers? What kinds of peppers are most commonly eaten by people in your city? Are any kinds of peppers native to your country? How many kinds of peppers can you name? Would you eat the world’s spiciest pepper for 1 million dollars? Do you add salt and pepper to all your meals?

VOCAB: Peppercorn, Capsicum, Hot

Round 3

Who is your favorite poet? Have you ever written a poem? What’s the most poetic thing you’ve ever said or been told? Would you rather be a poet or an actor? Would you ever go to a poetry slam? Do you find poetry romantic?

VOCAB: Sonneteer, Verse, Amorous

Round 1

Would you ever eat animal intestines if offered? What do/do you think animal intestine tastes like? How long is your large intestine? Have you ever had pain in your intestines? What are the functions of intestines? Do you know anyone who’s ever had a perforation in their intestines? 

VOCAB: Stomach, Guts, Bowel

Round 2

Do you own a cardigan? What does your favorite cardigan look like? What’s the difference between a cardigan and a jacket? What kind of weather is great for wearing a cardigan? When is the last time you wore a cardigan? Would you rather have a great looking cardigan or a great looking pair of shoes?

VOCAB: Sweater, Sleeves, Fashionable

Round 3

What items have barbs? Have you ever accidentally gotten pinched by a barb? Would you ever put a barbed-wire fence around your home? Have you ever been hurt by a barb (verbal insult)? Who in your friend group is most likely to deliver a barb (insult)?

VOCAB: Spike, Prong, Remark

Round 1

In how many languages can you count to 10? How can you make your life count? Can you do an impression of Count Dracula? When is the last time you counted the stars in the sky? Can you count the number of your friends on two hands?   

VOCAB: Matter, Calculated, Impersonation

Round 2

If you could display one sight in your city on a postcard, what would you choose? At what age did you begin to display wrinkles? When is the last time you saw a fireworks display? Do you think it’s important to display good manners? Who do you know that displays the best manners?

VOCAB: Exhibit, Show, Present 

Round 3

What is something adults can learn from children? What is a pro to being an adult? What is a con to being an adult? Would you rather be an adult or a child? What’s the best advice you received as a child from an adult?

VOCAB: Grown-up, Wise, Experienced

Round 1

In what industries is it most important to comply with regulations? How would you emphasize compliance in your business? What would you do if an employee was not complying? What businesses have gotten in trouble for not complying? Have you ever seen a coworker refuse to comply with a superior?

VOCAB: Agreement, Concession, Defiance

Round 2

What is interest? What is a high interest rate for taking out a loan? What’s the difference between fixed interest and variable interest? Would you be willing to borrow money with interest to start a business? What industries are gaining the most customer interest?

VOCAB: Borrow, Lend, Loan

Round 3

How much of your money should be in savings before you start a new business venture? Have you ever been in a situation where you had to eat into your savings? Do you know anyone who is not good at saving? What companies have been saved from bankruptcy? How can a business keep track of what they’re spending and saving?

VOCAB: Assets, Capital, Rescue

Round 1

At what time is playing loud music generally prohibited in your city? What is prohibited in your country? What’s something annoying that you would prohibit if you could? Are motorcycles prohibited from driving in between traffic in your country? Does your country have a lot of laws to prohibit smoking in public areas? Would you prohibit your kids from using social media before a certain age? 

VOCAB: Forbid, Ban, Prevent 

Round 2

Did you sustain any injuries as a child? When is the last time you had an injury? Which one of your friend or family members are most prone to injury? What activities do you like to do that are the easiest to be injured by? Do you react well when you’ve been injured? 

VOCAB: Pain, Scar, Accident 

Round 3

Have you ever had an unexplained, mystical experience? Have any of your friends ever had a mystical experience? What books or movies do you like that have a mystical element? Which ancient cultures had mystical practices? What moments of your life have felt so special they were almost mystical? What’s your favorite mystical story?

VOCAB: Transcendental, Paranormal, Cryptic

Round 1

Do you cry when you mince onions? Have you ever minced garlic before? Would you rather mince food by hand or using a specialized tool? Do you tend to mince your words? Do you know anyone who minces about?

VOCAB: Chop, Dice, Gait

Round 2

Do you use perfume? Which flowers have the best perfume? Do you ever perfume your hair? How much does perfume cost in your country? Are you allergic to any perfumes? What is the best perfume you’ve ever smelled?

VOCAB: Smell, Scented, Fragrant

Round 3

When is the last time you saw a baby wobble? Have you ever wobbled as an adult? Do any of the tables or chairs in your house have a wobble? When is a time your voice wobbled? What is a debate you tend to wobble on (waver between sides)?

VOCAB: Teeter, Tremble, Vacillate

Round 1

From 1-10, how easily are you able to stay focused? Do you think this generation has more trouble focusing than previous generations? How many hours can you stay focused before you need a break? What can you do to help yourself focus? What usually distracts you from focusing on your tasks? 

VOCAB: Attention, Concentrate, Zone

Round 2

What crops are grown in your country? Have you ever grown or farmed crops before? Which crops are the most lucrative? What are some crops that are easy to grow in the home? Have you ever cropped your hair before?

VOCAB: Cultivated, Harvest, Trim 

Round 3

What is something you have a strong point of view on? Who is someone whose point of view you rarely agree with? Have you ever changed your point of view on something? Who is someone who usually has an interesting or informative point of view? Do you prefer reading books in the first person or third person point of view?

VOCAB: Opinion, Perspective, Position

Round 1

Do you pay for anything with checks? In what industries is it most important to pass regulatory checks? What are some business that require checking on customers often? If you ran a hospital, what are things you’d make sure to check up on? Do you ever keep your receipts to check against your statements?

VOCAB: Inspect, Review, Revise 

Round 2

When is the last time you went to the bank? What businesses have had to borrow a lot of money from the bank? Have you ever worked in a bank? What jobs make bank (a lot of money)? Do you think we’ll still have banks in 100 years?

VOCAB: Financial, Establishment, Deposit 

Round 3

What are your business endeavors? What are your financial endeavors? Have you ever failed at an endeavor before? What businesses are endeavoring to help the world? What industries are the best to begin business endeavors in right now? 

VOCAB: Venture, Attempt, Undertake

Round 1

Do you have the willpower to avoid eating late night snacks? From 1-10, how much willpower do you have? What characters in books and movies have a lot of willpower? What is something that you’ve accomplished that took a lot of willpower? Would you rather have willpower or wisdom?

VOCAB: Control, Impulse, Determination

Round 2

What are all the dwellings you’ve lived in? Are you someone who tends to dwell on their mistakes? Would you rather have a very small dwelling in a scenic place or a very large dwelling in an unattractive place? What advice would you give to a friend who was dwelling on negative thoughts? What’s the most interesting dwelling you’ve ever been in? 

VOCAB: Residence, Lament, Accommodation

Round 3

What places are a hubbub of laughter? What places are a hubbub of shouting? What cities are a hubbub of activity? Would you rather live in a quiet, peaceful place or a cultural hubbub? When is the last time you had to speak through the hubbub?

VOCAB: Noisy, Chaotic, Racket

Round 1

Do you know anyone who is uncouth? What are some examples of uncouth behavior? Have you ever been uncouth before? What are some situations where it would be bad to behave uncouthly? Do you think uncouth behavior is funny or annoying? What are some popular uncouth characters?

VOCAB: Uncivilized, Unsophisticated, Philistine

Round 2

Have you ever had to use a splint before? Do you know anyone who has had to use a splint? Would you rather have a splint on half of your leg or your entire arm? Have you ever gotten a splinter? What is the meaning of splint in reference to a horse?

VOCAB: Immobilized, Broken, Rigid

Round 3

What is a mineral? How many minerals can you name? Do you prefer mineral water or spring water? Would you ever mine for gold for fun? What minerals are most important to human health? Have you ever been to a mineral spring?

VOCAB: Inorganic, Natural, Mining

Round 1

Have you ever been removed from your job position? Do you feel far removed from what’s happening in other parts of the world? If your country instated a king or queen, would you protest to remove them? Have you ever been removed from the premises? Do you know anyone who is far removed from the truth? If you had to remove any piece of furniture from your home, which would you choose?

VOCAB: Detach, Away, Disconnect

Round 2

Does your house have a garage? Have you ever attended a garage sale? If you had a garage sale tomorrow, what would you put up for sale? Would you rather use a garage to store your car or your storage? How much does it cost to park in a parking garage in your city?

VOCAB: Housing, Lockup, Terminal

Round 3

What’s an item you never want to lose? What’s an item in your house that needs fixing? Would you rather be gifted a material item or an experience? What items do you have on your agenda for the week? Which items are on sale this time of year?

VOCAB: Thing, Object, Article

Round 1

Have you ever seen a horse prance? Do you know anyone who prances when they walk? Which celebrities prance around? Would you rather prance like a horse everywhere you go or always speak at a very low volume? Can you prance around like a beautiful dancer on the dance floor?

VOCAB: Steps, Springy, Cavort

Round 2

Do you know anyone who is good at coaxing people? Have you ever been coaxed into doing something you were afraid of? What jobs are good for people who know how to coax well? Who is someone you can’t coax or compromise well with? Could someone coax you into performing standup comedy? 

VOCAB: Convince, Persuade, Cajole

Round 3

What is a pirate? Have you ever dressed up like a pirate? Have you ever pirated music before? Do you know anyone who has gotten in trouble for pirating copyrighted material? Do pirates still exist? 

VOCAB: Raid, Buccaneer, Freebooter

Round 1

Which 3 friends are you happy to have encountered? When is a time you encountered a problem? Have you ever encountered a wild animal? Do you know anyone who claims they’ve had an encounter with a ghost? Have you ever had a surprise encounter with an old acquaintance? 

VOCAB: Faced, Rendezvous, Happenstance 

Round 2

What is a common dilemma for people to have? What was a big dilemma you resolved? What dilemmas are seen in the workplace? What is a dilemma your country is facing? Who do you turn to for advice on a dilemma? 

VOCAB: Quandary, Predicament, Difficulty

Round 3

Has the wealth gap in your country narrowed or widened in recent years? Who do you know that has big, wide eyes? Do you have a wide range of opinions? What has gained wide acceptance recently? What’s an industry-wide trend in the restaurant business? Does your country have wide roads? In what situations might someone be wide-eyed?

VOCAB: Broad, Fully, Extensive

Round 1

What animals have shells? Have you ever collected seashells? Have you ever touched a bullet shell? Do you know anyone who has a shellfish allergy? Have you ever shelled peas before?

VOCAB: Protective, Casing, Shuck 

Round 2

When is a time that you were under a lot of tension? Do you often get tension in your back or neck? What jobs cause a lot of tension? Have you ever experienced an earthquake due to the tension caused by tectonic plates colliding? What countries does your country have political tension with?

VOCAB: Strained, Tightness, Stress 

Round 3

Have you ever seen eroded cliffs? Do you feel like good manners are eroding over time? When is a time someone eroded your confidence? What diseases erode the body? Has the architecture in your country experienced a lot of erosion?

VOCAB: Wear, Abrade, Grind

Round 1

Do you believe businesses should send gifts to influencers? Have you ever worked for a company that didn’t send your paychecks on time? What situations can send a business into financial crisis? If you ran a company, would you send a bonus to all of your employees if it meant taking a pay cut yourself? Should you always send a cover letter with your resume? 

VOCAB: Deliver, Cause, Dispatch

Round 2

What are some jobs that deal with the financial side of businesses? Are you good at handling financial matters? What are ways businesses can improve their financial standing? Have you ever been through financial hardships? Would you take a financial business class?

VOCAB: Assets, Liabilities, Economic

Round 3

What does fintech stand for? What are some examples of fintech apps? Would you rather write blogs for the fintech industry or the travel industry? What businesses would want to invest in fintech? Do you know what blockchain is?

VOCAB: Programs, Technology, Banking

Round 1

Do you wish you could fly? Have you ever flown a plane? Do you think there will ever be flying cars? If you could fly, what’s the first location you’d fly to? Are you afraid of flying in airplanes? What’s the best flying experience you’ve had? 

VOCAB: Soar, Transport, Wings 

Round 2

Does being in a crowded place bother you? Have you ever performed in front of a crowd? Where is the most crowded place you’ve ever been? Have you ever crowded into a car? Who is someone who you’d recognize in a crowd? 

VOCAB: Group, Claustrophobic, Tight

Round 3

Do you ever wear hats? When is the last time you wore a hat? Do you like wearing baseball caps? What types of hats are popular in your country? What types of hats do you own?

VOCAB: Cap, Coverage, Tip

Round 1

Do you believe in spirits? What is your spirit animal? What do you think spirits look like? Have you ever communicated with a spirit? Do you know anyone who has? What humans would you talk to if you were a spirit?

VOCAB: Spiritual, Connection, Deceased

Round 2

Do you gasp often? What is a big surprise that made you gasp? What are some situations in which a person might gasp? When is the last time you gasped at something? Have you ever gasped because you needed more air?

VOCAB: Shocked, Sudden, Breathless 

Round 3

Are you good at saying sorry? When is the last time you felt sorry about something? When have you felt sorry for someone else? Have you ever had to say sorry at work? When have you looked like a sorry sight? 

VOCAB: Apologizing, Pity, Discombobulated

Round 1

Do you have a big kitchen? Would you rather have a super nice kitchen or bedroom? How much time do you spend in the kitchen daily? What is the most useful kitchen appliance? What does your dream kitchen look like?

VOCAB: Chef, Fry, Architecture

Round 2

Are you satisfied with your career right now? What’s more satisfying- reading or sleeping? When is a time in your life when you were not very satisfied? Are you satisfied with the way your country is run? What’s the most satisfying thing about your life right now?

VOCAB: Pleased, Content, Relaxed

Round 3

Are you good at saving money? Have you ever saved someone’s life? Have you ever lost a file on your computer that you meant to save? What activities do you have to save your strength for? Has anyone ever saved your life before?

VOCAB: Finances, Rescued, Store

Round 1

Do you enjoy giving advice? Do you enjoy receiving it? What advice do you need to hear right now? Do you have a go-to person to get advice from? Have you ever had a mentor? What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

VOCAB: Guide, Mentorship, Helpful

Round 2

How often do you shop for groceries? What is your most popular grocery item? Do you prefer to order in food or make it yourself? What is something you’d never buy from the grocery store? What part of the grocery store do you browse the most often? 

VOCAB: Purchaser, Delicatessen, Pricey

Round 3

Are you someone who likes to read a map or stop and ask for directions? Have you ever drawn a map for someone? When is the last time you read a map? Do you use a map app on your phone? Do you think real treasure maps exist?

VOCAB: Guide, Compass, Route

 Our guest speaker is Dr Gisele Montano who works with Osearch (Ocean Research) and will be talking about animals, expeditions and conservation.

Check out this video to learn more: 

https://youtu.be/RBp-B9eVOu8

 * This is not a conversation class. We'll be with other students from Liberty Language Academy for this presentation. 

Round 1

Do you know anyone who’s pregnant right now? What are some difficulties pregnant women face? What changes when people become pregnant? Do you know anyone who had a difficult pregnancy? Is it considered rude to feel someone else’s pregnant belly without asking first?

VOCAB: Child, Birthing, Families 

Round 2

What country is the most interesting to you? Who’s the most interesting person you know? What animal is the most interesting? What’s the most interesting career to you? What type of movies and books interest you?

VOCAB: Intrigue, Engrossing, Fascinating

Round 3

Do you ever get neck or back pains? Have you ever gone back to a relationship that wasn’t working? Who has your back when things go wrong? Have you ever gotten a back massage? Are you good at backing up the car while driving?

VOCAB: Joints, Supportive, Reversing

Round 1

What hobbies or activities do you enjoy doing the most? Do you enjoy reading? What is something you’ve enjoyed doing during over the last week? Who do you enjoy spending time with the most? Do you enjoy exercising?

VOCAB: Pleasurable, Content, Fun

Round 2

Do you know anyone with a big heart? What are your biggest dreams? Would you rather your clothes be a little too big or a little too small? As a child, did you ever think about what you’d be like when you were big? What are some big problems your country faces?

VOCAB: Kind, Large, Significant

Round 3

Where do you visualize yourself in 5 years? Do you ever visualize having more money? Do you think it’s helpful or bad to visualize your future? What type of life did you visualize for yourself when you were young? Have you ever been in a situation that’s better than you could’ve ever visualized?

VOCAB: See, Foresee, Envision

Round 1

Who is the most special person you know? Do you have any special traditions? Do you believe everyone is special? What makes you special? When did someone make you feel very special?

VOCAB: Important, Substantial, Unique

Round 2

When is the last time you reached the end of a book? What book has the best ending? What movie has the best ending? What is something that you wish would end? What hobbies do you never want to end? Do you fear the end of your life?

VOCAB: Final, Ultimate, Finale

Round 3

Are you a cooperative person? Is it more important to have team leadership or team cooperation? Does your work require a high level of cooperation? Who’s the most cooperative person you know? How do you handle someone who is being uncooperative? 

VOCAB: Amicable, Teamwork, Personable

Round 1

What is an example of good business policy? If you owned a small restaurant, what policies would you put in place? What policies are the most important to have? What economic policies do you agree with? Should every business have an insurance policy? What is a personal policy of yours? 

VOCAB: Strategy, Conduct, Contract 

Round 2

Do you always save your receipts? Why should a business keep their receipts? Do you think we’ll have paper receipts in the future? Should businesses keep paper or electronic receipts? For which businesses is it most important to keep receipts?  

VOCAB: Proof, Received, IRS

Round 3

What is petty cash? What would petty cash for a business be used for? Which businesses are the most likely to have petty cash? Have you ever worked for a company that had a petty cash supply? Is petty cash considered an asset or an expense?

VOCAB: Accessible, Expenditure, Accounting

Round 1

Do you know how to speak Italian? Do you know anyone who knows how to speak Italian? Would you rather learn how to speak Italian or French? Do you wish you knew how to speak Italian? Which famous people know how to speak Italian? If you could only learn 3 phrases in Italian, which would you like to learn?

VOCAB: Communication, Dialect, Tongue

Round 2

Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon? Does your country have canyons? Would you rather hike through a canyon or go jet-skiing? What’s the difference between a canyon and a ravine? What causes canyons?

VOCAB: Valley, Formation, Ravine

Round 3

When is the last time you drank broth? Do people in your country drink broth often? Have you ever cooked a broth-based soup? What ingredients will you often find in a soup with broth? When are some ideal times to drink broth? What’s the difference between a broth and a consommé? 

VOCAB: Soup, Nutrients, Stock

Round 1

Have you ever made a batch of cookies? Should your current company hire another batch of workers? Do you have a batch of bills waiting to be paid? Have you ever eaten from a batch of raw cookie dough? If you could only keep a batch of photos from one year of your life, which would you choose?

VOCAB: Quantity, Consignment, Produced 

Round 2

Do you want to learn to swordfight? Have you ever touched a sword? What Halloween costumes would have you wearing a sword? What movies show a lot of sword play? Would you rather learn how to use a sword or how to use a gun? Which martial arts rely on the use of a sword?  

VOCAB: Weapon, Blade, Strike

Round 3

What things are idealized in our society? What is something you once idealized that you don’t anymore? What are some pros to idealizing everything? What are some cons to idealizing everything? What do you tend to idealize now? 

VOCAB: Romanticize, Perfect, Better

Round 1

Have you ever sat on a roof before? Do you like the views from a rooftop? Have you ever climbed onto the roof of your own house? Have you ever been to a rooftop party? Have you ever had the roof of your house damaged by a storm? What are some materials roofs can be made out of?

VOCAB: Cover, Top, Skyline

Round 2

What is hazing? Do you know anyone that was hazed? In what settings is hazing most likely to be found? Should schools impose a strict no-hazing policy? Why do some groups choose to haze?

VOCAB: Tasks, Rookie, Recruit

Round 3

What color is amber closest to? Do you or does anyone you know own amber jewelry? Do you know any songs using the word amber? What things in everyday objects are amber in color? Do you know anyone with amber eyes?

VOCAB: Yellowish, Honey, Resin

Round 1

What movies have you seen that were utter garbage? When is a time you were left utterly shocked? Who do you know that would never utter a bad word about anyone? When is a time you were in utter amazement? Do you know anyone that has difficulty uttering a sentence without swearing?

VOCAB: Absolute, Emit, Express 

Round 2

How many buddies do you have? Who are your closest buddies? What activities do you like to do with your buddies? When is the last time you hung out with your buddies? Where did you meet all your buddies? What is the best thing about your buddies? 

VOCAB: Friends, Close, Companion 

Round 3

Are you interested in rockets? Do you know anyone studying rocketry? Would you go up in a rocket? Would you rather be a rocket scientist (engineer) or a rock scientist (archaeologist)? What subjects do you have to master in order to work in rocketry?

VOCAB: Propulsion, Projectile, Propel

Round 1

Does your country have a lot of land? What countries have the most amount of land? Would you rather own land or property? Has your land ever been invaded by another country? Do you think you could land a plane if you had to?

VOCAB: Earth, Surface, Square footage

Round 2

When is the last time you felt glum? What do you usually do when you’re feeling glum? How often do you feel glum? Do you know anyone who feels glum all the time? What characters are often portrayed as glum?

VOCAB: Gloomy, Downcast, Morose

Round 3

Do you own a cloak? What famous characters wear a cloak? What Halloween creatures wear a cloak? Have you ever worn a cloak for Halloween? In what time period was wearing cloaks popular? Do you think cloaks will ever come back in style?

VOCAB: Overgarment, Loosely, Conceal

Round 1

Have you ever made a sandcastle? Do you like playing in the sand? Does your country have a lot of sand? Does being sandy bother you? Have you ever touched desert sand? What locations have the most beautiful sand beaches? Have you ever hung out on a sand bar? 

VOCAB: Beach, Granular, Seashore 

Round 2

What were you like when you were a tween? What was your favorite song/musician when you were a tween? What’s something you wish you would’ve known when you were a tween? Do you wish you were a tween again? If you could relive your tween years, would you change anything? 

VOCAB: Youngster, Naïve, Immature

Round 3

Have you ever painted the exterior of a house before? Do you like buildings with a modern exterior? Who do you know that has a cold exterior? Have you ever had to put shutters on the exterior of your windows? Does how someone look on the exterior matter to you?

VOCAB: Outside, Outermost, External

Round 1

Have you ever visited Dubai? What is Dubai known for? What activities would you do if you visited Dubai? What are Dubai’s main exports? Would you like to visit Dubai one day?

VOCAB: UAE, Arab, Islands

Round 2

Have you ever seen a deer? In what places are you most likely to encounter deer? When is a time you felt like a deer stuck in headlights? Would you ever eat deer? If you got in a fight with a deer, do you think you would win?

VOCAB: Antlers, Grazing, Charge 

Round 3

Have you ever swam in the Atlantic Ocean? Are you closer to the Atlantic or Pacific ocean? Have you ever flown across the Atlantic? What countries have the best access to the Atlantic? Would you rather get lost in the Atlantic or lost in space?

VOCAB: Ocean, Sea, Time Zone

Round 1

How can social media help your business advance? What industries are the most advanced now? What is a business you think will advance in the future? What’s the best way to advance in one’s career? What jobs are the easiest to advance in?

VOCAB: Proceed, Further, Improve 

Round 2

Do you have a debit card? Do you have a credit card? What’s the difference between a debit card and a credit card? What are some things you would want to put on debit instead of credit? How important is having a good credit score? How can you build your credit score?

VOCAB: Owed, Borrowed, Entry

Round 3

What are different methods of payment? How have payments changed over time? What payments do you make the most? What companies have great payment systems set up? Do you use any apps for payment? Would you rather receive work payments weekly, biweekly, or monthly?

VOCAB: Remittance, Settlement, Payable

Round 1

Do you know anyone who is demanding? What is something that has low supply and high demand? Have you ever demanded a raise? What is worth demanding for in life? Is there a high demand for labor in your country currently? 

VOCAB: Command, Insistence, Request

Round 2

Are you a nervous person? When have you been the most nervous in your life? What are some techniques you can employ to calm your nerves? Who is the most nervous person you know? Would you be nervous to give a big presentation? When is the last time you felt nervous? 

VOCAB: Anxious, Riddled, Hesitant

Round 3

What’s the fastest you’ve read a book cover to cover? Do you sleep with bed covers on? Have you ever had to cover for a friend who was lying? Have you ever had to pay a bill you couldn’t cover? Do you like cover music? 

VOCAB: Encasing, Dishonest, Broke

Round 1

What grocery store item do you almost always buy? What time do you wake up at almost every day? Who is someone you almost never see anymore? Have you ever almost gotten into an accident? What celebrity do you almost look like? 

VOCAB: Practically, Nearly, About

Round 2

Would you ever eat a live creature? What does your ideal living arrangement look like? What activities make you feel the most alive? Do you prefer living with someone or living alone? What does your living room look like? In your opinion, what is the meaning of life?

VOCAB: Alive, Roommates, Existential

Round 3

Have you ever had a career transition? What’s the best way to ask for a transition to a higher position in a company? Has your personality transitioned over time? What songs have great transitions? What period of your life was a difficult transition for you? 

VOCAB: Change, Shift, New

Round 1

Do you enjoy having a routine? What does your daily routine look like? Do you have a skincare or hair care routine? Was there a period in your life where you had no routine? What are some pros and cons to establishing a routine?

VOCAB: Schedule, Repeatedly, Structure 

Round 2

What food or drink will you never try again? Would you prefer to live somewhere where it never gets dark or where it never gets light? What activities will you never try? What job would you never do? Who is someone you would never trust? 

VOCAB: Once, Avoid, Exposure 

Round 3

Do you make a lot of mistakes? Have you ever been mistaken for someone else? What should you do when you realize you’ve made a mistake? Is it okay to make mistakes? What’s the most recent mistake you’ve made? 

VOCAB: Fault, Error, Inaccuracy

Round 1

Do you have a big family or a small family? How would you describe your direct family? Do you prefer spending more time with your friends or your family? Who do you get along with best in your family? What is something valuable your family has taught you?

VOCAB: Parents, Siblings, Lesson 

Round 2

Describe your best friend; What is their name? How long have you been friends? Where did you first meet? When did you know they were your best friend? How often do you talk to them? What do you like to do together? 

VOCAB: Bestie, Longevity, Connection 

Round 3

Have you ever lived with roommates before? What activities did you do the most before the age of 16? Do you prefer eating before or after you exercise? What are some things you do before you fall asleep? What should everybody know before they get married? 

VOCAB: Prior, Preparation, Foresee

Round 1

When you picture a fulfilled person, what image comes to mind? What’s the last image you took on your phone? What’s your favorite image? Do you believe your image on camera resembles what you look like in real life? Who in your life is the perfect image of responsibility?

VOCAB: Representation, Likeness, Perception

Round 2

Who is a friend that always makes you feel welcome? Do you own a welcome mat? What places do you feel the most welcome? Have you ever thrown a welcome home party? Have you ever welcomed someone at the airport?

VOCAB: Safe, Celebration, Greeted

Round 3

What is the first object that comes to mind when you think of the color purple? Do you know anyone whose favorite color is purple? Do you own any purple clothes? Do you like how purple hair looks? What items in your house are the color purple?

VOCAB: Color, Shade, Hairstyle

Round 1

Which family member do you trust the most? Which friend do you trust the most? Are you a trusting person? Can trust be rebuilt after it’s been broken? How can you tell when someone is lying? Would you rather be overly trusting or overly suspicious?

VOCAB: Honest, Believe, Naïve

Round 2

How often do you ride the bus? Is it expensive to ride the bus in your country? Do you prefer taking a bus or another mode of transportation? Are buses in your country relatively empty or full of people? Do you think we’ll have buses 200 years from now?

VOCAB: Transport, Cost, Flying

Round 3

Do you like classical music? What are some good classic movies? What are the best classic novels? Do you know any classic car models? What’s your classic outfit?

VOCAB: Quality, Outstanding, Typical

Round 1

What type of movies do you prefer? What is your communication preference? Do you have any strong food preferences? Do you prefer partying with friends or relaxing with friends? Do you prefer cooking or ordering food? 

VOCAB: Choose, Like, Enjoy 

Round 2

Did you get good grades in school? What subject would you get the best grades in? Alternatively, in what subject did you receive your worst grades? Give yourself a grade for the following categories: friendships, career, relationships. Did you have any nicknames in grade school? 

VOCAB: Teachers, Report card, Rating

Round 3

Do you ever use lotion? What is a lotion scent you really like? How expensive is lotion in your country? How are lotions marketed? Do lotions in your country use any harsh chemicals? 

VOCAB: Skincare, Smooth, BPA-free

Round 1

What’s an invoice? Have you ever had to keep track of invoices before? Who keeps track of invoices at a business typically? Why is it important to keep track of your invoices? What are some synonyms for the word ‘invoice’?

VOCAB: Sum, Bill, Due

Round 2

What is a target demographic? Why would a business have a target demographic? What demographics do you fall under? Who would the demographic be for a company selling expensive herbal teas? Do you think demographics are more important in advertising or sales? 

VOCAB: Populations, Statistical, Characteristics 

Round 3

Have you ever received a certificate before? Will obtaining a certificate help a small business? What type of businesses would some certificate of authenticity need to be shown? Would it be better for a company to receive a certificate proving their impeccable cleanliness or their exemplary customer service? Would you ever receive a certificate to help further your career?

VOCAB: Document, Proof, Guarantee

Round 1

Do you like video games? How often do you play video games? Do you believe video games are too violent? Do you think video games will be the most popular form of entertainment soon? How do you think video games will evolve? What is your favorite video game?

VOCAB: Innovation, Tech-savvy, Futuristic

Round 2

What has been the best experience of your life? What was your scariest experience? What is something you’re very experienced at? Did you have a positive childhood experience? What experiences are you looking forward to in the future?

VOCAB: Circumstance, Worldliness, Philosophical

Round 3

What activities do you consider risky? Are you a person who likes taking risks? Would you ever make risky investments? What are some advantages to being a risk taker? What are some disadvantages? What risk has paid off the best for you? 

VOCAB: Chance, Bold, Failure

Round 1

How important is caring for the environment? What does the environment provide for us? What is currently harming the environment? Do you litter? What do you think about environmentalists? What steps can we take to reduce environmental damage?

VOCAB: Trash, Deforestation, Climate 

Round 2

What events occurred in the 2000’s that stand out? What was the style like? What was your favorite song that came out of the 2000’s? Did any big life events happen to you in that decade? What was the best movie of the 2000’s?

VOCAB: Generation, Present, Pop

Round 3

Do you like wearing jeans? In your country, is it common for people to wear jeans? Do you prefer long jeans or short jeans? What do you think about jeans with holes cut in them? What places are appropriate to wear jeans to?

VOCAB: Clothing, Material, Comfort

Round 1

When is the last time you used Google? How does Google compare to other search engines? What is the last thing you Googled? Do you think Google will be more or less popular in the future? Have you ever Googled yourself?

VOCAB: Searched, Optimized, Access 

Round 2

How often do you get into fights? Did you ever fight with your siblings? What do you think about fighting for entertainment? Are you a more verbal or physical fighter? Have you ever seen a school fight?

VOCAB: Hit, Slap, Punch

Round 3

Would you ever live on an island? What is the best part about island life? Have you ever visited/lived on an island? What 3 items would you bring to an island? What activities would you do if you lived on an island? 

VOCAB: Hawaii, Sunset, Scenic

Round 1 

How can social media help your business advance? What industries are the most advanced now? What is a business you think will advance in the future? What’s the best way to advance in one’s career? What jobs are the easiest to advance in?

VOCAB: Proceed, Further, Improve 

Round 2

Do you have a debit card? Do you have a credit card? What’s the difference between a debit card and a credit card? What are some things you would want to put on debit instead of credit? How important is having a good credit score? How can you build your credit score?

VOCAB: Owed, Borrowed, Entry

Round 3

What are the different methods of payment? How have payments changed over time? What payments do you make the most? What companies have great payment systems set up? Do you use any apps for payment? Would you rather receive work payments weekly, biweekly, or monthly?

VOCAB: Remittance, Settlement, Payable

Round 1 - TRADITIONS AND CELEBRATIONS

Are there any traditional stories in your culture? Who are some traditional characters in your culture? How do you feel about traditions in general? Are traditions very important in your country? What is the next holiday to be celebrated in your culture? Is it celebrated as a family or a group? Does your family celebrate this holiday?

Vocabulary:
customary, community building, heritage

Round 2 - HOBBIES AND EXCERCISE

Do you think a hobby is different from a sport? Are there any hobbies you would like to try?
Are there any dangerous hobbies? Are there any hobbies you can do in other countries, but not your own? Which hobbies do you think are the most difficult? Do you have a routine of exercise? What do you usually do? Do you think people benefit from doing exercise? How?

Vocabulary:
implement, consistency, relief

Round 3 - TRAVELING

Are you afraid of going abroad alone? Could you live in another country for the rest of your life?
Describe the most interesting person you met on one of your travels. What was your best trip?
What was your worst trip? What country do you most want to visit? Why? Do you think you will ever go there?

Vocabulary:
personal growth, leisure, intend to

Round 1

Do you talk a lot? Do you usually talk more with friends or family? Do you prefer to talk or listen? When is the last time you chatted with a friend? If you could talk to one person in the world, alive or dead, who would you speak to? What would you say? 

VOCAB: Converse, Chat, Talker 

Round 2

Are you an understanding person? What is something difficult for you to understand? What person understands you the most? Have you ever felt misunderstood? Do you think kids are easy to understand? 

VOCAB: Comprehend, Grasp, Misinterpret

Round 3

What is the most amazing thing about the brain? Do you think you have a big brain? What are the coolest displays of brain power you’ve seen/heard? Do you think our brains will ever be hooked up to computers? When do we use our brains the most?

VOCAB: Mind, Intelligence, IQ

Round 1

Do you like frozen yogurt? What are the best frozen foods in your country? When is the last time you felt freezing cold? Do you use your freezer or your stovetop more? Do you think you would run, fight, or freeze in a moment of intense panic?

VOCAB: Ice, Ice over, Shivering

Round 2

When is the last time you felt confused? What do you do when you are confused while in an important setting? What language is the most confusing to you and why? What book or show is too confusing for your liking? Do you find it confusing to assemble furniture by yourself?

VOCAB: Perplexing, Bewildering, Baffle

Round 3

Who’s the most confident person you know? From 1-10, how confident are you? What clothes make you feel confident? What’s the most confident you’ve ever felt? What is a task you’re confident you can do well?

VOCAB: Assured, Positive, Unperturbed

Round 1

What are some really boring activities? When was the last time you felt super bored? Have you ever met a really boring person? What is the most boring book you’ve ever read? Is it good to be bored sometimes?

VOCAB: Tedious, Dull, Monotonous

Round 2

Are you good at sports? What are 3 good things you can do to help someone? What foods taste good? What is some good advice? Do you have good neighbors? Who is a good actor?

VOCAB: Talented, Satisfactory, Pleasant

Round 3

Are you good at keeping secrets? Have you ever told someone’s secret before? What type of things do you keep secret when dating someone new? If you won the lottery, would you tell everyone or keep it a secret? How much of your real life do you keep secret from your online friends and followers?

VOCAB: Lie, Hidden, Privacy

Round 1

Do you enjoy spending time alone? When is the last time you felt alone? Do you think human beings are alone in the universe? How old were you when you started staying home alone? Do you live alone?

VOCAB: Solitude, Independence, Lonely

Round 2

Do you like walking? What’s the most you’ve ever walked in one go? What places around you are within walking distance? Who’s your favorite person to go on a walk with? Do you prefer walking or running? 

VOCAB: Stroll, Pace, Peruse

Round 3

What is an affordable restaurant that you like? If you could afford any car, which one would you buy? What is the most unaffordable thing you own? What are some dishes you make yourself so that they’re more affordable? What takes up more time than you can afford to give?

VOCAB: Enough, Pay, Livable

Round 1

How much do you value comfort? Who do you turn to for comfort when you feel sad? What is your comfort food? How often do you try to step out of your comfort zone? How do you deal with people who get too close for comfort?

Vocabulary:
Coziness, snug, awkward

Round 2

Do you think it's better for children to grow up in the city or the countryside? Do you feel like you've grown up a lot in the past few years? What were your aspirations when you were growing up? How much do you think the world changed while you were growing up? Can you think of a specific moment when you felt like you had truly grown up?

Vocabulary:
naïve, evolving, realizations

Round 3

Do you exercise regularly? Is it better to exercise in a gym or outside? Where do you prefer to exercise? Why? Why do you think some people prefer to exercise in a gym? Why do you think some people prefer to exercise outside? What do you think are the best exercises for people to do at home?

Vocabulary:
To be active, healthy, laziness

Round 1

When you go to someone's house, what do you look at? In your culture, what is customary for visitors to do when they get to someone’s home? What is expected of the host? Do you like having people over, or do you prefer to meet your friends in a public place (restaurants, bars, malls, etc.)? Did you have many parties growing up?

Vocabulary:
Inviting (adjective), intimate, impersonal

Round 2

Are there many museums and cultural centers where you live? Do you usually visit museums and cultural centers when you travel? What museum would you like to visit? What do you think about these places? Is it important to preserve and celebrate the history and culture of a place?

Vocabulary:
Antiquities, cultural inheritance, preservation

Round 3

Do you think online education will end up replacing traditional classroom education or complement it? Do you think artificial intelligence will end up making our lives easier or more difficult? Will the rise of renewable energy end up saving our planet or being too late to make a difference? Have you ever ended up learning something valuable from a mistake?

Vocabulary:
Lead to, state of the art, personal growth

Round 1

Do you think you use your time wisely? How do you organize your day? Do you usually have enough time in the day to get everything done? How important is it to plan your time well when working? What are the consequences of not planning our time carefully? What are the benefits of planning our time well?

Vocabulary:
Coordinate, multi-task, overwhelm

Round 2

Are people motivated more through fear or reward? Can you think of any examples where you have been motivated by fear? Can you think of any examples where you have been motivated by reward? What could be the negative effects of motivation by fear?

Vocabulary:
boost, encouragement, disincentive

Round 3

How much paid holiday should employees be entitled to? How many days of paid holiday do you get every year? Do you think you should get more time off on paid holiday?
Do you think paid holidays should be the same for all employees? Do you think paid holidays should increase the longer you work for a company? What is the least amount of paid holiday you have ever had?

Vocabulary:
Sabbatical, leave, downtime

Round 1

What books would you read? What's better, traditional books or E-books? Do you have an e-reader? Are some types of books better with an e-reader? Why have e-readers become so popular? Are there fewer bookshops where you live compared to when you were a child? What are the benefits of traditional paperback and hardback books?

Vocabulary:
Convenient, affordable, hefty

Round 2

Have you ever had trouble getting on with someone at work? Do you think it's important to get on with your co-workers? What do you think is the key to getting on with your in-laws?
Have you ever found it difficult to get on with your responsibilities at home? Have you ever been part of a group where everyone was able to get on well together? What made it work?

Vocabulary:
Diplomacy, compromise, relationships

Round 3

Do you know anyone who has been under the weather recently? When was the last time you felt under the weather? What do you usually do when you're feeling under the weather? Do you think being under the weather affects our mood? Do you think it's necessary for people to take time off when they're feeling a bit under the weather?

Vocabulary:
Illness, mental health, self-care

Round 1 - World Cultures

Do you know much about your own culture? What do you like about your culture? What don't you like about 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 surprised you when you 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?

Vocabulary:
Inheritance, culture shock, culture norms

Round 2 - Family & Friends

Are friends more important than family? What do you think? What makes a person a good friend, a friend for life, or a life mate? What was the most important thing your parents taught you? Can you think of examples of countries that have different cultural values regarding the importance of family? Should children help with the housework? Should parents give their children an allowance?

Vocabulary:
endearment, connection, social roles

Round 3 - Health & Wellness

Do you think you have a healthy lifestyle? Is it possible to have a healthy lifestyle in the modern world? Why do many people try to have a healthy lifestyle? What is the main purpose of it? Do you think it’s all about food? Do you pay much attention to what you eat? Do you think it is more important for you to eat healthy or tasty food? What else do you consider to be important parts of a healthy lifestyle?

Vocabulary:
Selfcare, wholeness, regimen

Round 1

Do you like learning English? When did you start learning English? Why do you continue to learn and practice English? Why do you think some people like learning English and others hate it?
What problems would you have if you didn't know any English? How has knowing English helped you in your life so far? Are you happy with your current level of English?

Vocabulary:
Career, brush up on, focus

Round 2

Do you think people ever stop growing up? Can you think of a time when someone you knew acted in an immature or irresponsible way, and you wanted to tell them to "grow up"? Do you think it's possible for someone to "grow up" too quickly or too slowly? How do you think people's experiences and environment can affect their process of growing up?

Vocabulary:
Childish, responsibilities, circumstances

Round 3

What bad habit would you like to break? Are you used to getting up early? What kind of movies did you use to watch when you were younger? Do you think you could get used to a vegetarian or vegan diet? Are you used to driving on the left or right side of the road? Should people try to get used to a new culture quickly, or take their time to adjust?

Vocabulary:
Routine, tendency, adjustment period

Round 1

Do you think time travel will ever be possible? If time travel was possible, would you prefer to travel to the past or the future? Why? What was better in the past, what is better now? Is there any music from the past that you like to listen to? What's your favorite type of music to listen to? Why do you think some people hate modern music?

Vocabulary:
Modern, influence, generation

Round 2

Would you describe yourself as an emotional person? How do you think society as a whole can help people express their emotions which they usually keep bottled up? Would you say people are more emotional now than 50 years ago? What are the benefits of not expressing your emotions? Can kindness make you happy?

Vocabulary:
Sensitive, emotional intelligence, empathy

Round 3

Have you ever ended up in a place you never expected to be? Where do you think you will end up living in the future? Have you ever ended up doing something you never thought you would do? How do you usually end up spending your weekends? Will social media end up bringing people closer together or further apart?

Vocabulary:
Result, lead to, evolve

Round 1

Do you think that, overall, humans treat animals well? Why do humans treat their pets like human beings? Do you think animals should be used for entertainment? How did we use to use animals for work in the past? What do you think we should do to start treating animals better?

Vocabulary:
Treat, mistreat, entertainment

Round 2

What gets on your nerves? What would you say irritates you the most? Do you do anything that gets on people's nerves? Have you ever told someone to stop doing something because it gets on your nerves? How would you feel if someone told you that you do something that really irritates or annoys them?

Vocabulary:
Annoy, irritate, can’t stand (somebody/something)

Round 3

What are some popular road trip routes or destinations in your country? Have you ever gotten lost on a road trip? How did you find your way back? What is your favorite thing about road trips? Do you think road trips are a good way to explore a new country? Why or why not?

Vocabulary:
Route, adventure, hit the road

Round 1

Why do you think people like having hobbies? What hobby would you like to take on? What are the benefits of having a hobby? Can you think of a really boring hobby? Can you think of a really dangerous hobby? What do your hobbies do for you?

Vocabulary:
Enjoyable, take up, leisurely

Round 2

Do you believe in luck? Do you believe objects can bring you good luck? Do you believe objects can bring bad luck? Do you have any objects or similar items that you think give you good luck?
What typical items can you think of that people believe give them good luck?

Vocabulary:
Tradition, superstition, lucky/good luck charm

Round 3

Do you think learning foreign languages will be more or less important in the future? Do you speak any foreign languages apart from English? If yes, which languages and why? How do you think technology can help people in the future who don’t speak the same language? Do you think the need for learning foreign languages will be the same in the future as it is now?

Vocabulary:
Alternative, converse, uncommon

Round 1

What is the most beautiful city you have ever visited? Is English the most important language to learn in today's world? Who is the funniest person you know? In your opinion, who is the most memorable sportsperson of all time? What is the best book you have ever read? What is the most interesting historical event in your country's history?

Vocabulary:
unmatched, unparalleled, unforgettable

Round 2

Have you ever taken a cold shower? How did it feel? Do you think taking cold showers regularly can be beneficial for your health? Why or why not? Do you think taking cold showers is more of a physical or mental challenge? How long do you think you could stay in a cold shower? What type of person do you think would benefit most from cold showers?

Vocabulary:
Challenging, metabolism, refreshing

Round 3

Have you ever been on a road trip? If so, where did you go and who did you go with? What are the good and bad things about going on a road trip? What are some essential items that you would bring with you on a road trip? Do you think everyone needs to take a road trip at least once in their lifetime?

Vocabulary:
escapade, memorable, stressful

Round 1

What do you think is more difficult, learning a new language or a musical instrument? Do you think it's easier to make friends in person or online? What do you think is more beneficial for your health, exercise or a balanced diet?

Vocabulary:
much, far, can’t hold a candle to

Round 2

If you could have any superpower, what would you do with it? What would be the first thing you would do if you won the lottery? If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? If you could be any famous person for a day, who would you be and why? If you could time travel, what era would you visit and why?

Vocabulary:
Hypothetically, likelihood, unimaginable

Round 3

Can you think of any instances where you had to agree with someone you actually disagreed with? In what ways do you agree with your family's values and beliefs? Do you agree with the saying "agree to disagree"? Why or why not? How do you handle it when someone you respect disagrees with you? Do you agree with the statement that money can't buy happiness?

Vocabulary:
disappointment, opinionated, judgemental

Round 1

Which is more enjoyable, watching a movie at home or going to the cinema? What do you think is more dangerous, driving a car or riding a motorcycle? Do you think it's easier to make a decision alone or in a group? Which is more valuable, money or time? Do you think it's better to have a few close friends or many casual friends?

Vocabulary:
By far, indifferent, interchangeable

Round 2

If you could create a new invention, what would it be and how would it change the world? If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose and why? If you could meet anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you talk about? If you could relive a moment from History, what would it be and why? If you could have any job in the world, what would it be and why?

Vocabulary:
creativity, life-changing, relevant

Round 3

Would you rather have a job that involves travel or one that keeps you in the same place? Would you rather have a conversation in person or over the phone? Would you rather take a relaxing vacation or an adventurous one? Would you rather work for a big company or a small one?
Would you rather go to the cinema or watch a movie at home? Would you rather have a large family or a small one?

Vocabulary:
Have a liking, fondness, my cup of tea

Round 1

Is it more challenging to learn a new language as an adult or as a child? Would you say it's more satisfying to achieve a personal goal or to help someone else achieve theirs? Would you say it's more stressful to be a student or to be employed? Do you think it's more advantageous to pursue higher education or to gain work experience?

Vocabulary:
In contrast, likewise, whereas

Round 2

Name someone you consider successful. What makes them successful? Money, fame, happiness? Put the following elements in order of priority: happiness, family, work, relaxation, spouse, exercise, and health. What do you consider a healthy relationship with success? What do you think contributed to your personal successes?

Vocabulary:
Conquest, growth, triumph

Round 3
What social networking sites do you use? What are some advantages of social networks?
What are the disadvantages? What kind of information are you comfortable sharing online?
Do you think parents should allow children to use social networking sites? Do you think social networks have come to stay?

Vocabulary:
privacy, communication, trustworthy

Round 1 - Entertainment 

What is entertainment? What do you do for entertainment? How often do you do things for entertainment? What home entertainment equipment do you have? Do you like entertaining friends at home? Who is the most entertaining person you know? Do you spend a lot of money on entertainment? What is your favorite form of entertainment? Would you like to work in the entertainment industry? What are the characteristics of a good entertainer?

Vocabulary:
amusing, congenial, pleasing

Round 2 - Business

What makes a business important? Do you have your own business? Would you like to own one? Do you think every company should prepare a budget for income and expenses? Do you need assistance when it comes to technology? Do you think technology is a must for a business to grow? Would you invite outside consultants to train your staff? What one thing can take a business to a higher level?

Vocabulary:
expertise, management, relevance

Round 3 - Arts

Why do you enjoy art? Why is art important? Have you ever gone to an exhibition? Do you know any art galleries? Were you interested in art when you were young? In your opinion, is design an important part of a culture? Can you tell me the name of a fashion designer you know? Do you consider photography an art form? Why do artists like to draw women's figures?

Vocabulary:
aesthetic, curation, inspiration

Round 1

What is the best way to deal with angry customers? Have you ever had to deal with an angry customer or client? Why do you think some customers become so angry? What general approach do you think a business should take towards angry customers? Do you think it is ever possible to turn an angry customer into a happy customer?

Vocabulary:
Approach, damage limitation, priority

Round 2

Should companies have to pay employees who are off work sick? When was the last time you were off sick from work? Did you still get paid? Do you think the government should be responsible for paying people who are sick and can't work? Should a company be able to fire someone who is off work sick a lot?

Vocabulary:
benefit, entitlement, prevention

Round 3
What's the best way to keep employees motivated? What motivates you in your job? Can you think of any good ideas to help keep employees motivated? Do you believe motivated employees do more work? Do you think businesses should do more to keep their employees motivated?

Vocabulary:
performance, satisfaction, productivity

Round 1

What makes an excellent eating-out experience? What restaurants do you like to go to? Why? What restaurants don’t you like to go to? Why? Apart from the food, what other factors do you think go into creating a customer experience at a restaurant? Can you think of a restaurant where you had an outstanding customer experience?

Vocabulary:
patron, accommodating, inclusiveness

Round 2

Do you believe that "we are what we eat?" How many meals a day do you think people should eat? Do you usually eat at home or eat at a restaurant? Can you name a spice or flavoring that is good for your health? What meal do you think you could eat forever? Have you ever eaten something that made you ill?

Vocabulary:
Balance, clean eating, allergies

Round 3

What are some of the benefits of getting older? Do you think humans will ever be able to stop aging? Is aging more difficult for men or women? Why? Which celebrities have aged well? Are older people actually wiser? What kind of support should children give their aging parents?

Vocabulary:
Age discrimination, neglect, longevity

Round 1

What kind of style of buildings do you like? (Traditional, Modern, Crazy, Functional, etc.) What do you think of your country’s architecture? Is it better to build concrete block buildings that are cheap, easy to build and all look the same, or more expensive buildings that have a varied design? What kind of construction would be ideal for a house, in your opinion? How much does architecture affect people’s moods?

Vocabulary:
sustainability, aesthetics, classic

Round 2

Do you think it is important to follow a country’s customs when you visit it? What are some of the most important customs of your country? Do you follow all of your country’s traditional customs? What are some strange foreign customs that you have heard of? Are there any customs in your country visitors might find strange?

Vocabulary:
tradition, convention, enrichment

Round 3

What comes to mind when you hear the term ‘natural disasters’? What was the last natural disaster you saw on TV? Are there often natural disasters in your country? Do you think natural disasters are happening more frequently in the world today? What’s the best natural disaster movie you’ve ever seen?

Vocabulary:
calamity, forces of nature, environment

Round 1

Do you prefer to have many friends or just a few that you are close to? What are the benefits of having just a few close friends? How about the benefits of having many friends? Are you close friends with anyone you knew in elementary school? Why do people need friends? What can happen if a person has no friends? What is the biggest thing you have done to help a friend (or that a friend has done for you)?

Vocabulary:
partnership, reliability, compromise

Round 2

How often do you plan things? Why? What are your plans for the weekend? What are your plans for your English? What do you think of this quote: “Having no plan is a plan to fail”? Are you a person who plans out your next steps, or do you “leave it to chance”? Do you think it’s important to have any backup plans?

Vocabulary:
Methodical, spontaneous, strategist

Round 3

What are the best kinds of stories? Who told you stories when you were a child? What kind of stories did they tell? What is a traditional story in your culture? Do you like stories that teach the listener something? Do you prefer reading, listening, or watching stories? What is your favorite story?

Vocabulary:
tales, original, tedious

Round 1

Do you think you have a good head for business? What kind of business would you like to start? Do you think anyone can start their own business? What are the dangers of having your own business? Would you include your own name in your business name? Do you think you’d be a tough person to work for?

Vocabulary:
Discipline, drive, diligence

Round 2

Do you have performance reviews in your company? How often? How do you feel about them? What do your performance reviews cover? How important do you think appraisals are? What happens if you have a good/bad appraisal? How do you feel about feedback about yourself?

Vocabulary:
Assessment, criticism, mindset

Round 3

What is your opinion on investing? What investments do you have? Why? Are you a conservative or risky investor? Why? What do you consider to be a bad investment? Why? If you had $1000 to invest, what would you do?

Vocabulary:
Growth, dividends, interest

Round 1

What is the quality of the environment in your country? What kind of environmental policies does your country have/need? How important is the natural environment to you in your daily life? Are you environmentally friendly? Do you think our environment is beyond repair? Do you think international meetings on the environment are useful?

Vocabulary:
Sustainability, greenwashing, green-blushing

Round 2

Do you prefer traditional weddings or modern weddings? What are some common wedding customs in your country? Do you think marriage is necessary for a committed relationship? What do you think the role of parents should be in planning a wedding? What are some things you should never do at a wedding? Do you think it is better for weddings to be held outdoors or indoors?

Vocabulary:
Tie the knot (idiom), lavish, reception

Round 3

Do you think you depend too much on technology in your personal and professional life? How much do you depend on your friends, family, or partner for emotional support? In what ways do you depend upon your community or society for resources and opportunities? How much do you depend on your own abilities, skills, and knowledge to succeed in life? Do you think it is important to depend on your routine, habits, and schedule to feel organized and productive?

Vocabulary:
Hinge on, rely upon, revolve around

Round 1

What annoys you about living where you live now? What annoys you about taking trains to work? What annoys you about driving a car? What annoys (annoyed) you most about living at home with your family? Do you think you have habits that annoy other people? Do you get annoyed when someone cuts in front of you when you are waiting in line? What are some new pet peeves you have as a result of recent technology (i.e. cell phone use)?

Vocabulary:
Vexed, peeved, exasperated

Round 2
Do you think it's important for people to follow their passions even if it's not practical? Why or why not? What advice would you give a friend who aspires to be an artist? What are some steps people can take to pursue a dream while still balancing other responsibilities? How important is it for people to have support from family and friends when pursuing their dreams? Why? What are some potential risks and benefits of pursuing a career in the arts?

Vocabulary:
Being proactive, chasing a dream, realistic

Round 3

What makes it easy to talk to someone? What traits do you look for in a conversation partner? Talk about your favorite types of conversations to have. What do you talk about? Have you ever had a great conversation with a complete stranger? What made it so great? What did you talk about? What are some good habits you have in conversation? What are some bad traits you have in conversations?

Vocabulary:
Oversharing, blabbing, small talk

Round 1

Do you like to travel by airplane? What was the longest flight you have ever taken? What seat do you prefer: window, center, or aisle? Why? What are three things you're supposed to do before the flight takes off? What do you like to do during the flight? What do you do when you experience turbulence? Have you ever met anyone or established any relationships during a flight? Can you sleep during the flight?

Vocabulary:
Instability, cabin crew, long-haul flight

Round 2

Can you drive a car? Can you drive a manual shift car? How old were you when you first learned to drive? Was there anything difficult about learning to drive? Which do you like best, a standard or automatic shift car? What are the advantages of owning a car? What are the disadvantages of owning a car? Are you a good driver? Have you ever driven a car in a foreign country?

Vocabulary:
Maneuver, gridlock, transmission

Round 3

Do you like spending time at home? Where do you live and lived before? Who do you live with?
When you were a child, did you have to share a bedroom with your siblings? How did you feel about that? Which part of town do you currently live in? What are good and bad areas to live in in your town? What would be your ideal living arrangement?

Vocabulary:
Cramped, spacious, high-risk

Round 1

Have you ever been backpacking? What are the advantages of backpacking? Is backpacking better than taking a package holiday? What do you think when you see backpackers in your country? Is backpacking generally something for younger people? Do you think backpacking is done only by those with little money? How do you think backpacking around the world would change a person?

Vocabulary:
Affordable, bold, abandonment

Round 2

Do you like birthdays? What’s the best and worst birthday you’ve ever had? Do you know how people celebrate birthdays in other countries? What’s the best birthday present you’ve ever been given? What present would you like for your next birthday? In English people wish those whose birthday it is “many happy returns”. What do you think this means? What do you do on people’s birthdays in your country that you think doesn’t happen in other countries?

Vocabulary:
bash, blast, honor

Round 3

Are you ambitious? Is it important to have ambitions? Who is the most ambitious person you know? What were your ambitions when you were a child? Can ambitions be dangerous? What ambitions do you have that you think you’ll realize and what ambitions do you have that you won’t realize?

Vocabulary:
aspiration, initiative, enthusiasm

Round 1

How safe are your passwords? How secure would you say your passwords are on a scale of one to ten, one being very weak and ten being very secure? Why do you think people use weak passwords? How do you think hackers find out what your user details and passwords are? Have you ever had an account hacked? If so, what did you do about it? What do you think is the most secure way to manage your passwords?

Vocabulary:
Susceptible, vulnerable, exposed

Round 2

If you could change one thing about your current house to make it more comfortable, what would it be? How difficult is it to get a mortgage and buy your own house in your country? How many generations should live together do you think? When is a good time for children to move out of their parents' house? Have you ever shared a house/flat with your friends? Was it a good experience?

Vocabulary:
Ground rules, boundaries, communal

Round 3

What is creativity? Do you consider yourself a creative person? Why? What is something creative that you have done? Is creativity a good thing? Why or why not? What are some ways that a person can be creative? Is taking a risk part of creativity? Do you like to take risks? Give an example. Do you often ask about the way things work? Do you like to improve things?

Vocabulary:
Wonder, inquiry, satisfy curiosity

Round 1

Do you think the use of facial recognition technology in society is a good thing? Have you ever used facial recognition software? Do you think using facial recognition is safer than a password for unlocking your phone? Do you think cameras with facial recognition technology will be commonplace in the future? Are you worried about your face being scanned when you are walking around town?

Vocabulary:
Concerning, privacy, identity theft

Round 2

What do you think is the best activity that connects people together? Are there any activities that you think have a negative effect on your connection with others? What other benefits come with doing activities that connect people together? Do you think you can build a connection with people doing activities online?

Vocabulary:
Willingness, rapport, confidently

Round 3

What social networks do you use? Do you think social networks should be allowed to ban people? If yes, under what circumstances? If not, why not? Do you think social networks should be held responsible for content uploaded by their users? What problems can you see happening if social networks start to become liable for their users' content?

Vocabulary:
Liable, censor, ban

Round 1

Do you think more people go to university now than they did in the past? Did you attend college?
If you did, what made you decide to go to the college you did? Was it a good school? Did you prefer small classes or big classes? Was it harder to study in college than in high school? How does college compare to high school? What advice would you give a high school student who is about to go to college?

Vocabulary:
Major, specialize, discipline

Round 2

Is buying property a good investment? Would you invest in property if you had money to invest?
Apart from property, what other ways can people choose to invest their money? What investments are riskier than property? What investments are safer than property? What are the risk factors associated with investing in property?

Vocabulary:
Return, reward, long-term

Round 3

Would you say that you are fashion-conscious? How important is fashion in your life? Why do you think some people think keeping up with the latest fashion is so important? Would you say keeping up with the latest fashion is expensive? How much influence do celebrities or influencers have over your fashion choices? If you had enough money, would you buy expensive designer clothes?

Vocabulary:
Trendy, show off, influence

Round 1

Do you usually remember your dreams? Why or why not? Do you usually have recurring dreams? Talk about a recurring dream that you have had in the past. Do you think dreams are important? Should people try to interpret their dreams? Do you generally have pleasant dreams or nightmares?

Vocabulary:
Sleep like a log, subconscious, irrelevant

Round 2

Do you think our education system is outdated? Do you think the current educational system in your country is good? What would you like to change about it? What do you think should be kept? What systems should be put in place to ensure the educational system stays relevant in the future?

Vocabulary:
Relevant, take a back seat to, stay up to date

Round 3

Do you think that the news is necessary? Why or why not? What would the world be like without news? Do you think the news tells us just information without giving its opinion? Should the news give an opinion? Do you think the news influences people too much? Do you think people need to know all of the news? What do people not need to know? What was the most memorable news you ever watched?

Vocabulary:
Informative, impersonal, memorable

Round 1

If you could be anyone in the world, who would you be? If you had a chance to meet anyone - dead or alive - who would you want to meet? If you went back in time, what year would you go to? If you had a special power, what would you be able to do? If you stopped studying English, would your life change? If you had to move to a different house now, how would you feel?

Vocabulary:
Hypothetically, on the spot, assume

Round 2

Do you ever text, check social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), or e-mail while you are walking or driving? Have you ever seen somebody do something dangerous while texting and walking or driving? What percentage of traffic accidents do you think are the result of distracted driving? Is texting while driving as dangerous as drunk driving? How can society discourage people from letting their phone distract them while walking or driving? Do you think education alone is enough to eliminate distracted driving?

Vocabulary:
Inattentive, absorbed, preoccupied

Round 3

When do you make a lot of noise? What noises do you like and dislike? What do you think of noise pollution? Do you worry about strange noises when you’re in bed? Can you enter your house and sneak into your room without making a noise? What’s the most terrifying noise you can think of? Where is it common to hear background noise and what do you think of it?

Vocabulary:
Racket, rattle, babble

Round 1

Have you or someone you know ever claimed unemployment benefits? What was the experience like? Do you think unemployment benefits discourage people from finding a job? What unemployment benefits are people entitled to in your country? Do you agree with them? What role do you think education and job training play in reducing unemployment rates and helping people find work?

Vocabulary:
Redundancy, claim, make ends meet
Round 2

What are some of the different ways that businesses can raise finance? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of equity financing and debt financing? How can businesses ensure that they obtain financing at a reasonable interest rate? How important is it for businesses to have a good credit rating when trying to raise finance? What role do venture capitalists and angel investors play in raising finance for startups?

Vocabulary:
Capital, strategic, pay off

Round 3

What kind of person do you need to be to work in a stock market? Do you pay any attention to the ups and downs of the stock market? How important are stock markets to the world economy? Do you think it's risky to invest in the stock market? Is the stock market in your country healthy? What causes stock market crashes?

Vocabulary:
Market capitalization, ruthless, dividends

Round 1

What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘neighbor’? Are you neighborly? What kind of neighbors don’t you like? Do you trust your neighbors? Do you have nosy neighbors? Do “high fences make good neighbors”? What are the biggest problems among neighbors? Would you like to live next door to your boss?

Vocabulary:
Intrusive, seclusion, boundary

Round 2

Is patience important? What kinds of people do you have little or no patience with? When during the day is your patience at its lowest and why? Why do people say ‘patience is a virtue’? How can you increase your patience? Do you think you’re getting more patient or impatient as you get older?

Vocabulary:
Resignation, composure, restraint

Round 3

How much television do you watch every day? Are you happy with the programs on TV? Does television kill conversation in your family? Does violence on television make young people more violent? How will television change over the next few decades? What is there too much of on television? How long can you sit watching TV?

Vocabulary:
Flick through, zone out, tune in

Round 1

Do you like souvenirs? What are the best souvenirs people can buy from your country? How long do you keep souvenirs before throwing them away? Are souvenirs ever useful? Do you like shopping for souvenirs or is it too much hassle? What do you think of souvenir shops at airports? Does the word ‘souvenir’ suggest something cheap or expensive?

Vocabulary:
Memento, keepsake, token

Round 2

Is it difficult for you to do things with your hands? Are you all thumbs? When you’re at your desk, what things do you need at your fingertips? Have you ever burnt your fingers by investing money unwisely? What expensive items have you bought that cost an arm and a leg? Do you mind having second-hand things? Have you been in a situation that got out of hand and you could no longer control it?

Vocabulary:
Extravagant, mastery, clumbsiness

Round 3

When was the last time you took something apart? What was it and how old were you? When did you last have to take back something you had said? Have you ever taken something back to a shop? What was it and why? Can you tell us a time when you had to take on new responsibilities in your job or family? What was the last hobby you took up?

Vocabulary:
Destroy, refund, retract

Round 1

Do you like adventure? In what way is learning English an adventure for you? Who would you like to have a big adventure with? Do you think your idea of adventure is the same as your parents’ ideas and your grandparents’ ideas? Does there have to be an element of danger in an adventure? What adventures would you like to go on in the future?

Vocabulary:
Fearlessness, audacity, cowardice

Round 2

Do you always have time to eat what you want for breakfast? How important is having breakfast? Do you watch breakfast television? Do you make your own breakfast? What is a traditional breakfast in your country? What is different about eating breakfast at restaurants, cafés or fast food restaurants? Do you like having breakfast in bed?

Vocabulary:
fasting, brunch, routine

Round 3

How is health care in your country? Is the health care in your country getting better or worse? Is health care in your country free for some people? Which country do you think has the best health care? Which is better, private or public health care? Are health care workers well paid in your country? Do you ever think about health care for when you are old?

Vocabulary:
insurance, treatment, medicine

Round 1

Do you drink a lot of coffee? How much coffee have you had today? Do you take anything with your coffee? How has the popularity of coffee and coffee culture evolved over time? What are the health benefits of drinking coffee? What are the potential downsides or risks of consuming too much coffee? Can coffee have different effects on individuals depending on their genetics or personal health history?

Vocabulary:
Caffeneited, vitality, restless

Round 2

What three adjectives would you use to describe today’s youth? What aspects of today’s youth make you hopeful about the future? Which aspects make you worry? Do you have any wild and crazy stories from your youth? What’s the thing you hated most about your youth? What is the fountain of youth in your opinion?

Vocabulary:
Fledging, juvenile, prime of life

Round 3

How have your sleeping patterns changed over the years? Is it possible to sleep so much it’s unhealthy? What do you do in the minutes before you sleep? What do you do when you can’t sleep? Do you ever talk in your sleep or sleepwalk? Where is the strangest place you have ever slept? Does your mind ever work overtime when you’re trying to sleep? Would you like to sleep like a baby?

Vocabulary:
Uneasy, restless, soothing

Round 1

What do you think about superstition? How do you think some superstitions started? What symbols in your culture bring good luck? Why is that? Do you have any objects that are said to bring good luck, such as a rabbit’s foot, a lucky coin, etc.? What can you do to prevent bad things from happening? Do you believe that some materials are lucky/unlucky (such as gold, silk, etc.)?

Vocabulary:
Folklore, beliefs, gullible

Round 2

Is a vegan diet healthy? Do you know anyone who is vegan? Do you think you could eat a vegan diet? What would be most difficult for you if you ate a vegan diet? Why do you think people decide to eat a vegan diet? What aspects of a vegan diet do you think are beneficial?

Vocabulary:
Sustainable, wholesome, restrictive

Round 3

In what ways do you agree with your family's values and beliefs? Do you agree with the saying "agree to disagree"? Why or why not? How do you handle it when someone you respect disagrees with you? Do you agree with the statement that money can't buy happiness? In what ways do you agree with the moral values of your culture or community? Do you think it's important to try to understand the perspective of someone you don't agree with?

Vocabulary:
See eye to eye, sympathize, acknowledge

Round 1

Should testing on animals be banned? Do you check if products have been tested on animals before buying them? Do you think animal testing should be allowed for cosmetic products? Why do you think some people are completely against any kind of animal testing? What would the negative effect be if animal testing was banned?

Vocabulary:
Side effect, illegal, ban

Round 2

What is your favorite form of art? Do you know a professional artist? What is your opinion on some abstract pieces of art? Do you find them artistic? Do you think you should get money with your artwork to be considered an artist? What is your opinion about the prices of some masterpieces? What makes them so expensive? What do you think you would do if you found a masterpiece in the attic? Would you keep it?

Vocabulary:
Talented, overrated, symbolism

Round 3

Do you protect yourself from the sun? Do you like the feeling of the sun on your skin? What do you think of the idea of sitting on a sun-drenched beach for a few weeks? Do you think the sun will one day provide us with all of our energy needs? Do you ever get tired of the sun? Are people who live in sunny places happier than those who don’t?

Vocabulary:
Warm, scorching, sunbathing

Round 1

How varied are your reading/literary tastes? Do you like reading in English? Are you better in English at reading or listening? Is reading the book better than watching the movie? What new books have you read recently? Do you like reading stories to children? How different do you think reading will be in the future?

Vocabulary:
Scan, skim, pause

Round 2

How important are oceans? Would you like a job as an oceanographer? What’s the scariest thing about oceans? What are the most beautiful creatures living in the oceans? How do the oceans affect the weather? What’s the difference between an ocean and a sea? What fun things can you do in the ocean? Do you have different images of the different oceans in the world?

Vocabulary:
Sea spray, seashore, unknown

Round 3

o you think people are less sociable as a result of modern technology? Do you think people need in-person contact with others? Are you less sociable now than in the past? Why? What could be the consequences of being less sociable? Do you prefer to meet people in person or online?

Vocabulary:
Approachable, timid, mingle

Round 1

Would you say you spend too much time doing unnecessary things? Which activities usually consume a lot of your time? What strategies do you use to save time during the day? Are you usually on time for appointments? In your culture, is it polite to always show up on time, or to show up a little late? How important is time in your culture? Do you think people in America are too concerned with time?

Vocabulary:
punctuality, time-consuming, efficiently

Round 2

Are you good at saving money? Are you a price-conscious shopper? What kind of things do you often shop for? What kinds of things are you saving your money for? Is it easier for you to spend money on yourself or others? Who takes care of the money in your family's home? What qualities must a person have to make "big money"?

Vocabulary:
thrifty, tight-fisted, generous

Round 3

How do you like to spend your free time? If you had more free time, what would you do with it?
Where do young people in this country usually spend their free time? Would you like to have more free time? What would you like to give up so that you could have more free time? Do men and women spend their free time differently? How?

Vocabulary:
leisure, unwind, take it easy

Round 1

How often do you plan things? Why? What are your plans for the next 5, 10, or 20 years? What are your plans for your career? Do you have any backup plans? Do you have an easier time planning long-term goals or short-term ones? Have you ever planned a party or a special event? Was it easier or harder than you imagined?

Vocabulary:
prepare, design, map out

Round 2

What type of child were you? Were you a naughty child? Quiet child? Clever child? If you have siblings, what kind of children were they? Did you behave differently at school versus at home when you were a child? Why or why not? Did you ever get into trouble when you were a kid? What happened? When you were younger, were your classmates a good or bad influence? Why? How should parents deal with misbehavior? Why?

Vocabulary:
daunting, conduct, convenience

Round 3

What magazines or newspapers do you usually buy? Do you believe everything you read about them? Do you think celebrity scandals help sell magazines and newspapers? Which magazines and newspapers print celebrity scandals in your country? How do you think it feels for celebrities to read false stories about themselves?

Vocabulary:
isolation, separation, discretion

Round 1

Have you visited other countries (besides the country where you live now)? What country/countries have you visited ? Did you discover any customs or traditions that were different from your home country’s customs? Have you heard of any other strange foreign customs or traditions? Is it necessary/advisable/recommended to follow other countries’ customs?

Vocabulary:
patrimony, background, acquaint

Round 2

Have you noticed any changes in your community recently in regard to the environment? Would you ever consider cutting back on meat to help the planet? Why or why not? Would you ever consider going zero-waste? Would you spend more money for ethically sourced clothing? Why or why not?

Vocabulary:
Survival, preservation, continuity

Round 3

What make is your phone? How long have you had it? When you buy a mobile phone, which features matter most: a top quality camera, GPS, MP3 player? How many text messages do you send every day? Do you think there should be public Wi-Fi in all public buildings?
What's your favorite app? Would you say you're addicted to your mobile or the Internet?
How do you feel when you leave your mobile at home?

Vocabulary:
Cellular data, device, connectivity

Round 1

If you could start your own business, what kind of business would you start? Do you know anyone who has started their own business? Is entrepreneurship a popular dream in your country? Where do most people shop in your country: local businesses or big businesses? Do you think it is important to support small businesses? Why or why not?

Vocabulary:
boutique, operation, mom-an-pop

Round 2

What type of local businesses do you go to? Why? Do you think it’s worthwhile for small businesses to have a social media presence? Why or why not? What are the pros and cons of owning your own business? Is it better to be a boss or an employee? If you were to start your own business, what steps would you have to take?

Vocabulary:
entrepreneur, engagement, branding

Round 3

What kind of people are good at business? Is it easy to start a business in your country? What business skills do you have? Would you prefer to start a “bricks ‘n’ mortar” business or an Internet business? What would be your motto in business? What kind of office would you like? Who is your business hero?

Vocabulary:
conventional, bureaucracy, foot traffic

Round 1

What do you think of job interviews? What do you do before a job interview? What should you wear to a job interview? Why do people get nervous in job interviews? What difficult questions do you have in an interview? What are your strong points in job interviews? What are your weak points in job interviews? Is it important to ask questions in interviews?

Vocabulary: 

evaluation, assessment, investigation

 
Round 2

Do you like your name(s)? What does your name mean? Why did your parents choose that name for you? What is the coolest name in the world? If you could change your name, what would you change it to? What names do you really dislike? Are boys' names better than girls' names or is it the other way around? What are good names to give to pets?

Vocabulary: 

identity, nickname, unique

 
Round 3

Are you a morning person? What do you like doing in the morning? Are you grumpy in the morning? Do you like watching morning TV shows or listening to morning radio shows? Is morning the best time to study and get things done? What happens in your town early in the morning? How does it wake up? What do you do early morning, mid-morning and late morning?

Vocabulary: 

dawn, daybreak, sunrise

Round 1

Do you and your family have different fashion tastes? Why or why not? What do you think fashion will look like in the next ten years or so? Why? Why do you think people like designer brands? Are you a fan of any designer brands? What’s most important to you when buying new clothes and why? Do you like to accessorize? If you could only wear one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it be, and why?

Vocabulary:
wardrobe, trendy, must-have

Round 2
What new thing would you like to try but haven’t yet? Do you ever try to step out of your comfort zone? What are the benefits and dangers of doing new things? What are the benefits of sticking with what you know? Any disadvantages? Do you have any spontaneous ideas that could try for 30 days?

Vocabulary:
Safe place, provoke, endeavor

Round 3

What's your favorite social media site? How often do you use it? What do you use the Internet for? How often do you go online? What's your favorite website? Do you usually bookmark the websites you like? Do you have a laptop, a tablet, or a desktop? Are you a techie?

Vocabulary:
expert, savvy, technophobe

Round 1

Do you agree that traveling is a luxury not everyone can afford? How do you satisfy your wanderlust when you can't travel? Do you have any tips for those who love to travel but can't embark on a trip at the moment? Have you ever crossed something off your bucket list? What was it, and how did it feel to accomplish that goal?

Vocabulary:
Expedition, globetrotter, itchy feet

Round 2

Is there a lot of crime in your city? What are the most common crimes in your town/city? Do you have trials by jury in your country? Is it a good system? Do you think there is more crime now than in the past? Why? Are the drinking and driving laws too strict in your country? Is downloading music or films a crime?

Vocabulary:
Conviction, custody, imprisonment

Round 3

What kinds of things do you complain about? When was the last time you complained about something? Have you ever written a letter or e-mail of complaint? Do you like complaining? What is your complaining style – polite or aggressive? Do you think complaining relieves stress? Have you ever got a better service after you’ve complained?

Vocabulary:
Grumble, protest, make a fuss

Round 1

Are you interested in news from other countries? When did you first become interested in current events? Do you ever read or listen to the news in English? Would you prefer to study English using news materials or textbooks? Which area of current events would you like to be more knowledgeable about?

Vocabulary:
Up-to-date, data, account

Round 2

Do you like looking through the paper in the morning? How often do you look up a word in a dictionary? Do you think we should look after our parents when they get old and sick? Who did you look up to when you were a child? Can you remember the last time you looked for something you had lost and couldn’t find it?

Vocabulary:
Search, care for, admire

Round 3

Are good manners important? Do people have better manners today than in the past?
Can you give examples of what you think are good manners? What do you think are bad manners? What's the best way to teach manners to children? Can good manners in one country be bad manners in another country? What advice about manners would you give a foreigner visiting your country?

Vocabulary:
Politeness, etiquette, formality

Round 1

Is it necessary to prepare for a job interview? How can a person make a good first impression?
Is there a recommended dress code for an interview? Can you think of any difficult questions one should be prepared for? Is there anything a candidate should avoid mentioning? What information should a candidate have about the company?

Vocabulary:
Embarrassment, opportunity, reliability

Round 2

What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘drone'? Would you like to learn to fly a drone? Have you seen people flying drones? What do you think might be fun about flying a drone? What would you like to do with a drone if you had one? How safe are drones? Do you think people should have a license to fly drones?

Vocabulary:
Remote pilots, surveillance, invasion of privacy

Round 3

What are the 5 most important decisions in a person's life? It is impossible to have a successful career and a happy family life. Do you think people who want to be successful must choose between one and the other?

Vocabulary:
Compromise, drive, the bigger picture

Round 1

How would you describe empathy to someone who didn't know the meaning? Can empathy be taught or is it a natural ability? How do you show empathy to others? Do you think the subject of empathy should be taught in schools? Does the lack of empathy contribute to social and political conflicts?

Vocabulary:
Compassionate, standing in someone else's shoes (idiom), thoughtful

Round 2

Do you think lying is always wrong, or are there situations where it can be justified? Is it ever ethical to lie in order to protect someone's feelings? How do you feel when you catch someone in a lie? Do you think lying is more common in certain professions or industries? Have you ever been lied to by someone you trusted? How did you react?

Vocabulary:
White lie, dishonest, cheat

Round 3

Have you ever taken a taxi? How do you usually book a taxi? How much do taxis cost in your city? What are the benefits of taking a taxi as opposed to other forms of transport? What is the downside of taking a taxi compared to other forms of transport? Have you ever had a bad experience with a taxi driver?

Vocabulary:
Convenience, expensive, regulation

Round 1

Have you ever been to an Ikea store? If so, what did you think of it? What is the most important factor for you when buying furniture? Should furniture be built to last a long time or be disposable? Have you ever built furniture yourself? How did it go? Is it better to buy furniture from a big brand like Ikea or from local artisans?

Vocabulary:
Affordable, put together (phrasal verb), flat-pack furniture (phrase)

Round 2

Are you a morning person? What characteristics does a morning person have? Why do you think some people are morning people and others are not? Do you know anyone who is definitely a morning person? What makes him/her a morning person? Is it good to be a morning person?

Vocabulary:
early bird (idiom), energize, peaceful

Round 3

What is a phobia? What’s the difference between a phobia and a fear? Do you think people are developing new phobias? Do you have any phobias? How can someone confront and overcome a phobia?

Vocabulary:
Panic, distress, unease

Round 1

Is it better to grow up in the city or the country? Did you grow up in the city or the country? What were the good things about growing up where you did? What were the bad things about growing up where you did? What problems can children have living in the city? What problems can children have living in the country?

Vocabulary:
Bring up, grow up, countryside

Round 2

What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘mystery’? What are the mysteries of the world? Is English ever a mystery to you? Do you like reading mysteries or watching mystery movies? Are the people you know sometimes a mystery to you? Is it good to have some mystery in our lives? Would you be a good detective in solving mysteries?

Vocabulary:
Puzzle, enigma, conundrum

Round 3

Do you think the media have too much power? What are the good and bad things about the media in your country? Do you like the fact that today, media coverage of world events is instantaneous and extensive? Do you always believe the media? How is today’s media different from that of 30 years ago?

Vocabulary:
Voice, communication, vehicle

Round 1

Is knowledge important? What subject are you most knowledgeable about? What subject would you like to be most knowledgeable about? People say knowledge is power – is this true? Is all knowledge useful? How is your general knowledge? Are you good at quizzes?

Vocabulary:
Expertise, critical thinking, misunderstanding

Round 2

Do you think journalism is different in different countries around the world? What kind of journalism are you most interested in? What do you think of journalists who report in war zones? What kind of people are good at journalism? Do you think people can make a lot of money from journalism? Do you think investigative journalism would be interesting?

Vocabulary:
Reporting, analysis, inquiry

Round 3

Are you good at reading maps? Are you good at drawing maps? Have you ever used Google Earth to make a map? What do you think when you look at a map of your country? Have you ever followed a map that was in a language different from your own? Do you think maps look good hanging on living room walls? Do you think maps of museums and art galleries are always easy to understand?

Vocabulary:
Orientation, guidance, objective

Round 1

What do you think the main benefits of setting goals are? How about the disadvantages, do you think there are any when setting a life goal? Do you think the type of life goals people set depends on their age? In what way? Which goals do you think there are the main life ones people tend to set? What advice would you give to anyone who needs to set a life goal?

Vocabulary:
Ambition, design, achievable

Round 2

Are you a competitive person? Why/why not? Why are some people very competitive? Is competition good for us? Do you like competitive people? In what way is education similar to a competition in your country? Do you think life is a competition? Do we learn to be competitive or are we born competitive?

Vocabulary:
Rivalry, struggle, sympathy

Round 3

What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘freedom’? Do you have as much freedom as you want in your life? Do you have as much freedom as you want in your country? In what ways does your country take away your freedom? Was there a time in your life when you had a lack of freedom? Is everyone in your country equally free?

Vocabulary:
Equity, fairness, privilege

Round 1

What are the pros and cons of remote jobs? Would you like to work remotely? Are some jobs more beneficial for remote work than others? Do you think there are more benefits to the worker or the employer? Will the number of people working from home increase in the next 10 years?

Vocabulary:
Telework, telecommuting, freelancing

Round 2

What are some of the different ways that businesses can raise finance? What are some of the risks associated with raising finance? How can businesses mitigate these risks? Should businesses be allowed to raise funds through crowdfunding platforms? Can businesses rely solely on internal funding (e.g. reinvesting profits) or is external financing necessary for growth?

Vocabulary:
Capital, pay off (phrasal verb), terms and conditions

Round 3

Do traditional marketing techniques still work? What traditional marketing techniques can you think of? What benefits do traditional marketing techniques have over online marketing? What type of businesses do you think can benefit more from these traditional methods? Is there any type of business that would only benefit from traditional marketing techniques and not online marketing?

Vocabulary:
Advertise, audience, beneficial

Round 1

How often do you use your mobile phone? Are mobile phones harmful to family relations? What age do you think people use mobile phones the most? What are the benefits mobile phones give to families? What are the negative effects mobile phones have on relationships?

Vocabulary:
Addiction, downside, upside

Round 2

How much of a barrier do you think language is? How is our language different from animal language? Do you think that one day there will be just one language in the world? Would the world be a better place? Does language make the personalities of each nationality different? Do you think body language is universal? Would you like to learn sign language?

Vocabulary:
Dialect, expression, communication

Round 3

What is globalization? Could globalization have happened without the Internet? How would your life be different if globalization hadn’t happened? What do you think of the concept of a global village? Has globalization improved people’s lives? Do you think globalization could end in a world with just one giant country?

Vocabulary:
Extension, borders, barriers

Round 1

When was the last time you felt under the weather? What do you usually do when you're feeling under the weather? Do you think it's necessary for people to take time off when they're feeling a bit under the weather? Do you find that you are less productive at work when you're feeling under the weather? Would you say it's better to take medicine when you're under the weather or let your body recover naturally?

Vocabulary:
Indisposed, out of sorts, not up to par

Round 2

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘bored’? Are you bored learning English? Is school boring? Why or why not? What’s the most boring thing you have to do? Describe a boring movie you watched. What do you do when you get bored?

Vocabulary:
Dull, tedious, repetitive

Round 3

Have you ever been to any kind of festival? Do they celebrate any festival where you live? What kind of festivals have you attended? What kind of things do you enjoy about festivals? Why do you think some people don't enjoy festivals?

Vocabulary:
Attend, crowd, ritual

Round 1

Do you like change? What's the biggest change you've made in your life? Was it good/bad? Are you good at dealing with change? Do you think change is important? What is the biggest change this world needs? What things in your life would you hate to change? What advice would you give to someone who hates change?

Vocabulary:
Adjustment, innovation, adaptation

Round 2

Do you know a lot about computers? Do you think computers will always look similar to the way they do now (a screen with a keyboard)? What would you miss most if your computer was taken away? Would you like to take a course in computer science? Do you think it’s cool to be a nerd or computer geek? What would you like computers to do that they can’t do now?

Vocabulary:
Robotics, coding, artificial intelligence

Round 3

What is the greatest invention ever? What invention would you like to invent? What is Mother Nature’s greatest invention? What does ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ mean? Do you agree with it? What is the world’s most useless invention? How was the world different before the wheel was invented? Do you think the person who invented the atomic bomb was happy with his discovery?

Vocabulary:
Ingenuity, gadget, newness

Round 1

Do you own a bicycle? What are the advantages of a bicycle over a car? Do you think people will ever stop using bicycles? Do you think cyclists are dangerous? Do you think governments should require people to pass a cycling proficiency test before being allowed to ride a bicycle on roads? Should cyclists always wear protective gear? Are there traffic laws for cyclists in your country?

Vocabulary:
Right of way, hazardous, convenience

Round 2

How much energy do you use every day? Do you try to save energy? What do you think of the world’s hugely increasing energy needs? Do you think solar cells, wind farms, tidal power, hydropower, and thermal energy will solve our future energy needs? How would the world be a better place if we used only clean energy? What do you think energy-efficient houses of the future will be like?

Vocabulary:
Conservation, automation, storage

Round 3

What comes to mind when you hear the term ‘old age’? Do you worry about your old age? What do you think old age is like? How will your life be different when you reach your old age? When does old age start? Is it important to prepare financially for old age? Does your government care for people in old age?

Vocabulary:
Phased-in retirement, fiscal sustainability, well-being

Round 1

Do you get angry with other drivers? Have you ever been a victim of road rage? Is road rage worse in your country or in other countries? How should governments deal with road rage? How would you deal with an extremely angry motorist who was ranting and raving at you? Do you think road rage will become more or less common? Do you think it’s possible for someone to never get angry while driving?

Vocabulary:
Tantrum, rampage, blowout

Round 2

How do you think overpopulation affects the environment and society? What are some of the causes of overpopulation? How does population growth impact the economy and the environment? Should governments control population growth? What are the pros and cons of government policies aimed at managing population growth? How can we ensure that resources are distributed fairly among the growing population?

Vocabulary:
Excess, cramming, overdevelopment

Round 3

How important is science? Is science always good? Do you always trust science? Were you good at science at school? What science projects or experiments did you like at school? Would you donate your body to science after you die? Why is science becoming less and less popular in schools? What do you hope the next big discovery in science will be?

Vocabulary:
Method, factual, unbiased

Round 1

Do you always have three meals a day? What’s your favorite meal of the day? Do you prefer meals alone, with one other person or with lots of people? What are the usual meal times in your country? Do you ever skip meals? Do you think it’s OK to eat between meals? Do you cook your own meals?

Vocabulary:
Consistency, balance, nourishing

Round 2

Do you consider yourself a procrastinator? Is procrastination always a bad thing? What tasks or projects do you typically procrastinate on? Why? What advice would you give to someone who struggles with procrastination? Would you say procrastination is a sign of laziness or a lack of motivation? Why or why not?

Vocabulary:
Delay, indecisive, put off

Round 3

Have you ever used a form of alternative medicine? What was your experience or what do you think it would be? If you have not used alternative medicine, are there any forms of it that you might consider using? Do you know anyone who uses alternative medicine on a regular basis? What do you think is the most common of alternative medicine? What do you know about it?

Vocabulary:
Heal, controversial, complementary

Round 1

American people like fast food for lunch and many use the drive-through. Is junk food popular in your country? What about drive-thrus? How many times a week would you say eating junk food is ok? What alternatives to junk food do you actually like? Do people in your country worry about what they eat?

Vocabulary:
Convenient, ultra-processed food, slow food

Round 2

In the USA there are hundreds of national parks like Yosemite, Grand Cayon, etc. Are there many national parks in your city? How often do you visit them? What do you think about these areas that are conserved and protected by local governments? Do you know what the Parks and Recreation Department does? How important are these institutions in your opinion?

Vocabulary:
Endangered landscapes, natural communities, species

Round 3

College sports are very popular in the USA. it is big business for colleges, but college athletes are prohibited from getting paid, because they are not professionals, but students. Colleges do make lots of money though. Do you think student-athletes should get paid? How is it in your country? Are there any college sports? Do they make a lot of money? Why do you think athletes deserve a salary? Do you think athletes are well-paid in your country?

Vocabulary:
Scholarships, excellence, agencies

Round 1

What are some essential qualities of a good parent? What are some effective ways to discipline a child? Should parents be legally required to take parenting classes before having children? What challenges do parents face today that didn't exist 100 years ago? Do you think parents should limit their children's use of technology and social media?

Vocabulary:
Discipline, look after (phrasal verb), positively

Round 2

Is it easy to get a job after graduation in your country? Should university education be free? How can educators and parents promote creativity in children? How would you compare the quality of education in your country to other countries? What makes a good teacher? Do you prefer public or private schools? Do you have any funny school stories? Is a university degree enough in your country to get a good job?

Vocabulary:
System, knowledge, uneducated

Round 3

What comes to mind when you think about your future? What fears do you have for the future? What futuristic things from science fiction movies do you want to happen in real life? Where do you see yourself ten, twenty, and fifty years from now? What do you think your life will be like in 2048? Imagine you could live twice as long. How would you use your time?

Vocabulary:
Prediction, unforeseeable, variables

Round 1

Would you like to redesign your home or your office? Do you know anything about interior design? Do you think you would look for a professional interior designer to redesign your home or your office? Why? What interior design style do you feel more attracted to? Is there any design style that you really dislike?

Vocabulary:
Spacious, enhanced, sophisticated

Round 2

Do you tend to get angry easily? In what situations is anger a good response to have? Do you know anyone who regularly loses their temper? What should people do to calm down when they are angry? Would you get angry if someone stole your mobile phone? What usually makes you angry?

Vocabulary:
Behavior, aggression, lose your temper

Round 3

What do you usually buy when you are at an airport? How many airports have you been to in your lifetime? What was your favorite airport? Why? Do you feel stressed when you are in an airport? What do you dislike the most about airports? If you were going to build a new airport, how would you make it better than the rest?

Vocabulary:
Frustrating, commonly, overpriced

Round 1

When was the last time you were at an airport? What was your experience like? Do you feel stressed when you are in an airport? What do you dislike the most about airports? Do you think products are overpriced at the airport? Do you usually buy food at the airport or take food with you from home? Have you ever had a really bad experience at an airport?

Vocabulary:
passport control, customs, make the most of something (idiom)

Round 2

What type of places do you like to go on vacation? What are some reasons to travel regularly on vacation? What's the best vacation you've ever been on? How do you feel when your vacation is over and you have to return to normality? What time of year do you prefer to go on vacation?

Vocabulary:
Destress, chill out, re-energize

Round 3

Do you like traveling on vacations? What’s the best way to travel, in your opinion? What essential items do you need to take with you on a vacation trip? Do you usually forget something when you travel? Have you ever forgotten your passport? What do you take with you that may be unusual? What is the most important thing to take when you travel?

Vocabulary:
Remember, remind, pack

Round 1

When was the last time you were at an airport? What was your experience like? Do you feel stressed when you are in an airport? What do you dislike the most about airports? Do you think products are overpriced at the airport? Do you usually buy food at the airport or take food with you from home? Have you ever had a really bad experience at an airport?

Vocabulary:
passport control, customs, make the most of something (idiom)

Round 2

What type of places do you like to go on vacation? What are some reasons to travel regularly on vacation? What's the best vacation you've ever been on? How do you feel when your vacation is over and you have to return to normality? What time of year do you prefer to go on vacation?

Vocabulary:
Destress, chill out, re-energize

Round 3

Do you like traveling on vacations? What’s the best way to travel, in your opinion? What essential items do you need to take with you on a vacation trip? Do you usually forget something when you travel? Have you ever forgotten your passport? What do you take with you that may be unusual? What is the most important thing to take when you travel?

Vocabulary:
Remember, remind, pack

Round 1

What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘qualification’? What are the minimum qualifications needed to do the job you have/want? What qualifications would you expect your English teacher to have? Do all qualifications need to be recognized by employers? Is it possible to be overqualified for a job (i.e. to have too many qualifications)?

Vocabulary:
Skillset, competence, overtrained

Round 2

What is marketing? What’s the best marketing campaign you know of? What’s the difference between marketing and advertising? Are marketing executives good at selling us exactly what we don’t really need? What do you think of the marketing strategies used in sports? Do expensive brands use different types of marketing for cheaper products?

Vocabulary:
Merchandise, promote, branding

Round 3

What do you think of management? How do you think management styles differ between countries? Have you ever complained to the management of a company, store, or restaurant? What good management techniques do you think you have? Do you think average workers have a better quality of life than those in management? Do you think working in environmental management would be interesting?

Vocabulary:
Be in charge of (phrasal verb), oversee, lead

Round 1

In America, “Thank you notes” are customary. They are a sign of good etiquette when thanking someone for a gift or inviting you to a dinner or a get-together at their home. What is it like where you live? Do people send ‘thank-you notes’? Is it customary for people to send a text message or a note on a piece of paper? Have you ever sent one? What was the occasion? Do you think thank you notes are necessary or an exaggeration?

Vocabulary:

Considerate, thoughtful, excessive

Round 2

Generally, American high schools have at least three dances during the school year: Homecoming, Winter semi-formal, and Prom. What is it like in your country? Do students have any official parties/dances in school? What was it like for you when you were in high school? Do you think social events are important at that age? What are the advantages of having formal events like these promoted by schools?

Vocabulary:

Gathering, blowout, formal

Round 3

These days cinemas in America sell popcorn, candy, half-gallon sodas, hot dogs, nachos, and ice cream for people to eat while watching the movie. What movie snacks are sold in your country? Are people allowed to snack in theaters where you live? What do you usually eat when you go to the cinema? Which foods do you think shouldn’t be allowed in a movie theater no matter what?

Vocabulary:

Crunchy, smelly, sweet-tooth

Round 1

Are you interested in the world of business? Do you think you have a good head for business? Do you think anyone can start their own business? What are the dangers of having your own business? Do you think you’d be a tough person to work for? What advice would you give to people starting in business?

Vocabulary:
Bootstrap, go into (phrasal verb), start up (phrasal verb)

Round 2

Who is your favorite entrepreneur? What did they do? Do you prefer to support local businesses over global corporations? Should the government do more to support small businesses and start-ups? What could they do? Do corporations have too much influence over the government in your country? Which types of business have the brightest future?

Vocabulary:
Employment law, platforms, bias

Round 3

Do you work in a competitive industry? Should a manager encourage competition between workers? Are competitive people more successful in general? Do you think competition always makes people more productive? Is competition between companies always a good thing? What happens when a company has no competition?

Vocabulary:
niche, convert (customers), oligopoly

Round 1

What’s the difference between art and design? When you buy a product, do you think about its design? Are you interested in architecture? Which buildings in your city were designed well? Are fashion designers artists? Are they making clothes to be worn or to be admired? Why are some people willing to pay so much for a piece of art? Do you go to art galleries or exhibitions?

Vocabulary:
Technique, craftsmanship, composition

Round 2

Do you like your neighborhood? What do you like about it? Have you met any of your neighbors? How did you meet? When someone moves into a neighborhood, is it customary in your culture for the people in the community to welcome them? Or are the new neighbors responsible for introducing themselves? Do you ever help your neighbors? Do they ever help you? How? Was there a greater 'sense of community’ between neighbors in the past? If so, what has changed?

Vocabulary:
Hospitality, amicable, goodwill

Round 3

Are you a hard worker? What motivates you to work? When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? If you could do one job, just for one day to learn what it is like, what would you do? Where is the best place to look for work these days? What qualities should a good boss have?

Vocabulary:
Drive, ambition, purpose

Round 1

Do you have any hobbies? What are they? How much free time do you usually have? What do you like to do in your free time? Do you prefer to relax or to be active? Do you collect anything? If so, when did you start collecting? How large is your collection? What kinds of things do people usually collect? Do you like to learn new skills? Can you give an example of something that you have learned to do that is not related to your work?

Vocabulary:
Leisure, amusement, brain break

Round 2

A bucket list is a list of experiences a person would like to have before they die. Have you ever thought about this topic? Have you made a list on paper or in your mind? Which country, city, or town have you always wanted to travel to? Why do you want to visit that place? Is there a food that you have always wanted to try? What is it? Will you get the chance to eat it? Is there something that you would like to see with your own eyes? Some people dream of flying a plane or playing a musical instrument. Is there something that you would like to learn to do before you die? What is it?

Vocabulary:
Aspiration, resolution, fulfillment

Round 3

Have you ever lived in a dormitory or other accommodation with shared facilities? How was that experience? Have you ever lived with a roommate? Did you get along well? What kind of problems did you have? Have you ever lived in a foreign country? What kind of housing did you stay in? How was it similar or different from housing in your country? Do you like staying in hotels or do you prefer your home? How important is the style or appearance of the inside of a home?

Vocabulary:
Seclusion, retreat, impersonal

Round 1

In America, “Thank you notes” are customary. They are a sign of good etiquette when thanking someone for a gift or inviting you to a dinner or a get-together at their home. What is it like where you live? Do people send ‘thank-you notes’? Is it customary for people to send a text message or a note on a piece of paper? Have you ever sent one? What was the occasion? Do you think thank you notes are necessary or an exaggeration?

Vocabulary:

Considerate, thoughtful, excessive

Round 2

Generally, American high schools have at least three dances during the school year: Homecoming, Winter semi-formal, and Prom. What is it like in your country? Do students have any official parties/dances in school? What was it like for you when you were in high school? Do you think social events are important at that age? What are the advantages of having formal events like these promoted by schools?

Vocabulary:

Gathering, blowout, formal

Round 3

These days cinemas in America sell popcorn, candy, half-gallon sodas, hot dogs, nachos, and ice cream for people to eat while watching the movie. What movie snacks are sold in your country? Are people allowed to snack in theaters where you live? What do you usually eat when you go to the cinema? Which foods do you think shouldn’t be allowed in a movie theater no matter what?

Vocabulary:

Crunchy, smelly, sweet-tooth

Round 1

Do you know the names of all the planets in our solar system in English? Have you ever looked into space with a telescope? What did you see? Can you see many stars in the sky from where you live? Where is the best place to do some stargazing? People talk about feeling ‘wonder’ when they look up at the stars at night. Do you feel this sense of wonder? What is ‘wonder’? Do you enjoy space-themed movies or TV shows?

Vocabulary:
Celestial bodies, observation, stargazing

Round 2

Do you get enough sleep? If not, what stops you from sleeping enough? How many hours of sleep should a person get each day? Does everybody need about the same amount? Are you a night owl? If so, how late do you usually go to bed? What time do you like to wake up? Do you tend to sleep through the night without waking? If not, what usually wakes you up? What is your before-bed routine? Is there something you need to do in order to sleep?

Vocabulary:
Restful, insomnia, forty winks (informal)

Round 3

How often do you meet new people? How do you usually meet them? When you meet someone for the first time, how do you feel? How long does it take you to feel comfortable with a new person? What is the first thing you usually do or say when you meet a person for the first time? Do you know any good ice-breaker questions? What does 'first impressions matter' mean? Do you agree?

Vocabulary:
Make acquaintance, rendezvous, cordial

Round 1

What kind of place do you live in now? How long have you been living there? What kind of house would you prefer to live in? Why? How expensive is housing in your city? Is the cost a problem for many people? Would you buy a house that was discounted because a murder took place there in the past? Why or why not? Do you like your home? What do you like about it? What don't you like about it?

Vocabulary:
Residence, settle, dwell

Round 2

Have you ever introduced yourself to a stranger in public? Why? What did you say? Have you ever met somebody and immediately hit it off? What made you get along so quickly? Have you ever been to a party where people were mingling? How good are you at circulating? Do you remember faces? If you have met a person, do you easily recognize them later? If you are walking down a street and see someone you think you know, do you always stop and say hello? Why or why not?

Vocabulary:
Work the room (idiom), fraternize, exchange

Round 3

How often do you cook your own food? Do you consider toasting bread, preparing instant noodles, or boiling an egg to be 'cooking'? Why or why not? Who did most of the cooking in your house when you were growing up? In many cultures, women cook more often than men. What it is like in your culture? Is cooking a social activity for you? Do you like to do it with other people, or do you prefer to do it alone?

Vocabulary:
Nourishment, gourmet, foodie

Round 1

Do you enjoy live music? Have you been to any concerts? Do you see buskers in your city? Do you enjoy it when musicians perform on the street? Does music have the power to change your mood? How does music affect you? Do you enjoy dancing? What kind of music is good to dance to? What kind of equipment do you use to listen to music? How much are you willing to spend on good sound quality?

Vocabulary:
Melody, pleasant, performance

Round 2

What's your favorite season? What do you like about it? What is the best season to visit your country? Does the place you live have four clearly different seasons? Do you shop for new clothes when the season changes? Do you enjoy seasonal foods? Which food do you look forward to each year? Do you spring-clean? What kinds of things do you do at that time?

Vocabulary:
Climate, periods, patterns

Round 3

Do you exercise? Why or why not? Some people exercise to feel relaxed. How does physical activity affect a person’s mental and emotional condition? People get exercise while playing sports. Which sports are the best for fitness? Do you have any exercise equipment in your home? How often do you use it? Are there many gyms in your town or city? How much does it cost to join a gym? Is it worth it?

Vocabulary:
Endurance, vitality, vigor

Round 1

Are you excited by new technology? What kinds of technology interest you? Is technology developing faster than it used to? Are you worried about being left behind? Advances in medical technology mean people are living longer. What are some of the downsides of this? How old do you hope to live? How do you feel if you forget your mobile phone and leave it somewhere? Which electronics brands do you trust most? Are you loyal to one brand?

Vocabulary:
Cutting-edge, automation, dependent

Round 2

Which languages should children learn at school? Why is learning a second language more difficult than the first? Could you teach your language to someone else? Can everybody learn a second language? Why are some people better at learning languages than others? How many languages do you know? Would you like to learn more?

Vocabulary:
Speech, accuracy, fluency

Round 3

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Or somewhere in the middle? What is charisma? Do you know any charismatic people? Can people change their personality if they want to? Do you know anybody who has changed theirs? Is your character similar to your mother's or father's character? In what ways are you like them, and in what ways are you different? Have you done any personality tests? Do you think personality is related to blood type?

Vocabulary:
Traits, charming, same wavelength

Round 1

Do you plan your life in detail, or do you prefer not to make plans? What long-term plans do you have? Are you a spontaneous person? What kind of things do you do suddenly? Do you often make impulse purchases, or do you think carefully when buying something? Do you like to have a plan B, for when something goes wrong with plan A? Do you have financial plans? How important is it to plan your financial future? Have you planned for your retirement? At what age should someone seriously plan their life after retirement?

Vocabulary:
Impromptu, groundwork, unpredictable

Round 2

Is it cost-effective to do your own cooking? Can you save money by cooking? Would you rather do the cooking or do the washing up afterwards? Do you use recipes to cook? If so, where do you get the best recipes? Do you get them from friends, family, online, or from cookbooks? Have you ever tried to prepare some food and just totally ruined it? What happened? Do you have a lot of cooking equipment? How often do you use it all? Do you have any pieces of equipment that you rarely use?

Vocabulary:
Home-cooked, haute cuisine, enthusiast

Round 3

Do you want to be famous? Why or why not? What would you rather be famous for? Entertainment or something else? Who are the most famous people around the world? What do they do that makes them famous? Who is someone that is famous only in your region or country? What are they known for? Are famous people usually good-looking? Who does NOT fit this stereotype? Does being famous generally mean that someone is wealthy or living a glamorous lifestyle?

Vocabulary:
Stardom, prestige, splendorous

Round 1

Who is the most famous person in your country right now? Who is the most famous person in the world today? Are there any famous people you really admire? Who are they? Did you admire someone famous when you were a child? Who was it? Would you like to be famous one day? What would you like to be famous for? If you could invite three famous people to dinner, who would they be? Who decides who becomes famous?

Vocabulary:
Notoriety, standout, stigma

Round 2

Do you think bad habits are easy or difficult to break? Why? What are some strategies you use to break a bad habit? Is it better to try to gradually reduce a bad habit or quit cold turkey? Should schools be responsible for teaching students about the dangers of bad habits, or is this the parents' responsibility? What role does stress play in developing bad habits?

Vocabulary:
give up (phrasal verb), kick the habit (phrase), cut back on (phrasal verb)

Round 3

Have you ever had to catch up on work after taking time off? What is the best way to catch up with someone you haven't seen in a long time? How do you catch up on news and current events that you missed? Do you think the internet is a good way to catch up on a TV show or movie series you missed? What are some good ways to catch up on missed learning opportunities or missed education?

Vocabulary:
Fall behind, make progress, update

Round 1

Which modes of transportation do you think are the most practical for getting around a city? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a smart car for city transportation? Have you ever ridden on an electric scooter? What was your experience like? What do you think are the benefits of riding a bicycle to move around a city? What do you think are the pros and cons of using a rickshaw for transportation in a modern city?

Vocabulary:
Go back and forth, travel to and from, getting around

Round 2

Are there any changes you would like to make to your current home? Do you enjoy doing DIY at home? How much do you care about the color scheme of your furniture and wallpaper? Is it always better to buy than to rent a house? Is it better to live in the city center or out of town? Would you like to live in a house in the middle of the countryside? Would you ever consider living in a mansion, a caravan, or a houseboat?

Vocabulary:
Color scheme, serene, ample

Round 3

What good habits do you have? What are some good habits that you would like to develop in the future? What are the benefits of having good habits? Is it better to form good habits through small, gradual changes or through drastic changes all at once? How do you motivate yourself to maintain good habits? How can someone turn a bad habit into a good habit?

Vocabulary:
Consistently, stick to (phrasal verb), actions speak louder than words (idiom)

Round 1

What sort of body language helps make a positive first impression in business? To make a good first impression, should you talk about yourself or about the other person? Can offering compliments help with a first impression? What compliments would be appropriate in a business situation? What sort of topics are appropriate when you first meet someone at a business event? To what extent do you judge people on how they dress in a business situation?

Vocabulary:
Amiable, forthcoming, first glance

Round 2

Have you ever traveled abroad on business yourself? When you visit another country, what is the first thing you try and learn about? Can you recall any ‘cultural misunderstandings’ you have experienced when dealing with people from abroad? What do you think it means to be ‘culturally aware’? Would you describe yourself as culturally aware? If you had to describe your country’s culture to a partner from abroad, how would you do it?

Vocabulary:
Behavior, clash, miscommunication

Round 3

What kind of service does a consultant typically provide? Why do companies choose to hire outside consultants? What benefits can they bring? Has your company ever hired a consultant? Was it a success? If you were a consultant, what changes would you recommend your company make to improve the business? How can a consultant ensure that they do not upset people with their criticisms?

Vocabulary:
Big-picture, outsider, point of view

Round 1

Are you a messy eater? What do you think when a person makes a lot of mess while eating? How often do you eat out? Is this a lot or a normal amount of times, in your opinion? What kind of restaurants do you like? Some people say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Agree or disagree? Do you snack? What is your favorite thing to snack on?

Vocabulary:
Gobble down, nibble on, ingest

Round 2

What characteristics have you inherited from your parents? Do you look like them? Do you behave like them? Does your family have any heirlooms? Will you inherit anything that has been in the family for a long time? What happens to old people in your family? Do they live with younger family members or move to a retirement home? How would you prefer to spend your old age? Are you so close to any of your friends that you consider them to be like family?

Vocabulary:
Take after, look after, pass (something) on

Round 3

How often do you travel by plane? Do you have a favorite airline? Why do you like it? Which is the best airport you have ever visited? What about the worst? Are you afraid of flying? Why do some people have this fear? Do you agree that air travel is the safest form of travel? How do you like to spend your time during a flight? Do you like to sit by the window or next to the aisle? Have you ever had a bad experience with turbulence?

Vocabulary:
Anxiety, jet lag, break out in a cold sweat

Round 1

Where do you watch videos more often? On a phone, computer, or television? What’s your favorite TV channel? Do you have a favorite TV show these days? Do you see every episode? How many hours of television do you watch each week? Is it too much? In your house, who watches the most television? What kind of shows do they watch? Watching a show or movie with friends or family can be fun. What have you enjoyed watching with other people? In your home, do people fight over the remote control? Do you like to have control of the television?

Vocabulary:
Binge-watching, spoilers, channel surfing

Round 2

Are there many immigrants in your country? Where do they come from? What kinds of jobs do immigrants typically do in your country? When did your ancestors arrive in your country or in your area? Do you know where they came from? What challenges do you think an immigrant faces in a new country? In what ways does immigration benefit a country?

Vocabulary:
Displacement, improvement, leave high and dry

Round 3

How much should university students pay for their tuition? Should international students pay the same fees as local students or more? Should there be university degrees in practical subjects like bricklaying or plumbing? Is the purpose of university education to prepare us for life or for work? Should universities focus more on teaching or on research? What is the best university in your country?

Vocabulary:
Financial aid, prerequisite, community college

Round 1

Do you prefer living in the town or in the country? Do you have a favorite place in your own town? Why do you like it? If you were the mayor, what changes would you make? What is the first thing a foreign visitor should do in your town? Do you prefer holidays in the country or in the city? Why? When you visit a new city, which places do you go to first? What is the most beautiful city you have ever visited?

Vocabulary:
Urban, suburb, hustle and bustle

Round 2

Where did you go on holiday last year? Do you prefer to visit cities or the countryside? Should a holiday be expensive? Is it better to go on holiday abroad or stay in your own country? Should you try and learn the local language of the country you visit? Are tourists ruining the environment? What is the best way to travel? By plane, ship, train, bus, or car? How many holidays per year should a person take?

Vocabulary:
Downtime, idleness, take a break

Round 3

Do you exercise? Why or why not? Some people exercise to feel relaxed. Why do you think that is? Which sports are the best for fitness? Do you have any exercise equipment in your home? How often do you use it? Are there many gyms in your town or city? How much does it cost to join a gym? Is it worth it? What kind of aerobic exercise do you get in your daily life? Do you walk or ride regularly? Do you take the stairs or use the elevator?

Vocabulary:
Couch-potato, conditioning, training

Round 1

Many Americans love and follow sports, the most popular being football, baseball, and basketball. Which sports are most important in your culture? Is it better to watch sporting events live or on the TV? What sporting events do you like to watch? Do you prefer to watch sporting events live in person or on the television? Are there some sporting events that you think are better to watch on television or in person?

Vocabulary:
Supporter, aficionado, enthusiast

Round 2

In the United States, there are a number of observed holidays where employees receive paid time off. Are there enough holidays in your country for which workers get a day or days off? What do you think is the most overrated holiday? Are there any special occasions or anniversaries you think deserve to be a public holiday but are not? Do you usually need a holiday after your holiday? Is it better to stay at home on holidays or go somewhere? Are holidays where the whole country is traveling stressful?

Vocabulary:
Federal holiday, long weekend, getaway

Round 3

Americans tend to value, frankness and openness in their dealings with other people. What is it like in your country? Is it possible to be frank and honest without sounding rude? Do you think that technology has made us more direct or more impolite? What do you think of people who beat around the bush? Are your someone who cuts to the chase? In which situations do you find it easier to be frank?

Vocabulary:
Direct, indirect, wordy

Round 1

People say that bravery is being scared of doing something and doing it anyway. Do you agree? Are you a brave person? What does the word ‘hero’ mean to you? Who are the heroes of your country or culture according to most people? Do you agree that those people are heroes? Do you have any personal heroes? What makes them special to you? If a person does something impressive in science, sport, or culture, should we consider them a hero?

Vocabulary:
Remarkable, life-altering, role model

Round 2

In which situations is it extra important to be polite? What are some good table manners? Is eavesdropping rude? What is good etiquette when visiting someone's home? How would you try to be a good visitor? Can having good manners help you become successful? How? Whose responsibility is it to teach children to be polite? Are there any kinds of polite behavior in your country that might surprise a foreigner? What should visitors to your country know about being polite?

Vocabulary:
Considerate, courteous, callous

Round 3

How much of what you do is for yourself? How much is it for other people? Do you like helping others? If you see a person that looks lost on the street, do you try to help them? Why or why not? Why or why not? Have you ever done volunteer work? If so, describe the work you did. What do you think about giving money to charity? When people are wealthy or successful, do they have a special responsibility to 'give back' and help others?

Vocabulary:
Altruism, philanthropy, generosity

Round 1

Do you wear a watch? How do you find out what time it is? Why does time seem to pass more quickly as you get older? Why do we set deadlines for work activities? Do you find them helpful? Is it important to get up and go to bed at the same time every day? How important is it for you to arrive on time when meeting another person? Do you ever feel anxious about being late for something? In general, do we have more or less free time than in the past?

Vocabulary:
Waste, spare, on schedule

Round 2

What is your favorite genre of film? What is more important, good actors or a good story? Are 21st-century films better than 20th-century ones? Have you ever watched a black-and-white film?
Should a historical film be historically accurate? Is it better to watch a film at home or at the cinema? What is the greatest film you have ever seen? Do great novels make great films? Why?

Vocabulary:
Movie buff, patron of the arts, moviegoer

Round 3

What type of transportation do you prefer? How do you get to work or school? How long is your commute? What do you do on your regular commute? Do you listen to something? Do you watch videos or play games? Do you read? What is the most environmentally friendly form of transportation? Do you get motion sickness? Which types of transportation make you feel sick?
What is good and bad about using public transport?

Vocabulary:
Queasiness, go back and forth, mobility

Round 1

What is the best aspect of your personality? Is there an aspect of your personality that you would like to change? Do we inherit our personality from our parents? Is our personality formed by the environment or by nature? Does being the oldest or youngest child in a family influence personality?
Does a person's personality depend on their nationality? Is it possible to not care at all about what other people think of you?

Vocabulary:
Temperament, singularity, disposition

Round 2

If there was one thing you could know about the future, what would it be? Do you think the earth will become overpopulated in the near future? Will human beings move to other planets one day? The global life expectancy is around 73 years. Will this increase in the future? In general, will life be easier or more difficult for the next generations? In general, are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future?

Vocabulary:
Prospective, imminent, eventual

Round 3

What book genres do you like? Do you like reading e-books? Do you think they are the future? Have you ever read a book in a foreign language? Would you like to? If you were to be stranded on a desert island, which three books would you take? Who would you say is the greatest writer in your country’s history? Who do you think is the greatest writer in world history? Do you think people should develop a reading habit? How many books do you read every year? Is it enough?

Vocabulary:
Bookworm, sporadically, distinguished (writer)

Round 1

Did you play video games as a child? What games did you play? Can a video game be educational in any way? Is it possible to learn practical skills from playing video games? Can playing video games help to relieve stress? Is video game addiction a big problem in modern society? Can violent video games make people violent in the real world?

Vocabulary:
Diversion, agitation, amusement

Round 2

Have you ever had a bad experience in a restaurant? What happened? Have you ever eaten anything very unusual in a restaurant? What was it? Would you like to eat out every day? Would this be healthy? Would you ever eat in a restaurant alone? Do you enjoy giving tips to waiting staff? Do you tip generously? Do expensive restaurants always serve better food? Which country serves the best cuisine in your opinion?

Vocabulary:
Ordeal, distress, awkward

Round 3

What does success mean to you personally? Can success be measured solely by financial wealth? How do you define success in your professional life? Do you think it's necessary to sacrifice work-life balance for career success? How important is failure when you try to achieve success? Who would you consider to be successful?

Vocabulary:
Outcome, fulfillment, attainment

Round 1

Have you seen any viral videos lately? What kinds of videos have been going around? Have you ever uploaded a video to a public website? What was in the video? How many views did it get? Do you have any favorite influencers? What kind of content do they make? Have you thought about making a streaming channel? Have you ever gotten stuck watching videos and found it difficult to sleep? What’s wrong with this kind of habit?

Vocabulary:
Platform, exposure, put on a show

Round 2

How do you think AI is currently being used in our daily lives? Can you think of any potential benefits of AI technology? Do you believe AI will replace human jobs in the future? How do you feel about AI-powered virtual assistants like Siri or Alexa? Can you think of any potential risks or dangers of relying heavily on AI?

Vocabulary:
Work out (phrasal verb), automate, game-changer

Round 3

How many vacation days do workers in your country usually get per year? Is it enough? How important is it to get along with co-workers? Is it a good idea to socialize with them outside work? Are you an ambitious person? What career goals do you have? What is the usual retirement age in your country? Should it be changed? Which professions are very well-paid these days? Why are those workers highly valued?

Vocabulary:
Kickback, resourceful, enthusiastic

Round 1

Do you like to cook dinner, or do you prefer to eat out? What is a traditional dinner in your country? What time do you usually eat dinner? Is it common to eat at that time in your country? Do you like going out for dinner with friends? What do you usually order for dinner if you are eating out? Do you like to try new foods for dinner, or do you prefer to stick with familiar foods? How important is dinner in your culture? Is it a time for socializing or just a time to eat?

Vocabulary:
Whip up (phrasal verb), dine, plate up (phrasal verbs)

Round 2

Do you like change? Are you afraid of it? What's the biggest change you've made in your life? Was it good or bad? Are you good at dealing with change? What has changed in your life compared to ten years ago? Is change always good? What has been your biggest life-changing event? What would you like to change about yourself? How has your society changed in the past decade?

Vocabulary:
to have a change of heart (idiom), to turn over a new leaf (idiom), out of the blue (idiom)

Round 3

What is your favorite thing to receive for a birthday present? Have you ever received a surprising or unexpected birthday gift? Do you prefer giving or receiving birthday presents? What is the most expensive birthday gift you have ever received? Do you think it's better to get many small gifts or one big gift for your birthday? Why?

Vocabulary:
Remembrance, generosity, handcrafted

Round 1

What does freedom mean to you personally? Do you feel free in your everyday life? In what ways do you think technology has impacted our freedom? Do you think that people should have the freedom to protest and speak out against their government? What role does education play in promoting freedom and democracy?

Vocabulary:
freedom of speech (phrase), democratic, equality

Round 2

How would you describe empathy to someone who didn't know the meaning? Can empathy be taught or is it a natural ability? How do you show empathy to others? Do you think the subject of empathy should be taught in schools? Does the lack of empathy contribute to social and political conflicts?

Vocabulary:
reach out, compassionate, stand in someone else's shoes (idiom)

Round 3

Do you consider yourself a procrastinator? Why or why not? Is procrastination always a bad thing? Why? What tasks or projects do you typically procrastinate on? What advice would you give to someone who struggles with procrastination? Would you say procrastination is a sign of laziness or a lack of motivation? Why or why not?

Vocabulary:
Indecision, leave to the last minute (phrase), strike while the iron is hot (idiom)

Round 1

Which Olympic Games event would you most like to see? Which country do you guess will win the most gold medals at the next Olympic Games? Why is that country good at sports? Would you like to watch an Olympic Games opening or closing ceremony? Which do you enjoy more - the Summer or Winter Olympics? Why? Does hosting the Olympics help a country's image? Which countries have benefited from hosting the Olympics?

Vocabulary:
Tryouts, venue, standings

Round 2

How big is your immediate family? Who are you closest to in your family? Which day of the year are you most likely to spend with your family? As a child, did you go on family trips? What do you remember about those vacations? Are you an only child? Does growing up without brothers or sisters affect a person's character? Do you know your extended family? Have you met any distant cousins?

Vocabulary:
Household, kith and kin, siblings

Round 3

What is your favorite thing to do on a Friday night? Is it customary for people to go out on a Friday Night? What kind of things do you normally do on a Friday night? What are you going to do next Friday? Do you prefer staying at home or going out with friends? What don't you like to do on a Friday night?

Vocabulary:
Anticipation, thrill, all fun and games (phrase)

Round 1

Do you prefer the cinema or the theatre? When was the last time you went to either? How often do you go to the cinema? Is it more or less often than you go to the theatre? What do you like and dislike about them? Taking everything into account do you prefer the cinema or the theatre?

Vocabulary:
Dramaturgy, cinephile, productions

Round 2

How does your family decide who does various chores around the house? Can you name some chores that need to be done every day? What chores are your responsibility? Which chores do you not like to do? Did you have chores when you were growing up? Do you think children should get paid for doing chores at home? What is something you hate doing when you get home from work/school?

Vocabulary:
Errand, maintenance, shared responsibility

Round 3

Is stress a problem in your country? What causes stress? How do you recognize stress in your life?
Have you been under stress recently? How does stress affect you? Do you have a kind of red warning flag that indicates too much stress? When you are stressed, how do you feel physically? Do you feel tired during the day? Can you sleep well at night? Does your stomach hurt? How do you manage stress?

Vocabulary:
Strain, take a toll (phrase), take a load off (informal)

Round 1

What kind of crisis situations can a company face? What sort of person is good in a crisis? Do you think you have the qualities needed to deal with a crisis? Has your company ever experienced a crisis? What steps can a business take when in financial trouble? What can a business do when its sales are very low?

Vocabulary:
Crisis management, risk analysis, game plan

Round 2

Would a wage increase give you greater job satisfaction? Are promotion opportunities important to you? Do you have any special perks as part of your job? What are they? How important is it for a manager to give praise to staff? Do you think extra responsibility makes a job more or less satisfying? If you were the manager of a large company, what three things would you do to increase the job satisfaction of your employees?

Vocabulary:
Compensation, gratification, acknowledgment

Round 3

How many departments are there in your organization? Are they all useful? What does your department do? What is your role? How many buildings does your company own? Are they in one place or spread around? Where are your company headquarters? Would you like to work there? Do you have your own office? Would you like one?

Vocabulary:
Configuration, hierarchy, installations

Round 1

Americans tend to require more personal space than in some other cultures. What is it like where you live? Do people keep their distance when approaching or talking to others? Does it bother you when people try to get too close during a conversation? How do you deal with that? Do you think it’s possible to set boundaries without being rude?

Vocabulary:
Safe distance, spacious, appropriate

Round 2

In the USA, it’s preferred that you’re either on time or a few minutes early for the stated meeting time. What is it like in your country? Do you think it is important for a person to be punctual? How do you feel when others are late? How do you remind yourself to be on time? Are you often late for appointments?

Vocabulary:
In time for, on time for, promptness

Round 3

In America, if you’re invited to a wedding, baby shower, religious event, or other celebration, it’s expected that you bring a gift. How does it work in your country? Are there specific gifts people should give? Is it ok to arrive at a party empty-handed? Are people more likely to buy or make gifts? What are the usual gifts people give on special occasions?

Vocabulary:
Gift-giving, souvenir, appreciation

Round 1

What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘marathon’? How do you think a marathon runner’s life is different from your life? Are there famous marathons in your country? Do people run on the streets or indoors there? Have you ever considered taking up running as a hobby or a regular activity? Which kinds of runs would you prefer: shorter, faster ones, or longer ones, with a steadier pace? Why is that?

Vocabulary:
Treadmill, pace yourself (phrase), sprint

Round 2

When was the last time you: went on a vacation? tried a new food? read a book in English? made a new friend? watched a movie in English? attended a live event or concert? Talk about those situations, describe what helped you make those choices, and how you felt afterward.

Vocabulary:
Newness, unfamiliarity, go through (phrasal verb)

Round 3

Is a world with open borders a good thing or a bad thing? What other advantages and disadvantages of open borders are there? Do you think open borders can contribute to global peace and cooperation? Can technology help manage open borders effectively? Do open borders contribute to economic growth and development for all countries involved?

Vocabulary:
take advantage of something (idiom), freedom (noun), restriction (noun)

Round 1

Do you own a dog or have you ever owned one? What restrictions should there be on owning dogs? What factors should someone consider before getting a dog as a pet? What do you think are the benefits of owning a dog? What breeds of dogs are popular in your country or culture? Should people be required to attend training courses before owning a dog?

Vocabulary:
Breed, forbid, look after (phrasal verb)

Round 2

Have you ever used a smart speaker? What do you use it for? Will smart speakers soon be commonplace in homes? How can smart speakers help you? What are the negatives of having them? Why are they becoming so popular?

Vocabulary:
voice recognition, link (verb), trend (noun)

Round 3

Have you ever… been on an airplane? gone swimming in the ocean? eaten pizza? ridden a bicycle? played a musical instrument? watched a movie in English? visited a famous landmark or monument? Talk about your experiences, remember to mention what led you to them, how it felt, and what you learned from them.

Vocabulary:
Stimulating, compelling, thought-provoking

Round 1

How often do you go for walks? When was the last time you did that? Do you sometimes go for a walk in the cold? What about on a hot day? When is a good time of the year to go for a walk in your country? Where do most people go for a walk in your neighborhood? Do you think walking is a good exercise?

Vocabulary:
Going for a stroll, wandering, contemplating

Round 2

What food did you like when you were a child? Did you like eating vegetables when you were a child?
What did you like eating when you were a child? What was your favorite thing to eat when you were a child? What do you eat now that you didn’t eat when you were a child? Do you think children these days eat the same as you did as a child? Were you concerned about nutrients when you were a child?

Vocabulary:
Nourishment, picky-eater, snacking

Round 3

Why do you think some people love Karaoke? Have you ever gone Karaoking? Is Karaoke common in your country? Do you know anyone who has Karaoke equipment at home? What would you prefer, to sing or to listen to others singing? Do you think singing in front of other people can have any benefits? Do you think you sing well?

Vocabulary:
Confidence, audience, perform

Round 1

When was the last time you used a search engine? Why do you think Google’s search engine is so popular? How would a search engine that recognizes speech be useful? Are there things you don’t like about search engines? How often do you find exactly what you’re looking for on a search engine? Do you think search engines can find the answer to any question?

Vocabulary:
optimization, time-saving, seamless

Round 2

Do you think paying taxes is a good or bad thing? What would happen in your country if everyone stopped paying taxes? Do you know what taxes are spent on in your country? Do you know what taxes are spent on in your country? Would you like to move to a country where there are no taxes? What do you think of sales/consumption tax put on the things you buy? Would you like to be able to choose how your taxes are spent?

Vocabulary:
Tax evasion, tax return, revenue

Round 3

What do you know about minimalism: Do you practice it in your life? Would you like to? Can you think of any challenges or drawbacks to living a minimalist lifestyle? Do you know anyone living a minimalistic lifestyle? How do you think minimalism can contribute to a more sustainable future? What are some strategies you use to declutter your living space? Do you believe minimalism is a trend or a long-term lifestyle choice?

Vocabulary:
Rummage, neatness, hindrance

Round 1

Have you ever met somebody and immediately hit it off? What made you get along so quickly? Re you good with faces? If you are walking down a street and see someone you think you know, do you always stop and say hello? Why or why not? Do you think it’s easy to make friends as an adult?

Vocabulary:
Affinity, reciprocity, animosity

Round 2

Do you think luck plays a part in your life? Are you lucky or unlucky?
Do you have any kind of object that is meant to bring you luck? Do people in your culture believe certain things bring bad luck or warn us that something bad will happen? Give an example if you can. Do you read your horoscope? Do you believe in ghosts? If not, how do you explain people's claims to have seen them?

Vocabulary:
Folklore, unfounded, play on the safe side

Round 3

Should parents limit the time children spend on electronic devices? What are the negative effects of excessive use of electronic devices on children? What are the benefits of children playing with electronic devices? Is it better to set limits on usage or leave children free to use them whenever they want? Why? Should the amount of time children can use electronic devices depend on their age?

Vocabulary:
Stipulation, reinforcing, restraint

Round 1

What should young people consider when choosing a career path? Are you happy with your career choice? Why did you decide to follow the career path you have taken? Is your career what you expected it would be when you were younger? What would you like to change about the industry you are working in? If you could go back in time would you change your career path?

Vocabulary:
take into account (phrase), settle for something (phrasal verb), factor in (phrasal verb)

Round 2

What can you get done in a year? What things do you do every year? Can you remember what you did each year on your birthday? How do you feel when a new year arrives? Have you ever taken a Sabbatical? How did it go? Would you like to take one? What would you do?

Vocabulary:
Occasion, allotment, furlough

Round 3

Do you receive a lot of emails from scammers? What would you do if you knew someone was trying to scam you? Can you think of a common scam people fall for? Why do you think some people don't report being scammed? Who would you say are most vulnerable to being scammed? Do you know anyone who has fallen for a scam?

Vocabulary:
fall for something (phrasal verb), manipulate (verb), play on (phrasal verb)

Round 1

How long do you want to work? Is it better to be a boss or an employee? Why? What would be the most satisfying job for you? What is one of the most exciting jobs you can think of? How about one of the most boring jobs? What kind of job do you want to get in the future? What kind of tasks will you have to do? Do you think what job someone has determines who they are?

Vocabulary:
Calling, line of work, duty

Round 2

What sort of knowledge does a manager need when developing a good strategy? What major strategy errors do you think new companies make? What are the most important factors to consider when expanding a business? What are your company's current strategies and goals? Are you ever told about these? If you were in charge of your company, are there any strategy changes you would implement?

Vocabulary:
Game plan, grand design, procedure

Round 3

Do you enjoy job interviews? Are you successful at them? What is the secret of job interview success? What is the single biggest mistake you can make in a job interview? If you applied for a job tomorrow, do you think you could get two good references? Does having a university degree really help you get a better job? If you were hiring someone to take over your job, what qualities would you look for?

Vocabulary:
Stance, reliability, suitability

Round 1

In America, many people - especially teenagers - wear strange clothes, and many have tattoos and body piercings. Is it customary for people to get tattoos and piercings in your country? Is there a stigma about tattooed people in your culture? Do you have tattoos? Would you get them? What kind of body art do you consider interesting or acceptable?

Vocabulary:
Taboo, predisposition, impulsiveness

Round 2

When Americans put their hands on their hips, they are usually relaxed; when they fold their arms tightly across their chests, they are angry or very serious (or cold). What is it like in your country? Are there body expressions people should know or avoid? Do you think body language helps or hinders communication? Are you intentional about your stance? What gestures should people avoid using in your country?

Vocabulary:
Posture, approachable, closed off

Round 3

In America, asking “How are you?” is simply a greeting and is not a question about your health. What are the most common greetings in your country? Do they change depending on the person you are greeting? What greeting may sound offensive in your opinion? Do you think the way we greet people makes a part in creating first impressions? Do you greet strangers on the street?

Vocabulary:
Salutation, addressing, acknowledgment

Round 1

In many cultures, women cook more often than men. What is it like where you live? Who did most of the cooking in your house when you were growing up? How often do you cook? Have you ever taken a cooking class? If so, what did you learn? If not, would you like to take one? What would you like to learn? Have you tried cooking food from another culture? What did you prepare? How was it?

Vocabulary:
Technique, know-how, system

Round 2

How good are you at arguing? Are there any good things about arguing? Who is the most argumentative person you know? What do people usually argue about? Is it wrong to argue with your elders? How often do you feel frustrated in an argument? What topics would you never argue about?

Vocabulary:
Quarrel, squabble, lock horns (informal)

Round 3

How safe are your passwords? How secure would you say your passwords are on a scale of one to ten, one being very weak and ten being very secure? Why do you think people continue to use weak passwords? How do you think hackers find out what your user details and passwords are? Have you ever had an account hacked? If yes, what did you do about it?

Vocabulary:
Ensure, validate, certify

Round 1

Do you have a bucket list? Do you think it's important to have a bucket list? Why or why not? Should bucket lists be private or shared with others? Should bucket lists focus more on realistic goals or dream-like aspirations? What are the top three things on your bucket list?

Vocabulary:
experience (verb), kick the bucket (idiom), beneficial (adjective)

Round 2

What's your opinion about McDonald's? Are there many of their restaurants where you live? Is McDonald's responsible for obesity issues in society? Do you think it is responsible for the increase and popularity of fast food restaurants? What makes McDonald's so popular worldwide? How does McDonald's compare to other fast-food chains in your opinion? Do you think McDonald's food is good value for money?

Vocabulary:
convenient (adjective), order (verb), cut down on (phrasal verb)

Round 3

How would you define disability? Do you or anyone you know have a disability? Can you think of any famous people with disabilities who have made significant contributions to society? In your opinion, what are some of the biggest challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in accessing education and employment? Is your neighborhood or city inclusive and accessible? What makes you say that?

Vocabulary:
overcome (verb), deal with (phrasal verb), stigma (noun)

Round 1

What do you think it means to be wise? Do you think old people are wiser? Why? Can young people be wise too? How do you think technology and modern advancements have affected the way we perceive wisdom and the elderly? Can you think of any examples of wise people from your country's history or culture? What makes them wise in your opinion?

Vocabulary:
pay attention to (phrase), wise (adjective), judgment (noun)

Round 2

What benefits does going on holiday give you? Is it more beneficial to go on a long vacation once a year or take multiple short vacations throughout the year? Is it better to spend a holiday exploring a new destination or revisiting a familiar one? Should holidays be a time for relaxation and leisure, or should they also include educational or skill-building activities? Is it essential to disconnect from technology and social media while on holiday?

Vocabulary:
de-stress (verb), unwind (verb), go on (phrasal verb)

Round 3

What are some similarities and differences between your school experience and the experiences of your parents or grandparents? How has the role of teachers evolved over time in the classroom? Can you think of any traditional school practices that are still prevalent today? Are they effective? How has technology changed the way schools operate compared to the past? What are some advantages and disadvantages of modern school facilities compared to those in the past?

Vocabulary:
discipline, strict (adjective), misbehavior

Round 1

Is it better for students to take a gap year before going to university? Did you take a gap year? If not, would you have liked to? What are the benefits of taking a gap year? What do you think is the best way to spend a gap year? What are the disadvantages of taking a gap year?

Vocabulary:
Gap, drawback, spend (verb)

Round 2

How important is it to face challenges in life? Do you think that facing even the most difficult challenges can have a positive outcome? Do you think that it is important for people to actively seek challenges if they don’t have any in their life at the moment? In your opinion, what are the benefits of facing challenges? What role do you think challenges play in personal growth and development?

Vocabulary:
Overcome, coping mechanism (phrase), proactive (adjective)

Round 3

Do you prefer shopping at a physical supermarket or online? Why? What are some advantages of shopping at a physical supermarket? What about shopping online? Have you ever had a bad experience while shopping at a physical supermarket or while shopping online? Do you think online shopping will eventually replace physical supermarkets? Why or why not?

Vocabulary:
Pick out (phrasal verb), preference, practicality

Round 1

Do you think corporate responsibility is important? What responsibilities do oil and cigarette companies have? What responsibilities do companies have concerning their customers? Has the Internet changed corporate responsibility in any way? Which business leader is a good example of corporate responsibility? Can a company survive if it shows no corporate responsibility? What do companies need to do to show they exercise good corporate responsibility?

Vocabulary:
Sustainability, customer care, transparency

Round 2

What do you understand by the term ‘full employment’? s unemployment a problem in your country? Are there equal opportunities for employment in your country? Do you ever take any notice of employment statistics? Would you like to be self-employed? Do you think young people care enough about their employment prospects?

Vocabulary:
Monetary rewards, financial stability, perks

Round 3

Are you looking forward to your retirement? What do you think you’ll do in your retirement? Do you think people who retire miss working? What’s the best age for retirement? What do you think of people who work even after they’ve retired? Should companies have a retirement plan?

Vocabulary:
Sizing up expenses (phrase), managing assets, pension funds

Round 1

Have you ever tried to meditate? Would you like to go to meditation classes? Why or how do you think meditation works? Do you know anyone who meditates? What benefits do you think meditation brings? How is meditation different from other relaxation techniques? What’s the best time of the day and the best place to meditate?

Vocabulary:
Mindfulness, visualization, focused breathing

Round 2

What things do you think people think about when choosing a place to live? What would be most important for you if you were looking for a new place to live? What are the good and bad things about where you live now? Overall, what do you think is more important, the place that you live (the property) or the location you live in?

Vocabulary:
Property, take into account (idiom), look for (phrasal verb)

Round 3

Do you prefer to be outside or inside? What are the benefits of spending time outside? What are the negative effects of spending too much time outside? Do you think society, in general, should spend more time outside? What are the benefits of spending time outside for children, young people, and old people?

Vocabulary:
Harmful, favorable, mood-enhancing

Round 1

American architecture tends to be innovative, and there’s no one style that defines it. The United States is known for creating the first skyscraper. What is the architectural style in your country, is it similar in your city? What do you think of skyscrapers? In what ways are they beneficial? What disadvantages do you see in them? Which countries have you visited that had the most modern architectural style?

Vocabulary:
Features, dated, peculiar

Round 2

Tattoos and piercings are very common in the US. However, there are strict laws that limit the age when you can get them. What is it like in your culture? Are tattoos and piercings trendy? Are they allowed for anyone? Would you like to get a tattoo or a piercing? How are people with tattoos and piercings perceived?

Vocabulary:
Stereotype, parental permission, symbolic

Round 3

Usually, when friends meet at a restaurant they each pay their share of the bill or split the bill in half. It’s called going Dutch. How does it work in your culture? If you invite someone to eat out, are you expected to pay for the meal? What is the polite thing to do when you are invited to eat out? Do you feel offended when people don’t offer to split the bill? Have you ever been through an embarrassing situation that involved splitting the bill?

Vocabulary:
Insist on paying, paying your share, agreement

Round 1

What kind of music did you use to listen to when you were younger? Did you use to play any sports when you were in school? Did you use to travel a lot when you were younger? Did you use to have any pets when you were growing up? What kind of movies did you use to watch when you were younger? Did you use to have a favorite toy or game when you were a child? Talk about your past habits and remember to share details whenever possible.

Vocabulary:
Old habits, guilty pleasures, reminiscing

Round 2

How often do you listen to music? Do you think pursuing music as a career option is a good move nowadays? Do you think overall, there are more opportunities now to be successful in the music industry than in the past? Why? Would you work in the music industry? What job would you consider?

Vocabulary:
Representation, low revenue, media piracy

Round 3

If you could have three wishes that would come true, what would they be? (You can’t wish for more wishes) What do you wish you could change about the world? Many cultures throw things into water (like a fountain) and make a wish. Why do people do that? What do you wish would happen today? When do people make wishes in your culture? (for example, when you see a shooting star)

Vocabulary:
Aspiration, yearning, whim

Round 1

Was food better or worse last century? What are the main differences in the food that we eat now compared to 100 years ago? Do you think that food was more natural and nutritious then? Do you think unhealthy food is a big problem in today’s society? Is food from your country the safest? Do people in your country add substances to food to make it last longer? How safe are these substances? Do you think about what is added to the food you consume? Do you think genetically modified food is 100% safe to eat?

Vocabulary:
Fundamental, requirements, availability

Round 2

What do you think of billionaires who own the biggest companies? If you had the opportunity to meet one of them, what would you ask? What qualities or traits do you think make them successful entrepreneurs? Do you agree with the approach of pushing boundaries and taking risks? What are your thoughts on ideas such as colonizing other planets?

Vocabulary:
Inspire, come up with (phrasal verb), shake up (phrasal verb)

Round 3

Do you consider yourself a procrastinator? Why or why not? Is procrastination always a bad thing? Why? What tasks or projects do you typically procrastinate on? What advice would you give to someone who struggles with procrastination? Would you say procrastination is a sign of laziness or a lack of motivation? Why or why not?

Vocabulary:
Indecision, leave to the last minute (phrase), strike while the iron is hot (idiom)

Round 1

What are some essential qualities of a good parent? What are some effective ways to discipline a child? Should parents be legally required to take parenting classes before having children? What challenges do parents face today that didn't exist 100 years ago? Do you think parents should limit their children's use of technology and social media?

Vocabulary:
Discipline, look after (phrasal verb), positively

Round 2

Is it easy to get a job after graduation in your country? Should university education be free? How can educators and parents promote creativity in children? How would you compare the quality of education in your country to other countries? What makes a good teacher? Do you prefer public or private schools? Do you have any funny school stories? Is a university degree enough in your country to get a good job?

Vocabulary:
System, knowledge, uneducated

Round 3

What comes to mind when you think about your future? What fears do you have for the future? What futuristic things from science fiction movies do you want to happen in real life? Where do you see yourself ten, twenty, and fifty years from now? What do you think your life will be like in 2048? Imagine you could live twice as long. How would you use your time?

Vocabulary:
Prediction, unforeseeable, variables

Round 1

What wild animals do you like the most? Have you ever seen them in real life? Do you think zoos can be beneficial for very young children? Apart from zoos, how do you think children can learn about animals? Do you think zoos are important for animal protection and conservation? Why or why not? How can we ensure that animals in zoos are treated well and have a good quality of life? What do you think adults can learn from visiting zoos?

Vocabulary:
Captivity, detrimental, beneficial

Round 2

Do you like going to the beach? When was the last time you went to the beach? Are there many beaches near you? Why do you think the beach is so popular? Which is more common for you: beach holidays or mountain ones? Have you ever been to the beach during the winter? What was it like? Do you wish you lived near the beach?

Vocabulary:
Sunbathing, tides, sprawl

Round 3

Why do humans explore? Why do some of us want to go to new places? In the past, ocean explorers sailed to unknown places. How is space exploration similar? How is it different? What is dangerous about going to space? What can go wrong? Do you believe aliens have come to Earth? If not, do you expect that humans will come into contact with aliens in the future? Space tourism is growing in popularity. Are you interested in going to space?

Vocabulary:
Frontiers, scientific discoveries, far-fetched

Round 1

What is inventory in a business? What are the best ways to keep track of inventory? What are some different types of inventory? How would you handle an employee who was giving away small amounts of inventory for free? What’s the difference between inventory and stock?

Vocabulary:
Catalog, Directory, Record

Round 2

Which of your coworkers is the best listener? Is it important for bosses to listen well? In your experience, do bosses usually listen to the complaints of their employees? If you had a business, how would you ensure everyone felt listened to? What would you do if a customer wasn’t listening to you?

Vocabulary:
Active listening, Responding, Attentive

Round 3

Have you ever worked at night? What industries require workers to work through the night? Would you rather have a night job or a job with very long hours? What businesses are more popular during the night? What are some pros and cons to working nights?

Vocabulary:
Darkness, Overtime, Shift

Round 1

DIY (do-it-yourself) is trendy in America. Be it with organizing a dinner party, making presents or decorations, and even fixing things around the house, many Americans choose to do it themselves before hiring someone. What is it like in your country? What DIY projects have you tried? Why do you think creative DIY projects are so popular? Why do you think people enjoy attending classes like pottery or painting? Why did you do your projects? Was it to have fun, save money, or something else? Do you think more people are doing DIY projects now than in the past? Why or why not?

Vocabulary:
Frugal, meticulous, ingenious

Round 2

Thanksgiving is a very important holiday in American culture. Families get together and have very big meals, it’s traditional to carve a turkey and have pumpkin pie. What is the main holiday in your culture? How do you celebrate it? How do you prepare for a holiday? If you could add a holiday to your nation's calendar, what would it be? What was the most unusual gift you ever received? What was the most unique gift you ever given? Why did you make that choice? Are holidays relaxing or stressful for you? Why is it so?

Vocabulary:
Observing, festivities, gratefulness

Round 3

Electronic devices are very popular and important in America. Automatization has made most houses “smart houses”, appliances exist to do most of the work so people can enjoy their time however they want. What is it like in your country? Do people rely on devices and appliances a lot? What are the three electronic devices you absolutely can't live without? If you could have only three appliances at home, what would they be? Are these appliances important? Why are they so important to you?

Vocabulary:
Home automation, remote monitoring, convenience

Round 1

How do you feel about zoos? Are they great places for us to know more about animals, or are they terrible places to keep animals in for human pleasure? Why do you think this way? Which animals may belong in a zoo and which do not? What is a better alternative to zoos for people to see these animals alive and safely?

Vocabulary:
Captive, entertainment, animal welfare

Round 2

What is your food? What do you typically eat for breakfast? Lunch? Dinner? Do you have snacks during the day? What is a special meal you enjoy? Why? Do you like fast food? Why? What is one meal or food you could see yourself eating for a long time? How would you react if someone told you you could never eat your favorite meal again?

Vocabulary:
Dietary habits, urges, jaded

Round 3

Do you have pets? Which pets? If not, why not? Did you ever have pets, or will you ever have pets? What is the best pet someone can have? What is a weird pet you’ve heard of? Talk about these pets: dogs, cats, snakes, pigs, monkeys, etc. Think about the advantages and disadvantages of having them as pets.

Vocabulary:
Exotic, caretaking, unique

Round 1

How do you listen to music today? CD, radio, streaming, etc. How did you listen to music in the past? How often do you listen to music? When do you listen to music? What type of music do you listen to? What is your least favorite kind of music? Which singers or bands do you like?

Vocabulary:
Genre, streaming, guilty pleasure

Round 2

A good deed is when you help someone else or society. Please discuss some examples of good deeds. Which good deeds have you done recently? What good deed has someone done to you? What do you think about someone who gives money to someone in need and films it and posts it on social media? Are they doing a good deed?

Vocabulary:
Charity, philanthropy, social work

Round 3

At what age do you think a child becomes an adult? 18, 21, another? Why? Discuss the following in regard to the question above drinking, driving, getting married, having a gun, being tried in court as an adult, serving in the army, and getting a job.

Vocabulary:
Legal majority, adulthood, threshold

Round 1

What was the greatest invention in human history? Why? Discuss the importance of these inventions: electricity, plumbing, internet, airplane, radio, computer, anesthesia, antibiotics, and money.

Vocabulary:
Advances, research, thinking outside of the box

Round 2

Have you ever considered moving to another country? Why? If you had a chance to move abroad - short-term or long-term - what country would you choose? How long would you stay there? What would you do? Would you learn a new language? Would you assimilate into a new culture? What do you need to become successful in a foreign country? Does it require a specific personality to be happy in a foreign country? What traits does a person need to become a world citizen?

Vocabulary:
Cultural awareness, solitude, investment

Round 3

There are five senses – sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste. What sense would be the hardest to live without? Why? Have you ever lost any of them temporarily? How did it happen? How difficult was it to live without it? If you had to lose one of your five senses, which one would you choose? Why? Which sense would you like to improve if possible? Which of your senses is the most sensitive? Which of your senses is the least sensitive?

Vocabulary:
Imagery, kinesthetic, multi-sensory

Round 1

If you could have one superpower, what would it be? What would be some advantages to having this? What could be some problems you might encounter? How would you use it?

Vocabulary:
Supranatural, influence, exert

Round 2

A massive comet is coming towards Earth and will hit and destroy most of our planet in 3 days. There is no way to stop it. You are part of a government team and must discuss what to do and advise the President. How do you tell the population, and when do you tell them? There are bunkers in every State which save 100,000 people. What criteria do you use to save people?

Vocabulary:
Contribution, dexterity, expertise

Round 3

Do you prefer traveling on vacation to see city life (like New York) or nature? What was your favorite vacation, and why? What is your dream vacation? Where would you go, with who, for how long, and what would you do?

Vocabulary:
Hustle-bustle, serenity, distress

Round 1

Where do you get your news from? How much do you trust it? Do you follow any digital influencers or bloggers? Why? How much credibility do they have? Has Fake News changed the world? If so, how? Do you think Fake News should be censored? Why and how?

Vocabulary:
Print media, social media, expert opinions

Round 2

Is practicing sports good for kids? Why? Are competitive sports good for kids? Why? Can sports teach kids lifelong learning ideas? Give examples. What sports do you practice, how often, and why? What sports do you like, and what sports do you not like, why?

Vocabulary:
Principles, belonging, accountability

Round 3

What is the right age to get married? Why? At what age do most people in your country get married? How long do you think couples should know each other before they get married? Is it okay for a couple to live together before getting married? Why? Imagine that your daughter wants to live with her partner without getting married. Would you approve? Why?

Vocabulary:
Stability, personal development, shortcomings

Round 1

How many hours of sleep do you get each night? Do you feel that you get enough sleep? Do you feel well-rested when you wake up? How do you manage to sleep as much as you need? Do you like to take naps during the day? Can you fall asleep anywhere? If you didn't have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time? When and where do you feel sleepy? Why?

Vocabulary:
Brain function, induce, supplement

Round 2

What are you most afraid of? Are you afraid of: Flying? Ghosts? Giving a speech in public? Going to the dentist? Heights? Scary movies? Darkness? Spiders? Snakes? Germs? Speaking English? How do you react when you see something frightening? What was the most frightening experience you've had? Is it better to be afraid or fearless? Why?

Vocabulary:
Emotional integrity, balance, awareness

Round 3

If there was a movie filmed based on your life, who would play you? Why? Would they have a chance to get an Oscar or Golden Globe for their performance? What part of your life you'd want to see in a movie? Would it be a drama or comedy or thriller?

Vocabulary:
Roleplay, art imitates life, realistic fiction

Round 1

Are you good at interviewing? How can someone show that they are a capable businessperson in a job interview? What’s been your best and worst interviewing experience? What do businesses look for during job interviews? If you held interviews for your company, what would be your top 3 requirements? What’s an easy way to flunk an interview?

Vocabulary:
Meeting, Discussion, Evaluation

Round 2

Which industries require a lot of physical labor? Have you ever worked a job that required physical labor? What are the physical labor requirements of your job currently? Would you work a very exhausting physical labor job for three times your highest salary? What small businesses require a lot of physical labor?

Vocabulary:
Arduous, Strenuous, Grueling

Round 3

From 1-10, how important is feedback in operating a business? What is the best piece of feedback you’ve ever received? What are some ways to measure feedback in your own business? What would you do if you received very critical feedback from an employee? Is positive or negative feedback more important?

Vocabulary:
Response, Assessment, Criticism

Round 1

Americans have a very strong connection to their National symbols: the Flag, the Anthem, and the national bird (the eagle). All these symbols carry the importance they give to their country and patriotism. What is it like in your country? Are national symbols important? What kind of rituals and practices are taught at school? Are there laws that define how a person should stand when facing the flag or singing the anthem?

Vocabulary:
Reverence, allegiance, conventions

Round 2

Most Americans eat breakfast, varying from a small meal of cereal, toast, or some fruit, or a more substantial cooked breakfast of eggs, bacon, or omelets, according to preference. What’s a traditional breakfast in your culture? How do you do it? Why do some people consider breakfast the most important meal of the day? What is your opinion about breakfast buffets in hotels? How often do you skip breakfast?

Vocabulary:
Fast (verb), feast, have it on the go (phrase)

Round 3

Americans value personal space a lot. That means you should not stand too close to people when you talk to them. People find this uncomfortable. Do people in your country need a lot of 'elbow room', or are they happy enough to co-exist in crowded conditions? Does it bother you if someone is standing too close? What should people do when they feel their personal space is being invaded? What do you do to keep that from happening to you?

Vocabulary:
Elbow room, trespass, boundaries

Round 1

If you could invite 5 people - living or dead - to a dinner party, who would they be? Why did you choose these people? How would you invite them? Why would they want to come? What would you talk about? What food and drinks would you offer them? What information about yourself would you share with them? What would you want to know about them?

Vocabulary:
Spirited, striking, serve up (phrasal verb)

Round 2

What is something unrealistic thing that you often see in movies that annoys you? Would you like it to be more real, or do you find those inaccuracies amusing? If you were offered a part in the movie - new or existing - who would you like to play? Would you want it to be an independent movie or a Hollywood blockbuster? Why? How much would you want to be paid for your role?

Vocabulary:
Heartbreaking, faulty, unconvincing

Round 3

Do you prefer regular shopping or buying online? What are the advantages and disadvantages of online shopping? How does selling online affect regular stores and other businesses? Who would benefit the most from selling online? Writers? Craftspeople? Someone else? What is something you would never buy online? Why?

Vocabulary:
Time-saver, convenient, wait time

Round 1

What is something you've never done but would like to try to do? What is so attractive to you in this? What is something you've tried but would never do again? Why? How do we learn from the experience? Why is it important? Should we fear mistakes or value them for learning from the experience? Why?

Vocabulary:
Purposeful, personal growth, overcome

Round 2

In what cases do you call for professional help? Plumbing? Electricity? Grass mowing? Do you think it is efficient to hire a professional? Why? Is doing things yourself instead of hiring a specialist more cost-effective? What makes you think so? Would you prefer to have a brilliant job done by a professional or the satisfaction of accomplishing something yourself? Explain your choice.

Vocabulary:
Peace of mind, guarantee, hands-on

Round 3

Is it okay for an adult to act childish from time to time? Or is it a sign of immaturity? How have you changed since you were a kid? What childish traits have your preserved? When is it ok to act childish and when is it not ok? Why?

Vocabulary:
Volatile behavior, childlike, immature

Round 1

If you were stranded on a deserted island by yourself and could only bring three things with you, what would they be? How would you survive there? What are the basic things you would need? How would you have fun? How would you divide your time? What would you do in order to not go crazy?

Vocabulary:
Essentials, life-saving, pastime

Round 2

Do you usually break the rules or follow them? Do you agree with the phrase, "It's better to get forgiveness than permission"? Have you ever practiced it? What was the outcome? How would you react if someone kept breaking your rules? Are some rules ok to break? Which ones and why?

Vocabulary:
Comply, dutiful, rebellious

Round 3

If you could find out the absolutely truthful answer to any question in the world - big or small - what would it be? Why is it important to you? Would you immediately believe the information you receive? Would you have doubts about the veracity? How would it change your life? Can some knowledge be dangerous to know? Why do you think so? Would you share your acquired knowledge with the rest of the world and why?

Vocabulary:
Enlightening, life-changing, expectation

Round 1

What is one thing you would do if you knew you would not fail? How would you do it? Why would you do it? Why do people have a fear of failure? What do you think can help to overcome it? How can a failure affect a person? What are the steps a person can take to avoid the negative influence of failure? Why do you think people try to avoid failure? Does avoiding failure mean avoiding success too?

Vocabulary:
Reassured, persevere, impetuous

Round 2

Do you think a person can change? Why? Why not? If you could change anything in your life, what would it be? Why did you make this choice? What is the most difficult change you have ever had to make? What is one thing that you think you will never change about yourself? What is one thing you have tried to change, but couldn't?

Vocabulary:
Move forward, change beyond recognition, obstacles

Round 3

How do you deal with conflicts? Should conflict be avoided? Is conflict always negative? Why? How can conflicts be resolved? Does there have to be a winner and a loser in a conflict? What happens to people who are involved in disputes? Should a conflict be solved right away or when everyone calms down? Why do you think so?

Vocabulary:
Dispute, struggle, disagreement

Round 1

What do you think of the saying, "The customer is always right"? Have you ever complained about bad service in a store, restaurant, or hotel? Why? Have you ever gotten angry at a worker in a store or a restaurant? What happened? Is it common in your country to receive bad service? Is it common to complain about it? What is the best way to share your complaint - over the telephone, mail, or in person?

Vocabulary:
Unreasonable, satisfaction, principle

Round 2

Do you own any handmade items? What meaning do they have for you? Do you like handmade jewelry? Furniture? Soap or candles? Clothes? Explain your feelings. Is it fair that handmade objects are often much more expensive than mass-market ones? Would you agree to pay more for something unique and one-of-a-kind? Why? Do you agree with the idea that the world is turning to local farmers, sellers, and makers? What is the reason for it?

Vocabulary:
Custom-made, industrial, character

Round 3

Have you ever spent a lot of money on designer brand clothes or pair of shoes? How important is the brand to you when it comes to buying personal items? Electronic devices? Household items? Have you had any bad experiences with some brands? What were they? What is your "never again" brand item? Why are brands important? How do you choose the brands that you trust? How have brand name companies influenced your spending habits?

Vocabulary:
Extravagant, shopping spree, consumerism

Round 1

How do you feel about taking photographs? Are you camera-shy? Do you like seeing pictures of yourself? Do you like taking photos of yourself? Do you like looking at other people's photographs? Do you think it's important to have pictures? Why? Do you print photographs to put them in the family albums? Why? What effect has photography had on your lifestyle? What contribution has photography made to world events?

Vocabulary:
Aesthetic, keepsake, souvenir

Round 2

Did you go to college or university? If not, what made your decision not to attend? If yes, what made you decide to go to the college you did? Where did you go? Did you work while you went there? How important is higher education in your country? For what reasons do people drop out of school? How could the lives of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg be different if they didn't drop out, but graduated?

Vocabulary:
Further education, higher education, instruction

Round 3

Do you like to travel? What is exciting about traveling for you? What would travelers find interesting in your country/area? Describe the most interesting person you met on one of your travels. Have you ever been in a difficult situation while traveling? Do you think traveling helps us to be more understanding and tolerant of each other? What do you think is the difference between tourists and travelers? How can we change ourselves from tourists into travelers?

Vocabulary:
Familiarize, globetrotting, enriching

Round 1

Do you consider yourself a creative person? Why? What is something creative that you have done? Is creativity a good thing? Why or why not? What are some ways that a person can be creative? Do you think creativity comes with time, or are people born with artistic talent? How does the education system in your country encourage creativity? In which professional field do you think people are most creative?

Vocabulary:
Inventive, expressive, out-of-the-box thinking (phrase)

Round 2

In your opinion, what foreign languages are more interesting? Why? What do you think is the best way to get around town? What weekend activities do you like to do the most? Which do you like the least? What is the biggest challenge for you in learning a foreign language? What's the most embarrassing situation that happened to you? What are some of the strangest things you have ever seen?

Vocabulary:
By far, not in the slightest, to take the cake (idiom)

Round 3

What is your favorite book? How do you choose the books you are going to read? What factors are important to you when selecting a book to read? How important is the cover of the book? Who is the most famous writer from your country? Do you watch the movie that came from a book? Most people say the book is always better than the movie. Do you agree? Why?

Vocabulary:
Perusing, skimming, rereading

Round 1

For girls in the United States, a "Sweet 16" birthday is an important rite of passage that celebrates approaching adulthood and is usually celebrated with a big party. Do you have an important date like that in your culture? In general, how are birthdays celebrated in your country? What are some birthday traditions you know of from other countries? How do you like to celebrate your birthday?

Vocabulary:
Coming-of-age, a rite of passage, get-together

Round 2

Super Bowl commercials have become a cultural phenomenon of their own alongside the game itself, as many viewers only watch the game to see the commercials. Do you have big events like that in your country when companies pay big money to advertise in? How does advertising influence our decision to buy things? Should alcohol or tobacco companies be allowed to advertise? Why or why not?

Vocabulary:
Primetime, (30-second) spots, acclaimed

Round 3

The American bald eagle was adopted as the national bird symbol of the United States of America in 1782. It has become more famously known as an American symbol than the American bison, which is the national animal of the country. Does your country have a national animal or bird as a symbol? Do you think animals make good national symbols? What is your favorite animal? What animals do you think are cute? What animals do you think are ugly? What are some animals that live in your country?

Vocabulary:
Patriotic, nationalist, emblem

Round 1

If you moved to another country, what would you probably have to get used to? What are some things you can do to make moving easier? How would you feel if you had to live in another country? What country would you choose and why? What would you regret leaving behind? Why?

Vocabulary:
A fresh start, blank page, refugee status

Round 2

Can you swim? When did you learn to swim? Who taught you to swim? Was it challenging to learn? At what age should people learn how to swim? Do you like swimming? Do you go to the pool often? Do you know someone afraid of water? Do you know why? Have you ever been night-swimming? What are the benefits of swimming for your health?

Vocabulary:
Skillset, (not) my cup of tea, to have the knack for it

Round 3

Have you ever lied? How do you feel when you're lied to? How can you tell when people are being dishonest with you? At what times do you appreciate people being honest with you? When is it ok to just tell a "half-truth"? How can you tell when someone is not telling you the whole truth? When is it ok to tell a "white lie"? In your opinion, why is honesty important? When can honesty be difficult? Is there anyone you know who is completely honest all of the time?

Vocabulary:
Incontestable, inconsistent, swallow a lie

Round 1

What is the age for mandatory retirement in your country? In your culture, do the children have to support their parents financially after they retire? At this stage of your life, are you beginning to make plans for your retirement years? Why? What would be a perfect retirement for you? Where would you like to spend your retirement years? Why? How would you spend your daily life after retirement?

Vocabulary:
Pension funds, retirement homes, kick back and relax

Round 2

Do you consider your home to be safe? What makes it safe for you? Do you have a fire extinguisher? Do you have smoke detectors? Do you have a home security system? Cameras? What is the most dangerous thing in your home? Is your home safe for children? Is your home safe for an older person? Explain the details.

Vocabulary:
Emergency plan, surveillance, built-in

Round 3

Do you like your name? Why? What are your initials? Do you get annoyed when your name is mispronounced? Why? Do you have a nickname? What is it? Who gave it to you? Is there a story behind it? Do you remember any funny stories about your name? What is the most popular name in your country for a girl? What is the most popular name in your country for a boy?

Vocabulary:
Namesake, sonorous, to be named after

Round 1

When was the last time that you got a haircut? Did you like the process? Did you like the result? Did you go to the same salon as always, or was it a new hairstylist? Should you tip your barber/hairdresser after you get a haircut? Why? Is it common in your country? Is your hairstyle the same now as it was five years ago? Why? How were hairstyles different 20 years ago? 40? 60? 100?

Vocabulary:
Hairline, grooming, tacky

Round 2

Can you think of a good teacher you had? Do you remember the worst one? What made you think about them those ways? What do you think it takes to be a good teacher? Would you prefer to learn from a young teacher or an older teacher? Why do you think age matters? How can you become a teacher to someone else? What are the salaries for teachers in your country? Is it a prestigious career? What kind of formal training do teachers need in your country? Have you ever wanted to be a teacher?

Vocabulary:
Mentor, professor, pedagog

Round 3

What is one thing you would do if you knew you would not fail? How would you do it? Why would you do it? Why do people have a fear of failure? What do you think can help to overcome it? How can a failure affect a person? What are the steps a person can take to avoid the negative influence of failure? Why do you think people try to avoid failure? Does avoiding failure mean avoiding success too?

Vocabulary:
Reassurance, confidence, infallible

Round 1

Do you buy products because of advertising? Do you find advertising persuasive? What is the most memorable advertising you've ever seen? Describe it. Is there truth in advertising? Should advertisers be allowed to advertise to children? How easy do you think it is to influence children with advertising?

Vocabulary:
Campaign, sponsor, brainwash (verb)

Round 2

In your opinion, what are the most annoying things airplane passengers can do? Is it ok for travelers to prop their bare feet against seatbacks? Is it appropriate to leave the trash behind after your flight? Why? Have you ever heard of the Passenger Shaming Instagram account? Have you ever used social media to complain about people’s behavior?

Vocabulary:
Boisterous, panic-stricken, frenzied

Round 3

Do you know any animals that have been extinct? Can you name some endangered species? Are there animal rights groups where you live? Do you think it is acceptable to test cosmetics on animals? How do you feel about the use of animals for medical research? Is it a good pattern, in general, to judge people by their attitude toward animals? Explain why.

Vocabulary:
Conscious, ethical, socially responsible

Round 1

There are five senses – sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste. What sense would be the hardest to live without? Why? Have you ever lost any of them temporarily? If so, how did it happen? How difficult it was to live without it? Which sense would you like to improve if possible? Which of your senses is the most sensitive? Which of your senses is the least sensitive? What do you consider to be the most magnificent sound? The greatest smell? The most exceptional taste? What is the most wonderful thing to touch?

Vocabulary:
Stimulus, awareness, heightened

Round 2

What if all the countries were represented by food, what food would your country be represented by? How should it be decided which food to choose if every area submits its own dish? Should it be something sweet or salty, sour or bitter? If it was up to you to decide, which one should you personally choose to showcase your national cuisine? Why?

Vocabulary:
Flavourful, insipid, renowned

Round 3

What is the best advice you've ever received? Why do you think it’s important? Who gave it to you? What kind of relationship did you have with them? Did you accept it from the moment you had heard it? Or did you take some time to analyze it and convince yourself? How did it influence your life? Did you pass it to someone else?

Vocabulary:
Sound (adjective), gratuitous, unsolicited

Round 1

Name 5 things that, in your opinion, a person should never do. Why do you think so? Do you avoid doing those things yourself? Have you always followed your own rules? Why so? What is your attitude to people who do the things you've listed? Would you want to enforce the prohibition of those things? How would you manage it?

Vocabulary:
Derogatory, pejorative, strictness

Round 2

'Heal the world. Make it a better place. For you and for me. And the entire human race''. How do you feel about these lyrics from one of Michael Jackson's songs? Are humans healing the world or consuming the world? Does the world need healing? Why and how? What can governments and billionaire businesses do to help improve our world? What can local communities and individuals do to help 'heal the world'?

Vocabulary:
Guardianship, accountability, implications

Round 3

What is the most disrespectful thing someone did to you while you were on an airplane? What are the most interesting things that have happened to you on an airplane? Who was the most interesting person you've ever been seated next to on an airplane? What is the best airline food you have eaten? What would you do if a passenger on an airplane demanded your seat so they could be next to a family member? What was the nicest thing that happened to you in airplane travel?

Vocabulary:
Insulting, insolent, disdainful

Round 1

Do you like cars? What would be your dream car? What was the first car you had? Have you ever driven an automatic car? How do you think cars could be improved?

Vocabulary:
Overpriced, feeling on cloud nine (idiom), sufferable

Round 2

How often do you: … use social media? … go for a walk? ... travel? ... have a cup of coffee or tea by yourself? … go to bed late? … you get up early in the morning? … go to the movies by yourself? … go shopping? … visit your friends?

Use this round to talk about your habits and find similarities and differences in your routines.

Vocabulary:
Ways to respond, react and interact: Just like you, I…, Unlike you, I…, that could be interesting!, I’ll give it a try!

Round 3

Did you struggle with exams at school? Do you think exams accurately measure a student's knowledge and abilities? Why or why not? How do you usually prepare for exams? Do you have any study techniques or strategies that work well for you? Have you ever experienced exam-related stress? How do you cope with it? Should exams be the primary method of evaluating students' academic performance, or are there better alternatives?