Section One Each of the students will be asked one question on the topic “Environment”.
1.Why are plastic bags harmful to the environment?
2.Why are paper bags harmful to the environment?
3.Why are reusable bags the best for the environment and energy usage?
4.What environmental problem do you think is the most serious and urgent in China?
Section Two Please have a group discussion on the following topic:
What can be done in our daily life to help relieve environmental problems? Please give as many examples as possible.
During the discussion you may argue with each other or ask each other questions to clarify a point. Your performance will be judged according to your contributions to the discussion.
TOPIC 2 Environment
1.Which types of energy should we use: wood, coal, petroleum, water power, nuclear energy or solar energy and why?
2.Whenever we watch TV, we are helping send greenhouse gases into the air. Do you know any other things we do help send greenhouse gases into air and why?
3.Do you know any machine or appliance that is powered by solar or wind energy? Can you list any other clean energy technologies?
4.The sandstorm, known as a “sand devil,” has become a great concern. Please briefly explain the reasons behind this phenomenon.
5.Do you know some other climate disasters caused by the pollution of environment?
Topic discussion
Global warming may be the most harmful environmental problem human beings have created. Please discuss its causes, consequences and what we can do to reduce it.
TOPIC 3 Travelling
1.What attracts you most when you visit a new place?
2.People travel for various reasons. Please talk about some of them.
3.What is your favorite way of travelling, alone or in a group? Why?
4. Introduce a tourist attraction that you have been
Topic discussion
A lot of people after travelling often say: Travelling means sort of suffering. That implies they don’t eat well, sleep well, and they are very tired on the trip. Do you agree with it ? Give your reasons and explain.
TOPIC 4 Transportation
5.What means of transportation is most popular in China? Why?
6.How good is the public transport system in your city/region?
7.If you go on a long journey, how do you prefer to travel?
8.Which kind of car do you want to buy if you have enough money?
Topic discussion
What is the most serious problem of China’s present transportation and what are the solutions?
TOPIC 5 Drug Abuse
1. What do you know about drugs and drug abuse?
2. What kind of people are easier to turn to drugs? Why do
people use drugs like Ecstasy?
3. How do drugs affect the drug takers? What do drugs like Ecstasy do to the people who take them?
4. How should you avoid doing things that appear to be pleasant at first but will turn out to be really harmful? (e.g. drug abuse, smoking, alcoholism, addiction to computer games, etc.)
Topic discussion
Who should be responsible for drug abuse?
TOPIC 6 Advertising
1.Is advertising worthwhile for companies and consumers? Explain why.
2.What is opinion on competing companies spending large amount of money advertising their products?
3.Are you easily influenced by ads? Should people buy products according to what ads say?
4.Should young people follow fashion advertised by famous stars?
Topic discussion
What are the pros and cons of advertising?
TOPIC 7 Education
1.Do you think education is important in your life? Can you cite some examples to illustrate your viewpoint?
2.Where do you get your college tuition, from parents, part-time job, or loan ?
3.Is college education the only way to success? Is it worth the price?
4.If you had chance to continue learning after graduation, what subject do you like to choose? Why?
Topic discussion
The importance of lifelong Education
TOPIC 8 Values
1. What do you know about “American Dream”?
2. Can you give an example of one English saying or proverb and further explain it?
3. Have you ever encountered an occasion when a cultural clash happened? Describe it.
4. Do you know any taboos in American/ Britain? What are they?
Topic discussion
Do you feel Chinese traditional values are endangered with the globalization?
TOPIC 9 Growing Pains
1.What qualities do you value most in a young person?
2.Do you think that the process of growing up is something painful? Why or why not?
3.Generally speaking, in what way(s) do you think young people born in the 1990s are different from the older generations?
4.What do you think are the problems that young people usually have to face?
Topic discussion
Advantages and disadvantages of living with parents
TOPIC 10 Famous Brand Names
1.Can you name some famous brands? Why do people like them?
2.Do you think college students should pursue famous brands? Why or why not?
3.Some famous brands have a very long history. Why are they so popular among generations of people? (Take Ivory Soap for example.)
4.How can a national famous brand build its name in a foreign country? (Take Haier for example.)
Topic discussion
What are the secrets of business success?
Topic 11 Cloning and Ethics
1.Do you want a clone of yourself? Explain.
2.What kind of people are in favor of cloning science?
3.Do you think a cloned Einstein would be a great person? Why or why not?
4.Do you think cloning is against ethics? Why or why not?
Topic discussion
What are the pros and cons of cloning?
TOPIC 12 Stars and Fans
1. Who is your favorite star and idol ? why?
2. What do you think of idol worshipping?
3. Which do you prefer, Chinese movies or foreign movies? Why?
4. What’s the best /worst movie you’ve ever seen? Describe it.
Topic discussion
What type of film do you like most and why?
TOPIC 13 Education
1.Do you think it is important for a person to have a college education?
2.Is college education satisfactory from your own experience?
3.Do you think college education means more than study?
4.There are some graduates going to the technical school to study again. What do you think of that?
5.What suggestions would you like to give to the college education?
Topic discussion
Does a college degree really worth it?
During the discussion you may argue with each other or ask each other questions to clarify a point. Your performance will be judged according to your contributions to the discussion.
TOPIC 14 Success
1.What would you say to the people in the hall and the whole world if you won the Nobel Prize and was standing in front of the microphone?
2.What do you think makes a successful scientist?
3.How to achieve success in your academic study?
4.What would you do if you were awarded the Nobel Prize?
Topic discussion
What preparations should a university student make for future success?
