Iconic families – Transfer your skills 1

SPEAKING

Part 1 • Do you have a large family or small family?

• How much time do you manage to spend with members of your family?
• In what way is your family important to you?
• What sorts of things do you like to do together?
• Did / Do you get well with your family? Why?
• Should we rely heavily on our families or is it better to try to be independent?
• Are people in your country generally close to their families?
• What do you prefer: going out with your friends or spending your spare time with
your family?

Part 2 Describe
• your most memorable experiences as a child.
• a pastime you share with your family.
• an influential family member.
• a photo of a family member.
• a younger / older family member you like spending time with.

Part 3 • Marriage: age, responsibilities, attitudes;

• Gender roles at home;
• Discipline and children;
• The role of elderly people in society;
• Nature vs. nurture.

WRITING

1. Some people believe that children should be allowed to stay at home and play until
they are six or seven years old. Others believe that it is important for young children
to go to school as soon as possible. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

2. Some people think that mothers should spend most of their time raising their
children, and therefore the government should support them financially. Do you
agree or disagree?

3. It is generally acknowledged that families are now not as close as they used to be.
Give some reasons why this change has happened and suggest how families could
be brought closer together. Include any relevant examples from your experience.

4. These days more fathers stay at home and take care of their children while mothers
go out to work. What could be the reasons for this? Do you think it is a positive or a
negative development?

© DELTA Publishing, 2020 | www.deltapublishing.co.uk

ISBN 978-3-12-501573-9 1
 Reversible art – Transfer your skills 2

SPEAKING

Part 1 • Did you learn to draw anything when you were at school?
• Are there any art galleries and museums in your hometown?
• Is there any traditional art  / any handicrafts in your country?
• Did you visit any museums when you were a child?
• Would you like your child to become an artist?
• Do you enjoy taking photographs?
• Do you consider photography an art form?
• Do you visit museums when you go to another city?
• Do you ever buy (or, have you ever bought) a painting?

Part 2 Describe
• a famous painting or photo.
• a handicraft you have made.
• a work of art you would like to see  /  to have.
• something artistic you keep in your home.
• a photograph of yourself  /  someone else you really like.
• a piece of art you bought.

Part 3 • How can art help our daily lives?

• What would the world be like without any art?
• Should people have to pay to go to art galleries?
• Why do you think people like to have a painting (or other artwork) in their homes?
• Why do many people criticise modern art?
• Do you think music and dancing  /  cartoons and comics are forms of art?
• Why do people become professional artists?
• Why do some people enjoy looking at paintings and sculptures while others don’t?
• Can art be taught as a skill or do you have to be born with a talent for creating art?
• Why do many people take up art as a hobby?
• Are older people more interested in art than the younger generation?

WRITING

1. For a long time art has been considered an essential part of all cultures around the
world. However, nowadays people’s values have changed, and we tend to consider
science, technology and business more important than the arts. What do you think
are the causes of this? What can be done to draw people’s attention to art?

2. The government’s investment in the arts, music and theatre is a waste of money.
Governments should invest these funds in public services instead. To what extent do
you agree with this statement?

3. Studying art in school improves students’ performance in other subjects, because it

is easier for multi-skilled students to learn new things. That’s why art should be
obligatory in schools. Do you agree or disagree?

© DELTA Publishing, 2020 | www.deltapublishing.co.uk

ISBN 978-3-12-501573-9 2
 Job hopping – Transfer your skills

SPEAKING

Part 1 • Describe the company or organization you work for  /  study at.

• What do you like  /  dislike about your job  /  studies? How many hours do you
work  /  study each day?
• Which jobs are most respected in your country?
• Is there any other work you would like to do in the future?
• What do you normally do when you finish work  /  studies every day?
• Will you have to do more training for your work in the future?
• Do you prefer to work  /  study alone or in a team? Why?
• Do you see yourself working in the same field in the future?
• What is more important, the job or the people who work with you?

Part 2 Describe
• a job  /  career you have or hope to have.
• an activity that you do with your work  /  class mates.
• a job that helps make the world a better place.
• a job that you would like to try.
• your dream job when you were young.

Part 3 • What do you learn while working or studying in a group?

• What are the main qualities of a good leader?
• What is the role of technology in work environment?
• Is it possible for a manager and employees to become friends?
• Is cooperation important at every job? Why?
• What skills are necessary to be a good employee? Why?
• Do you think everyone is able to communicate well? Is it a skill that you can learn?

WRITING

1. Some people say that teenagers should work part-time and earn money. This way
they will learn basic lessons about work and become more disciplined. Others argue
that teenagers shouldn’t sacrifice their rest and after-school activities to work.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.

2. Unemployment is one of the biggest problems of contemporary society. What do

you think are the main causes of unemployment? What solutions can you suggest?

3. A lot of people spend a major part of their adult life at work, so job satisfaction is
very important for individual happiness. What are the main factors that contribute to
job satisfaction? What are the possible solutions for people who are unsatisfied with
their jobs?

4. Some people hesitate between getting a job and starting their own business.
While the idea of not having a boss and working on one’s own schedule may sound
tempting, financial risks and stress sometimes outweigh these advantages. In your
opinion what are the pros and cons of working in a company?

© DELTA Publishing, 2020 | www.deltapublishing.co.uk

ISBN 978-3-12-501573-9 3
 Soft skills are hard skills – Transfer your skills 4

SPEAKING

Part 1 • What kind of school did you go to as a child?

• Did you learn any practical skills in addition to the academic ones at school?
• What is the best thing you have learnt?
• Are there any changes in the type of skill in demand today compared with the past?
• Did your school focus on academic skills of life skills?
• Which subject did you enjoy most at school?
• Do you study better in the morning or in the afternoon?
• What do you think about “power naps” taken during lessons that are encouraged in
some countries?

Part 2 Describe
• a skill (for example, driving, speed reading etc.) you have learned successfully
• a skill you would like to learn
• your favourite teacher
• a skill that you want to teach to someone
• a skill that took you very long to learn
• a subject you found most difficult  /  most interesting  /  most useful

Part 3 • Can you compare the skills that are important nowadays with the skills that were
important 20 or 30 years ago?
• What skills are valued most in your country?
• What kind of skills might be important in the future?
• Do the skills one needs to learn depend on his or her gender?
• What qualities does a good trainer need to have?
• Why should companies invest a lot of money in training?
• Do you think schools and universities prepare young people well for the future
employment?

© DELTA Publishing, 2020 | www.deltapublishing.co.uk

ISBN 978-3-12-501573-9 4
 Friendship bracelets – Transfer your skills 5

SPEAKING

Part 1 • Do you have a lot of friends?

• Do you get on well with people?
• Who is your best friend and why?
• Are you a polite person?
• Who taught you to be polite?
• What do you do to relax?
• Do you have a regular routine on your days off?
• Do you enjoy your job?
• What time do you usually arrive at work  /  university?
• How long have you known your best friend  /  oldest friend?

Part 2 Describe
• someone you know
• someone you like
• an artist you like or know about
• a celebrity you have met or know about
• the character of someone you know
• a young child you know
• someone you used to play with when you were a child
• someone who looked after you when you were a child
• a classmate or a colleague

Part 3 • What are the most important personality features in the modern world?
• What kind of people may succeed in a global community?
• How is your generation different from your parents’ and grandparents’ generations?
• Do you think the personalities of men and women vary?

WRITING

1. Research indicates that the characteristics we are born with have a greater influence
on our personality that the experiences we have in life. Which do you consider to be
of greater influence?

2. Nowadays, celebrities generally become famous for their wealth and appearance
and not for their achievements. This sets a bad example for young people. To what
extent do you agree with this opinion?

3. These days despite being “connected” to the world, people are feeling increasingly
lonely. Why do you think this is the case? Should anything be done to solve it?
What possible solutions do you think there are?

© DELTA Publishing, 2020 | www.deltapublishing.co.uk

ISBN 978-3-12-501573-9 5
 Build your smart city – Transfer your skills 6

SPEAKING

Part 1 • What is it like where you live?

• Do you like living in the city?
• What do people in your town do?
• Do you get many tourists visiting your area?
• Is it easy to travel around your hometown?
• Would you prefer to live somewhere else? (Why?)

Part 2 Describe
• your home town.
• an interesting town or city in your country that visitors enjoy.
• a modern place you have visited.
• an urban amenity you find most useful.

Part 3 • What are the advantages of living in a city?

• In your experience are city centres usually attractive places?
• What are some of the challenges facing towns and cities
• Should people be encouraged to volunteer to clean or repair public places in their
cities?
• What are some changes that technological advancement have brought to the
modern cities?
• Why do more and more people move to larger cities?
• What can the governments do to encourage people to stay in the country side  /  to
move to the country side?

WRITING

1. People living in large cities today face many problems in their everyday life.
What are these problems? Should governments encourage people to move to
smaller regional towns?

2. Some people think that cities are the best places to live. Others prefer to live in a
rural area. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of living in the city to living
in the countryside.

3. In today’s rapidly expanding cities space is becoming more restricted.

What problems can this cause? What possible solutions exist?

© DELTA Publishing, 2020 | www.deltapublishing.co.uk

ISBN 978-3-12-501573-9 6
 Monday, Tuesday, Food’day – Transfer your skills 7

SPEAKING

Part 1 • What is your favourite cuisine?

• Are there any fruit or vegetables you don’t like?
• Can you cook?
• Who does the cooking in your family?
• On what occasions do you eat special foods?
• How are the eating habits now in your country different from eating habits in the past?
• How healthy is your country’s food?
• How often do you eat out? Would you like to do so more often?
• Would you say that you have a healthy diet? Why do you say that?
• What do you usually eat for breakfast/ lunch/ dinner? Why?
• How do you feel about packaged food? Why do you feel that way?

Part 2 Describe
• a place you like to eat at.
• your favourite food.
• the types of food that people eat in your country.
• an ingredient that you often use.
• a restaurant that you went to recently.

Part 3 • How can people be encouraged to eat healthier food?

• Do you think people enjoy what they eat on a regular basis?
• Do you think cooking is viewed as a pastime or a chore by most people?
• Are people in your country generally knowledgeable about healthy and unhealthy
foods, do you think?
• Do you think your government is doing enough to improve people’s diets?
• What are some advantages of retaining a country’s traditional food culture?
• Should unhealthy food be taxed more heavily?
• Does packaged food benefit society in any way?
• Do you think there is a danger that your country’s traditional cuisine could disappear?
• Do you think that the food available in supermarkets is getting better or worse?
• How technology has changed the way we prepare our food these days?

WRITING

1. In many countries, traditional food has been replaced by international food. This has
adverse effects on families, individuals and society. Do you agree or disagree?
2. Nowadays, chemicals are used in food production and preservation. Do the
advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
3. Eating a balanced diet is the most important factor in leading a healthy life.
To what extent do you agree?
4. Nowadays, people waste a lot of food bought from shops and restaurants. Why do
you think people waste food? What can be done to reduce the amount of food they
throw away?
5. The range and quality of food that we can buy has changed because of technological
and scientific advances. Some people regard this change as an improvement, while
others believe that it is harmful. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

© DELTA Publishing, 2020 | www.deltapublishing.co.uk

ISBN 978-3-12-501573-9 7
 Health check – Transfer your skills 8

SPEAKING

Part 1 • In what way do you try to stay healthy?

• Is it easy to keep fit where you live?
• Are you careful about what you eat?
• Is there any part of your lifestyle you would like to make healthier?
• How important is a healthy lifestyle for you?
• Do you eat much junk food?
• Are you healthier now than when you were a child?

Part 2 Describe
• a healthy habit you would like to have.
• a time when you were ill.
• a health professional you once met.
• a healthy activity you did as a child.
• a sport you would like to try.
• something you eat to stay healthy.

Part 3 • Is it the responsibility of the government or the individual to maintain a healthy

lifestyle?
• What is the role of schools in promoting healthy living?
• Are people healthier now than they used to be in the past?
• Do you agree that healthy food should be expensive?
• In what way to advertisers use the idea of healthy living to promote their products?
• What should be done in your country to promote healthy living?

WRITING

1. Some people believe that it is the responsibility of individuals to take care of their own
health and diet. Others however believe that governments should make sure that their
citizens have a healthy diet. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
2. High job demands, stress and sense of commitment are among the main reasons
people go to work when they are ill. This way they accomplish important tasks, but
may infect others or get some serious health problems themselves. In your opinion
should people go to work if they are sick?
3. Today more people are overweight than ever before. What in your opinion are the
primary causes of this? What measures can be taken to overcome this epidemic?
4. Some people claim that the government should provide free health care. Others think
that the government will not provide the most innovative methods of treatment and
it’s better to invest those funds in education and culture. What is your opinion?
5. Health education is an essential aspect of community health. Do you agree or
disagree?
6. Nowadays a growing number of boys and girls within normal weight ranges have an
intense fear of gaining weight and therefore get anorexia. Why do you think a lot of
teenagers have a strong desire to be skinny? What can be done to prevent this eating
disorder?

© DELTA Publishing, 2020 | www.deltapublishing.co.uk

ISBN 978-3-12-501573-9 8
 Build the billboard – Transfer your skills 9

SPEAKING

Part 1 • Do you watch advertisements on television or on internet?

• Are there many advertisements in your country?
• How do you feel about advertisements?
• What kind of advertisements do you like the most?
• What type of advertisements do you prefer to use for getting information?
• Do advertisements influence your choice of product?
• Have you ever bought anything after seeing its advertisements?
• Did you see any recent ad which had a deep impact on you?

Part 2 Describe
• an unusual ad you saw
• an ad that made you buy the product
• an ad that has not changed much over time
• an unforgettable ad
• an ad you saw online

Part 3 • Do you think that public places should be used for displaying advertisements?
• Do you think large and small companies should advertise their products in the
same way?
• What are the differences in advertisements on television and those online?
• Do you think advertising plays an important role in today’s world?
• Are any types of adverts illegal in your country?
• What sort of advertisements have a deeper impact on people?
• Do you think advertisements are regulated enough or should the laws be stricter?
• What are the ways in which advertisements catch the attention of viewers?

WRITING

1. Today, the high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of advertising
and not the real needs of the society in which they are sold. To what extent do you
agree or disagree?

2. Some people say that advertising encourages us to buy things we don’t really need.
Others say that advertisements tells us about new products that may improve our
lives. Which viewpoint do you agree with?

3. Some of the words used in advertising are unethical and unacceptable in today’s
society. To what extent do you agree with this view?

© DELTA Publishing, 2020 | www.deltapublishing.co.uk

ISBN 978-3-12-501573-9 9