Conversation questions: B1+

Unit 1 Media around the world

1.1 Entertainment and you

1. Do you watch TV? If yes, which channels do you prefer watching, and why? If not,
which channels does your family (room-mates) prefer to watch? Why don’t you like it?
2. If you had to work as a journalist, which type of show would you like to lead down?
(Vocabulary: cookery show, reality show, sport, nature programme, drama, news)
3. What is your most favourite TV show?(if doesn’t like shows: movie) In 1 minute
describe what is the show about and why are you into it?
(Vocabulary: I’m a big fan of…, I’m really into…, I prefer … to…, I’d rather…)

4. What is the TV show you can’t stand watching? (alternative: movie). In 1 minute
describe what is the show about and why don’t you like watching it?
(vocabulary: I’m not a big fan of…, I can’t stand…, I’m not keen on…, I find … really
irritating)
5. Which TV shows(alt.:movies) do you usually watch on your own and which do you
watch with friends?
(Vocabulary: I hardly ever…, I tend to…,I’ll…,I used to…)
6. Has your taste changed in the last 10 years?

1.2 Fact or fiction?

1. When do you need to get information, which sources do you usually use?
2. Do you find these sources reliable?
3. How do you make sure, that this source can be trusted?
4. And how do you identify which one has inaccurate information?
5. Provide an example of the most reliable and the most unreliable source of information in
the 21st century.
(vocabulary: reliable, accurate, inaccurate, fake, made up(facts), trust(n,v) )
6. Is it better to use online or offline resources? And why?
7. How often do we come across unreliable information on the Internet? What about, TV,
radio etc.?
8. Do you trust everything you see in adverts?
9. When was the last time you got disappointed, because you trusted an ad?
10. What is the best way to become more popular and be recognized? (possible vocabulary:
scandals, make up facts)
11. Have there been any scandals in Azerbaijan recently?

Activity: make a debate. One student (or a team of students) prepares a list of arguments
for the reliability of online sources, it is important to provide examples. Another team
stands for offline sources.
(Vocabulary for giving examples: a/an+ really+adj (a really reliable website)
quite+a/an+adj (quite an interesting book)
 1.3 Describe a book or a TV show

Give the students some options including the most popular TV shows or books that the
majority might know.
Activity 1: you might discuss each of them, or students can choose 1 of their favourite
TV shows and talk about them minimum 1 maximum 3 minutes.
Activity 2: divide the students into 2 teams and give them time to prepare their own TV
show or book presentation. After that, teams take turns to present their ideas.

(Useful vocabulary: It is by someone called… , People say it’s… , I found it+adj, It’s
based on… , It has… in it , It looks at …, Basically, it shows you …)

Across cultures

1. Do you like to travel?

2. Where have you travelled so far?
3. When you come to the new country, what is the most challenging thing to get used to?
(or if there are particular examples from students: When you came to … what was the
first thing that amazed/shocked/scared you?)

4. Have you ever been in a situation when you first did not like the country, but later
everything changed? Can you describe three stages: past, process of change and present?
(Useful vocabulary: past: found it … at first, wasn’t used to … : process of change: began
to understand…, got used to…, present: I’m OK with it now …, I’m used to it )
5. Imagine that, you are a tourist in Azerbaijan. Which aspects of life will you easily get
used to? Which of them will be the most challenging to get used to? Why?

Activity: divide topics between students and make them think about how these things within
their country. After 3-4 min, give them some time to share their opinion.

Topics: eating habits, greetings, personal space, showing emotions, family life, hospitality, work-
life balance, sense of humour

At this point, give students space for discussion, maybe they will not agree with the opinions of
each other

Unit 2

2.1 Good communication

1. Do you like communicating with people?

2. Which means of communication do you usually use? Why exactly these ones?
3. Do you prefer talking on the phone or texting? Why?
 4. How the attitude of your parents/grandparents to the communication differs from yours?
What are the reasons?
5. Is there any point in using home phones in the era of high technology? If yes, why? If no,
why not?
6. Do you switch off your mobile phone while sleeping/being at the lessons/being at the
meetings?
7. Is it important to take breaks from using means of communication? Why, why not?

(Useful phrases for questions 1-4: I’d say, I reckon, They say, Some people say, There is
no point in, There is no harm in)

8. When you are at work/in the class how important is it to be concentrated?

9. What are the most distracting things that do not let you focus on your job/lesson?

Activity: students in teams or individually write a list of activities that, they think are a waste of
time. Then each of them presents their ideas. Encourage the students to be attentive and discuss
the different points of view.

2.2 Online friendships

1. Do you use the Internet?

2. How often do you use the Internet?

3. What are the main purposes of using the Internet?

• Do you use the Internet for fun or education?

• What are some of the ways the Internet can be used for education?
• What are some of the ways the Internet can be used for entertainment?

4. Who uses the Internet the most in your family?

5. What problems does the Internet create? What problems does it solve?
6. Do you think that it is important for schools to have Internet access? Why?
7. Is it possible to make friends on the Internet? Can these kinds of friendships be long-lasting
and strong?

8. What are the advantages and disadvantages of meeting people online?

9. Do you have a blog? (If not, do you read any blogs online?)

10. Why do people find blogs useful? What is your opinion about it?

11. Which social networking sites are the most popular in Azerbaijan? Why?

• Which of them do you prefer using?

 • If you don’t like them, what are the reasons?

(Choose one of the activities)

Activity 1: Write the words on the board:

ISP(Internet Service Provider), provider, to log on, virus, hacker, links, spam, to browse, to
download, online, website, surf, worldwide web, home page, HTTP (Hypertext Transfer
Protocol)

Elicit the explanations of the words from the students, and provide the explanations of the
remaining ones.

Divide the students into groups. They imagine that, they are going to give a short course how to
use the Internet for beginners. When they finish groups take turns to present their ideas.

Activity 2: Divide the students into 2 groups and make them to imagine what is going to happen
in 100 years? (With the Internet, technology, family relationships, education, friendships and so
on) They write their predictions in groups using the useful language of the unit. Later they
present their ideas.

(Useful vocabulary: may well, will definitely, will probably, likely to, unlikely to, more likely to,
less likely to.)

2.3 Discuss an issue

1. Do you use e-mails or do you prefer other means of communication?

2. Why do you think e-mails are still important?

3. How important is it for employees to have an access to the Internet?

4. When people are working they usually get distracted by the messages they receive. Do you
agree?

5. How do you think which solution should the management look for, in order not to have
distracted employees, but at the same time not to demotivate them?

Activity: Divide the students into Management and Employee teams. Each of the teams should
right why the Internet should be or shouldn’t be banned, respectively. Later they should present
their ideas and make a discussion.
Unit 3 Success

3.1 Great ideas

1. Who is an inventor? What about innovator? (If the student does not know the difference give
the explanation:

Inventor – someone who creates something new

Innovator – someone who improves what has been created before)

2. Can you give an example of the most impactful innovator? Why is he/she so impactful?

(ex. Steve Jobs)

3. Have you ever come up with a business idea?

4. If not you, do you know anyone, who has business ideas?

5. If you had 10 000$, what kind of business would you start and why?

6. What would be your first steps to start implementing your business?

7. How important is it to patent your idea? Why is it important?

8. Do you think that, it is possible to make a lot of money out of your idea? Why, why not?

Alternative for the questions 3-8: If the student doesn’t have even an imaginary business idea,
you may talk about any invention that has recently come out.

9. Do you like using new gadgets? If yes, provide some examples. If not, why?
10. Is it important for the gadget to be easy to use, or look fantastic?

(Useful vocabulary: to come up with, to patent an idea, to look fantastic, to be easy to

use, to make money out of smth, to make a living)

Hopes, dreams and ambitions

1. What did you want to do when you were a child?

2. Did you fulfill your dreams?
3. What are your future plans?
4. Do you have any ambitions regarding your career/family?

Activity: In pairs tell each other about your hopes and ambitions including marriage, ambitions,
home, travel and work. Use these expressions:

One day I’d like to…

At some point I’d absolutely love to…

I’m thinking of…

I’m considering…

My dream is to…

My aim is to…

My ambition is to…

I’ve always wanted to…

3.2 Your abilities

1. What is an IQ test? Have you ever passed it?

2. Do you think that, passing an IQ test is enough to be hired to some position?

3. What kind of abilities do you have?

4. When you prepare for an exam or any test, what way of memorizing information is the easiest
for you? Why?

5. What is your occupation/future occupation?

6. What kind of abilities is important to have for your occupation?

7. What abilities would be beneficial to have?

8. Do you know anyone with lots of abilities? What kind of things can he or she do?

Activity 1: On a piece of paper, write the following three things: something you are good at,
something you are hopeless at, and something you’d like to learn, e.g. playing the guitar, singing
etc.

Swap papers with the partner. Find out as much information about your partner’s answers as
possible.

Activity 2(alternative): What can a Superman do? Divide the students into teams and encourage
them to find the most special and unusual abilities.

(Useful vocabulary for all activities and questions: to be good at…, to be able to…, to be capable
of…, to have a facility with…, to excel at…, to have the ability to…, to have a good (ex. visual
memory etc.))

Achievements:

1. Is there something you have always wanted to learn?

2. Have you learned it? If yes, tell how you have done it and how long has it taken you to
achieve your goal?
If not, what is the reason for your procrastination? How long have you been
procrastinating?
3. What have you achieved recently? How was it?
4. What haven’t you done what you needed to do today yet?
5. What have you always been good at? What have you never been good at?
 (Vocabulary: recently, always, never, just, since, for, yet, already)

3.3 Sell an idea

1. Who are investors?

2. In what cases do we need to approach investors?

3. Imagine, that you have a business idea, but you don’t have enough money to implement it.
What would you do?

Activity: Divide the students into 2 groups and give them time to create a business plan/idea.
After they take turns to role play. One group represents an investing company, and another
presents their business idea. Then they change.

(Vocabulary while talking about products or asking questions: information about, questions
about, excited about, thoughts about, passionate about, doubts about, concerned about, and
optimistic about)

Across cultures

Attitudes to success

1. Do you consider yourself a successful person? Why, why not?

2. Is it acceptable to talk about your success with people in Azerbaijan?
3. Do you know any country where the situation is different?
4. How important is to be successful?
5. Are you a competitive person?
6. Do you think that you are confident?
7. If an employer asked about your strengths in a job interview, what would you say?
8. Have you ever bent the rules? Tell about this experience.
9. Do you think that people in different countries have the same or different attitudes to
success?
10. What about people from the same country?

Unit 4

What happened?

4.1 Accident-prone
1. Are you an accident-prone person?
2. Do you like taking risks?
3. Who is the clumsiest person you know?
4. Do you often break something or injure yourself?
5. Tell about the most memorable or funny accident you have ever had.
6. What can we drop? ( bang/cut/trip over/break/slip on etc.)
 Activity:
Write on the board:
I was on my way to…
I was in the middle of…
I was trying to…

Divide the students into groups and ask them to create a story about injuries. Then
they will have time to share.

4.2 The power of nature

(Vocabulary: a flood, a hurricane, an eclipse, a tsunami, the northern lights, an
earthquake, a forest fire, a volcanic eruption)

1. What natural events can you name?

2. Which of them are common for Azerbaijan?
3. Have you ever been a witness of an earthquake or any other natural event?
4. Have you read/seen programmes about natural events around the world?
• What was the most impressing story you have read/seen?
5. What kind of natural event would you like to see and why?
6. What is the best natural disaster movie?
• What is the worst one?
7. Which country has the most natural disasters?
8. Would you ever volunteer to help after a natural disaster hit?
• If yes, what would you like to volunteer for?
• If no, why not?
9. How can technology lessen the damage caused by natural disasters?
10. Can you think of any country that doesn’t have natural disasters?

Activity: Divide the students into groups and ask them to create their own stories
about terrible natural disasters. Say that, the most exciting story will be chosen in
the end.

4.3 Describe a dramatic experience

1. Do you like watching movies? What is your favourite genre?
2. What is your favourite movie?
3. What is your favourite scene in this movie?
• Can you describe it as detailed as possible?
4. What is the most dramatic movie you have ever seen? Why?
5. What is the best lesson you have ever learned from the movies?
6. How did you apply your experience to the real life?

(Vocabulary: Immediately, suddenly, slowly, quickly, obviously, unfortunately,

amazingly, luckily)
 Explore keyword ‘over’

1. Have you ever knocked over anything expensive in someone else’s home?
2. Is it important to go over your answers after you finish a test?
3. Do you like when friends come over to your home? Why, why not?
4. What’s the best way to get over the end of relationship?
5. Do you turn over the adverts?

Unit 5 A change of plan

A helping hand

Write on the board: lock someone out, lose keys, get the wrong bus or train, break down,
miss your station, and forget to change the time on your watch
1. Have you ever done any of these things?
2. How did it change your plans for a day?
3. What actions did you take to solve the problems?
4. How often have your friends helped you to find a way out of a difficult position?
5. Have you done the same things for your friends?
6. Imagine that, your friend locked himself out, but he has an important meeting. What
will be your reaction?
7. Does your phone battery usually run out?
8. Have you ever missed an important call because of it?
9. What is the best way to avoid this kind of situations?
10. What are you doing now? What are your plans for later?

Activity (from the book p.39): Work in A/B/C groups. You’re three friends. Choose one
of the ideas together:

A wants to pick up his/her brother from the airport, but the car won’t start.

A has to go to work but there’s no public transport this morning. A can’t drive.

A has promised to take his mum to the theatre but he’s got an emergency at work.

Ask students to open their books on page 39, and read the different roles and think about
what they want to say. Start the role play.

5.2 Fate?
1. Do you believe in fate?
2. Do you think that, everything happens for a reason or by chance?
3. Have you ever had a situation that made you change your mind?
4. People believe in fate because they want some events be more romantic.
Do you agree with it?
5. Have you ever seen or read any romantic story about fate? If yes, share
with other students.
 6. Is it possible to change your destiny?
7. Have you ever planned a perfect day that went totally wrong?
8. What were you supposed to do? What happened in the end?

Alternative: If the students can’t answer immediately, give them some

time to remember. As a hint write on the board:
• Meeting friends
• Going on holiday
• Going on a business trip
• Commuting/travelling
• Planning an event
✓ What were you planning to do?
✓ What went wrong?
✓ What did you do about it?
✓ What happened in the end?

(Grammar: Future in the past.)

5.3 Attend a reunion

1. What is a reunion?
2. Do you like attending reunion parties?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of reunions?
4. If you find out, that your friend became more successful than you, how
would you feel?
5. What if you are more successful? Would you share a lot about your
achievements?
6. Do you have a best friend at school/university/work?
Imagine that, you met 10 years from now. How would you imagine his or
her life? What will change? What will remain?
7. Do you like family reunions? Why/why not?

Activity: Give the students some roles e.g. successful businessman,

housewife, doctor etc. ask them to prepare some additional information
about their social and relationship statuses, educational background etc.
Then make a role play- Attending a reunion.

(Vocabulary: You’re looking well, You haven’t changed a bit, you were
going to be…, That didn’t work out, The last time I say you,… Did you
ever... I remember you…)

Unit 6 Let me explain

6.1 Saving money
1. Are you good at saving money?
2. When was the last time you saved up a significant amount for buying
something special?
3. What situations are worth limiting yourself and saving some money?
4. What amount a day would you set as a minimum?
5. In what cases would you decide to go over your budget?
6. Would it be difficult to keep to the budget day by day?
7. Have you ever looked out for bargains? Where?
(Vocabulary: survive on, look out for, give up, save up, keep to, go over)

Target 2: give advice

Before asking the questions write on the board:
If, when, after, instead of, whenever, in case
Remind students to give advice using the words on the board
1. What tips would you give for those who want to save up money?
2. If I have received a big amount of money on my bank account, which I
didn’t expect, what should I do?
3. Imagine that, you have won a lottery, what would you do?
4. I need to urgently buy a laptop, but I don’t have enough money. What
should I do?
5. Transportation is too expensive where I live, but I live far from
work/university/school. How can I lessen my expenses?
6. My friends like spending time in cafes and restaurants, but the food is
expensive and I need to save up money. What should I do?

6.2 What do I do next?

1. Do you like investigating the use of new things? Like new phone
or laptop?
2. Do you tend to read the instructions before you start using them?
3. Have you ever had problems because you haven’t read the
instructions?
4. Do you know any situations when following the instructions lead
to some consequences?
5. Are you good with computers?
6. If there is no Internet connection, what are your first actions?
7. Have you had a situation when you had to call a provider helpline?
Could they help you?
8. Do you shut down all programmes before you turn off your
computer?

Activity:
Write on the board: to open, to shut down, to press, to click on, to
check, to turn on/off, to switch on/off, to plug…in, to unplug

Divide students into pairs, one of them is working in a provider

helpline and another is a customer, who has a problem with is
 Internet connection. Give them some time to prepare for the
dialogue and start the role play. After you can change their roles.

(While explaining the problem or giving advice students should

also use the verbs ‘keep’, ’try’, ’avoid’, ’think about’, ’consider’,
’can’t face’ +V+ing
E.g. : Keep clicking on the Wi-fi button or Try switching
everything on and off again. )

6.3 Give expert advice

1. What are you good at?
2. What kind of questions and requests can you answer easily?

Write on the board:

Investing money

Doing a sport

Writing a blog

Being a good driver

Taking care of a pet

Raising children

3. Which of these fields do you think you can possess yourself as an

expert in?
Why?
(If there is no suitable field for the student/s then ask them to add
their own fields.)

Activity: According to the choices of students divide them into

pairs, expert and person who have a particular problem. They
should have dialogues with each other on these topics.

When they give the reason they should use: Because, since, as,
because of, due to, so, so that

Unit 7 Personal qualities

7.1 A high achiever
1. What personal qualities should your friend have?
2. What qualities a person shouldn’t have at all?
3. What phrase do you often use? (or a quote)
4. What is the ideal day for you?
5. What do you do in weak moments?
6. What is your philosophy in life?
 7. Is it important to have a faith in people around?
• Do you have a faith in your family
members/friends?
• Do you think that they have a faith in you?
8. If you want to achieve something, is it important to have a
talent or to be hard-working?
9. Should a person have initiative or be pushed by others?
Why?
10. Is it important to have discipline in order to be successful?
11. Do you have confidence in yourself?

Activity: Write on the board: You need/have to be someone

who…
You need/have to be the kind of/sort of person that…

It’s/That’s something/the kind of job/the sort of thing

that…

Ask students to prepare descriptions of 5 jobs, but don’t say

what jobs they are. Then students will read the descriptions
one by one and guess the jobs.

7.2 A great character

1. Do you have a pet? If not: would you like to have one?
2. Do you agree that, pets become more like their owners over
time?
3. Have you ever had this kind of experience? Maybe, you
know this kind of stories from the experience of your
friends or the Internet?
4. How would you describe the character of your pet?
5. Do you know people who get whatever they want? Are you
one of them?
6. How would you describe your own character?
7. Do you have a best friend?
• Are you alike with your friend? Which differences
and similarities could you mention?
8. What about your siblings?
(Vocabulary: friendly, fussy, grumpy, intelligent, tolerant
etc.)
(Grammar: Comparing: much, a lot, lots, far, a little, a bit,
slightly, marginally
As…as : almost, nearly, not quite, just)

Activity: Divide students into pairs, give them some time to

prepare the list of characteristics of each other, and then ask
 them to describe their partner. Whenever some students
have similar characteristics, suggest them to compare those
people.
E.g.: Mamed and Leyla are both tolerant. Well, Leyla is
just as tolerant as Mamed.

7.3 Talk about people who have influenced you

1. Do you think that, people can influence each other?
2. Have you ever had this kind of person?
3. How did she or he influence your life?
4. Have you ever met someone who made a huge impression
on you? Who is this person?
5. Do you think that you have influenced someone’s life?
• If yes, then how?
• If no, then would you like to? In what ways?
6. Do you like reading motivational books? Do you think they
can make someone more confident?
7. Do you have a role model?
8. Does this person inspire you?
• If yes, how?

UNIT 8 LOST & FOUND

8.1 Talk about attitudes to possessions / describe objects

➢ Discuss both views/ practice giving your opinion

• What is the difference between clutter, rubbish and stuff? (please give definitions and
examples)
• Do you agree with the statement that de-cluttering your home will make you less stressed?
• Is that true that a big clear-out at home makes a big clear-out in one’s brain which might make
big things happen or change?
• Do you think that each neighbourhood needs at least one day a month for decluttering or is it
perfectly fine for you to keep living as usual without tidying-up rules?
• Do you agree that the more possessions and stuff you have the more problems in life you are
likely to encounter?

1) Do you find it easy to throw things away?

2) Do you always tidy up before visitors come round?
3) How often do you get rid of old stuff and replace it? Do you usually sell it, give it away or throw
it away?

ACTIVITY
✓ Make a competition between students. Imagine that there is a donation company in your
school/university/work or any other organization you might belong to. People who give away
the most useful and much stuff (which can be anything from technology to clothes and cables)
for people in need will be the winners and will get job/studies bonuses. For instance, a student
will get one month scholarship or trip to another country. Depending on the type of students
make a list for winners:

University Students
1st place – mobile phone
2nd place – a trip to a town (all expenses covered)
3rd place – one month scholarship (if already exists, double increased scholarship)

Employees
1st place – 1 week holiday abroad (all expenses covered)
2nd place – mobile phone
3rd place – bonus from monthly salary

Schoolchildren
1st place – a computer
2nd place – free cinema every day with popcorn for one day
3rd place – free classes with tutors on the difficult subjects

Now start competing! Good luck!

8.2. talk about unexpected travel situations

• What can go wrong when you’re travelling?

• Think about a travel problem you’ve had:
a) a train or bus you were on was cancelled
b) you got on the wrong train or bus
c) you got lost
d) you got off at the wrong stop
e) your train, bus or car broke down
f) you got stuck in a traffic jam
g) in the middle of your commute or journey you realized you’ve run out of money, lost or left your
wallet

USEFUL VOCABULARY:
Get a lift/ hitchhike/ the car broke down/ the flight was cancelled/ give someone a lift/ get lost/

-There must be a problem with engine

-let’s start walking and try to get a lift
-Can we get off at the next stop or change trains?
-The train was just awful! It’s so uncomfortable
 8.3 Describe objects

• Which of your possessions would you least like to lose? Why?

• Have you ever phoned or been to a lost property office? Why?

ACTIVITY 1.

Each student chooses one item to describe. Then, they start describing it in 3-4 sentences and giving the
purposes to use the item. Other students should guess its name. The winner is the one who guessed the
most of the possessions. Have students to give as much information as possible.

Example:

o It is an electronic device. It is medium size, white and made of metal.

o There is an apple design on the front.
o You can open and fold it.
o You use it for storing data and information in an electronic version.

Answer: MacBook

Obviously, if students cannot get the meaning, they can give more clues, such as you can use it to play
computer games.

ACTIVITY 2.

Divide students into two teams. First group is going to work in a lost property office. Another group has
lost something. Together the two will need to find solution. The results might be positive as well as
negative.

Useful Language:

Describing objects: It was in good condition… My wallet had blue stripes on the outside …

The bag has got side pockets… They were leather shoes

Making deductions: OK, What does it look like? Can you describe it for me?

I think this iphone must be yours. I have good news for you. We’ve found your
possession. Unfortunately, nothing like this has been handed in

UNIT 9 MAKE UP YOUR MIND

• Can you remember the times when something went wrong in your home?
• When was the last time when:
The tap was leaking
 The pipe burst
The handle came off
The window was stuck
The batteries were flat
The washing machine wasn’t working
The bathroom was flooded
There was a power cut
Your option
• Are there any cases which often happen in your home?
• Which of them has recently happened?
• Are there any of these problems you could fix yourself?
• Do you or your parents first consider to repair house problems by themselves or they would
rather call the master to maintain?
• In which situations you would call:
a) A plumber
b) An electrician
c) An engineer
d) A friend
e) Someone else

9.2 ( Talk about decision-making)

• How do you make decisions about
✓ Your work?
✓ Your home?
✓ Buying things?
✓ Money?
✓ Clothes to wear?
✓ Order of homework to do?
✓ More serious decisions: doing courses or starting university
✓ Choosing the specialty or job for the future
o Which decisions do you find easy to make? Which are more difficult?

➢ Think about a decision you have / had to make. Students can choose from daily routines topics
as well as something which was really important or affected their lives.
The teacher can give them thinking strategies which could help them to come up with ideas:

▪ Trust your ideas

▪ Look at the facts
▪ Come up with a new plan
▪ Brainstorm ideas
▪ Develop solutions
 ▪ Your own ideas to decide

❖ What are some of the differences between decisions made by children and adults?
❖ Are some people naturally good at making decisions or decision making is a skill you can learn?

9.3 Reach a compromise (describe problems in the home)

• Have you ever had the situation when you needed to share a room or an apartment with
someone?
Was that your friend/a student as you/sibling/cousin or another relative?
Do you share your room with anyone at home?
If you do, are there any problems about the rules while living in the same room?
What disagreements you might have while sharing a house/an apartment/a dormitory?

Here are some options:

✓ Cleaning
✓ Washing up
✓ Noise
✓ The shower
✓ Cooking
✓ Shopping
✓ Food
✓ Your own option

(If a student did not have such an experience they can just talk about the daily arguments
about home with family)

❖ ACTIVITY

Have students to role-play. They should imagine that they are in dormitory staying with other
students. There is always a lot of noise from ground or top floor. What will a student do? Will they
consult their roommate?

❖ ACTIVITY

Your roommate is eating the food you’re cooking or bringing from home. Every time he/she finds an
excuse and offers the money instead. Divide students into 2 people.

Roommate 1 – eating food and giving excuses (he/she needs to give as many excuses as possible to
justify himself/herself)

Roommate 2 – already fed up with the situation decided to seriously talk and solve the case.

USEFUL VOCABULARY

OK, I can’t stand this situation anymore. Whenever I want to eat something…

Let’s say you can take my food if you might be hungry sometimes and want a snack….
But if I agree to wash the dishes instead, could you do ….

How about if we ….

That way, you can ….

But that would mean ……

We could just do…..

Remember - In the end you should come to a mutual agreement.

o Dealing with conflict

• What would you do in these situations:
a) A colleague criticizes your work to your boss
b) Your flat mate paints the walls a colour you hate
c) A relative really annoys you when you’re out shopping together
d) When your computer crashes before you have saved up your work.
➢ What do you do when you are angry with:
✓ A colleague
✓ A relative
✓ A friend
✓ A child
➢ How do you think conflict should be resolved at home or at work? Give an example from your
experience
➢ How do you feel about getting angry in public?
➢ Is it acceptable in your country?
➢ Is it the same or different in other countries you know of?

EXPLORE WRITING

• In your country , do most people you know

✓ Own their house
✓ Rent their house
➢ What do you think are the pros and cons of 1)buying or 2)renting your home?
➢ Do you think landlords charge too much for rent?
➢ Should kids with jobs pay rent to their parents?
➢ What do you need to think and ask about before renting a place to live?
➢ How important are rent agreements?
➢ How do you find rented accommodation in your hometown?
➢ Would you rent out a room in your home to a lodger?
➢ How often should the landlord put the rent up?(raise the price rent)

UNIT 10 IMPRESSIONS (talk about memory)

 ▪ How good do you think your memory is?
✓ About names
✓ Places
✓ Faces
✓ Phone numbers
✓ Conversations
✓ Song lyrics
❖ Can you answer these questions very quickly? ( The teacher should set the time. It is limited for
each person – 1 minute)
➢ What were you doing yesterday?
➢ What were you doing at 8 o’clock yesterday evening?
➢ Which English book were you using this time last year?
➢ What were you studying in History last term?
➢ What was in fashion last year? What sort of clothes were people wearing?
Now let’s switch on your classes in Celt Colleges:
• In what order did people (students, teachers, groupmates) arrive in class today?
• What date does your course start and finish?
• What did you do in the first class of your course?
• Did you know anyone in the class/course before your classes started?

• Do you have a good memory or a bad memory

• Do you usually remember things or forget things?
• Would you like to have a perfect memory?
• Why or why not?
• How would it change your life?
Who do you know who has the best memory?
• Can you tell us about them?
• Are there some things or times that you wish you could forget? Tell your group about them.
• Memories make the man.
• What do you think this means? Can you give some examples.
Those who forget the past will repeat it. What do you think this means? Give examples.
Many people find that a certain sound or smell brings back a childhood memory very strongly (such
as the smell of a food that your mother often cooked when you were young).
• Why do you think this is?
• What has this effect on you?
• Give examples.
Many people find that visiting certain place brings back a childhood memory very strongly (such as
the scene of an old family holiday).
• Why do you think this is?
• Where has this effect on you?
• Give examples.
If you could edit your memories, which ones would you erase and why?
• Which ones would you make clearer and more vivid?

10.2 Talk about complaining / 10.3 Make a complaint

politely
 Discuss together. What kind of behavior annoys you?

1. Someone went to the front of a queue without waiting in line?

2. Someone broke the rules on public transport?
3. You got poor service in a restaurant, café or a shop?
4. When people clear their throat constantly
5. People who violate personal space
6. Eating noisily — slurping up noodles, gulping drinks, crunching on cobs of corn
7. Bringing more than 10 items into the express lane in the supermarket
8. When people charge onto a crowded train before you get off (same goes for
pushing your way into an elevator before others have stepped out)
9. People talking in a movie theater (and munching loudly on popcorn and sending
a text or failing to turn off the ringer)
10. When people at home leave dirty dishes in the sink (or in a roommate situation)
11. Kicking the back of an airplane/car/bus seat?
12. When you are in a car and the other cars drive slowly in the fast lane
13. When you are meeting your friends and some of them start texting at the table
the whole time
14. When you have friends who share everything on Facebook
• Speaking honestly: Are you one of these people who constantly act any of the listed
behaviours
• If you had encountered one of these situations, did you complain or make something to
stop what annoyed you? (especially in public transport)

❖ ACTIVITY

Make a role play. Choose one of the situations and one student will be an annoying person who
performs (for example eating noisily), the other student will be complaining and there also should be
students who will resolve the problem. Apply a lot of cases. Students can share their own options.

USEFUL VOCABULARY

I’ve been meaning to talk to you….

It’s really / a bit annoying

I’d be grateful if you could be less noisy

It’s just that you cannot keep on doing this

Well, to be honest we’d like to discuss this matter/issue

➢ Can you think of possible problems between neighbours?

FIND OUT
➢ Which student of the group had a critical situation? What was that?
➢ Which student had a usual solving problem?
 ➢ Are there in a group victims or disturbers? Who would start first admitting?
❖ What would you do if you had a problem with a neighbor?
Would you find it easy to discuss the problem? (For teenagers: what about your parents?)
What do you think you would say?
Can you think of the ways to solve the conflicts politely?

❖ ACTIVITY
What would you do in these situations?

• loud music, television or radio

• noisy parties
• shouting, heavy footsteps or door slamming
• barking dogs

Have students to make up dialogues. They should use expressions and phrases from above
useful language.

EXPLORE SPEAKING

Think about the questions:

▪ When was the last time you had a long weekend?
▪ What did you do?

1. What have you achieved this week?

2. What haven’t you achieved? Why not?
3. What’s the most boring part of your job/studies? What’s the most interesting?
4. Do you form an instant impression of people?
5. Do you have a picture of anyone in your wallet?
6. Would you ever go straight to the front of a queue?

UNIT 11. Truth and Lies

❖ How many people have you talked to today?
❖ Did you talk about any of these topics:
✓ Friends
✓ The weather
✓ Work
✓ Politics
✓ Your plans today
✓ A problem
✓ Something that frightened or shocked you

How much do you gossip? Who with? (inspire students to be as frank as possible)

➢ Do you gossip on the phone or by texting? How often?

➢ What kinds of things do you gossip about?
➢ Do you think gossiping is a good or bad thing? Why?
• Have students to dispute about these statements:
1) Gossiping can be good for you
2) More than half of what people talk about is gossip.
3) Women gossip a lot more than men.
4) People gossip more now that they have mobile phones.
5) Most gossip involves being critical of others.

❖ Do you think gossip can be used for something good?

What are the most common themes for gossip?
Has someone ever spread a rumor about you?
Has spreading rumors ever got you in trouble?
Do you think that a friend who gossips or starts rumors will ever gossip or start a rumor about
you?
Are you interested in celebrity gossip?
Do you like to know all the gossip about your friends and neighbours?
Who is the biggest gossip you know?
How quickly does gossip spread in your school / workplace?
Is there any gossip about your teachers?

ACTIVITY

Student A - Imagine you are Dave Buckham, a famous footballer and celebrity. You are about to
appear as a guest on a live television show. A journalist is going to ask you and your wife, Veronica
Spice, some questions. Earlier today you received a phone call from Veronica. She says she knows
you are cheating on her with another woman. She is very angry and says she is leaving you.
Preparation: Think of the questions the journalist is going to ask you. Plan your answers. Your fans
will be watching the show. You are a role model for lots of young people. It is important to say the
right thing. Think of explanations to show Veronica that you aren’t cheating on her.

Student B – you are going to be a journalist. Make a list of questions which will trigger more
rumored and tense atmosphere.

Preparation: Prepare some questions to ask your two celebrity guests. Lots of their fans will be
watching the show. People love gossip! Viewers already know a lot about Dave and Veronica. They
want to learn something new. Try to make your questions original. Ask them about the rumour you
heard. But try to be polite! This is a day time television show!

For example:

Interviewer: Mr Buckham, how many years have been married to your wife?
Interviewer: What have you been most interested most recently?

Obviously, you should begin from common questions especially questions concerning career not
from rumours straightaway:

Interviewer: Mrs Spice, I hear you are working on your new single but this time alone..
 Veronica: I’d prefer to limit this information as nothing is released yet, though the plans are being
made…

Student C - You are Veronica Spice, ex-member of the world-famous pop group ‘The Spice Chicks’.
You are married to Dave Buckham, a famous footballer and celebrity. You are about to appear as a
guest on a live television show. A journalist is going to ask you and your husband some questions.
You think Dave is cheating on you with another woman. You are very angry. You love David but this
isn’t the first time he has cheated on you. This time you have evidence.

Preparation : Think of the questions the journalist is going to ask you. Plan your answers. Your fans
will be watching the show. You are a role model for lots of young people. It is important to say the
right thing. Think about what you are going to tell the journalist and what you aren’t going to tell!

11.2 The lie detector (talk about truth and lies)

What’s a white lie?
Do you have a similar expression in your language?
Are you good at telling lies?
Can you tell if someone is lying? How?
Does telling a white lie make you a bad person?
When is a white lie acceptable?

❖ Make a discussion:

*In your opinion, why is honesty important?

* When have you been lied to? How did you feel then?
* Is there anyone you know who is completely honest all of the time?

Discussion Questions
Now try to have longer conversations about honesty using the open-ended questions below. If you do
not have a conversation partner, using complete sentences.
1. Is there any way we can know for sure when somebody is lying to us?

2. If honesty is so important, why is it sometimes difficult to be honest?

3. When is it all right to just tell a "half truth"?

4. Do you think a good worker should be fired if it is discovered he lied during his job interview? Why or
why not?

CHALLENGE: Which of the students present in the group can prove to be the best at lying?

Think of a lie and how to say it in a way that everyone would believe it is true. It can be about you or
about anyone/anything else.

Conclusion: Who had the best lying skills?

11.3 (Relate to a conversation)
➢ If you have a problem, who do you talk to?
➢ If a friend of yours has a problem, what do you do?
➢ Do you have any techniques how to deal with (social/family problems) or how to help your
friends to solve them?
• As a child what were:
✓ you brought up to believe in
✓ expected to do
✓ forced to do
✓ encouraged to do
• As an adult, is there anything that is OK now that was unacceptable ten years ago?
o Think about attitudes to family in your country and discuss next questions:

1) Are children encouraged to be independent? In what ways?

2) Are children expected to take part in family activities?
3) Do children spend more time with their family or friends?
4) When do most people leave the family home?
5) Is it acceptable to live alone if you’re not married?
6) Are children expected to live near to their parents as adults?
7) Are adults happy to be told what to do by their parents?
• Do you know about attitudes to family in any other countries?

❖ In your country, which of these aspects of daily life do you think men usually spend more time
on? Which do women spend more time on?
✓ Commuting
✓ Domestic chores
✓ Work
✓ Childcare
✓ Social life
✓ Relaxation
✓ Sleep
✓ Appearance

Do you use any software at home, school or work?

Do you have labs at your school, university or workplace? What are they used for?
Do you think the government should keep a database about its citizens?
What data should it include?
Have you ever done any research? What was it about?

UNIT 12
 12.1 (Giving a talk about an interest)

Why do you think people do risky jobs like stuntman?

What other insecure jobs do you know?

➢ Think about these jobs. Give definitions of each job. Find out the reasons why they
might be unsafe:

✓ Carpenter (a person who makes and repairs wooden objects and structures)
✓ Courier (a messenger who transports goods or documents, in particular.)
✓ E-waste recycler ( a person who has to deal with electronic waste/leftover)
✓ Lineman (a person employed in laying and maintaining railroad track) or power worker
✓ Farmers and ranchers
✓ Firefighters
✓ Roofer ( a person who construct or repairs roofs)
✓ Police officer
✓ Astronaut
✓ Bodyguard
✓ Slaughterhouse Worker ( a person who works in a place where animals are slaughtered for
food)
✓ Alpinist
✓ Mechanics
✓ Metal crafter ( a person who deals with metal and heat )
✓ Search and Rescue workers (including coast guards and mountain rescue teams)
✓ Sanitation worker (a person who is responsible for public health, especially clean drinking water
and adequate sewage disposal)
✓ Miner ( a person who works to excavate in the earth to extract coal and other minerals)
✓ Pilots and flight attendants

➢ Dis cuss which skills are needed to do these jobs. For example, in order to be a pilot a
person should have confidence, multi-tasking , time management, problem-solving and
adaptability skills. A student should name he ability and say the reason. They can add
their own options regarding risky jobs.

12.2 Make polite requests

➢ Where you live, how often do people talk to strangers in these situations?
✓ In a queue
✓ On public transport
✓ In the street
✓ In shops
➢ Do you think things have changed in the last 20 years?
➢ Do you ever speak to people in these situations? Why? Why not?
➢ Do you ever speak to people in these situations?
➢ What makes it easy to talk to someone?
➢ Do you have your own techniques to start conversation with someone unfamiliar?
ACTIVITY

Teachers will read these sentences one by one

Together with the group students will transform them into more polite and elegant questions and
requests and make up a dialogue from each. First work on transforming , then you can role-play the
sentences in different situations. The dialogues should be long and suitable for student’s level:

o Where do you live?

o Where did you get that dress?

o What is wrong with your feet?

o Turn that horrible music off now!

o Are you married and with lots of children?

o Did you really come with that looser to the party?

o What do you want?

o Who invited you here?

USEFUL VOCABULARY:

Would you mind if I open…./ opening….. ?

Could I ask you a favour? / to do something for me / to turn off TV?
Could you tell me a little about…? / your view on ….. please?

12.3 (give a talk about an interest or activity)

➢ Have you ever found something old, valuable or interesting?
➢ What kinds of things do you think treasure hunters look for?
➢ Where might they look for them?

❖ Students will take turns to give a talk about their activity or interest:
Firstly, choose the topic. Make a list of ideas

• Sports
• Books
• Habits
• Recipes
• Your own ideas

USEFUL VOCABULARY
Today I’m going to talk about
First of all
To start with
Secondly
I’m going to move on now to
And finally

❖ Have a debate about these topics:

▪ Do women make good drivers? What about men?

▪ Should extreme sports be taught in school?
▪ Should all children be taught to cook?
▪ What do you think education is for?
Discuss your ideas. Do you agree or disagree?

❖ Discuss the questions:

1. What are you interested in? Interested in?
2. Is your room or home always in a mess?
3. Have you ever been in trouble while travelling? What happened?
4. Do you know anyone who loves being in control?
5. Are you involved in any clubs or activities?

UNIT 13
13.1 (Talk about mistakes)

❖ Do you know any businessmen in your surroundings?

❖ Who are the most famous business people in your country? What do you know about
them?
❖ Do you run your own business, or would you like to do so?
❖ What kind of people are good at business?
❖ What do you think are/would be the advantages and disadvantages of being your own
boss?
❖ If you are presently self-employed - why did you decide to be so?
❖ What do you have to do to become self-employed in your country?
❖ If you are presently employed then describe your present boss.
❖ What is recession?
❖ What businesses will do well during the recession?
❖ What businesses will have the most problems during the recession?
❖ Has your country experienced recession?
❖ If you received a very good salary would you be prepared to work for a tobacco
company or for a company which damaged the environment?
 ❖ What would you do if you discovered that your company was stealing vast amounts of
client or government money?
❖ Is making money the only thing a company should be concerned about? If not, what else
should companies be concerned about?
❖ Is there a particular company you would like to be a part of? Why?
❖ Is there a particular company you would definitely not want to be a part of? Why?
❖ Would you prefer to work in a large international company or a small local company?
Why?
❖ Which type of company do you think treats their staff better - small family companies or
big international ones?
❖ How would you feel if your company asked you to move to a different country to help
your career?

➢ Have you ever regretted something that you’ve said or done? Think of your stories:
Things you have said to:
✓ A friend
✓ A colleague
✓ A stranger
✓ A teacher
✓ Parents
Things you have done:
✓ Buying things
✓ Education
✓ Work
✓ Friends and family

▪ What did or didn’t you do?

▪ Why was it a mistake?
▪ What should or shouldn’t you have done?
▪ What could you have done differently?
▪ Discuss together. In a group discuss what another student should or could have done.

13.2 (talking about acts of kindness)

❖ What would you do if you saw someone

✓ Stealing someone’s wallet or bag
✓ Pushing an old man/an unprotected boy in the street
✓ In trouble in a river or the sea
✓ Rubbing a shop or a bank
 o Are you a kind person? Are you attracted to kind people?
o What's a random act of kindness? Have you ever done any?
o When you are kind with people and they are not, what policy do you adopt? Do you
keep going or you feel abused and stop it?
o Who is the kindest person you know? What are some of his/her acts of kindness?
o Do you believe that kindness depends on gender?
o Can you think of a life-changing act of kindness in your life?
o Have you ever been inspired by someone's act of kindness?

➢ Consider these questions:

• Do you think it’s important to thank people for helping you?
• Do you ever help other people with their English?
• Do you try to think of others before yourself?
• Do you do a lot of favours for your friends?
• Have you ever saved someone from a difficult or dangerous situation?
• Would you risk your life by diving into a river to save someone? What about other situations?
• Would you rescue an animal from danger?

13.3 (criticize past actions / usage of unreal third conditional)

❖ Do you have a good sense of direction?
❖ Can you drive? (or Do you have a driving license?
❖ Have you ever driven abroad? Do you find it stressful?
❖ What do you do when you are lost?
❖ What's the best car you've ever had/driven? Why?

❖ What's your favourite car advertisement? What happens in it? Why do you like it?
➢ Discuss the next questions:
▪ Should cars be banned from city centres/downtowns? What do you think the effects of such a
ban would be?

▪ How much more would you be prepared to pay for an environmentally-friendly car?

▪ Should people be required to wear seat belts in the back seat? Do you ever wear a seat belt
in the back seat? In a taxi?

ACTIVITY:

Imagine you’re on a weekend trip with friends or parents. Choose one of these topics:

• A cottage in the countryside

• A hill-walking holiday
• Camping
• A resort by the sea
• A sightseeing trip

Note: students might select their own topic, such a family conflict over clothes or household chores.

First discuss together over what kinds of things could go wrong and make up dialogues:

Bad weather
Not enough warm clothes
 Leaving at home a really important tool
Suddenly catching the cold
One of the member’s plan change
Your own option

USEFUL VOCABULARY:

It would have been better if you had been more careful

If I had known….I wouldn’t have …
You could have warned us …….
I should have double checked……….

❖ Where you live, what are the laws about:

• Road rules
• Speed limits
• Buying cigarettes or alcohol
• Smoking in public
Think of places you spend a lot of time. How are you supposed to behave:
✓ In a workplace
✓ A university
✓ A library
✓ A religious place
✓ at home
✓ a café or canteen

➢ In your country, what laws are there to protect people’s health and safety?
➢ Do you agree with the laws? Why? Why not?
➢ Do you follow these laws?
➢ What do you do if other people don’t follow the laws?

Unit 14 In the news

14.1 Local news

1. Do you like watching news?

2. Why is it important to watch news?
3. What kind of stories do you find the most exciting while watching news?
4. What has been the most impressive news you have heard so far?
5. If the news reported your week, what would be the headline?
6. How do you prefer to receive the news?
 • What is your favourite newspaper/magazine/TV
channel/TV programme for getting news?
7. What would the world be like without the news?
8. Do you think that news give us just information without giving its opinion?
9. Should the news give us opinion?
10. Do you think that the information you get is accurate? Why/why not?

Vocabulary:

✓ Have you ever been evacuated from your residence?

If no, what can be the reason for an evacuation from residences in general?
✓ How important is the role of the firefighters in our lives?
✓ Have you ever been involved in the incident?
✓ What can you be arrested in your country for?
✓ What kind of offences can people be charged with in Azerbaijan?
✓ Do you know the laws of your country well? Has there been any new law introduced
recently?
✓ Are there organizations that oppose new laws?
✓ What population change is predicted to happen in Azerbaijan in 10 years?
✓ Have you ever been a victim of someone being injured?
If no. would you rescue this person?

Activity:
Divide the students into groups and ask them to think about the news they have
heard/read recently. As an alternative they can create their own news. They should retell
each other the stories in details, after that share with the whole class.

(Useful phrases from 14.2 : Did you hear that thing …, Was it the one about…, I heard
something about that…, I read a similar article…, It was talking about…, It actually
said…, Yes, but apparently…)

❖ Discuss the questions:

▪ What is genetic engineering and do you think it is a good thing?
▪ What are people worried about who oppose genetic engineering?
▪ Genetic engineering might allow parents to “design” their children before their birth –
What do you think of this?
▪ Should genetic engineering go ahead to eliminate human flaws, such as violence,
jealousy, hate etc?
▪ Does the government have the right to limit how far we modify ourselves?
▪ Do you worry about eating GM (genetically modified) food?
▪ Do you think genetically modified food could harm the ecosystems of the areas in which
they grow?
▪ Do you think it’s essential to modify genes to create new medicines?
▪ Scientists can genetically engineer fruit to contain vaccines at a very low cost. Do you
think it is a good idea?
 ▪ What do you think about cloning?
▪ Would you like to see a cloned version of yourself?
▪ What do you think of the idea of genetically engineering new bodily organs to replace
yours when you are old?

14.3 Choose a story for a news programme

1. Is it reasonable to watch the ads on TV or it is better to turn them over?

2. What type of programmes do you find entertaining?
3. Do you like reality shows? Do you think they have got potential, or local people are not
really interested?
4. Do you think that it would make sense not to have ads on TV? Why/ why not?

(Vocabulary: This one looks…, I don’t really get it, that makes sense, I’m not convinced, I’d
go for this one, That sounds…, It’s got potential)

Activity:
Write on the board list of some popular programmes that you (or students) know. If needed
give them some information. Students should discuss which of them would they like to
watch and why. They should use the vocabulary above. Then they should explain which of
them will not be interesting for local audience.