English

1) Why are you learning English?

2) Since when (How long) have you been learning
English?
3) How happy are you with your English level?
4) What do you think your level is (beginning,
intermediate, advanced)?
5) What area of English are you best at
(pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, listening
comprehension, speaking, reading or writing)?
6) What materials do you usually use for learning
English?
7) Why is English so important?
8) What are the things you like most and least about
English?
9) Do you think English is more or less difficult than
your language?
10) How would your life change if you were fluent
in English?

Professions
Accountant - a person that works with the money and
accounts of a company.

Actor /Actress - a person that acts in a play or a movie

Architect - a person that designs building and houses.

Astronomer - a person who studies the stars and the

universe
Author - They write books or novels.

Baker - They make bread and cakes and normally

work in a bakery.

Bricklayer - a person that helps to build houses using

bricks.

Bus driver - a person that drives buses.

Butcher - a person that works with meat. They cut the

meat and sell it in their shop.

Carpenter - a person that makes things from wood

including houses and furniture.

Chef/Cook - a person that prepared food for others,

often in a restaurant or café.

Cleaner - a person that cleans/tidies an area or place

(such as in an office)

Dentist - a person that can fix problems you have with

your teeth.

Designer - a person who has the job of designing

things.

Doctor - a person you go to see when you are ill or

have some type of health problem.

Dustman/Refuse collector - a person that collects

trash/rubbish from bins in the street.
Electrician - a person that works with electric circuits.

Engineer - a person who develops solutions to

technical problems. They sometimes design, build, or
maintain engines, machines, structures or public
works.

Factory worker - a person that works in a factory.

Farmer - a person that works on a farm, usually with

animals.

Fireman/Fire fighter - a person that puts out fires.

Fisherman - a person that catches fish

Florist - a person that works with flowers.

Gardener - a person that keeps gardens clean and

tidy. They take care of the plants in the garden.

Hairdresser - they cut your hair or give it a new style.

Journalist - a person that makes new reports in

writing or through television.

Judge - a qualified person that decides cases in a law

court.

Lawyer - a person that defends people in court and

gives legal advice.

Lecturer - a person that gives lectures, usually in a

university.
Librarian - a person that works in a library.

Lifeguard - a person that saves lives where people

swim (at a beach or swimming pool).

Mechanic - a person that repairs machines, especially

car motors.

Model - a (usually attractive) person that works in

fashion, modeling clothes and accessories.

Newsreader - a person that reads the news, normally

on television.

Nurse - a person trained to help a doctor look after the

sick or injured.

Optician - a person that checks your eyes and try and

correct any problems with your sight.

Painter - a person that paints pictures or the interior

and exterior of buildings.

Pharmacist - a qualified person that works with and

dispenses medicine.

Photographer - a person that takes photos.

Pilot - a person who flies a plane.

Plumber - a person that repairs your water systems or
pipes.

Politician - a person who works in politics.

Policeman/Policewoman - a member of the police

force. They (try and) prevent crime.

Postman - a person that delivers mail to your house.

Real estate agent - a person that makes money from

selling land for development.

Receptionist - a person that is at the reception

(entrance) of a company.

Scientist - a person that works in the science industry.

They do many experiments.

Secretary - a person employed in an office who types

letters, keeps records etc.

Shop assistant - a person that works in a shop or

store selling products.

Soldier - a person who works for the army.

Tailor - a person that makes clothes for others, many

times producing exclusive items of clothing.

Taxi driver - a person who drives a taxi.

Teacher - a person that passes knowledge to

students, usually at school.
Translator - a person that translates from one
language to another.

Traffic warden - a person that patrols areas to check

that people do not park in the wrong place.

Travel agent - a person that organises and sells

holidays and flights for others.

Veterinary doctor (Vet) - a qualified person that looks

after sick animals.

Waiter/Waitress - a person that works in a food outlet,

looking after customers and serving food.

Window cleaner - a person that cleans windows,

normally the windows of big buildings.
Job What do they do? Where do they work?
Look after the finances in an
Accountants They work in an office.
organisation.
Bakers Bake bread. They work in a bakery.
Shave men's beards and cut men's
Barbers They work in a barbers.
hair.
They work in a bar, pub or
Barmen/women Serve drinks.
restaurant.
Butchers Prepare and sell meat. They work in a butchers.
Chambermaids Clean and tidy rooms. They work in a hotel.
Chefs Prepare and cook food. They work in a kitchen.
Dentists Look after people's teeth. They work in a dentists.
They work in a hospital or
Doctors Look after people's health.
surgery.
Fishmongers Prepare and sell fish. They work in a fishmongers.
They work in an aeroplane
Flight attendants Look after passengers.
(airplane AmE).
Hair dressers Cut and style people's hair. They work in a hair salon.
Judges Judge and sentence people. They work in a law court.
They work in a law court and
Lawyers Defend and prosecute people.
in a lawyers office.
They work in a hospital or
Nurses Look after patients .
doctor's surgery.
Opticians Look after people's eye sight. They work in an opticians.
Carry other people's bags and They work in a hotel or train
Porters
luggage. station.
 Receptionists Meet and greet visitors. They work in reception.
Sales Assistants Sell goods and look after customers. They work in a shop.
Arrange appointments, type letters and
Secretaries They work in an office.
organise meetings.
Surgeons Operate on people who are sick. They work in a hospital.
They work in factories and
Tailors Design, make, alter or repair garments,
shops.
Teachers Teach people. They work in a school.
Organise and repair technical
Technicians They work everywhere!
equipment.
They work in a veterinary
Vets Look after people's animals.
surgery or vets.
Waiters/WaitressesServe people food and drink. They work in a restaurant.
They work in factories and
Welders Weld metal to make things.
construction.

Housework

Can you name some chores that need to be done

everyday?
What chores are your responsibility?
Which chores do you not like to do?
What is something you hate doing when you get
home?
Do you like to clean up your room?
Do you wash the dishes in your house?
Do you wash clothes for your family?
Do you do the ironing the clothes?
What are some chores you do outside your house?
If you could buy only one of this two things, would
you choose a dishwasher or a washing machine?
Do you like to go to the supermarket?
Have you ever had an empty fridge for a long time
only because you were too lazy to go grocery
shopping?
What kind of products does your family buy on the
Internet?
If you could have a robot to do all your chores, what
would you choose for it to do?
What are some chores that your parents have to do
around the house?
Do your grandparents help with chores?

sweep the floor подмести пол (with a broom - веником)

mop the floor помыть пол (with a mop - шваброй)
vacuum the carpet пропылесосить ковер (with a
vacuum cleaner - пылесосом)

clean up your room прибраться в комнате

wash the dishes помыть посуду

a dishwasher посудомоечная машина

take out the trash/garbage выносить мусор

water the plants/flowers полить растения/цветы

do the shopping ходить в магазин (за едой)

scrub the sink/bath отмывать раковину/ванну

make the bed стелить постель

set the table накрывать на стол

clear the table убирать со стола
wipe the table протереть стол от крошек

dust the shelves протереть полки от пыли

wash the clothes = do your laundry стирать одежду

a washing machine стиральная машина

A day off выходной день (когда ты не
учишься/работаешь)

Free Time
Do you have enough free time?
What are you doing this weekend?
What did you do last summer vacation?
What did you do last weekend?
What do you do in your free time? (How do you like to
spend your free time?)
What hobbies do you have?
How long have you had your hobby?
Which hobbies are the most popular in your country?
When do you have free time? (How do you spend your
free time?)
Where do you spend your free time?
Who do you spend your free time with?
going shopping? going to the cinema? chatting? playing
computer games going to the disco? playing sports?
reading? relaxing?
If you had more free time, what would you do with it?
Tell me about some good places to hang out. Why are
they good?
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? How do the women in your family usually spend
their free time? How do the men in your family usually
spend their free time?
If it were suddenly announced that tomorrow was a
national holiday, what would you do?
What do you do on Saturdays?
Do people's leisure time activities change as they get
older? How?
Who do you like to spend your leisure time with?
What do you really hate having to do in your free
time?
What new activity would you like to try doing in your
free time?
Do you ever feel that you waste your free time? How?
What can you do about this?
Are there any activities that you used to do but don't
do anymore? Why did you stop?

Famous and successful people

1) Do you have any idols or role models among famous

people?
2) Do you have a favorite actor or singer or director?
3) Have you ever talked to a famous person?
 Who was the person?
 How long did you talk?
 What did you talk about?

4) What qualities do you think make people successful?

5) How do you determine if the person is successful or
not?

Interview 2
Travelling
• Have you ever been abroad?
• Where have you been?
• Are you planning on going anywhere for your next
vacation?
• If so, where?
• Who with?
• How long will you stay?
• Are you afraid of going abroad alone?
• Do you prefer to travel alone or in a group? Why?
• Could you live in another country for the rest of your
life?
• What was your best trip.
• What was your worst trip.
• Do you like to travel with your mother? Why or why
not?
• Do you prefer summer vacations or winter vacations?
• Do you prefer to travel by train, bus, plane or ship?
• Have you ever been in a difficult situation while
traveling?
• Have you ever gotten lost while traveling? If so, tell
about it.
• Have you ever hitchhiked? If so, how many times?
• Have you ever taken a package tour?
• How do you spend your time when you are on holiday
and the weather is bad?
• How much luggage do you usually carry?
• If you traveled to South America, what countries
would like to visit?
• What are some countries that you would never visit?
Why would you not visit them?
• What are some things that you always take with you
on a trip?
• What countries would you not like to visit? Why?
• What country do you most want to visit?
• Why?
• Do you think you will ever go there?
• What is the most interesting city to visit in your
country?
• What is the most interesting souvenir that you have
ever bought on one of your holidays?
• What was the most interesting/beautiful place you
have ever visited?
• Where are you going to go the next time you travel?
• When are you going to go?
• Who are you going to go with?
• How long are you going to go for?
• What are you going to do there?
• What kind of things do you think you will buy?
• Where did you go on your last vacation?
• How did you go?
• Who did you go with?
• Would you rather go to a place where there are a lot
of people or to a place where there are few people?
• What are popular tourist destinations in your country?
• Why in your opinion do foreign tourists travel to
Russia? What attracts them to our country?
• Do you prefer active or relaxing holidays? Why?
• Which is better, package tour or a tour you organize
and book yourself?
• Why do you travel?
• Why do people travel?
• Would you like to go back to the same place?
• What is the best kind of holiday for different ages of
people? Children? Teenagers? Adults? Elderly people?
• If you had $100,000, where would you go on holiday?
How about if you had $10,000? What about $1,000?
• If you could choose one place to go this weekend,
where would it be?
• Has the airline ever lost your luggage? What
happened?
1. travel light: Don’t pack a lot of items. Bring only what you need.
Please travel light tomorrow. We have a lot of walking to do.

2. hit the road: Depart. Begin a tour.

We’ll hit the road as soon as the bus driver arrives.

3. off track OR off the beaten path: wrong way; away from the main road or
route
Don’t go off track. There are some dangerous areas in this city.

4. watch your back: be careful; pay attention to people around you

Keep your wallet in a safe place and watch your back on the subway.

5. call it a day: finish an activity or tour; go home or back to the hotel

You all look tired. Let’s call it a day.

6. get a move on: go more quickly

We’ll need to get a move on if we want to catch the four o’clock bus.

7. a full plate: a full schedule; no free time

We have a full plate tomorrow, so get a good rest tonight.

8. hang on or hang tight: wait patiently for a moment

Please hang tight until the driver returns.
to be bitten by the travel bug (idiom)- kind of a cute way to say when someone begins to want to
travel. After the "bug" bites you, you will really want to travel. 

Globetrotter is someone who travels a lot and visits a lot of different countries

Hotels
Which do you prefer to stay in when you travel:  hotels, hostels, or another type
of place? Why?

What are the best and worst things about staying in hotels?

Have you ever been to a really disgusting hotel? Did you stay or leave?

Couch surfing is staying for free at people’s homes in different countries. Is this a
good idea or bad idea? Why?

Do you feel comfortable when you are staying at a hotel?

Have you ever ordered room service?

Do you have any interesting stories about staying somewhere other than your
house, like a hotel or hostel?

Are hotels common in your country? If not, where do people stay when they
travel?

What is the nicest hotel you have stayed at?

What would it be like to work in a hotel as a cleaning person or front desk staff?

Have you ever eaten anything out of the minibar (the refrigerator with snacks and
drinks)? Was it expensive?

Parties
1) Do you like partying?
2) When was the last time you were in the nightclub?
3) What’s your attitude to alcohol? Have you got a
favorite alcoholic drink? Do you get drunk at parties?
4) What is worse smoking or drinking?
5) Do you celebrate holidays like New Year’s Day or
Christmas or Easter?
6) Do you have birthday parties usually?

When people move into a new house, they can have a housewarming party –

an informal gathering in which the hosts (the people organizing the party)

present their new home, and the guests (the people attending the party) give

gifts of household items.

When someone is moving away or leaving for a long trip like a semester or year abroad, their friends
often organize a going-away party or send-off to say goodbye and wish them a good trip.

Before getting married, some men have a bachelor party (stag night/party in the UK) with their male
friends to celebrate their “last day of freedom” as a single person. The female equivalent is a
bachelorette party (hen night.party in the UK). Sometimes these parties are held at a strip club or bar,
and other times they are more innocent.
A general word for an informal social gathering is a “get-together” – that’s a

casual event without an event schedule, and you don’t need to dress up.

A reunion is a gathering of group members who have been separated for some time – in the U.S., there
are college reunions and high school reunions to re-encounter classmates after many years.

The life and soul of the party = the person who's at the centre of all parties!
She's the life and soul of the party.

a party animal = a person who loves going to parties: "John is a real party animal. He's never
at home."

a social butterfly = a person with lots of friends and acquaintances: She's a bit of a social
butterfly."

throw a party = have a party: "We're throwing a party next Saturday."

party-pooper = someone who doesn't like parties: "Don't be such a party-pooper!"

a wet blanket = someone who doesn't want to have fun: "He's such a wet blanket."

a wallflower = someone who stands on his own at parties: "Who's the wallflower over
there?"

put on your dancing shoes = get ready for dancing: "Come on Sarah! Put on your
dancing shoes - we're going clubbing tonight!"

crash a party = to attend a party without being invited: “Let’s go out and crash a party.
There are dozens of parties tonight, and nobody will be keeping track of guest lists.”

Gym
1) Do you play any sports? Have you ever played any
sports in your life?
2) Do you watch football (soccer) or other sports on TV?
Do you have a favorite team?
3) What do you think about Russian national football
(soccer) team?
4) Have you ever tried scuba diving, surfing or
snorkeling?
5) Have you ever tried sky diving? Would you try that
someday?
 6) How do you keep in shape? Do you go to the gym?
What are your favorite exercises?
7) Have you got a six-pack abs
8) Would you like to get jacked? (like a professional
bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger at his best time
for example?)

Bulk up = Build/Gain muscle

Slim down = Burn fat
Do cardio = Do cardio exercises = Do a cardio
workout
Do strength training = Do strength exercises = Do
a strength workout
Do bench presses
Do squats
Do sit-ups / push-ups / pull-ups
A treadmill / An exercise bike
machines тренажеры
a jump rope прыгалки / скакалка
to lift a barbell поднимать штангу
to lift dumbbells поднимать гантели
to work out = to do exercise = to do
exercises тренироваться
a warm-up разминка
a work-out тренировка
to warm up разминаться
to stretch растягиваться
to keep in shape = to keep fit = to stay in shape = to
stay fit поддерживать себя в форме
to get in shape = to get fit привести себя в форму
to be in good/great shape быть в хорошей/отличной
форме
to be in bad shape = to be out of shape быть в плохой
форме
to have a healthy lifestyle вести здоровый образ жизни
to eat healthy food правильно питаться
to eat unhealthy/junk food неправильно питаться
to be on a diet быть на диете
to get on a diet сесть на диету

Interview 6
The Internet

1) What do you think of the Internet in general?

2) Should the Internet be controlled by government+
your opinion? Why?
3) Have you got a Facebook or VK account? Do you
spend much time socializing there?
4) What is good or bad in your opinion about social
networks like Facebook, VK etc.?
5) Do you usually pay for downloading songs or
movies on the Internet?

Interview 7
Fears

1) What is your biggest fear?

2) Are you afraid to die? Why?
3) Are you afraid of getting old? Why?
4) Are you afraid of ghosts?
 5) What is the scariest movie you have ever seen?
6) What are some things that many people are afraid of?
Why are they afraid of them?
7) What was the most frightening experience you've
had?

Interview 8
Food

1) Do you prefer to eat unhealthy or healthy food?

2) Describe your favorite food. What ingredients are in
it? Why is it your favorite?
3) What kinds of food did you eat when you were a
child? Do you eat the same things now?
4) How would you describe your country’s food?
5) How often do you eat foreign food and how often do
you eat your country’s cuisine?
6) Have you ever gone on a diet to improve your health
or lose weight? How well did it work?
7) What kinds of food can you cook? Would you like to
learn how to cook more types of food?

butter someone up
be extra nice to someone (usually for selfish reasons)
We'll have to butter Angie upbefore we tell her the news about the broken vase.

cheesy
silly
I love reading cheesy romance novels because I don't have to think.

cool as a cucumber
very relaxed
I thought I was afraid of flying, but I was cool as a cucumber all the way to England.

(not my) cup of tea

something you enjoy (usually used negatively)
Opera isn't exactly my cup of tea.

hot potato
a controversial or difficult subject
Choosing a location for our new store is a hot potato right now.

in a nutshell
simply
In a nutshell, I'm having a bad day.

piece of cake
very easy
The exam was a piece of cake.

spice things up
make something more exciting
I wanted to spice things up in the office, so I bought some red and gold paint.

Bread and butter

Things which are bread and butter are the basic things you need to survive e.g. food and
shelter. It is also used to describe the job or activity that provides you with the money you need
to live.
'Teaching is my bread and butter.'

Have one's own cake and eat it

To want more than someone can handle or deserves; to try to have two incompatible things:
you can not eat the cake and still have it.
'She doesn't want to work hard, but she wants a pay rise. You can't have your cake and eat it!'

Take with a pinch of salt

To take something with a pinch of salt means that you should not completely believe what you
are told. Someone is telling you something which may not be true or it is exaggerated.
'Take everything you read in that newspaper with a pinch of salt.'

Interview 9
Nations and stereotypes

1) What do you think of stereotypes in general? Is it bad

or good? Why do some people put labels on others?
2) What stereotypes do you know about different
nations? Do you think they’re true?
Americans: outgoing, friendly, overconfident, loud,
arrogant, talkative, overweight
British: reserved, stuffy (formal and boring), snobbish,
pompous (they try to look serious and important)
German: organized, structured, they’re very good at
football, efficient, precise, rigid, hard-working, not
emotional, machinelike
Russians: grumpy, a bit wild, very direct, reserved, but
very open when drunk
3) What stereotypes are true about Russia and Russian
people? Are you proud of them or you think they show
our country in a bad light?
4) What makes nations different?
5) Are all nations equal in terms of their intelligence? Do
you think that some nations are better and some
worse in this sense?
 6) Do you think the US really deserves their leadership
position in the world?
7) Would you change your citizenship if you had this
opportunity?
8) Do you think that some nations are smarter than the
others or do you think all of them are equal in this
respect?

when in Rome (do as the

Romans do)
SAYING
when you are visiting another place, you should follow the customs of
the peoplein that place

it's all Greek to me

a way of saying that you do not understand something that is said or written

go Dutch
INFORMAL
to agree to share the cost of something, especially a meal
Dutch couragenoun  [ U ] 

UK  /ˌdʌtʃ ˈkʌr.ɪdʒ/ US  /ˌdʌtʃ ˈkɝː.ɪdʒ/ UK US liquid courage

the confidence that some people get from drinking alcohol before they do

something that needs courage

excuse/pardon my French!
OLD-FASHIONED HUMOROUS

said when you are pretending to be sorry for using a word that may be considere
doffensive:
Pardon my French, but that's a damned shame!

Interview 10
Music

1) What are your favorite bands or artists?

2) How often do you listen to music?
3) Do you like singing karaoke?
4) Do you usually buy albums online or CD’s from the
store? When was the last time you bought a song or
album?
5) Have you ever illegally downloaded music? Do you
think it is okay or not okay to download music
illegally?
6) What kind of music do you listen to when you want to
dance?
 7) What kind of music do you listen to when you are
sad?
8) Is there a certain song or type of music that makes
you really energetic?
9) Do you sing while taking a bath?
10) What makes a song popular for you, the lyrics of
the song or the melody?
11) Do you think music is getting better or worse?
12) How do you feel about your country’s traditional
music?
13) How is your country’s traditional music different
from other countries’ traditional music? 

Interview 11
The Media
1) Where do most people in your country get their news?
2) Does the media in your country report the whole truth,
mostly truth, or mostly lies?
3) Who has the most control over the media in your
country?
4) Should the media just report the facts or should the
media interpret the facts?
5) How important is it for people to follow the news?
6) What is the purpose of news companies in society?
7) Should the media show graphic violence? Why or why
not?
8) How has the media changed in your country during
the last 20 years?

Interview 12
Russian-American relations
1) What do you know about the Cold War between the
Soviet Union and the United States?
2) Why was it called the Cold War?
It began after WWII. There was an arms race between the
2 countries. The countries created a hell of a lot of nuclear
weapons. And these weapons could destroy everything,
the whole world. That’s why both sides fought each other
indirectly. And also there was a period called the Space
Race.
There was a lot of (very strong/fierce) competition
especially in the military sphere, because the US had a big
advantage in the economic sphere over the Soviet Union.
It was a serious struggle/confrontation between the two
most powerful countries of that time that unfortunately for
the USSR ended with a victory for the US and a
humiliating defeat for the Soviet Union.
I think that our relations got much worse especially after
the US had formed the NATO in 1949 which was and is
the main/major stumbling block in relations between
Russia and America even these days. It’s no secret that
America established NATO not only to protect Europe
from Soviet influence and expansionism but also to defeat
the USSR and make it collapse.
3) What events were the most important during the Cold
War? There were quite a lot events that eased and
increased tensions between the 2 countries.
The formation of NATO in 1949
A war between South and communist North Vietnam
in 1950’s
 In 1960 an American reconnaissance airplane was
shot down over the USSR. The plane was spying on
the Soviet Union. And the pilot Gary Powers was
captured. That was moment in history when angry
Khrushchev took off his shoe and beat it on a table.
The Cuban Missile Crisis or the Caribbean Crisis. The
Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, which
made it possible for the USSR to attack the US. That
moment in history is considered by many to be the
closest one to a full-scale nuclear war.
In 1985 Michail Gorbachev became leader of the
Soviet Union which resulted in the period called
perestroika and eventually collapse of the country

4) What do you know about the Space Race?

Many people believed that the nation that controlled

space could win any war
In 1957 the USSR launched the first satellite, Sputnik
1, into orbit around the Earth. The Soviet Union had
reached outer space first
In 1961 the Soviets sent the first man into space. It
was Yuri Gagarin. He remained in space for about 2
hourse and then landed safely by parachute. It was
big victory for the USSR at that time.
In 1965 Alexey Leonov was first person who went out
of a spacecraft
Then there was a big victory for the US when an
American astronaut Neil Armstrong reached the
moon. It happened in 1968. It was the first manned
expedition to the moon
 5) Do Russians like living in the Russian Federation
more than in the Soviet Union?
6) Is it possible that Russia will become a superpower
again?
7) What states of the world are the closest friends of
Russia today?

Interview 12
Brands
1) What are the 5 most famous and popular brand
names in the world?
Coca-Cola, IBM, Microsoft, Google, McDonald’s, Intel,
Apple, Disney
2) What brands do you respect and what brands do you
hate?
3) What brand is you cellphone? Do you like it?
4) What is your computer brand? What do you think of
it?
5) Which country has the largest number of famous
brands in the world?
6) What Russian brand names do you know? Do you
think Russian products are competitive compared to
other countries’ brands
Interview 13
Health drugs and medicine
1) What do you think are the 5 most dangerous diseases
in the world nowadays?
1. Coronary Artery Disease (Ischemic Heart Disease)

2. Stroke

3. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

4. Lower Respiratory Infections

5. Trachea, Bronchus, and Lung Cancers

6. HIV/AIDS

8. Diabetes 

10. Tuberculosis

2) What narcotic drugs are the most popular in the

world?
3) How do you deal with colds?
4) Do you think that alcohol and smoking are drugs?
Should they be prohibited?
5) What do you think of Russian healthcare? What
advantages and disadvantages does it have
compared to healthcare in other countries?

Interview 14
Inventions
1) What makes people invent and discover new things?
2) Can you name the greatest inventors of all time that
you know?
- Einstein
 - Guilermo Marconi
- Archimedes
- Leonardo Da Vinchi
- Nikola Tesla
- Alexander Graham Bell
- Alfred Nobel
- Galileo Galilei
- Samuel Morse
- Thomas Edison (American)
3) What inventions changed people’s life in the 20th
century?
- The Internet (Tim Berners Lee in the late 80’s,
English)
- The television (John Logie Baird in 1925, Scottish
and Philo Taylor Farnsworth, American) Lots of
people contributed to invention of television
- Nuclear power
- The airplane (the Wright brothers, Americans)
- The automobile
- Rocketry
- The submarine
- Antibiotics (using antibiotics started when Scottish
guy Alexander Fleming discovered some substance
in the mold killing bacteria that was later called
penicillin)
- Microwave oven
- Vacuum cleaner
- Airplane (the Wright brothers, Americans)
- The personal computer
- Cell phone (Martin Cooper, American. He worked at
Motorola)
4) What are the top 10 inventions that drastically
changed the world before 20th century?
- Paper (China)
- The compass (China)
 - Refrigeration
- The printing press (China)
- Plumbing
- Steam engine (James Watt, Scottish)
- The wheel
- Radio (Guliermo Marconi in the late 19th century,
Italian)
- Electricity (Many inventors made important
contribution to its modernization. Ben Franklin,
Nikola Tesla, Michael Faraday, Thomas Edison)
- Telephone (Alexander Graham Bell in 1876)

5) What are the most famous Russian or Soviet

inventions?
- Sputnik 1 – the first satellite
- Radio invented by Alexander Popov. He was unable
to publish his work though because he worked for a
military institution. Italian Guglielmo
Marconi conducted similar experiments at about the
same time – his article was published in 1897. Unlike
Popov’s, Marconi’s invention was commercialized
fast, so they still argue in the West over who invented
radio first. 
- The Helicopter. The history of manufacturing
helicopter begins in the 15th century with a Leonardo
da Vinci drawing. The drawing, named ornithopter
flying machine, was done in 1488 but would never be
built until it inspired modern helicopter designer, Igor
Sikorsky, a Russian. Igor is undoubtedly the
recognized father of modern helicopters.
- Caterpillar tracks
Interview 15
Bad guys
1) What country leader is considered the worst or the
most horrible politician in the world history? Probably
Boris Yeltsin and Mikhail Gorbachev
2) What’s your attitude to Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler?
What one person thinks is evil might be considered heroic
to another, particularly when dealing with politics and
warfare.
His belief in superiority was infectious, and created an
entire culture of people who felt that they were so superior
that genocide was perfectly reasonable. 
What made Hitler dangerous is the amount of support
he found. He surrounded himself with equally passionate
and intelligent people  who supported him. He had strong
public support for his campaign for  anticommunism,
antisemitism, and a strong, pure, unified Germanic state.  

Nothing of what Hitler believed was original to him. Pan-

Germanism existed before him, as did anti-communism,
and xenophobia. He was the charismatic leader who found
a way to refine and turn those beliefs into mass-scale
actions. 
 Stalin has killed 20 to 60 million people. Hundreds of
thousands of people from different countries were
tortured,raped and killed.
 On the other hand, Russia became a World Power
under Stalin.
He was bad in a sense that he killed millions of
people.
He was good in a sense that he raised the Soviet
 Union, from a state of peasantry, into the world's
superpower armed with atomic weapons.

3) Who are the most famous movie villains?

Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Hannibal Lector (The Silence Of The Lambs)
Agent Smith (The Matrix Trilogy)
The Joker (Batman)
Lord Voldemort: Harry Potter universe
Freddy Krueger: A Nightmare on Elm Street universe
Magneto: X-Men universe
T-1000 Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Bane: The Dark Knight Rises, Justice League: Doom
Predator: Alien vs. Predator
Xenomorph (Alien)  
Sauron: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the
Ring

4) Do you sometimes support villains in movies? Have

you seen movies where villains are way more
interesting and charismatic than the main heroes?
Who is the most charismatic villain that you saw in
movies or on television?
empathize verb [ I ] ALSO UK -ise UK  /ˈempəθaɪz/ US 
to feel empathy with someone
сопереживать

I think people find it easy to empathize
with the main character.
Interview 16
Alcohol
1) What's your favorite alcoholic drink?
2) How often do you drink? 
3) Why do you drink alcoholic drinks?
4) When did you first start drinking?
5) What should be the legal age to drink alcohol?
6) How does alcohol change you behavior,
personality and face?
7) Have you ever said or done something under the
influence of alcohol that you later regretted?
8) Do you think people from different countries act
differently when drunk?
9) What kinds of social problems does alcohol
cause in Russia?
10) What do you think of very drunk people?
What are the most popular forms of alcohol in
Russia
11) What part does alcohol play in the culture of
your country?
12) Are the drinking laws in Russia strict?
Alcohol is forbidden in Islam. Is this good?
13) What are the 4 four main ingredients of
beer?

Grain (mostly malted barley but also other grains)

Hops (grown in many different varieties)
Yeast (responsible for fermentation; based on style-
specific strains)
Water (accounts for up to 95 percent of beer’s
content)
 14) What health problems does alcohol
consumption cause?
Liver disease
Pancreatitis
Cancer
Ulcers and gastrointestinal problems
Immune system dysfunction
Brain damage
Malnourishment and vitamin deficiencies
Osteoporosis
Heart disease
Accidents and injuries.
1. Increases Cancer Risk
Scientists believe the increased risk of cancer occurs
when the body converts the alcohol into acetaldehyde,
which is a known carcinogen. Being exposed to increased
amounts of carcinogens increases your cancer risk.
Cancer induced by heavy drinking usually shows up as:

 mouth
 liver
 breast
 and esophagus cancer
2. Cardiovascular Disease
Heavy drinking causes blood platelets to clump together
into blood clots, which increases your chances of heart
attack or even stroke.

Heavy drinking can also cause a condition known

as cardiomyopathy, which causes the heart muscle to
weaken and eventual fail. A study published by Harvard
researchers in 2005, suggests that binge drinking can
double the risk of death from those who previously
survived a heart attack.

3. Cirrhosis of the Liver

A lot of heavy drinkers will eventually develop cirrhosis of
the liver, however, it’s hard to predict which drinkers will
develop the condition. Alcohol is toxic to the liver cells,
and cirrhosis means the liver becomes so scarred from
drinking that it can barely function.

Interview 17
School
1) What springs to mind when you hear the word
'school'?
2) Were you happy with your school?
3) What are your best and worst memories of school?
4) Did you have a school uniform?
5) Do you think that your school days are the best days
in your life?
6) Do you like looking at your old school photos?
7) Do you think kids like going to school these days?
8) Do you think that school is too much like a production
line in a factory?
9) Agatha Christie said, "Nearly all children go to school
nowadays and have things arranged for them so they
 seem unable to produce their own ideas. Do you
agree with that?
10) What's your image of school in other countries?
11) What's the most important thing you learnt in
school?
12) If you went to school again, what would you do
differently?
13) What advice would you give to your children
about school?

Interview 18
Vegetarianism 
1) What comes to mind when you hear the word
'vegetarianism'?
2) Would the world be a better place if everyone was
vegetarian? 
3) Would we help save the planet if we were all
vegetarian?
4) Why do people become vegetarians?
5) Do you think vegetarians lead better lives that non-
vegetarians?
6) Albert Einstein said, "Nothing will benefit human
health and increase chances of survival of life on
Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet"?
Do you agree?
7) One "wise" person said, "We all love animals. Why do
we call some 'pets' and others 'dinner'? What do you
think?
8) Will we all be vegetarians in the Future?

Interview 19
Stress
1) What stresses you out?
2) What was the most stressful time of your life?
3) How do you interact with others when you under a lot
of stress?
4) What things do you get stressed about that you wish
you wouldn't?
5) What do you do to relieve your stress?
6) Is life becoming more or less stressful?
7) Can stress be a positive thing?

Interview 20
Astrology 
1) Do you believe in astrology?
2) Do you think astrology can be useful?
3) Do you think astrology is an art, a science or
something else?
4) What's the difference between astrology and
astronomy?
Astrology is the study of
the positions and movements of stars and planets to say
how they might influence people's lives

Astronomy is the scientific study of stars and planets
5) Do you ever read your horoscope?
6) What's your star sign?
7) Do you know all the signs of the zodiac in English?
WATER SIGNS
Water signs are exceptionally emotional and ultra-
sensitive. They are highly intuitive and they can be as
mysterious as the ocean itself. Water signs love profound
conversations and intimacy. They rarely do anything
openly and are always there to support their loved
ones. The Water Signs are: Cancer ˈkænsər , Scorpio
ˈskɔːpiəʊ  and Pisces ˈpaɪsiːz .

FIRE SIGNS
Fire signs tend to be passionate, dynamic, and
temperamental. They get angry quickly, but they also
forgive easily. They are adventurers with immense
(extremely big) energy. They are physically very strong
and are a source of inspiration for others. Fire signs are
intelligent, self-aware, creative and idealistic people,
always ready for action. The Fire Signs are: Aries ˈeəriːz
, Leo ˈliːəʊ and Sagittarius ˌsædʒɪˈteəriəs .

EARTH SIGNS
Earth signs are “grounded” and the ones that bring us
down to earth. They are mostly conservative and realistic,
but they can also be very emotional. They are connected
to our material reality and can be turned to material goods.
They are practical, loyal and stable and they stick by their
people through hard times. The Earth Signs are: Taurus
ˈtɔːrəs , Virgo ˈvɜːɡəʊ and Capricorn ˈkæprɪkɔːn .

AIR SIGNS
Air signs are rational, social, and love communication and
relationships with other people. They are thinkers, friendly,
intellectual, communicative and analytical. They love
philosophical discussions, social gatherings and good
books. They enjoy giving advice, but they can also be very
superficial. The Air Signs are: Gemini ˈdʒemɪnaɪ , Libra
ˈliːbrə
and Aquarius əˈkweəriəs .

8) What characteristics does your star sign have?

9) Would you like to know your future?
 10) If you had a consultation with an astrologist, what
would you want to know?
11) Do you believe in other fortune telling, such as
palm reading or determining character by blood type,
etc?

Interview 21
Mornings
1) Are you a morning person?
2) Is morning the best time to study and get things
done?
3) Are you grumpy in the morning?
4) Do you always mean it when you say 'Good
morning'?
5) What's your usual morning routine? 
6) How are weekend mornings different from weekday
mornings?
7) What things about morning would you like to change?

Interview 22
Superstitions
1) What superstitions do you know?
2) Which one do you believe?
3) Do you believe that some numbers, days or dates are
lucky or unlucky?
4) Are there any actions that can bring bad luck?
5) Do you have any objects that are said to bring good
luck?
6) How do you think some superstitions started?
Interview 23
Poverty
1) Why do so many people live below the poverty line
2) What are the causes of poverty?
3) What do you think living below the poverty line is like?
4) Is it possible for the world to make poverty dissapear?
5) How would the world be different if there was no
poverty
6) Do you thinks there would be no wars if there was no
poverty?
7) Aristotle said: "Poverty is the parent of revolution and
crime." What do you think?
8) What do you think of people who buy expensive
brands when so much poverty exists in the world?
9) Why does poverty exists in rich countries like the
USA?
 10) Is poverty different in rich countries than in poor
ones?

Interview 24
Climate Change

1) How would you explain climate change to someone

who knew nothing about it?
2) Do you think human activity is responsible for global
warming?
3) Do you think global warming could destroy us all?
4) What do you know about the science behind global
warming?
the greenhouse effect
noun
the gradual warming of the Earth's surface caused by an
increase inpollution and gases in the air
парниковый эффект
greenhouse gas
noun [ C ]
a gas that causes the greenhouse effect, especially
carbon dioxide(= a gas produced when carbon is burned)
парниковый газ
5) What do you do in your daily life that might increase
global warming?
6) What can the world do to reverse climate change?
 7) Has climate change affected the country in which
you live?
8) Do you believe everything scientists say about
climate change?
9) What do you think the world’s climate will be like 50
years from now?
10) Are there any positives to come from climate
change?

Competition
B2 a situation in which someone is trying to win something or be
moresuccessful than someone else
конкуренция
There's a lot of competition between computer companies.
Applicants face stiff competition for university places this year.

Competitive
B2 involving competition
соревновательный, основанный на конкуренции
competitive sports
a highly competitive industry
PERSON

B2 wanting to win or to be more successful than other people

стремящийся победить
She's very competitive.
PRICES/SERVICES

B2 Competitive prices, services, etc are as good as or better than

other prices, services, etc.
конкурентоспособный
Compete
verb [ I ] UK  /kəmˈpiːt/ US 
B1 totake part in a race or competition
состязаться, соревноваться
She's competing for a place in next year's Olympics.
SUCCESS

B2 to try to be more successful than someone or something else

конкурировать
It's difficult for small shops to compete with/against the big supermarkets.

Competetitor
noun [ C ] UK  /kəmˈpetɪtər/ US 
B1 a person, team, or company that is competing with others
конкурент

1) What images spring to mind when you hear the word

‘competition’?
2) Are you a competitive person. Why/why not?
3) Why are some people very competitive?
4) Is competition good for us?
5) How can you learn to be more competitive?
6) Do you like competitive people?
7) Are men more competitive than women?
8) Do you think life is a competition?
9) Do you compete with yourself?
10) Do we learn to be competitive or are we born
competitive?
11) What would the world be like without
competition?
 12) "Competition brings out the best in products and
the worst in people." What does this mean? Do you
agree?
13) “A competitive person is always a winner. An
uncompetitive person is always a loser." What do you
think?
14) Do drivers in your country drive as if they are in a
competition?

Interview 26
Celebrities

1) What is a celebrity?
2) Do you think anyone can become a celebrity?
3) Would you like to be a celebrity?
4) Which celebrity would you like to swap places with?
5) What aspects of your present life would you miss if
you became a celebrity?
6) Do you think celebrities like Oprah Winfrey deserve
the millions of dollars they get paid?
7) Why are so many people obsessed with celebrities?
8) Do you have a favourite celebrity?
9) Do you think all celebrities are talented?
10) What do you think are the downsides to being a
celebrity?
11) Which celebrities would you invite to your
birthday party and why?
12) Have you ever met any celebrities?
Interview 27
Weapons

1) What images spring to mind when you hear the

word ‘weapon’?
2) Do you think everyone has the right to carry a
weapon?
3) Are there a lot of weapons in your country?
4) Do you agree with the amount of money your
government spends on weapons?
5) What’s your opinion on countries with nuclear
weapons and those who want weapons?
6) Do you think the world will ever be free from
weapons of mass destruction?
7) Do you think terrorists will ever use nuclear,
chemical or biological weapons?
8) Would you ever carry or use a weapon?
9) What are the laws in your country regarding deadly
and lethal weapons?
10) What do you think the weapons of the future will be
like?
11) Seneca said: "A sword is never a killer, it is a tool in
the killer's hands." Do you agree?
12) “The tongue is mightier than the sword;” Is free
speech a weapon?
13) What weapons can you buy in stores in your
country?
14) Albert Einstein said: "I know not with what weapons
World War III will be fought, but World War IV will
 be fought with sticks and stones." What does this
quote mean? Do you agree?
15) Joseph Stalin said: "Ideas are more powerful than
guns. We would not let our enemies have guns,
why should we let them have ideas." What do you
think of this quote?

Interview 28
Europe
1) Is Europe the greatest continent?
2) What do you know about the European Union?
3) What are your favourite European companies and
why do you like them?
4) Do you think Europe has the world’s most interesting
history?
5) Former French leader Charles de Gaulle said “it is the
whole of Europe that will decide the fate of the world”.
What do you think?
6) Do you think English should be the official language
of Europe?
7) What countries do you think have the fiercest rivalries
in Europe?
8) What are the differences between Europe and the
USA?
9) Do you think Europe is a superpower, or has the
potential to become one?
10) What does Europe do better than other
continents?
11) What is the most important European country?
 12) How do you think Europe will do in the next 100
years?

Interview 29
Robots and artificial intelligence

The West sees robots as evil and dangerous, Japan

sees them as helpful and cute. What do you think?
Will artificial intelligence ever be more intelligent than
humans?
What three adjectives best describe artificial
intelligence?
Is there a difference between artificial intelligence and
robots?

Which is your favourite movie about robots?

Have you ever felt as though you were a robot?
If you had a robot, what would you like it to do?
What role will robots play in our society later this
century?
Would you rather deal with a robot or a human in a
store or government department?
Will robots ever like identical to humans?
Do you think robots will ever have emotions or be able
to love?
Will robots have rights? What will robot rights be?
What would happen if you programmed a robot to hate
and to build other robots that hated?
How much of the human body will be replaced by
 machines? Will we be androids in the future?
Elon Musk says humans must become cyborgs to stay
relevant. Is he right?

What name would you give to your robot?

Would you cry if your robot of ten years died?
Would a robot be a better leader than the leader of
your country?

What will artificial intelligence be like in 100 years from

now?
Will artificial intelligence ever replace the need for
humans to work?

Humans must become cyborgs if they are to stay relevant in a future dominated by artificial
intelligence. That was the warning from Tesla founder Elon Musk, speaking at an event in Dubai
this weekend.

In the future it will be possible to create “neuroprosthetics” or brain-computer

interfaces that could allow us to communicate complex ideas telepathically

telepathy
noun [ U ] UK  /təˈlepəθi/ US 

the ability to know what someone is thinking or

to communicatethoughts without speaking or writing
телепатия
telepathic adjective UK  /ˌtelɪˈpæθɪk/ US 

having or involving telepathy
телепатический
Interview 29
Freedom of Speech

1) What is freedom of speech? Is freedom of speech

important? It is the right to say or write what
you want
2) How does freedom of speech improve a society?
3) Does freedom of speech include spreading lies about
people?
4) Should there be some limits on what we are free to
say?
5) Should people be free to spread hatred, incite
violence and ridicule others’ religions and nations?
The right to swing my fist ends where the other man's nose
begins. Your rights end where mine begin
There’s no such thing as absolute freedom. If you right is violate
my right – I should do something to forbid it
6) Should you be free to tell an enemy your country’s
national secrets?
7) A Danish newspaper angered the world’s Muslims by
publishing cartoons of the Prophet Mohamed. Is this
freedom of speech?
8) Some countries forbid school teachers from
introducing subjects like homosexuality in their
classes. Is this denying free speech?
9) Does the Internet open up the possibilities of totally
free speech and freedom of expression?
10) Many countries censor websites to control what their
citizens can and cannot see. Is this dangerous?
11) "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the
death your right to say it." (Evelyn Beatrice Hall) Do
you agree with this?
12) When do you have to be careful what you say?
13) Do children and teenagers also have rights to
freedom of speech?

Interview 30
Time
What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘time’?
How often do you think about time?
Do you ever waste your time?
Do you have enough time to do the things you want to do?
Does time fly when you’re having fun?
Do you ever think life is a race against time?
What stage(s) in our life do we have all the time in the
world?
Do you agree that time will tell?
Douglas Adams said: "Time is an illusion. Lunchtime
doubly so." Do you agree?
Einstein said: "The only reason for time is so that
everything doesn't happen at once." What do you think of
this quote?
How do you like to spend time?
Does it annoy you when people take their time doing
things?
How much spare time do you have every day?
What is the most time-consuming thing you do in your life?
What do you do to kill time?
Is time on your side?
Have you ever been in the right place at the right time?
Do you agree that there’s no time like the present?
Alice Bloch said: "We say we waste time, but that is
impossible. We waste ourselves." Do you agree?
Seneca said: "Time discovers truth." Do you agree?

Interview 31
Halloween

1) What is Haloween?

Halloween is the night of October 31 when children dress in special clothes and

visit houses to ask for candy, and people try to frighten each other
Halloween is a celebration on the night of October 31st. It is most practiced in
the United States and Canada. Children wear costumes and go to people's homes
saying "Trick or treat!" to ask for candy (sweets in the UK) and people give it to them.
The suggestion is: "Give me a treat or I will play a trick on you." People mainly dress up
as ghosts, witches, or other scary things for Halloween.
These days Halloween is not usually considered a religious holiday. It is primarily a fun day for
children. Children dress up in costumes like people did a thousand years ago. But instead of worrying
about evil spirits, they go from house to house. They knock on doors and say "trick or treat." The
owner of each house gives candy or something special to each trick or treater.

2) Do you celebrate Halloween?

3) What do you think about Halloween?
4) Have you ever dressed up for Halloween parties
5) Do you think Russia should celebrate Halloween?
 6) What do you think is the best costume for Halloween?
7) Do you think Halloween is scary?
8) What do you know about the history of Halloween?
How did Halloween get its name?

This holiday was originated by people called the celts

lived in Europe on the British Isles (Ireland) many
hundreds of years ago. Originally it was a pagan
celebration. But after conquest of the celts some
cristians blended it with protestant cristianity
(protestantism). The name comes from All Saints’
Day, also known as All Hallows’ Day which is
celebrated on November 1st . Apparently because
Halloween is the eve of All Hallow’s day they called it
Halloween.
9) What do pumpkins have to do with Halloween?
As far as I know the celts originally used pumpkins as
lanterns. They called it jack-o'-lantern. It came from
the legend about man named Jack who was able to
to trick the Devil
10) What’s the best Halloween movie you’ve seen?

Interview 32
Movies

practice makes perfect

SAYING
said to encourage someone to continue to do something many times, so that
they will learn to do it very well

How often have you been seeing/watching movies lately?

What movies have you seen recently?

Recently I really got hooked on horror movies

Scanners
Scanners is a 1981 Canadian science-fiction horror film written and directed by David
Cronenberg and starring Jennifer O'Neill, Steven Lack, Michael Ironside, and Patrick McGoohan. In
the film, "scanners" are people with unusual telepathic and telekinetic powers. ConSec, a purveyor
of weaponry and security systems, searches out scanners to use them for its own purposes. The
film's plot concerns the attempt by Darryl Revok, a renegade scanner, to wage a war against
ConSec. Another scanner, Cameron Vale, is dispatched by ConSec to stop Revok.

A scientist sends a man with extraordinary psychic powers to hunt others like him.

Darryl Revok is the most powerful of all the scanners, and is the head of the underground
scanner movement for world domination. Scanners have great psychic power, strong
enough to control minds; they can inflict enormous pain/damage on their victims. Doctor
Paul Ruth finds a scanner that Revok hasn't, and converts him to their cause - to destroy
the underground movement.

The descent
A caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and ultimately
pursued by a strange breed of predators.

A woman goes on vacation with her friends after her husband and daughter encounter a
tragic accident. One year later she goes hiking with her friends and they get trapped in the
cave. With a lack of supply, they struggle to survive and they meet strange blood thirsty
creatures.

The film follows six women who, having entered an unmapped cave system, become trapped and
are hunted by flesh-eating subterranean humanoids.

Get out
Chris and his girlfriend Rose go upstate to visit her parent's for the weekend. At first, Chris
reads the family's overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their
daughter's interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly
disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he never could have imagined.

Dean transplants brains of his invariably white older friends, members of secret society, into bodies
of younger black people, selected by Rose and hypnotically prepped by Missy.

Hannibal season 3
Lecter is a cannibal, meaning that he eats people. He is also highly intelligent, so that he can talk to
people in a way that makes them afraid or disturbed.

Lecter is Lithuanian. He is cultured, and his reasons for killing people are often that he thinks they
are annoying, rude or corrupt. He is a psychopath, a predator who does not feel empathy. Thus, he
feels no guilt about his actions.

Dog soldiers
Dog Soldiers is a British action horror film released (come out) in 2002 written and directed by Neil
Marshall

A British Squad is sent on a training mission in the Highlands of Scotland against Special
Operations squad. Ignoring the childish "campfire" stories heard about the area, they
continue with their mission and come across the bloody remains of the Special Ops Squad,
and a fierce howling is pitching the night sky... With two mortally wounded men, they make
an escape, running into a zoologist by the name of Megan - who knows exactly what hunts
them. What began as what they thought was a training mission turns into a battle for their
lives against the most unlikely enemies they would have expected - werewolves.

It
Based on Steven King’s novel
The movie tells the story of seven children in Derry, Maine who are terrorized by Pennywise the
Dancing Clown

In the Town of Derry, the local kids are disappearing one by one, leaving behind bloody
remains. In a place known as 'The Barrens', a group of seven kids are united by their
horrifying and strange encounters with an evil clown and their determination to kill It.

Blade runner 2049

Set thirty years after the original film, the story depicts a bioengineered human named K, who
discovers the remains of a once-pregnant replicant. To prevent a possible war between replicants
and humans, K is secretly tasked with finding the child and destroying all evidence related to
it. Principal photography took place in Budapest, Hungary between July and November 2016.

What is your favorite genre of movie?

Which is more important, acting or special effects?

Do you usually watch movies at the theater or watch them at home?

What do people do during movies that really annoys you?

What is the best movie you have ever seen?

What was the scariest/funniest movie you have ever seen?

A new assignment forces a top spy to team up with his football hooligan brother.

Lights Out (

Who are some of your favorite actors?

If you could make a movie, what would it be about?

If someone made a movie of your life, what kind of movie would it be?

Do you buy DVDs or download movies?

What is the best snack to eat during a movie?

Interview 33
Space

1) Did you ever want to be an astronaut?

2) Would you like to be an astronaut and go to the moon or travel
into space?
3) What kinds of people become astronauts?
4) What do you think are the biggest challenges of being an
astronaut?
5) How important is the job of an astronaut?
6) Do you know how the universe was created?

the Big Bangnoun  [ S ]

UK  /ˌbɪɡ ˈbæŋ/ US  /ˌbɪɡ ˈbæŋ/
the large explosion that many scientists believe created the universe

7) What are planets and how are they formed?

A planet is a large, round object in space that moves around
the sun or another star
A star is a ball of burning gases that you see as
a small point of light in the sky at night

The earth is approximatelly 4.5 billion years old.

Life on Earth has lasted at least 3.5 billion years

All planets were made in the same way. They were

formed from dust, pieces of rock and gas orbiting
(following a curved path around a planet or star) the Sun. This material

smashed together and began to hit up until the entire

mass melted.

This process is called process accretion. As material

smashed and became welded together, the planets
grew until they were large enough to develop a
magnetic force – or gravity. This force attracted more
materials until the area around each planet was free of
debris
Planet Order from the Sun; Mercury ˈmɜr·kjər·i, Venus
ˈvi·nəs, Earth ɜrθ, Mars mɑrz, Jupiter ˈdʒu·pɪ·t̬ ər, Saturn
ˈsæt̬ ·ərn, Uranus ˈjʊər·ə·nəs, jʊˈreɪ·nəs and Neptune
ˈnep.tuːn
Neptun is the planet eighth
in order of distance and farthest from the Sun,
afterUranus:
Neptune was discovered in 1846
Mercury is the planet closest in distance to the Sun

8) Do you think there’s life on other planets?

9) Why doesn’t life exist on other planets in our solar system?
10) Do you think we should look for life on other planets?
11) Would you like to experience zero gravity and
weightlessness?
12) Do you know anyone who’s from another planet?
13) Do you think it will be possible one day to go to planets in
other solar systems?
14) What small personal item would you take with you on a
journey into space?
15) If you spent six months in space, what would you do first
when you came back to Earth?
16) What do you think is the most mysterious planet?
17) What do you think of the idea of moving to another
planet after we’re finished with Earth?
18) Which country do you think will be first to send
astronauts to Mars?
19) What do you think about space tourism?
20) What is your favorite space movie or TV show? How
realistic is it?
 21) Do you think it will be possible one day to go to planets in
other solar systems?
22) What do you think of your country’s involvement in space
23) What would you say to an alien if you met one in space?
24)
What do you think astronauts worry about?
Do you think it would get boring in space?
What kinds of feelings and emotions do you think you would have
on the morning of a journey into space?
Do you have the personality to be an astronaut?
What do you think when you see men walking on the moon or
astronauts doing space walks?
Would you rather have a male or female commander on your first
trip into space?
Would you like to travel into space? Why or why not?
What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘planets’?
What do you think of the planet names?
Would you like to visit another planet?
How are all the planets different?
What do the names of the planets mean?
Would you like to see our planet from space?

Why doesn’t life exist on other planets in our solar system?

Do you know anyone who’s from another planet?
Do you think there’ll ever be a war between planets – Star Wars?
What fictional planets do you know of from books and movies?
Do you think our planet will survive?
Do you think Earth is a good name for our planet? Is it the same in
your language?
Interview 34
United States
1) What images spring to mind when you hear the
country USA?
2) What are the good things and bad things about the
USA?
3) What is the USA most famous for?
4) What has the USA given to the world?
5) How different is the USA from other countries? What
are the differences between the USA and your
country? Does your country have good relations with
the USA?
6) What do you think about American people? What is
your idea of a typical American person?
7) What would you like to ask an American about the
USA?
8) What things about the USA do you think Americans
are proud of?
9) Would you like to visit the USA, or live there? What
would you do there?
10) What do you know about the geography,
population and demografics of the USA?
The US has a population of 326 million people and it’s the
third most populous country in the world (after China and
India)

The United States of America (USA), often called the United States (U.S.) or America, is

a country in North America. It is made up of 50 states, a federal district, and five territories. It has
great influence over world finance, trade, culture, military, politics, and technology.

The United States of America consists of 50 states, 5 territories and 1 district (Washington D.C.). 

The federal and most state governments are dominated by two political parties: the Republicans and
the Democrats. There are many smaller parties; the largest of these are the Libertarian Party and
the Green Party. 
The United States is the fourth biggest country in the world by land area.
Only Russia, Canada and China are bigger.

The United States of America has people of many different race and ethnic backgrounds. 80% of the
people in the United States descend from European immigrants. Many people are descended
from Germany, England, Scotland, Ireland, Africa, and Italy.[18] 13% of the people in the United
States are African-American. Most of them descend from the African slaves that were brought to
America. Asian-Americans make up only 5% of the population in America but make up a bigger
portion in the west coast. For example, in California, Asian-Americans make up 13% of the
population of that state. Hispanic-Americans or people of Latin origins make up 15% of the nation.
The original peoples, called Native American, American Indians, or Amerindians and Inuit (Eskimos)
are a very small group.

11) What do you know about the USA’s history?

War of Independence
The United States Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4th 1776

775 - American Revolution: George Washington leads colonist Continental Army to fight
against British rule.
1776 4 July - Thomas Jefferson's American Declaration of Independence endorsed by
Congress; colonies declare independence.

Civil War
The war between the northern US states (usually known as the Union) and the
Confederate States of America, 1861–5.

the Confederacy [ S ]
the group of southern states in the American Civil War that fought to leave the
United States and keep slavery

1865 - Confederates defeated; slavery abolished under Thirteenth Amendment. Lincoln is

assassinated.

World War I and the Great Depression

World War II and the Cold War

12) What do you know about American culture?

Culture
American popular culture goes out to many places in the world. It has a large influence on most of
the world, especially the Western world. American music is heard all over the world, and American
movies and television shows can be seen in most countries.

13) What does the colours of the American flag

mean?
The American flag is made up of 50 stars on a blue background, and has 13 stripes, seven
red and six white. It is one of many symbols of the United States like the Bald Eagle. The 50
stars represent the 50 states. The red stands for courage. The blue stands for justice. The
white represents peace and cleanness. The 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies

14) What American holidays do you know? What do

they mean?
Federal holidays
Date Name Description

January 1 New Year's Day Celebrates the beginning of the year

Martin Luther Honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an African-

3rd Monday in January
King, Jr.Day American civil rights leader

Honors all of the American presidents, but

3rd Monday in February President's Day specifically George Washington (b. February 22)
and Abraham Lincoln (b. February 12)

Honors military servicemen, who gave their lives,

Last Monday in May Memorial Day
also marks the traditional start of summer

Independence Celebrates the Declaration of Independence;

July 4
Day otherwise known as "The Fourth of July"

Celebrates the achievements of workers, and marks

1st Monday in September Labor Day
the traditional end of summer

Honors Christopher Columbus, the man who

2nd Monday in October Columbus Day discovered the Americas for Europe (not celebrated
in some states, like Montana)

November 11 Veterans Day Honors all military servicemen (past and present)

 Gives thanks for God's blessings, and
4th Thursday in
Thanksgiving the autumn harvest, and marks
November
the traditional beginning of the "holiday season"

Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ (non-

December 25 Christmas
Christians celebrate it as a winter holiday)

15) Who are the most famous American people you

know?
16) What do you think the USA’s neighbours think of
it?

Interview 35
Comedies and humor
What makes you laugh?

What was the funniest movie you have ever seen?

The Brothers Grimsby

Borat

Who is the funniest person you know? What makes them funny?

Who is the funniest actor or actress in the world? Would you see
a movie just because that person is in it?

Are you good at telling jokes?

Are men funnier than women? Or vice versa?

How do you feel about clowns? Scary or funny?

Do you laugh when other people suffer misfortune? Is it funny
when someone falls over? When is it okay to laugh at another
person, and when is it wrong?

Laughter is the best medicine. What do you think about this idea?

Is stand-up comedy popular in your culture? Who is your favorite

stand-up comedian?

Do you enjoy dark humor? Why do you think people sometimes

want to joke about topics like death?

Does parody have a place in your culture? Who or what is

usually the target of parody?

Super Heroes
1) What are the most popular superheroes you know?
2) What super powers do they have?
3) Which of them are the most and least powerful ones?
4) What is your favorite super hero movie?
5) Why have super hero movies become so popular?
6) Who is your favorite super hero? Why?
7) Do you prefer dark super heroes like Batman or
purely good super heroes like Superman? Why?
8) Does a person’s favorite super hero tell you anything
about their personality? What does your favorite
super hero say about your personality?
9) What super power would you like to have?
10) If you had super powers would you be a super
hero or a super villain?
The other day I saw the third Thor movie and I can
agree with you that this one is the best out of all Thor
movies.
My wife is not a big fun of such movies and she was at
work and I was so curious that I decided to go see this
movie by myself.
And I totally agree with you that this movie is just
amazing and as funny as hell which is a big plus in my
opinion. At some moments I was just laughing my ass
off.
There are lots of interesting characters in this movie.
Especially this Korg character that is just hilarious.
Because there is such a contrast between the way he
looks and the way he speaks.
Jeff Goldblum character (Grandmaster) is super
funny.
Valkyrie is gorgeous.
The main villain is maybe not really a badass. I mean
Hella, even though she destroyed Thor’s hammer.
There are many cool characters, but the number of
them is pretty well-balanced. I mean there aren’t too
many of them like in Avengers for example.
Everything what’s going on in this movie creates an
awesome atmosphere.
So, to me, it’s pretty much the perfect superhero
movie.
It’s not a masterpiece or anything, because to me, a
superhero movie, by defenition, can not be a
masterpiece.
But now I think it’s very difficult to predict what’s
going to happen in the next Thor movies, because this
Thor universe has drastically changed. Thor lost his
eye and his hammer. Odin died.

Crime
1) Do you think your country is a safe place to live? Why or
why not?
2) Is your hometown considered safe?
3) Do you walk alone at night in your home city?
4) Have you ever been a victim of crime? Are you afraid of
becoming a victim of crime?
Have you ever had anything stolen?
5) Is crime a problem where you live?
6) Have you ever committed a petty crime?
Have you ever done anything illegal? If so, what did you
do?
7) Under what situations would you think of committing a
crime?
8) What would you do if you heard a burglar in your house?
9) What makes some people become criminals? Is it
poverty, upbringing, lack of education, unemployment or
something else?
10) What do you think is the main cause of vandalism? How
can we fight vandalism
11) Do you think graffiti is vandalism or art?
12) Have you ever witnessed a (serious) crime? Have you
ever reported a crime?
13) What crimes do you know?
doing something illegal that can be
crime punished by law criminal
CRIME DEFINITION CRIMINAL
arson setting fire to a building, cars or property on
arsonist
ˈɑːr.sən purpose
assassination killing a famous person or public figure assassin
 assault attacking someone physically assailant
threatening to reveal someone’s secrets if
blackmail a lot of money is not paid blackmailer*
detonating an explosive device with the
bombing plan of harming people or property bomber
giving money or granting favors to
bribery influence another person’s decisions or briber*
behavior
breaking into a house in order to steal
burglary something burglar
treating a child badly in a physical,
child abuse emotional, or sexual way child abuser
behaving illegally and dishonestly;
corruption especially those in power
doing something illegal over the Internet or cyber criminal
cybercrime a computer system hacker**
domestic violence behaving violently inside the home
drunk driving driving with too much alcohol in your blood drunk driver
stealing large amounts of money that you
embezzlement are responsible for, often over a period of embezzler
time
espionage spying, to obtain political or military
spy
ˈes.pi.ə.nɑːʒ information
forgery illegally copying documents, money, etc. to
forger
fɔr·dʒə·ri cheat people
getting money from people by cheating
fraud them fraud
killing on purpose a large number of
genocide people, especially from a particular group
or area
taking control of a plane, train etc by force,
hijacking often to meet political demands hijacker
not stopping to help a person hurt in an
hit and run accident caused by you
being violent or aggressive on purpose;
hooliganism often used to describe youth hooligan
using someone else’s personal information
identity theft for one’s own gain
taking someone away by force, often
kidnapping demanding money for their safe return kidnapper
libel клевета 1 damaging someone’s reputation by writing
ˈlaɪbəl lies about them
taking things illegally and by force, during a
looting мародерство riot, war, etc. looter
manslaughter killing someone by accident
Непредумышленное
ˈmænˌslɔːtər убийство
mugging нападать с attacking someone with a plan to rob them mugger
целью ограбления
murder killing someone on purpose murderer
perjury lying in court, while under oath лжесвидетельство
stealing wallets, money, etc. from people’s
pickpocketing pockets in crowded places pickpocketer
poaching hunting illegally браконьерство poacher
pəʊtʃ
 rape forcing someone to have sex rapist
riot causing a noisy, violent public disturbance rioter
stealing large amounts of money with force
Robbery ограбление or violence from a bank, store, etc. robber
shoplifting stealing something from a store shoplifter
damaging someone’s reputation by
slander клевета 2 speaking lies about them
Smuggling taking things secretly in or out of a place,
smuggler
контрабанда country, jail, etc.
Speeding
превышение driving above the speed limit
скорости
using violence, threats, or fear, usually for
terrorism political purposes terrorist
theft stealing, in general thief
незаконная торговля
trading something illegal like drugs, people,
trafficking etc. (arms/drug trafficking)

treason ˈtriːzən
betraying one’s country by helping its
государственная enemies traitor
измена
entering another person’s area; hurting
trespassing people/damaging property through force trespasser
destroying private or public property
vandalism purposely vandal

14) What kinds of crime are most common in your country?

What are the penalties for these crimes?
What do you think is the most serious crimes in our
country?

15) What kinds of crimes are increasing?

16) How can governments reduce crime?
First off they shouldn’t commit crime themselves
Because, for now, corruption is the most serious crime
that we have in Russia. The government can not
effectively reduce crime if they are criminals themeselves.
17) What is the best way to fight corruption?
Is prison an effective punishment? Does prison help
rehabilitate criminals?
Do you think that the death penalty would prevent crime
in your country? What do you think of the death penalty?

18) Why is there more crime in some countries?

 19) Do you think people who use illegal drugs should be put
in jail?
20) Do you think abortion is a crime?
21) Do you think prostitution is a crime?
22) Should adultery be considered a crime?

adultery
noun [ U ] UK  /əˈdʌltəri/ US 
sex between a married person and someone who is not their
husband or wife
супружеская неверность

23) If a person steals a loaf of bread because he needs to

feed his starving family, should he be punished?
24) Is anyone capable of turning to crime?
25) What do you think is the worst crime a person could
commit? Why?
26) Is it ever O.K. to break the law? If so, when?
27) Have you ever thought of fighting crime by becoming a
police officer?
28) Do you have any crime prevention tips?
29) What are some things people can do to protect
themselves from crime?
30) How can you prevent things from being stolen?

No one should be walking through a dark alley by themselves at

night

31) When can you say, “It’s a crime to do nothing”?

A girl fell on the track os Saint Petersburg metro

 32) Do you always lock your house? How about your car?
33) Is drunk driving a crime where you live? If so, what is the
punishment?
34) What is the difference between crime and sin?
35) Do you agree that everything that is not prohibited by law
is allowed?
36) Is downloading music or videos a crime?
37) Do you think gun control is a good idea?
38) Do you think there are any legal drugs that should be
illegal?
39) What crimes do you think will decrease in the future?
What crimes do you think will increase in the future?

Put behind bars

Meaning: to put someone in prison (the “bars” are prison doors)

Example: The bank robbers have been finally put behind bars.

Blow the whistle

Meaning: to report a crime to the police

Example: The gangs were getting very bad. It was time to blow the whistle

blow the whistle on

to bring something to the attention of other people in order to stop something bad from happening

The company stopped using certain chemicals only after some workers blew the whistle on it.

A steal

A steal is anything that is much cheaper to buy than you would expect. The item is a real bargain and
great value for money. It is so cheap, that is almost like we have stolen it!

'I only paid 20 dollars for this dress and it's a designer brand. It was a real steal!'

Highway robbery

Highway robbery (also known as daylight robbery) means that you feel something is much more
expensive than it should be. You feel you are paying way too much.

'The soft drinks in the cinema are really expensive. I paid 10 dollars for a cola. It's highway robbery!'
On the case

When someone is on the case they are doing what needs to be done in a particular situation. They are
dealing with the task or problem.

Get away with murder

When someone gets away with murder they are not punished for bad behavior. They did something bad
or wrong and did not get into trouble for it.

The Symptoms of Xenophobia

The common symptoms that can occur with people having xenophobia are:

 Unjustified and extreme anxiety of foreigners, people from different culture

or foreign lands
 Perceiving any foreign person or situation as threatening for no reason
 Aggressive combat against any foreign person and situation
 Isolation from any situation where new or foreign people are anticipated to
be met
 Avoidance of various social situations may lead to interruption in daily life
 Low self- esteem and  critical behavior towards foreign people
 Physical signs such as racing heartbeat, difficulty in breathing, nausea,
shaking, sweating and dry mouth

1) Can you define xenophobia?

xenophobianoun [ U ]

US  /ˌzen.əˈfoʊ.bi.ə/
C2 extreme dislike or fear of foreigners, their customs, their religions, etc.

2) Is there any difference between xenophobia and racism

racism
noun [ no plural ] US  /ˈreɪ·sɪz·əm/
the belief that other races of people are not as good as your own

Xenophobia has been associated with racism too. However, it should be

understood that both the terms are quite different. Racism is signified by
complete discrimination and biasness against other cultural and racial
groups. On the other hand, xenophobia is the condition where the person feels
threatened and terror when confronted with any person from a different
background.

3) What are the roots of xenophobia?

Weak Upbringing
The roots of xenophobia lie in the upbringing of a person.  A prudish
upbringing which is focused on teaching strict cultural and ethnic practices
and implanting the superiority feeling at an early age can probably be a major
cause of developing xenophobia. Another cause can be enforced isolation from
other cultural and ethnic groups since childhood. The person develops a
strong learnt behavior that foreigners and strangers are dangerous out of such
upbringing.

A traumatic experience
If a person has encountered with a traumatic event associated with foreigners
or people from different group, then he/she might also feel xenophobic. For
instance, people who suffered from wars and domination from other countries
can eventually develop terror and hatred for any person from that country.

4) Does xenophobia have anything in common with homophobia,

racism and sexism?

Xenophobia, like homophobia, sexism, and racism has its roots in the failure to accept
“otherness” mixed with misguided notions about the superiority of self.

homophobianoun [ U ]
 UK  /ˌhəʊ.məˈfəʊ.bi.ə/ US  /ˌhoʊ.məˈfoʊ.bi.ə/

a fear or dislike of gay people

sexismnoun [ U ]
US  /ˈsek.sɪ.zəm/ DISAPPROVING

(actions based on) the belief that the members of one sex are less intelligent, able, skilful, etc.

than the members of the other sex,especially that women are less able than men

5) If you have any negative feelings, thoughts or images against

another culture or race, are you xenophobic?
6) Do you think people with xenophobia are dangerous? How
does xenophobia harm a society and the world?
7) How much xenophobia exists in your country?
8) In which countries is xenophobia more common?
9) Do multicultural, cosmopolitan (многонациональные)
countries experience less or more xenophobia?
10) Do governments create xenophobic feelings among their
people?
11) Is xenophobia around the world on the rise?
12) Does patriotism lead to xenophobia?
13) Is someone with xenophobia ill?
14) Are there any ways to cure xenophobia?
15) Do you think xenophobia will disappear one day?

Hangover

hangover
noun [ C ] UK  /ˈhæŋəʊvər/ US 

If you have a hangover, you feel ill because you drank too much alcohol the day before.

похмелье

1) What do you imagine when you hear the word

‘hangover’?
2) What are the symptoms of a hangover?
3) Do you often have hangovers?
4) What is the best cure for a hangover?
5) What do people usually do when they have a hangover?
6) What do you eat when you have a hangover?
7) Do you have any sympathy for people with a hangover?
8) Do you think having a bad hangover is a good excuse to
take a day off sick from work?
9) How long do hangovers last for?
10) Do you think scientists will ever produce a cure
(лекарство или лечение) for hangovers?
11) Do you think hangovers are or can be dangerous?
12) Has a bad hangover ever stopped you from missing
something or doing something important?
 13) Some people believe in the “hair of the dog” –
having another alcoholic drink – as a hangover cure. Do
you think this is good?

Why do you think a hangover is called a hangover?

What do you know about the science and biology of hangovers?

Animals

1) Do you like animals?

2) Do you have a pet? How old is it? If you don't have a pet,
why not? Would you ever consider getting a pet? What does
it look like (color, breed, etc.)? What do you feed it? What is
it's name? Where did you get it from?
3) What are the pros and cons of keeping a pet?
4) What is your favorite animal?

killer whalenoun [ C ]
 US  /ˈkɪl.ɚ ˌweɪl/ ALSO orca

a large, black and white sea mammal related to dolphins

5) What animal do you least like?

hyena noun [ C ]
US  /haɪˈiː.nə/

a wild animal from Africa and Asia that looks like a dog, hunts in groups, and makes

a sound similar to a human laugh
snake
noun US  /sneɪk/

A2 a long, thin creature with no legs that slides along the ground

6) What animals are there in your country?

fox
noun US  /fɑks/

a wild animal like a dog with brown fur and a long thick tail

bear
noun US  /beər/

a large, strong wild animal with thick fur

wolf
noun US  /wʊlf/ PLURAL wolves

a wild animal like a large dog:

Wolves hunt in packs.

reindeer
noun US  /ˈreɪnˌdɪər/ PLURAL reindeer
a type of deer with large horns that lives in northern parts of Europe, Asia, and America
северный олень

eagle
noun US  /ˈi·ɡəl/

a large wild bird with a big, curved beak, that hunts smaller animals

falconnoun [ C ]
 US  /ˈfæl·kən, ˈfɔl-/

a bird with pointed wings and a long tail that hunts and kills otherbirds and small animals

hawknoun [ C ]
 US  /hɔk/

a type of large bird that catches small birds and animals for food

7) Can you name some endangered species? What animals

have disappeared from your country?

endangered speciesnoun [ C ]
 /ɪnˈdeɪn·dʒərd ˈspi·ʃiz/

a type of animal or plant that might stop existing because there are only a few of that type alive

panda
tiger
blue whale 
Asian elephant
sea otter (выдра)
snow leopard 
gorilla 
Tasmanian devil
orangutan 
 8) Do you know any classifications of animals?

Scientists classify/sort animals into different groups that share imortant characteristics

The 2 largest groups of animals are vertebrates and invertebrates

vertebratenoun [ C ]
US  /ˈvɝː.t̬ ə.brət/ SPECIALIZED

an animal that has a spine:

Birds, fish, and reptiles are all vertebrates.

invertebratenoun [ C ]
US  /ɪnˈvɝː.t̬ ə.brət/ SPECIALIZED

an animal with no spine:

Invertebrates, such as worms, are the main diet of these water birds.

Most of the animals in the world are invertebrates (insects, octopus, jellyfish медуза или медузы,
crabs and lobsters)

Vertebrates are devided into different classes or groups: fish, amphibians (земноводные), reptiles,
birds and mammals

fish
noun US  /fɪʃ/ PLURAL fish, fishes

[ C ] an animal that lives only in water:

Lots of little fish were swimming  in the pond.

[ U ] fish eaten as food:

We’re having fish for dinner.

Fish live in (the) water and they can breathe under water

Fish have scales and fins (У рыб есть чешуя и плавники)

gill
noun [ C ] UK  /ɡɪl/ US 

an organ on each side of a fish or other water creature which it uses to breathe

жабра

amphibiannoun [ C ]
 US  /æmˈfɪb·i·ən/

biology  a type of animal that lives both on land and in water:

Frogs and toads are amphibians.

They lay eggs in (the) water

reptilenoun [ C ]
 US  /ˈrep·təl, -tɑɪl/

any of various animals whose blood temperature changes with the outside temperature and

whose bodies are covered with scales

Snakes, turtles, lizards and crocodiles are all reptiles.

Reptiles breathe air and cannot breathe under water

Most reptiles lay eggs

cold-bloodedadjective
US  /ˌkoʊldˈblʌd.ɪd/

Cold-blooded animals can only control their body heat by taking inheat from the outside or by

being very active:

Snakes and lizards are cold-blooded animals.

bird
noun US  /bɜrd/

A1 an animal that has wings and feathers and is usually able to fly

mammalnoun [ C ]
 US  /ˈmæm·əl/

biology  any animal in which the female gives birth to babies, not eggs, and feeds them

on milk from her own body

Humans, dogs, elephants, and dolphins are mammals

warm-bloodedadjective
 UK  /ˌwɔːmˈblʌd.ɪd/ US  /ˌwɔːrmˈblʌd.ɪd/

having a body temperature that stays the same and does not changewith the temperature of

the environment:

Birds and mammals are warm-blooded.

9) What are the biggest differences between animals and

humans?
 10) What animals have the best life?
11) Are there any dangerous animals in your country?
12) What is the cutest animal in the world?
13) Do you think animals were put on this planet so we could
eat them and experiment on them (to test drugs for
example)? How do you feel about the use of animals for
medical research?
14) What do you think of hunting? Would you eat an animal
that you killed yourself?
15) Do you think people should buy and wear fur coats?
16) What is the most useful animal in the world?
17) Should animals be kept in zoos?
18) Do you think it's okay to free animals that have been in
captivity all their lives? Why or why not?
19) Is it OK to use animals in sport?
20) Do you think animals have souls?
21) What animal best represents your character?
22) What natural animal ability or talent would you like to
have?
23) What animal would you like to come back to Earth as after
you die?
24) If animals could speak, what do you think they would say
to humans?

Cities and the countryside

1) Do you prefer city or country life?

2) What’s the difference between living in the city and

living in the countryside? What are some differences
between living in the city and living in a small town?
How are city people and country people different?

3) What do you like about small towns? Why do you like

living in the city? What are some of the disadvantages
of living in a city?
4) Would you prefer to live in a really old historical city,
or a really new modern city?

5) How are the cities in your country different?

6) What is your favorite city in Russia and in the rest of

world? Which world city do you think would be the
best to live in? What do you think are the world’s
three greatest cities and why?

7) What do you like and dislike about the capital city of

your country? What are the major problems in your
city?

8) What’s the best way to deal with traffic problems in a

city?

9) Is your city very cosmopolitan?

10) What is the most important part of a city?

11) What parts of Moscow do you like the most?

12) What monuments of your city do you consider the

most impressive? The Kremlin, Novodevichy
Convent, St. Basil's Cathedral

13) What's the most prestigious university in your

city? Moscow State University

14) Can you suggest some good tourist sites to visit

in your city? The Bolshoi Theatre
 15) How would you change things if you were the
mayor of your city?

16) Which cities would you like to visit in your home

country?

17) Which cities would you like to visit around the

world?

Motivation
1) How do you define motivation? It’s enthusiasm for
doing something or willingness to do something. It’s
the driving force that makes achieve something
2) Do you have any New Year’s resolutions? What
motivates you to achieve these goals? Master
Spanish and get in the best physical shape possible.
Plus to improve teaching methods and techniques
and therefore my income
3) What motivates to achieve things in life? How are you
best motivated? When you feel that something is
really challenging and you fail but keep doing that and
eventually you feel that start making progress in it.
This feeling gives this incredible motivation I think.
4) Does motivation come from inside of a person or from
their environment?
5) Do you know any great motivational quotes?
“The expert in anything was once a beginner”
“You only fail when you stop trying”
“Impossible is not a fact, it’s just an opinion”, Tony Robbins
“I fear not the man who has practiced 10000 kicks once, but I fear the
man who has practiced one kick 10000 times”, Bruce Lee
“Little by little a little becomes a lot”
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”

6) Do you find that motivated people are more

successful than unmotivated people?
7) What activity do you have no motivation to do?
8) What is something a boss can do to motivate his
workers?
9) Does motivation affect learning?
10) Do you share your goals and plans with others so
that they will help you maintain your motivation and
drive?
11) How can you help someone who has no
motivation?
12) Have you ever tried to motivate someone else to
do something? How did you feel after?
13) How do you maintant your motivation when you
fail?
14) What music or songs do you listen to for
motivation?
15) What do you think of motivation posters in offices,
do they actually help?
16) How often do you exercise ot work out? What is
the best way to motivate yourself to work out?
17) Have you read any good motivational books or
articles or heard great speeches? What were they
about?

Beauty
1) What is beauty? How often do you think about
beauty? Do you think it’s important?
 2) Who decides who or what is beatiful?
3) Do you think we are conditioned (made behave in a
particular way by influencing the way we think) by
advertising to think what is beautiful and what is not?
4) Do you think differenet races have different
perceptions of what beauty is?
5) Is there beauty in everything we see and do?
6) Do beautiful people have better lives?
7) Do you see beauty in the English language?

Healthy lifestyle
1) Why do many people try to have a healthy life style?
2) Do you think you have a healthy life style?
3) What can you do to get more healthy?
- Physical activity (Experts say that increasing physical
activity -- particularly walking -- increases energy. It's
accessible, easy to do, doesn't need training or
equipment and you can do it anywhere)
- Healthy sleep and taking a nap
- Eating healthy (less fat and sugar more fruit and
vegetables)
- Eating breakfast
- Reducing stress
- Drinking more water and less alcohol

4) What things do you do that might damage your

health?
5) How often do you do a health check?
6) Who are the helthiest people in the world and why are
they so healthy?
The Bloomberg Global Health Index ranks Italy, Iceland, Switzerland, Singapore and Australia as the countries with the healthiest
populations, in that order. The ranking takes into account metrics such as mortality, life expectancy, the number of people with
elevated levels of blood pressure, blood glucose, and cholesterol, as well as the prevalence of obesity, alcoholism, and childhood
malnutrition in the country.
 7) What are the best and worst jobs for your health?
Work as a nutritionist (dietician), lifeguard

Work underground in mines

8) Do you pay much attention to what you eat?

9) Do you agree with the saying: "Eat your breakfast,
share your lunch with a friend and give your dinner to
your enemy"? Why do people say so?
10) Do you have a snack every time you are hungry
or do you wait for the lunch or dinner? What is better
for health?
11) What is your attitude to smoking?
12) What is the influence of smoking on health? What
about passive smoking?
13) Is it hard to give up smoking? Do you know
someone who gave up smoking? What is the best
way to give up smoking?
14) What’s your attitude to alcohol? Have you got a
favorite alcoholic drink? Do you get drunk at parties?
15) How often do you drink?
16) Why do you drink alcoholic drinks?
17) When did you first start drinking?
18) What is worse smoking or drinking?
19) Have you ever said or done something under the
influence of alcohol that you later regretted?
20) Do you think people from different countries act
differently when drunk?
21) What health problems does alcohol consumption
cause?
 Liver disease cirrhosis sɪˈrəʊ.sɪs

Pancreatitis

Cancer

Ulcers and gastrointestinal problems

Immune system dysfunction

Brain damage

Malnourishment and vitamin deficiencies

Osteoporosis

Heart disease

Accidents and injuries.

22) Are you the type of person to go to a doctor right

away, or do you wait until your symptoms get so bad
that you can't ignore them?
23) How many hours of sleep do you need daily? If
you don't sleep enough, how do you feel and look?
24) What do you prefer, to eat everything you like,
drink a lot, smoke, have no physical exercise and die
at the age of 60 or lead a healthy life and live until
100?
25) What things do you get stressed about that you
wish you wouldn't?
26) How do you cope with stress? What do you do to
relieve your stress?
27) Can stress be a positive thing?
28) How do you keep in shape? Do you go to the
gym?
 29) Would you like to get jacked? (like a professional
bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger at his best time
for example?)

recharge your batteries

You recharge your batteries if you do something to regain your energy after a
period of hard work.

sick as a dog I feel like shit (very informal)

If you're as sick as a dog, you're very sick.

verbal diarrhoea INFORMAL ˌvɜː.bəl daɪ.əˈriː.ə

If someone has verbal diarrhoea, they can't stop talking.

You are what you eat.

You can say "you are what you eat" when you want to point out the
connection between food and health.

bag of bones

 To say that someone is a bag of bones means that they are extremely thin.
"When he came home from the war he was a bag of bones."

(as) fit as a fiddle

 A person who is as fit as a fiddle is in an excellent state of health or physical condition.

"My grandfather is nearly ninety but he's as fit as a fiddle." 

have a hangover

 To have a hangover means to suffer from the unpleasant after-effects of drinking too
much alcohol.
"Many young people have a hangover after a party or celebration." 

meet your maker

 This expression is used to say (often humorously) that someone has died.
"Poor old Mr. Potter has gone to meet his maker." 

recharge one's batteries

 When you recharge your batteries, you take a break from a tiring or stressful activity in
order to relax and recover your energy.
"Sam is completely overworked. He needs a holiday to recharge his batteries." 
 a spare tyre / love handles / a muffin top

 If a person has a spare tyre, they have a roll of flesh around the waist.
"I'd better go on a diet - I'm getting a spare tyre!"

under the weather

 If you are under the weather, you are not feeling very well.

"You look a bit under the weather. What's the matter?"

Laughter is the best medicine

 Meaning: Laughing a lot is a very effective means of recovering from physical or mental injury
 Example: I think the best thing for you right now would be to spend some time with people you
can joke around with. Laughter is the best medicine, after all.
Have one foot in the grave
 Meaning: To be near death (usually because of old age or illness)
 Example: My uncle is very sick and has one foot in the grave.
Just what the doctor ordered
 Meaning: Exactly the thing that is or was needed to help improve something or make one feel
better
 Example: A short nap is just what the doctor ordered.
Bitter pill to swallow
 Meaning: An unpleasant fact that one must accept
 Example: Losing the election was a bitter pill to swallow for the candidate.

The gym

Bulk up = Build/Gain muscle

Slim down = Burn fat
Do cardio = Do cardio exercises = Do a cardio
workout
Do strength training = Do strength exercises = Do
a strength workout
Do bench presses
Do squats
Do sit-ups / push-ups / pull-ups
 A treadmill / An exercise bike
machines тренажеры
a jump rope прыгалки / скакалка
to lift a barbell поднимать штангу
to lift dumbbells поднимать гантели
to work out = to do exercise = to do
exercises тренироваться
a warm-up разминка
a work-out тренировка
to warm up разминаться
to stretch растягиваться
to keep in shape = to keep fit = to stay in shape = to
stay fit поддерживать себя в форме
to get in shape = to get fit привести себя в форму
to be in good/great shape быть в хорошей/отличной
форме
to be in bad shape = to be out of shape быть в плохой
форме
to have a healthy lifestyle вести здоровый образ жизни
to eat healthy food правильно питаться
to eat unhealthy/junk food неправильно питаться
to be on a diet быть на диете
to get on a diet сесть на диету
to have six-pack abs иметь накаченный пресс

Work & Employment

Questions about your job
Who do you work for? (What company do you work
for?)
What does your job involve? (What are your
responibilities?)
I have to liaise/interact with our partners in the
Middle East
I’m responsible for liaising/interacting with...
Who do you report to?
The company is relocating to new premises
What are your working hours? (I’m on
flexi-time/flex-time ; I work shifts ; I work nine to five)
Do you work/do overtime?

Questions about your company?

What does BP stand for? (What’s the full name of

the company?)
Where is/are your company headquarters/HQ? (also
head/main office)
premises (offices)
How many people does your company employ?
When was the company founded? / When did the
company start?
We have over 60 employees / Our company
employs over 60 people
My business is expanding (getting bigger) so I
decided to employ/hire/take on more staff

How do you get to work? How long is your daily

commute?

What are the pros and cons of your current/last job?

What would be your dream job?

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages

of working remotely?

When was the last time you had a job interview? Was
it in Russian or in English? How did it go?

What’s the best way to pass job interviews?

What do you think the 3 most common questions you

can be asked during a job interview?
 Here’s some vocabulary you can use to talk about
your current/last job:
• I work at (a company).
• I work for (a company / a person)
• I work in (a place, city, country, department, or
general area/industry)
• I work with (people / things)

Here's some additional vocabulary you can use to talk

about your studies. You
can say:
• "I studied chemistry."
• "I majored in chemistry.”
• “I have a degree in chemistry.”

1) How would you answer the question “What are

some of your strengths?”
 Possible answers for strengths:
• I have great communication skills.
• I'm a people person.
(this means you enjoy working with people and using
your social skills)
• I'm a quick learner.
• I'm a hard worker.
• I'm organized and punctual.
("punctual" means you arrive on time)
• I'm creative and forward-thinking (/ˈfɔːr.wɚd
ˌθɪŋ.kɪŋ/ thinking about and planning for the future,
not just the present)
• I take initiative. / I’m proactive.
(these mean you take action with your own motivation
without needing to
be told what to do)

How would you answer the question “What is your

greatest weakness?”

To talk about your weaknesses, say your weak point

and also say something
you are doing to improve it.

How would you answer the question "What were some

of your responsibilities at your last job?"

In the interview, you'll probably be asked questions

about your previous job,
 or your current job. To answer this question about a
past job, you can say:
• I was responsible for...
• I was in charge of...
• I worked with...
• My day-to-day work involved…

Here are some examples:

• I was responsible for negotiating contracts.
• I was in charge of advertising.
• I worked with farmers, helping them to follow
environmental laws.
• My day-to-day work involved doing market
research and designing
products.

PEOPLE PERSON
Somebody who is a people person is extroverted, has great social skills, and loves
interacting with people.
“Ashley’s been promoted to director of human resources. She’ll do a great job – she’s a
real people person.”

CRUNCH THE NUMBERS

Crunching the numbers means to do a lot of calculations.

“After crunching the numbers, our accounting department informed us that we don’t

have enough money to buy the new equipment.”

HAVE A LOT ON YOUR PLATE

If you have a lot on your plate, it means you have a lot of work and responsibilities at the
moment.
“Sorry I didn’t call you back sooner; I have a lot on my plate right now.”
SELLING LIKE HOTCAKES
If a product is selling like hotcakes, it means  a lot of customers are buying it very fast.
“The new product is selling like hotcakes. We’ll need to produce more to keep up with
the demand!”
THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
To think outside the box means to think in a creative way that is different from usual.
“We need to come up with a really good advertising campaign. Let’s try to think outside
the box.”

WIN-WIN SITUATION
A win-win situation is a cooperative agreement that is good for both people or
companies.
“This partnership will bring increased publicity to their company and new customers to
ours. It’s a win-win situation.”

TEST THE WATERS

If you test the waters, you try something new to see if it will be successful or not.
“We’re testing the waters to see if changing the product’s packaging will increase sales.”

Meetings
You are a manager at a company producing software
You run a weekly meeting with your team. You have 5
employees in the meeting.
The agenda is
1) Issue: We’re not going to meet the deadline for
launching a new product
Ask your team members for their opinions on finding
solutions to this problem and then express yours (We
have to work overtime until the end of January and
increase our productivity. If we don’t launch the
product on time nobody gets a pay raise in February)
2) In March we’re going to provide training on
Photoshop for all our employees. (Skip this item
because we’re running short on time. We’ll discuss it
in the next meeting)
3) Important information: Tomorrow I have a meeting
with the CEO of our company and we expect
 serious budget cuts. So if we don’t work effectively
enough some of our team can get laid off.

BEGINNING A MEETING
 Hello, everyone. Thank you for coming today.
 Since everyone is here, let’s get started.
 First, I’d like to welcome you all.

 As you can see from the agenda, we’ll be talking about… 1) issues with meeting
the deadline 2) Training on Photoshop for all our employees 3) budget cuts and
possible staff reduction
 I’ve called this meeting in order to tell you we’re
not going to meet
the deadline for launching a new product if we keep
going at this rate
Our main goal today is to … [goal]

 What does everyone think about…?

 I’d like to get your feedback on…
 What are your thoughts about… ?
 What are your views on how we can speed up the process of launching this
application?
 What does everyone else think?
 Are there any other comments?
 Susan, can we get your input?
 Would you like to add anything, Susan?

ASKING FOR OPINIONS AND GIVING YOUR OPINION

Strong
 I strongly believe that…
 I’m positive that…
 I’m convinced that…
 I have no doubt whatsoever that…
 There’s no question that…
(strongest)
Normal
 I think / believe / feel that…
 From my point of view we could hire one more employee to get back on track with
it
 In my experience… / I find that…
(use these phrases to base your opinion on your experience)
 I’d say that…
 If you want my honest opinion, I think that… / To be honest…
(use these phrases when you want to express a negative or critical opinion. The word
“honest” is a diplomatic way to signal that you are going to say something negative or
unpopular)
Weak
 It seems to me that…
 It’s possible that…
 I tend to think that…
 My initial reaction is…
(use this phrase to show that this is an opinion you haven’t thought very deeply about)

AGREEING / DISAGREEING
 I’m not so sure about that. According to our CEO we expect serious budget cuts,
therefore we can’t afford recruiting another staff member
 I see it differently.
We have to work overtime until the end of January and
increase our productivity. If we don’t launch the product on
time nobody gets a pay raise in February
Well, I couldn't agree more.

CONTROLLING THE MEETING

 I think we’ve spent enough time on this topic. Moving on…

 If nobody has anything else to add, let’s move on to the next item.
 We’re running short on time, so let’s move on.
I’d like to skip item 2 and go directly to item 3.

CLOSING

 It looks like we’ve covered the main items on the agenda.

 That will be all for today.
 If no one has anything else to add, then I think we’ll wrap this up.

Our next meeting will be… / Let’s get together…

 on January 30th.
I’ll let you know the date of our next meeting.
 Personal Finance
1. Is there a difference between the words salary and income?
2. Are you worried about your financial security in your old age?

The total amount of money you earn is called your income. Your
income
includes (but is not limited to) your salary (money you earn from your
job).
There are many other sources of income that don’t come directly from a
job –
for example:
• dividends – money earned from investing in the stock market.
• rental income – money you earn from renting out property to tenants
(the people who rent and live in the house/apartment).
• A pension – money you receive in regular, fixed payments after
retiring.
• welfare – money given to poor or disabled people by the government.

3. Do you have a will? Who will inherit your assets after you die?

a legal document that gives instructions about what should happen to

your money and possessions after you die

When people die, they usually leave their assets to their children or other
relatives by means of a will – that’s the official document saying how
the
estate (another word for the total set of assets) should be distributed.
The
recipients are called heirs and the verb used is inherit – for example, “I
inherited a house from my grandmother.”
4. Would you describe yourself as wealthy, middle-class, or low-income?
Why?

There are many different ways to say someone is rich or poor in

English. The
most common synonyms for “rich” are wealthy, well-off, and affluent.
 Alternative ways to say “poor” include needy, destitute, and
impoverished (formal).

However, we also have some expressions referring to poverty that are

more
polite and indirect:
• A working-class neighborhood
• A blue-collar family
• A low-income household

When a person is having difficulty surviving at their current level of

income,
we can say they’re scraping by or barely making ends meet. “Making
ends
meet” is an expression that means managing to survive with little
money.

5. Have you ever gambled or been to a casino? Do you think gambling

should be illegal? Why or why not?

Some people hope to get rich through a windfall – that means receiving
a
large amount of money suddenly and unexpectedly. For example,
inheriting a
lot of money from a relative who has died, or by winning the lottery or
gambling – playing games based on luck, such as slot machines. The
place
where you can gamble is called a casino.

6. Have you ever lived paycheck-to-paycheck? What advice would you

give someone in this situation?

Some people never save money – instead, they live paycheck-to-

paycheck. In
other words, after they receive their salary, they spend it all – and then
need
to wait for the next paycheck.
7. Do you feel a temptation to “keep up with the Joneses”? Do people in
your country try to do this?

Many families fall into the temptation of keeping up with the Joneses –
this
is when people try to accompany the standard of living of their friends,
colleagues or neighbors – for example, when your neighbor buys a new
car,
you feel the pressure to buy a new car of the same level.

8. Have you ever been in debt? Describe what type of debt it is/was, and
what you did (or are doing) to pay it off.

9. Did you take out student loans or a mortgage? In your opinion, is it a

wise idea to borrow money for a college education or a house?

In addition to credit card debt, many people have debt from student
loans
(money you borrow to get a college education) and a mortgage (a
loan you
take out to buy a house).

10. Do you have a budget? If so, how has it helped you? If not, why
not?
11. Are you good at saving and sticking to budgets?

People who consistently spend more than they earn are “living beyond
their
means.” The opposite of that is “living within your means” – spending
less
than you earn.
One way to live within your means and avoid spending too much is to
make a
budget – this is an organized plan for how much to spend in various
categories like rent, food, gas, entertainment, etc.
12. Do you have an emergency fund? Have you ever had to use it?

Your budget should include regular contributions to a savings

account;
financial advisers suggest having an emergency fund of three to
six months’
living expenses saved up.

13. Do you invest in the stock market? Do you believe this is a good
idea, or do you think it’s too risky?

14. Have you ever given money to charity? What types of charities
have you supported (or would you like to support)?

Finally, two more things you can do with your money are invest it
in the stock
market (in companies in the general economy) or make a
donation to charity
(non-profit organizations that help people, animals, or the
environment).

15. Does your country have a welfare system? If so, describe it.

16. What are your main sources of income? What are typically your
biggest expenses?

Brain

brain
noun UK /breɪn/ US /breɪn/
A2 [ C ] the organ inside the head that controls thought,
memory, feelings, and activity
Do you do anything to look after your brain?

How much of your brain do you use?

What do neuroscientists not know about the brain?

What do neuroscientists want to know about the
brain?

1. What is consciousness?
2. How much of our personality is
determined by our brain?
3. Why do we sleep and dream?
4. How do we store and access
memories?
5. Are all aspects of cognition
computational?
6. How does perception work?
7. Do we have free will?
8. How can we move and react so well?

How is the brain structured?

The top of the brain and its biggest part is called the
cerebrum
The cerebrum makes up 85% of the brain's weight, and it's
easy to see why. The cerebrum is the thinking part of the
brain and it controls your voluntary muscles — the ones
that move when you want them to.
The cerebrum has two halves, with one on either side of
the head. Scientists think that the right half helps you think
about abstract things like music, colors, and shapes. The
left half is said to be more analytical, helping you with
math, logic, and speech. Scientists do know for sure that
the right half of the cerebrum controls the left side of your
body, and the left half controls the right side.

The cerebellum
The cerebellum is at the back of the brain, below the
cerebrum. It's a lot smaller than the cerebrum at only 1/8
of its size. But it's a very important part of the brain. It
controls balance, movement, and coordination (how your
muscles work together).

Another brain part that's small but mighty is the brain

stem. The brain stem sits beneath the cerebrum and in
front of the cerebellum. It connects the rest of the brain to
the spinal cord, which runs down your neck and back. The
brain stem is in charge of all the functions your body
needs to stay alive, like breathing air, digesting food, and
circulating blood.
Part of the brain stem's job is to control your involuntary
muscles — the ones that work automatically, without you
even thinking about it.
The pituitary gland is very small — only about the size of
a pea! Its job is to produce and release hormones into
your body.
pituitary gland
noun [ C usually sing ] /pəˈtu·əˌter·i ˌɡlænd/
biology a small organ at the bottom of the brain which
controls how the body grows and develops by producing
hormones (= chemicals that influence the body's
processes)

What diseases and injuries can the brain have?

Your skull protects your brain – but if you hit your head
very hard, you’ll have
a concussion, a minor injury to the brain due to impact.
This may cause you
to lose consciousness ( the state of being awake and
being able to think and notice things) . Two more common
expressions for “lose
consciousness” are “faint” and “pass out.”
The major nerve that runs down the center of your back is
called your spinal
cord. Injuries to the spinal cord can result in a person
being paralyzed –
unable to move or feel parts of their body.
Problems in the brain that result in changes to a person’s
mood, behavior,
and/or personality are known as mental illness. This is a
general category
that includes depression, schizophrenia, bipolar
disorder, and other diseases.

Who is the brains of your family?

the brains [ S ]
the most intelligent person in a group, especially the
person who plans what the group will do:
My little brother's the brains of the family.

Do people ever pick your brains?

pick sb's brains

uk us pick sb's brain
to ask someone who knows a lot about a subject for
information or their opinion:
I was picking Simon's brains about which computer to buy.

How many different functions does the brain perform?

The brain does the thinking, learning, and feeling for the
body. For humans, it is the source of consciousness. The
brain also controls basic autonomic body actions, like
breathing, digestion, heartbeat, that happen automatically.

Do you know what Left Brain, Right Brain means?

Has your country ever experienced or benefited from

a brain drain?

brain drain
noun [ S ] UK /ˈbreɪn ˌdreɪn/ US /ˈbreɪn ˌdreɪn/
the situation in which large numbers of educated and very
skilled people leave their own country to live and work in
another one where pay and conditions are better

What do you think the differences are between male

and female brains?

There is no such thing as a male or a female brain.

male and female hormones

If you had a brain transplant, would you think

differently of having a new personality?

NATURAL DISASTERS

What are natural disasters?

a natural event such as a flood, earthquake, or tsunami
that kills or injures a lot of people
Have you ever experienced a natural disaster?
Have you ever prepared for a natural disaster?

What was the last natural disaster you saw on TV?

Ten deadliest natural disasters since 1900[edit]
Death toll
Rank Event* Location Date
(estimate)

1,000,000–
1. 1931 China floods China July 1931
4,000,000

2004 Indian Ocean December 26,

2. 280,000 Indian Ocean
earthquake and tsunami 2004

December 16,
3. 273,400 1920 Haiyuan earthquake China
1920

250,000– East November

4. 1970 Bhola cyclone
500,000 Pakistan (now Bangladesh) 1970

242,000– 1976 Tangshan

5. China July 28, 1976
655,000 earthquake

Typhoon Nina—
August 7,
6. 229,000 contributed to Banqiao China
1975
Damfailure

January 12,
7. 160,000[9] 2010 Haiti earthquake Haiti
2010

8. 145,000 1935 Yangtze river flood China 1935

1923 Great Kantō September 1,

9. 143,000 Japan
earthquake 1923

10. 138,866 1991 Bangladesh cyclone Bangladesh April 1991

Are there often natural disasters in your country?

Do you think natural disasters are happening more
frequently in the world today?
What natural disasters do you know? What’s the
worst natural disaster in your opinion?

A volcanic eruption, which you learned earlier in this

lesson, is one type of
natural disaster. Let’s learn a few more.
When the ground shakes, causing buildings to collapse,
this is called an
earthquake.
Another problem with the land is a landslide or mudslide,
when mud slides
down a mountain and buries everything below. When it is
snow and ice
sliding down the mountain, it is called an avalanche.
A hurricane is a circular storm with very strong winds,
which covers a large
area. A tornado also has strong winds, but is
concentrated in one spot.
If it rains a lot, the area can fill up with too much water –
this is called a flood.
The opposite – when there is no rain for a very long time,
and plants and
animals start to die – is a drought.
Finally, a winter storm with lots of snow and strong winds
is known as a
blizzard.
Do you think the world should be more concerned
about natural disasters or terrorism?

What’s worse, natural disasters or manmade

disasters?

The Nuclear Power Plant Explosion in Chernobyl,

Russia
On April 26th 1986, the Chernobyl Plant in the Ukrainian
Soviet Socialist Republic had a major meltdown which
resulted in the atmospheric release of radioactive material
four hundred times more radioactive than Hiroshima.
Since the accident there have been countless children
with birth defects, a sickening increase of cancer sufferers
and many other health issues as well. It is estimated that
the disaster could result in nearly 100,000 fatal cancers,
and the area won’t be safe for any activity, including
farming for up to 200 years.

The Destruction of the Aral Sea

The Aral Sea was one of the four largest lakes at one
point in time. However, in the 1960’s, the Soviet Union
diverted the waters from the rivers that fed the lake to
irrigation projects. The sea has now shrunk by 90 percent
and the salt and sandstorms that the devastation created
kill plant life and have negative consequences for
hundreds of miles around.
India
What is India famous for? What are the good things
and bad things about India?
India has more than 1.2 billion (1,210,000,000) people,
which is the second largest population in the world. It
is the seventh largest country in the world by area and
the largest country in South Asia. It is also the most
populous democracy in the world.

India has the third largest military force in the world

and is also a nuclear weapon state.

India has the fourth largest number of spoken

languages per country in the world, only behind
Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and Nigeria. People of
many different religions live there, including the five
most popular world religions: Christianity, Islam,
Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.

India is a peninsula, which means that it is

surrounded on three sides by water. One of the seven
wonders of the world is in Agra: the Taj Mahal. In the
west is the Arabian Sea, in the south is the Indian
Ocean, and in the east is the Bay of Bengal.
The northern part of India has many mountains. The
most famous mountain range in India is the Himalayas
/ˌhɪməˈleɪəs, hɪˈmɑːləjəs/, which have some of the
tallest mountains in the world.
Why is India one of the top tourist destinations in the
world?
How different is India from other world countries?
What things about India do you think Indian people
are proud of?
Do you think India is one of the world’s most
important nations?
Does your country have good relations with India?
During the Cold War, India and the Soviet Union
(USSR) enjoyed a strong strategic, military, economic
and diplomatic relationship. After the collapse of the
USSR, Russia inherited the close relationship with
India, even as India improved its relations with the
West after the end of the Cold War.
What do you know about Indian history?
Many dynasties ruled India around the year 1000.
Some of these were the Mughal, Vijayanagara, and the
Maratha empires. In the 1600s, European countries
invaded India, and the British controlled most of India
by 1856.
In the early 1900s, millions of people peacefully
started to protest against British control. One of the
people who were leading the freedom movement was
Mahatma Gandhi
On 15 August 1947, India peacefully became free and
independent from the British Empire. India's
constitution was founded on 26 January 1950. Every
year, on this day, Indians celebrate Republic Day. The
first official leader (Prime Minister) of India was
Jawaharlal Nehru.
It has fought many wars since independence from
Britain, including in 1947-48, 1965, 1971, and 1999 with
Pakistan and in 1962 with China. It also fought a war
to capture Goa, a Portuguese-built port and city which
was not a part of India until 1961. The Portuguese
refused to give it to the country, and so India had to
use force and the Portuguese were defeated. India has
also done nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998, and it is one
of the few countries that has nuclear bombs. Since
1991, India has been one of the fastest-growing
economies in the world

What images of India do you have that are beautiful

and romantic?
What do you think of Indian products and companies?
What has India given to the world?
Yoga (a set of exercises for the mind and body, based
on the Hindu religion)
She does yoga three times a week.
Would you like to visit India, or live there?
What do you think about Indian food?
What is your idea of a typical Indian person?
Are Indian languages important languages?
Who are the most famous Indian people you know?
What do you know about Indian politics?
India's government is divided into three parts: the
Legislative /ˈledʒ.ə.slə.t̬ ɪv/ (the one that makes the laws,
the Parliament), the Executive /ɪɡˈzek.jə.t̬ ɪv/ (the
government), and the Judiciary /dʒuːˈdɪʃ.ɚ.i/ (the one that
makes sure that the laws are obeyed, the supreme
court).
The legislative branch is made up of the Parliament of
India, which is in New Delhi, the capital of India.

The executive branch is made up of the President,

Vice President, Prime Minister, and the Council of
Ministers. The President of India is elected for five
years. The President can choose the Prime Minister,
who has most of the power. The Council of Ministers,
such as the Minister of Defence, help the Prime
Minister.

The judicial /dʒuːˈdɪʃ.əl/ branch is made up of the courts of

India, including the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice
of India is the head of the Supreme Court. Supreme
Court members have the power to stop a law being
passed by Parliament if they think that the law is
illegal and contradicts (opposes) the Constitution of
India.[

What do you think India will be like 50 years from

now?
What would you like to ask an Indian person about
India?
What do you know about Indian climate?
India has different climates. In the South, the climate
is mainly tropical, which means it can get very hot in
summer and cool in winter. The northern part, though,
has a cooler climate, called sub-tropical, and even
alpine in mountainous regions. The Himalayas, in the
alpine climate region, can get extremely cold. There is
very heavy rainfall along the west coast and in the
Eastern Himalayan foothills. The west, though, is
drier. Because of some of the deserts of India, all of
India gets rain for four months of the year. That time is
called the monsoon. That is because the deserts
attract water-filled winds from the Indian Ocean, which
give rain when they come into India. When the
monsoon rains come late or not so heavily, droughts
(when the land dries out because there is less rain)
are possible.

Personality
Personality is the way you are as a person
the type of person you are, shown by the way you
behave, feel, and think
the special combination of qualities in a person that
makes that person different from others, as shown by
the way the person behaves, feels, and thinks
Характер
How would you describe your personality? What word
would sum up your personality?
Do you think you have a strong personality? Do you
think you have an outgoing personality?
Are you happy with your personality?
How has your personality changed over the years?
What or who has helped shape your personality?
What of your personality traits do you like most? What
personality types are you attracted to?
What is the most attractive personality trait a person
can have?
Whose personality do you like best out of all the
people in the world?
Can a person have no personality?
Is your true personality always on show or do you
hide parts of it?
What are the personality differences between you and
other family members?
Do you know anyone who has a split personality or
multiple personalities?
Can you really find out things about someone’s
personality from their star sign or blood group?
Do you like taking personality tests? Are they
accurate?
What major change would you like to make to your
personality?
diligent (hardworking)
personable (having a pleasant appearance and
character)
friendly
cautious (careful and don’t like to take risks)
contemplative (think a lot before taking action or making
a decision)
tender-hearted (meaning compassionate – they care
about other people).
tolerant (meaning they accept other people who are
different without judging or criticizing them)
brave (which means courageous, without fear).
humble (that means not arrogant)
hospitable (welcoming people into their homes).
lively and energetic (both of these words mean they have
a lot of energy)
optimistic (meaning they focus on the positive).
wise (meaning they have profound knowledge and
understanding)
passionate (meaning they put a lot of emotion into their
interests and activities)
determined (meaning they are strongly motivated to
accomplish their goals).
great communicators
always in the spotlight (that means they enjoy having
everyone’s attention focused on them)
cheerful (with a consistently happy attitude)
perceptive (meaning they notice small details).
diplomatic (meaning polite and respectful of other people)
kind (that means nice or pleasant to others),
innovative (meaning creative and good at solving
problems)
self-assured (meaning confident)
versatile (meaning they have many different abilities and
adapt well to change).
bright (smart, intelligent)
capable (lots of abilities and potential)
punctual (they arrive on time).
straightforward (honest, transparent, with no lies or
hidden aspects)
courageous
sincere (honest, genuine)
loyal (dedicated to their relationships and commitments).
charming means a person who is enchanting and
interesting, who captures
your attention
smart
clever
hard-working
reliable
ambitious (meaning someone who strongly desires a lot
of success)
decisive (makes strong, firm decisions and is confident in
their choices)
outgoing or extroverted LOVES being in social situations
and interacting with other people
talkative or chatty
nice (pleasant and friendly)
considerate
fearless
adventurous
generous (giving people a lot of money, presents, or
time in a kind way)
patient
easy-going (relaxed and not easily upset or worried)
modest
optimistic
sensible or pragmatic (they have a good
understanding of practical situations)

idealistic (believing that it is possible to achieve your

ideals)
skeptical (a person who believes that it is possible to
achieve your ideals)
fanatical (extremely enthusiastic about something)
stupid / dumb / foolish
pessimistic
boastful (praising yourself and what you have done)
coward “a chicken” or “a wimp”
stingy (unwilling to spend money)
lazy
unreliable
careless (not giving enough attention to what you are
doing)
absent-minded (often forgetting things)
arrogant
vain
indecisive or wishy-washy
insecure
sensitive
reserved – this is a quieter person who doesn’t like being
the center of attention.
shy the word “shy” is stronger than “reserved.” too quiet,
not good in social situations
mean or nasty (someone who treats other people badly).
cruel – a person who intentionally causes others to suffer
rude or inconsiderate – meaning someone who is not
polite, and who doesn’t think about others’ feelings
greedy (that means desiring too much money and
resources)
selfish (meaning they only care about themselves
stubborn (meaning they are firm in their beliefs and not
easily influenced by others).
poor communicators
boring
rash (meaning they act without thinking,
short-tempered, meaning they get angry easily.
often “have their heads in the clouds” – meaning they
like to dream and escape reality.
arrogant (having too high an opinion of yourself)
impatient
moody (that means their emotions change unpredictably).
fickle (indecisive, can’t commit to things for the longterm,
often changes their opinion about things)
headstrong – meaning they rely strongly on themselves,
without listening to or considering other people’s opinions.
extremely determined
superficial (meaning they only focus on the outer
appearance)
hot-blooded (easily excited or angered)
anxious (meaning they worry too much)
over-sensitive (meaning their feelings are easily hurt).
eccentric (a little bit strange)
look down on others (that means view other people as
inferior).
narrowminded (meaning they believe they are always
right, and don’t want to listen to other possibilities)
vain (concerned about their appearance).
irritable (easily annoyed)
cynical (meaning they frequently criticize and disapprove
of things).
naive (that means they trust people too easily),
impulsive (making spontaneous decisions without enough
thought or planning).
gullible

Smart cookie – somebody who has got a strong personality or

who is quite smart.
Ex. Katie is such a smart cookie, she can make any project a
success.

Chatterbox – a person who talks a lot

Ex. My son always gets detentions in school for talking in class,
he is such a chatterbox.

Life and soul of the party – someone who is energetic, and

good fun during social occasions.
Ex. It was a great night, Jim was the life and soul of the party.

Wimp – a weak person, someone who lacks confidence.

Ex. I always avoid confrontations, I am such a wimp.

Early bird – a person who wakes up, arrives to work, etc. before
the usual time
Ex. My Mum is the early bird in our family, she gets up at 5
o’clock in the morning.

Scrooge – a miserable person who hates spending money.

Ex. My last boss was a real Scrooge, for years we never received
a Christmas bonus.

Big mouth – someone who is not able to keep a secret

Ex. Never tell her a secret, she’s got a really big mouth.

ARMCHAIR CRITIC
“It’s easy to be an armchair critic, but no one ever takes action to help solve the
problem.”
An armchair critic is a person who makes comments and criticisms about a situation
that they are not actually DOING anything to help fix the problem. Imagine a person
sitting in a big, comfortable armchair and making criticisms about something, without
getting up and taking action!

BUSYBODY
“My aunt is such a busybody – she’s always asking nosy questions about my love life. I
wish she’d mind her own business.”
A busybody is a person who constantly wants to know about or interfere in the details of
other people’s lives.

COUCH POTATO
“Stop being a couch potato – turn off the TV and go get some exercise.”
A couch potato is a lazy person who spends a lot of time sitting down or lying down,
watching TV, playing video games, or doing some other activity that doesn’t involve
physical activity.

DOWN-TO-EARTH
“I like working with Janet because she’s so down-to-earth. Her plans and expectations
are very reasonable.”
A person who is down-to-earth is practical, sensible, and realistic. Being down-to-earth
is the opposite of being a dreamer, visionary, or “having your head in the clouds.”

SOCIAL BUTTERFLY
“I’m more reserved, but my mother is a social butterfly.”
A social butterfly is an extroverted person who loves to socialize. Like a butterfly goes
quickly from flower to flower, a “social butterfly” often goes around a room having
conversations with many people.

WET BLANKET / PARTY POOPER

“I hate to be a wet blanket, but we should probably turn down the music – our neighbors
are probably trying to sleep.”
These idioms describe a person who discourages fun or enjoyment for other people, or
who prevents other people from having fun, through their actions or their negative
attitudes.

MAN OF HIS WORD / WOMAN OF HER WORD

“If Gary said he’ll be there at 6:00, you can count on it. He’s a man of his word.”
A “man of his word” or “woman of her word” is a person you can trust because they tell
the truth and keep promises.

KNOW-IT-ALL / SMART ALEC / WISE GUY

“I tried to give advice, but my know-it-all co-worker wouldn’t even listen.”
A know-it-all is a person who thinks they know everything, and that their opinions and
ideas are the best. The idioms “smart alec” and “wise guy” are similar, but have more of
a connotation of a person who demonstrates their cleverness in an arrogant or sarcastic
way.

Philosophy

The word worldview refers to the sum total of all your

beliefs, knowledge, understanding, philosophy, and
values. Your worldview is shaped and influenced by
your culture, your religion, and your upbringing – as
well as your own ideas and ideals.

What exactly is philosophy?

the study of ideas about the meaning of life, or a
particular set of ideas about the meaning of life
Who’s the greatest philosopher you know of?
Do you like philosophy? Do you think philosophy is
important?
Do you get philosophical if you drink alcohol?
What’s your philosophy of education?
Education should endless and practical
What’s your philosophy on life?
My philosophy of life is to live and work on myself to
get my life and the life of my loved ones as good as
possible
Would you like to study philosophy?
I like philosophical and thought-provoking quots. But I
don’t think that philosophy is what we have to study.
It’s something we have to figure out from our life
experience. I don’t see it as a school/academic subject
What’s the difference between Western philosophy
and other philosophies?
What can philosophy teach you?
to live in a way that makes you enjoy your life
What’s your philosophy on studying English?
The essence of it is listening and repetition
Have you ever read any philosophy books?
Do only intellectual people talk about philosophy?
Do you think modern philosophy is different from
ancient philosophy?
Is there a link between philosophy and religion?
What is the most basic philosophy that humans
should follow?

The 10 Commandments
You shall have no other gods before Me.
You shall not make idols.
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in
vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Honor your father and your mother.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your
neighbor.
You shall not covet.

Would a person living in a rich part of New York, a

jungle dweller, and someone living in a shanty town in
an overcrowded developing world city share the same
philosophy?
I think we’re all united in the desire to make our lives
better. It’s the driving force common for most people
regardless of their social clas, nationality or where
they live

March 28, 2018

What really happened? There was a fire in a shopping
center in the Russian city of Kemerovo
What caused the fire? Violating safety regulations
How many people died in the fire? Over 60 people died
Who is responsible for so many victims?
Shoud the local authorities resign in relation to this
fire?

Former Russian spy was poisoned by nerve agent in

London.
Russian diplomats were expelled by many European
countries
Who do you think is responsible for this poisoning?
Twenty three expelled Russian diplomats and their
families left the embassy in London and headed back to
Moscow on Tuesday in the deepest crisis in Russian-
British relations since the Cold War
Prime Minister Theresa May blamed Russia for the attack
on a Russian double agent and his daughter — the first
known offensive use of a nerve toxin in Europe since
World War Two
Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the
attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter and on Saturday
gave 23 British diplomats a week to leave Moscow as well
as closing the British Council in Russia.

On election day I went to the polling station. Incumbent

Vladimir Putin won reelection for his second consecutive
(fourth overall) term in office with 77% of the vote. He won
by a landslide.
Do you think Putin really won the election with 77% of
the vote?

ENERGY LEVELS

1) What is energy?
It’s the power and ability to be physically and mentally
active
It’s the power from something such as electricity or oil that
can do work, such as providing light and heat
2) How important is energy?
3) Do you always have a lot of energy? What
times of the day do you have most / least
energy?
4) What affects your energy levels? How can
you quickly change your energy level? What
do you do for an energy boost?
 1) Physical activity (Experts say that increasing
physical activity -- particularly walking --
increases energy. It's accessible, easy to do,
doesn't need training or equipment and you can
do it anywhere)
2) Healthy sleep and taking a nap
3) Eating healthy (less fat and sugar more fruit and
vegetables)
4) Eating breakfast
5) Reducing stress
6) Drinking more water and less alcohol

5) Do you ever have no energy to do

something? Do you always have enough
energy to study English?
6) What things do you do that require a lot of
energy?
7) Have your energy levels changed as you’ve
become older?
8) Does the place you are in affect your energy
levels?
9) Does thinking require a lot of energy?
10) Do you like being with people who are
always full of energy?

SPRING
What images spring to mind when you hear the
season “spring’? Greenery, dirt and mud everywhere,
lots or rain
How do you feel when spring arrives? A bit more
energetic becuase there’s more sun and it’s warmer. A bit
more positive and optimistic maybe

What things about spring do you like most and least?

What happens in spring in your country? Are there
any special events that take place in spring in your
country? A lot of shit as usual
What do you like to do in spring that you can’t do at
other times of the year?
How would you feel if there wasn’t spring?
Would you like it to be spring forever?
What’s your favourite spring memory?
What clothes do you like to wear when spring arrives?
Do you think spring feels differently to people of
different ages?

Consumerism
Are there any benefits in consumerism?
Big businesses continue growing and improving their
products
Are there any negative effects of consumerism?
Global inequality
The huge rise in resource consumption in wealthier
countries has led to an ever widening gap between the
rich and the poor.
It is estimated that every year, Europeans spend $11
billion on ice cream – yes ice cream! This is nearly enough
to bring an education to every child on the planet, twice.
Obesity
Pollution and resource depletion
As well as obvious social and economic problems,
consumerism is destroying our environment. As the
demand for goods increases, the need to produce these
goods also increases. This leads to more pollutant
emissions, increased land-use and deforestation, and
accelerated climate change.
Waste disposal is becoming a problem worldwide, and our
oceans are slowly but surely becoming a giant waste
disposal pit.
According to scientists, up to 12 million tons of plastic
enters the ocean every year, forming giant floating
garbage patches all over the world.

Do you believe special occasions like Christmas or

Easter have become too consumeristic?
Is there a way to escape the culture of consumerism?
What affects consumerism?
How does consumerism affect the environment and
nature?
Do you agree with extreme anti-consumerism
philosophies and attitudes?
Our world economy is based on consumerism. Will
consumerism always be predominant?
Has consumerism changed over the years?
Which jobs are strictly related to consumerism?
Restaurants, especially fast food ones

EDUCATION
How important do you think education is?
Do you think you had a good education?
What is a good education?
Is the level of education in your country good?
Was there a high standard of education at your
schools?
Do you think the quality of education is slipping?
What do you think of the idea of all education being
online?
What would you like to change about the education
system of your country?
What do you think of single-sex education?
What do you think of the idea of lifelong education?
What would the world be like if everyone had access
to a good education?
Does your government really care about education?
In which country do you think you can receive the
best education?
Do you think there’s a lot of money to be made in
education?
What do you think Mark Twain meant when he said,
“never let school interfere with your education”?

Protests
Is it good or bad to protest?
What protests are happening around the world right
now? Do you agree with them?
Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny and hundreds
of other protesters have been detained by police at an
unsanctioned demonstration on May 5 in Moscow

In Moscow alone, the number of detainees was 703.

Another 233 protesters were also detained in St.
Petersburg.
How should police deal with protestors?
It depends. Police are supposed to make sure that people
obey the law. But in our country police should join
protestors
How have protests changed the history of different
countries?
Anti-government protests in Armenia resulted in
resignation of Prime Minister
Protests and marches took place initially in response to
Serzh Sargsyan's third consecutive term as the most
powerful figure in the government of the Armenia and later
against the Republican Party-controlled government in
general. Pashinyan declared it a Velvet Revolution.
Demonstrations and protests began in March 2018
By 4:30pm, Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan had posted a
message on the official website of the prime minister
announcing his resignation. Former Prime Minister Karen
Karapetyan succeeded Sargsyan as acting Prime Minister

The Ukrainian revolution that resulted in the ousting of the

Ukranian President

What things do you need to take on a protest?

Depends on how long you’re going to protest and what
things you’re going to do
How many different things can you do to protest?
Is there a better way than protesting to make your
voice heard?
There are some ways, but they don’t work in our country.
For example you can use social networks or Youtube to
promote your ideas and beliefs
Can a protest by one person be as powerful as a
protest by a million?
It depends on how influential this person is
What would you protest about?
About unfair judicial system, social inequality, ineffective
education system
What would your friends and family think if they saw
you on TV news protesting?

Are protestors heroes?

In our country definitly they are
What are the dangers in protesting?
What are the dangers in not protesting?
Do you think governments worry about protests?
What do police officers think about when they are
policing a protest?
What are the biggest protests in (recent) history?

The United Kingdom

What is the difference between Great Britain, England
and the United Kingdom?

Great Britain
noun UK /ˌɡreɪt ˈbrɪt.ən/ US /ˌɡreɪt ˈbrɪt.ən/
England, Scotland, and Wales

England
noun UK /ˈɪŋ.ɡlənd/ US /ˈɪŋ.ɡlənd/
a country that is part of the United Kingdom

the UK
noun UK /ˌjuːˈkeɪ/ US /ˌjuːˈkeɪ/
abbreviation for the United Kingdom: the country of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland

How important is the United Kingdom in the world?

What has the United Kingdom contributed to the
world? What is the United Kingdom most famous for?
What do you know about the food and weather in the
UK?
What would you like to do and see in the UK on a
three-week holiday?
How do you think people from the UK would describe
their kingdom?
Why do the 4 countries compete as Great Britain at
the Olympics and not as the United Kingdom
Which UK country is best?
What parts of UK culture are popular in your country?
Does your country have good relations with the
United Kingdom?
How did the United Kingdom become united?
Is the UK still a kingdom, even with a queen?
Shouldn't it be a "queendom"?
What mistakes has the United Kingdom made?
What do you think the UK will be like in 50 years from
now?
War

Does war ever do any good?

Have you ever experienced a war?

Do you think we'll ever stop starting wars?

Why are some countries so eager to wage war, while

others aren’t?

wage a battle/campaign/war, etc

to fight or organize a series of activities in order to achieve
something
They're currently waging a campaign to change the law.

What wars has your country fought in the recent past?

Would you fight in a war to save your country?

Would you like to work as a war correspondent?

correspondent
noun [ C ] UK /ˌkɒrɪˈspɒndənt/ US
NEWS
someone who reports news for newspapers, television, or
radio, usually from another country

Aeschylus said: "In war, truth is the first casualty." Do

you agree with this?

Someone once said: "Join the Army, see the world,

meet interesting people - and kill them." What do you
think of this quote?

The Geneva Convention issued a list of the rules of

war? What do you think these are? Does it seem
strange to have rules for war?

How do you think current wars could be stopped?

What do you think future wars will be fought over?

Do you think there’d be fewer wars if all countries

were ruled by women?

What would you do today if a war broke out in your

country tomorrow?
José Narosky said: "In war, there are no unwounded
soldiers." Do you agree with this?

Terrorism

What is terrorism?

Do you worry about terrorism?

Which is worse, terrorism or climate change?

If a country repeatedly kills innocent civilians while

trying to kill terrorists, does that country take part in
terrorism?

What do you think of the fact that trillions of dollars

are spent fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, but only
millions are spent on killer diseases like malaria and
AIDs?

What do governments learn from terrorism?

When did terrorism first start in the world?

What countries around the world have terrorist

attacks within their borders?
Is there a difference between a freedom fighter and a
terrorist? Is there a difference between a country’s
national hero, who may have killed innocents for his
country’s independence, and a terrorist?

Do you think terror groups will one day get hold of

nuclear and chemical weapons?

What is state sponsored terrorism?

What do you understand by the term ‘cyber-

terrorism’? How dangerous is it?

cyberterrorism
noun [ U ] UK /ˈsaɪ.bəˌter.ə.rɪ.zəm/ US /-bɚˌter.ɚ.ɪ-/

the use of the internet to damage or destroy computer

systems for political or other reasons

Business 1
1) Have you ever had your own business? Would you
like to start your own business someday?
2) What’s better in your opinion having a well-paid job or
having your own successful business?
 3) What are the key qualities to get successful in a
normal job and in business? Is there any difference in
qualities you need to become successful?
4) What do you think is the perfect job?
5) Would you work if you had 10 million dollars or would
you just enjoy your life?

Business 2

Are you interested in the world of business?

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 kind of people are good at business?

What are the dangers of having your own business?

Would you include your own name in your business

name?

Do you read any business magazines?

Do men or women make more successful business
people?

Do you think you’d be a tough person to work for?

What advice would you give to people starting in

business?

What would be your motto in business?

What kind of office would you like?

Who would be your business hero?

What would be your main business goal?

Relationships

About how many guests attended your wedding?

How many guests would you invite to your wedding?
At what age do most people in your country get
married?
At what age do you want to get married?
At what age did you get married?
Describe a perfect date.
Describe the appearance of the person you would like
to date?
Describe the character of the person you would like to
date?
Do women usually work after getting married in your
country?
Do you "go Dutch" when dating?
Do you know what it means to 'go Dutch'?
Is it usual for people in your country to 'go Dutch' if
you go out together?
Do older girls/boys have a problem dating younger
girls/boys?
Do younger girls/boys have a problem dating older
girls/boys?
Do you believe in love at first sight?
Do you think some people know that they will fall in
love with someone the first time they meet?
Do you know what a 'blind date' is?
Have you ever been on a blind date?
Did you ever arrange a blind date?
Do you drive or take the train when dating?
Do you get along with your in-laws?
Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend?
Where did you meet your him/her?
What does he/she look like?
Do you know anyone who has had an arranged
marriage?
Do you know someone who has gotten a divorce?
Do you know the difference between love and like?
Can you still love your partner and not like him/her?
Do you think a boy should pay for everything on a
date?
Do you think arranged marriages are a good idea?
Why or why not?
What is your opinion of arranged marriages?
Do you think fairy tales influence our choice of a
partner?
Do you think getting married means giving up
freedom?
Do you think if you get married that you will change?
Do you think it is better to be single or to be married?
Do you think it is good to get married?
Do you think it is okay for a couple to live together
before getting married? Why or Why not?
Do you think it is okay to marry someone of a different
race?
Do you think it is okay to marry someone with a
different religion?
Do you think it's OK for a man to have two wives?
Do you think it's OK for a wife to have two husbands?
Do you think it's okay for a man to have a mistress?
Do you think it's okay for a man to hit his wife?
Do you think love is necessary to have a good
marriage?
Do you think marriage is necessary?
Do you think marriages based on love are more
successful than arranged marriages?
Do you think marriage is very stressful for women?
How about for men?
Do you think people change after getting married?
Do you think religion influences marriage? If so, in
what ways?
Do you think that all adults should be married?
Do you think that you can you find eternal love
through the Internet?
Do you want a husband or wife who is older, younger
or the same age as you?
Do you want to have children?
If so, how many?
Have you ever been to a school dance?
Have you ever had a crush on someone?
Have you ever hated loving someone?
Have your parents ever disapproved of any of your
relationships?
How long do you think couples should know each
other before they get married?
How many children would you like to have?
How often would you like to go out on dates?
How old were you when you had your first boyfriend
or girlfriend?
How old were you when you went on your first date?
Where did you go?
What did you do?
Who did you go with?
How old were your parents when they got married?
If your husband or wife has an affair what would you
do?
If your parents did not approve of a person you loved
and wanted to marry, would that be a difficult situation
for you? Why or why not?
Is going out on dates important for you?
Is there a such thing as a perfect relationship for you?
If you could go out with anyone, who would it be?
If you are a man, and a woman asks you for a date, do
you feel you should pay, or that the woman should
pay?
If you had to marry either a poor man whom you really
loved, or a rich man whom you did not love, which
would you choose?
If you had to choose to live with someone who truly
loves you but you don't love him back or to live alone
for a rest of your life loving someone that doesn't love
you who would you choose?
What advice would you give to someone whose
partner hates their best friend?
What age do you think is best for getting married?
What are some dating and marriage customs in your
country?
What are some of the main reasons people get
divorced?
What are some popular places to go on a date?
What are some qualities that you think are important
in a spouse or partner?
What characteristics do you look for in a girlfriend or
boyfriend?
What do you consider cheating in a dating
relationship?
What do you like to talk about when on a date?
What do you look for in a girlfriend or a boyfriend?
What do you think most people talk about when
dating?
What do you think of people who get divorced?
Would you ever consider getting divorced?
What do you think of same-sex marriages?
What do you think of single mothers?
What is a wedding ceremony like in your country?
What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in
the marriage?
What kind of boy or girl do you like?
What kind of clothes do you wear on a date?
What kind of man do you want as a husband?
What kind of person do you want to get married to?
What kind of woman do you want as a wife?
What makes a good husband/wife?
What makes a happy marriage?
What do you think are some things that contribute to a
successful marriage?
What qualities are important to you in a boyfriend or
girlfriend?
What qualities in a partner are important to you?
What was the most boring date you've ever been on?
What was the most interesting date you've ever been
on?
What would you consider "the perfect date" for you?
What would you do if your soon to be mother-in-law
seems to hate you?
What would your parents think if you don't get
married?
When did your parents get married?
Where do you want to go for your honeymoon?
Where did you go for your honeymoon?
Where do you want to go on your honeymoon?
Where is a good pace to go on a date in this town?
Where would you like to go on a date?
Which is more important for you, your job or your
marriage?
Why do people break up with their partners?
Will you continue working after you get married?
Would you date someone you really liked if your
parents did not like him or her?
Would you ever marry someone who has been
divorced twice?
Would you introduce your date to your family?
Would you live with your parents after you get
married?
Would you marry someone from another country?
Would you marry someone ten years older than you?
How about ten years younger than you?
Would you marry someone that your parents didn't
like?
Would you marry someone who couldn't speak the
same language as you speak?
Would you mind if your boyfriend or girlfriend went
out to party without you?
Would you prefer to go out with a quiet or a talkative
person?
At what age do you think that dating should begin?
Do you think there is any age when a person is too old
to date?
Do you know a happily married couple?
Can you name a famous happily married couple?
What do you think is the most important ingredient in
a good marriage?
How long is the marriage ceremony in your country?
Who designed the marriage covenant?
What do you think about dating a friend's ex-girlfriend
or ex-boyfriend?
Does your first love still hold a special place in your
heart?
Do you believe that he or she will always have a
special place in your heart?
What qualities do you look in your partner?
Do you think its possible to wait for the man or
woman you love while he or she is in jail?
What is your definition of love?
Would you wait on a person you were dating for a
long time if they joined the army?
How about if they went to prison?
What is the best season to get married?
Do you know anybody who has two families at the
same time and supports them both?
How many families can you have in your country?
Are there any superstitions on making someone fall in
love with you?
Have you heard of any successful "love potions?"
Have you ever returned a gift to your boyfriend or
girlfriend and later find out that he has given it to his
or her new mate?
Do you know of any superstitions connected with
weddings?
Would it be important for you to have a "white
wedding dress'?
Can you control your partner by playing games?
Why do you think the bride's maids wear white.
When should you introduce your boyfriend or
girlfriend to your parents?
When you begin dating
After you have been together for a while
Only when the relationship is serious?
Why?
Do you like to have boy friend or girl friend in your
school or in your classes?
Do you think it is right to continue seeing a person if
he has not introduced you to his family yet?
In your opinion is marriage for life?
Do you think when people get married it is really until
death?
How long does it take for dating to become a
relationship?
Is it important to be punctual in your first date? Why?
Would you dress up for a first date? What clothes
would you wear?
What kind of place do you think is the ideal for a first
date? Why do you think so?
What are your country's norms or laws on displays of
public affection?
Do you think it is okay for couples to kiss in public?
How would you feel if your boyfriend liked to keep
company with a female friend when you're not there?
How would you feel if your girlfriend liked to keep
company with a male friend when you're not there?
If you could go back to your past love, and change
what went wrong, who would it be?
Who do you love?
If you had to choose to live with someone who truly
loves you but you don't love him back or to live alone
for a rest of your life loving someone that doesn't love
you what would you choose?
What would you change, if you are given only one
chance to do it ?
Whose heart did you break most ? Did you apologize
from him\her ?
Have you ever met someone you love a lot but never
expressed it?
If your parents forced you to get married with a
person who you don't love, what would you do in this
situation?
If your boyfriend/girlfriend dated another person, then
he/she wanted to return and date you, would you date
again?
If your boyfriend/girlfriend dated your close friend,
what would you do?
Do you believe that having a permanent love between
two person who are living in two different countries is
possible?
Do you want your husband to know how you looked
as a child? Why or why not?
Do you believe in love at first sight or love after the
first night?

Sports

How often do you read sports news?

What’s your favourite sport?
What is your country’s national sport? Do you like it?
Why do so many people like sport?
Why are some people not interested in sport?
Do you prefer playing or watching sports?
Do you prefer watching sports at the stadium, at home
on TV, or in a bar on a giant screen?
Do you have good or bad experiences with sports at
school?
Do you think sports stars have the best life?
Who is your favourite all-time sport star?
George Orwell (He was a famous English writer) said:
"Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is
bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness,
disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in
witnessing violence. In other words, it is war minus
the shooting." Do you agree?
John Wooden (He was a basketbal player and coach)
said: "Sports do not build character. They reveal it."
Do you agree?
How many hours of sport a week should children do
at school?

Why do you think football is the world’s most popular

sport?
Why does football attract hooligans?
What do you like and dislike about football?
Is there anything else that joins the world in
celebration like the football World Cup?
Do you think football will one day become the number
one sport in the USA?
Do you think women’s football is as exciting as
men’s?
What do you know about the history of football?
Pele or Maradona – Who was better?
Do you think professional footballers get paid too
much?
Is it a problem that so few goals are scored in
football?
Do you think football will be different 50 or 100 years
from now?

The world cup 2018 is hosted by Russia

1) The qualification phase (the host nation
qualifies automatically)
2) 32 teams qualified for the tournament phase
(group stage) are put into 8 groups of 4 teams
3) The 2 best teams from each group enter (go
through to) the final stage (knockout stage) of
the World Cup (16 teams or finishers)
4) In the first round the winner of each group
faces the team taken second place in another
group. The winners of those matches go
through to the quarter finals. Losing teams
are knocked out (removed from the
tournament after a defeat). Then the winners
go through to the semi-finals. The 2 losing
teams play aginst each other to decide 3rd
place. The 2 winning teams go through to the
final
In the knockout stage, if a match ends in a draw
(=equal points), two 15-minute periods of extra time
are played. If the score is still level, a penalty shoot-
out decides the winner
Mobile telephones

How often do you use your mobile?

Can you remember your first mobile telephone?
What was life like before mobile telephones came
along? What would your life be like without your
mobile telephone?
Do you ever worry about other people listening to
your mobile telephone conversations when you are in
public?
What’s the best brand of mobile phone?
What is the ring tone on your mobile telephone and
why did you choose it?
What do you think of the Apple iPhone?
What are your favourite functions on mobile
telephones?
What new functions would you like to see on mobile
telephones?
What do you think of people who use their mobile
telephone while driving?
What would you do if your date spent more time on
his/her mobile telephone than he/she spent talking to
you?
Do young people use mobile telephones too much?
Do you think schools should ban mobile phones?
Do you think mobile telephones are dangerous in any
way?
From what age do you think children should have a
mobile phone?

TV
What are the good things and bad things about
television?
What would life be like without television? How would
society be different if TV had never been invented? Is
television important?
How much television do you watch every day?
Are you happy with the programmes on TV?
Does violence on television make young people more
violent?
How will television change over the next few
decades?
Someone once said: "I wish there were a knob on the
TV to turn up the intelligence." Do you think so too?
Frank Lloyd Wright (He was an American architect)
said: "Television is chewing gum for the eyes." What
did he mean. Do you think so too?

Music
What does music mean to you?
What would life be like without music?
Which is more important to you, music or TV?
What kind of music do you like?
How have your musical tastes changed since when
you were a kid?
What music can change the way you feel?
What’s the best time and place to listen to music?
Where does the best music come from, the USA, UK
or other?
What decade has produced the best music?
How varied are your musical tastes?
What artists/band do you want to see at a music
festival?
What musical genres do you really hate?
Do you think most music (say 90%) is rubbish?
Is the Internet helping or hindering musicians?
What new music have you bought or listened to
recently?
Why do humans like music so much?

Architecture

noun [ U ] US /ˈɑr·kɪˌtek·tʃər/
the art and science of designing and making buildings, or
the style of a building
modern/classical/Gothic architecture

Ancient Egyptian Architecture Pyramid complex of Giza

Greek and Roman Architecture Signature building:
Parthenon, Athens, Greece and Pantheon, Rome, Italy
Byzantine Architecture Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey
Gothic Architecture Notre-Dame, Paris, France
Neoclassical Architecture White House, Washington,
DC, Arc de Triomphe, Paris, France
Modern Architecture
Postmodern Architecture Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao,
Spain
Neofuturist Architecture The Shard, London, England
World Trade Center Hub by Santiago Calatrava, New York
City, New York

How important is architecture? How important are

architects?
What do you think about the architecture of your
home?
What would you say about the architecture in your
country?
What would you like to change about the buildings in
your town?
What would you learn if you studied architecture?
What do you think of modern architecture?
What is your favourite building in the world (and
why)?
Hagia Sophia: Istanbul, Turkey
St. Peter’s Basilica: Rome, Italy

U.S. Capitol: Washington, D.C.

Taj Mahal: Agra, India
St. Paul’s Cathedral: London, England
What do architects need to be good at?
What architecture do you like from other countries?
Which country has the best architecture?
What is more important – building appearance or
comfort for humans?
Function (how a building is used), structure and
beauty
Which period in history has the best architecture?

Do you know any famous architects or architect

companies?
Imhotep: The first architect known by name, this ancient
Egyptian created the world’s first stone monument, a tomb for
King Zoser. Christopher Wren: This English classical architect is
more famous for rebuilding St. Paul’s Cathedral than for the
51 new churches he designed in London.
Ictinus and Callicrates: This team of Greek architects
spent more than a decade perfecting the Parthenon, the most
influential building of all time. Karl Friedrich Schinkel: Versatile in classical and
Romantic styles, this German master designed one of the
world’s first museums.
Hadrian: A Roman emperor and architecture buff, Hadrian
propelled design and engineering to new heights with the
Pantheon. Louis Sullivan: A skyscraper pioneer, Chicago architect
Louis Sullivan decorated his modern structures in leafy
ornament.
Abbot Suger: This French monk was influential in
developing the soaring architecture of Gothic cathedrals. Frank Lloyd Wright: The most famous
American architect
of the twentieth century rooted his organic architecture in the
land.
Filippo Brunelleschi: One of the first architects of the
Italian Renaissance, Brunelleschi designed the dome of Florence
Cathedral. Le Corbusier: Born Charles Edouard Jeanneret, this
Swiss-French genius used glass, steel, and concrete to invent a
modern language for buildings and cities.

Of all the awards related to architecture, the most prestigious is the Pritzker Prize.
2000: Rem Koolhaas, Netherlands
2004: Zaha Hadid, Iraq / Great Britain

What is the relationship between architecture and

nature?
Good architecture should complement its surroundings
(shouldn’t contrast with its surroundings)
What is the greatest architectural achievement in
history?
What will architecture be like in 100 years from now?

Doctors
a person with a medical degree whose job is to treat
people who are ill or injured

How often do you go to the doctor?

What do you think about when you’re sitting down
waiting to see the doctor?
Do you always feel better after you’ve visited the
doctor?
How do you find a good doctor?
What do you think about the costs of visits to the
doctor in your country?
Do you always believe what your doctor says or do
you sometimes doubt him / her?
Would you like to be a doctor?
What do you think are the worst aspects of being a
doctor?
If you were a doctor, which area would you like to
specialize in?
Do you prefer male or female doctors?
Where do you think the world’s best doctors are?
What kind of person makes an excellent doctor?

Allergists/Immunologists
They treat immune system disorders such as asthma,
eczema, food allergies, insect sting allergies, and some
autoimmune diseases.
Anesthesiologists
These doctors give you drugs to numb your pain or to put
you under during surgery, childbirth, or other procedures.
They monitor your vital signs while you’re under
anesthesia.
anesthesiologist
noun [ C ] UK /ˌæn.əsˌθiː.ziˈɒl.ə.dʒɪst/ US /ˌæn.əsˌθiː.zi
ˈɑː.lə.dʒɪst/ us
anesthetist
noun [ C ] US /əˈnes·θət̬ ·əst/ medical
a medical specialist who gives anesthesia, esp. during an
operation

Cardiologists
They’re experts on the heart and blood vessels. You might
see them for heart failure, a heart attack, high blood
pressure, or an irregular heartbeat.
cardiologist
noun [ C ] UK /ˌkɑː.diˈɒl.ə.dʒɪst/ US /ˌkɑːr.diˈɑː.lə.dʒɪst/
specialized
a doctor who specializes in treating dise

Dermatologists
Have problems with your skin, hair, nails? Do you have
moles, scars, acne, or skin allergies? Dermatologists can
help.
dermatologist
noun [ C ] UK /ˌdɜː.məˈtɒl.ə.dʒɪst/ US /ˌdɝː.mə
ˈtɑː.lə.dʒɪst/

a doctor who studies and treats skin diseases

Endocrinologists
These are experts on hormones and metabolism. They
can treat conditions like diabetes, thyroid problems,
infertility, and calcium and bone disorders.
endocrinologist
noun [ C ] UK /ˌen.dəʊ.krɪˈnɒl.ə.dʒɪst/ /-doʊ.krɪˈnɑː.lə-/
specialized
a doctor or scientist who specializes in endocrinology

Gastroenterologists
They’re specialists in digestive organs, including the
stomach, bowels, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder. You
might see them for abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea,
jaundice, or cancers in your digestive
gastroenterologist
noun [ C ] UK /ˌɡæs.trəʊˌen.təˈrɒl.ə.dʒɪst/ /ˌɡæs.troʊ
ˌen.t̬ ərˈɑːl.ə.dʒɪst/ specialized
a doctor who specializes in diseases of the digestive
system

gynecologist
noun [ C ] US /ˌɡɑɪ·nəˈkɑl·ə·dʒəst/
a doctor who specializes in gynecology (the area of
medicine that deals with women’s physical health and a
woman's ability to reproduce)

Neurologists
These are specialists in the nervous system, which
includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. They treat
strokes, brain and spinal tumors, epilepsy, Parkinson's
disease, and Alzheimer's disease.
neurologist
noun [ C ] UK /njʊəˈrɒl.ə.dʒɪst/ US /nʊˈrɑː.lə.dʒɪst/
a doctor who studies and treats diseases of the nerves

Oncologists
These internists are cancer specialists. They do
chemotherapy treatments and often work with radiation
oncologists and surgeons to care for someone with
cancer.

Otolaryngologists
They treat diseases in the ears, nose, throat, sinuses,
head, neck, and respiratory system. They also can do
reconstructive and plastic surgery on your head and neck.
otolaryngologist
noun [ C ] /ˌəʊ.təʊ.lær.ɪŋˈɡɒl.ə.dʒɪst/ /ˌoʊ.t̬ oʊ.ler.ɪŋ
ˈɡɑː.lə.dʒɪst/ specialized
a doctor who specializes in diseases of the ear and throat

Ophthalmologists
You call them eye doctors. They can prescribe glasses or
contact lenses and diagnose and treat diseases like
glaucoma. Unlike optometrists, they’re medical doctors
who can treat every kind of eye condition as well as
operate on the eyes.
ophthalmologist
noun [ C ] US /ˌɑf·θəlˈmɑl·ə·dʒɪst, ˌɑp-/ medical
a doctor who specializes in treatment of the eyes

Pediatricians
They care for children from birth to young adulthood.
Some pediatricians specialize in pre-teens and teens,
child abuse, or children's developmental issues.
pediatrician
noun [ C ] US /ˌpi·di·əˈtrɪʃ·ən/
a doctor with special training in medical care for children
Plastic Surgeons
You might call them cosmetic surgeons. They rebuild or
repair your skin, face, hands, breasts, or body. That can
happen after an injury or disease or for cosmetic reasons

Psychiatrists
These doctors work with people with mental, emotional, or
addictive disorders. They can diagnose and treat
depression, schizophrenia, substance abuse, anxiety
disorders, and sexual and gender identity issues. Some
psychiatrists focus on children, adolescents, or the elderly.
Urologists
These are surgeons who care for men and women for
problems in the urinary tract, like a leaky bladder. They
also treat male infertility and do prostate exams.
urologist
noun [ C ] UK /jʊəˈrɒl.ə.dʒɪst/ /jʊrˈɑːl-/ specialized
a doctor who specializes in treating diseases of the parts
of the body that produce and carry urine

Have you ever... ?

Have you ever lost some money?

Have you ever broken a bone?

Have you ever been on a really exciting holiday in
another country?

Have you ever felt like giving up studying English?

Have you ever had a fight and lost?

Have you ever told a big, big lie to your parents?

Have you ever done anything illegal?

Have you ever eaten something quite strange?

Have you ever made someone you love very angry?

Have you ever wanted to dance in the streets because

you were so happy?

Have you ever cried while watching the news?

Have you ever dreamed about being famous?

Have you ever lost your temper and got really angry in
public?
Have you ever raised money for charity?

Have you ever sent someone an e-mail and then

regretted sending it?

Have you ever broken something and pretended it

wasn’t you who broke it?

Have you ever fallen in love at first sight?

Have you ever won a prize that you thought was a bad
prize?

Have you ever met anyone famous?

Have you ever lent someone something and they

didn’t give it back?

Information

What’s the difference between information and

knowledge?

Are you happy with the amount of information in your

head?
What information technology do you think is most
important?

What kind of information is dangerous in the wrong

hands?

How much useless information do you think you’ve

learned?

Do you have more information than your

grandparents?

Is it important to know a lot of information in today’s

world?

What do you think ‘information economics’ is?

What topics would you like to know more information

about?

Are you happy to be living in the ‘Information Age’?

How do you gather information?

Is there freedom of information in your country?

Nationality

Are you happy with your nationality?

If you could change nationality, which other

nationality would you choose?

Is nationality a problem in today’s world?

What’s the difference between nationality and race?

Is nationality important?

Would you like dual nationality? What are the

benefits?

Is your nationality or religion more important to you?

What difficulties do you think there are in marrying

someone from a different nationality to you?

What should schools teach children about

nationality?
Will nationality become more or less important in the
future?

What are the good points about your nationality?

What are the bad points about your nationality?

What other nationalities does your country have a

problem with?

When are you most proud of your nationality?

If you changed your nationality, would you love your

new country more than your original country?

Do you look like your nationality?

What things are common among people with your

nationality?

Do you think your nationality is pure?

Money
What comes into your head when you hear the word
"money"?

How important is money?

How attractive are people with lots of money? Does

having a lot of money make someone more attractive?

What would life be like without money?

How often do you think about money?

Do you ever run out of money?

Is money really the root of all evil?

Can money buy happiness?

What’s the largest amount of money you've ever had

in your wallet/purse?

Have you ever lost a lot of money?

What does the expression, "money doesn't grow on
trees" mean? What would life be like if money grew on
trees?

Who and why might someone ask, "Do you think I’m
made of money?" Have you ever asked this?

How would the world be different if all the money was

shared out equally among all people?

What's the best way of making a lot of money?

How much pocket money should a 13-year-old get?

Do you agree with the idiom that, "a fool and his
money are easily parted"?

Have you ever raised money for charity?

Money doesn't grow on trees

Means money is limited.
She told her son that he couldn't have the new game since
money doesn't grow on trees.
On the house
Means something is given to a customer for free.
Because they made us wait so long for our table, drinks
were on the house.

Pay peanuts
Means to work for very little money.
The job paid peanuts but he had to accept it so he could
pay the rent.

Feel like a million bucks

Means to feel wonderful.
I recovered from my illness and feel like a million bucks
now.

Born with a silver spoon in your mouth

Means that you are born into a wealthy family.
She never had to work a day in her life since she was born
with a silver spoon in her mouth.

bring home the bacon informal

to earn money to live on:
Men were once solely responsible for bringing home the
bacon.
to be loaded – to have lots of money

to be in the hole – to be in debt

to make a killing – to make a large amount of money

to tighten (one’s) belt – to use less money than usual

to have money to burn – to have a lot of money; to have

more money than is needed

to be flat broke – to have absolutely no money at all

to cost a pretty penny – to cost a lot of money

to break the bank – to use all of one’s money

Life

What is the meaning of life?

What’s your biggest goal in life?

Is life complicated?

Do you think there’s life after death?

What life-changing moments have you had in your

life?

What word would you use to sum up your life?

Do you have a good quality of life?

If life came with an instruction manual, what would it

say?

What will your life be like fifty years from now?

Would you like to live your same life all over again?

Is life more similar to a pizza or a box of chocolates?

Immigration
Immigration is the process in which people come to live in
a different country
Immigration means people moving from their native
regions into another country to live. People who immigrate
are called immigrants. Some are illegal immigrants. Some
immigrants are refugees and some ask for political
asylum.
Immigrant and emigrant both describe human migration.
The same people are emigrants when they leave their own
country or region, and immigrants when they arrive
somewhere else/

The phrases "many people emigrated from Europe in the

19th century AD to America" and "many people
immigrated to America from Europe in the 19th century"
have the same meaning.

Do you have a positive or negative image of

immigration?

What are the benefits of immigration?

Is immigration an issue in your country?

What are the reasons for immigration?

People immigrate seeking a better life. For example, in the

new country, work is easier to find, quality of life is better,
etc.
People leave a place where life has become bad. For
example, there may be no work, a war, or other problems.
Personal reasons: people go to join their family.

What problems do people face when they immigrate to

a different country?
Immigration has always been difficult. When people
immigrate, they leave behind their friends, families, and
culture. They also have to sell what they have, like a
house, farm, or anything else too big to bring.

Travelling can also be very expensive. Many immigrants

have to use all their money to pay fees or plane tickets.

Once immigrants arrive in the new countries, they can

face many difficulties. They may have to get a job, find a
house, and learn a new language. Immigrants can also be
victims of racism.

What do you think of the European Union’s idea of its

Blue Card (similar to the USA’s Green Card)?

The Blue Card is an approved EU-wide work permit

allowing high-skilled non-EU citizens to work and live
in any country within the European Union, excluding
Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom
green card
noun [ C ] UK  US 
an official document allowing a foreigner to live and work in the US permanently
вид на жительство в США

Green cards are valid for 10 years for permanent

residents. After this period, the card must be renewed
or replaced. The application process may take several
years.

Would you like a blue card or a green card?

What are some expectations you have about living in

the US/UK/EU?

What do you think is the most serious problem for you

in your move to the US/UK/EU?

What are some things you can do to make your move

easier?

How easy will it be to get a job in US/UK/EU?

When do you think immigration became a social

issue?
Would you like to live and work in another country?

Do you think immigrants get a raw deal (bad or unfair

treatment) in the countries they live in? Are you
concerned that you might be discriminated against?

Why do you think discrimination exists?

Is illegal immigration a problem where you live?

What rules on immigration would you like your

country to have?

What would happen to the world’s population if all

immigration laws ended?

Would you report an illegal immigrant to the police?

Report someone is to make a complaint to a person in

authority about something or someone:
My neighbours reported me to the police for firing my rifle
in the garden.

What world country do you think is most opposed to

immigration?
opposedadjective  

US  /əˈpoʊzd/

disagreeing with something:
Mom’s strongly opposed to my learning to drive.
I’d prefer to go in May, as opposed to (= rather than) September.

Do you think immigrants should pass a test based on

the language and culture of the country they want to
live in?

Students
Were / Are you a good student?
What was your happiest memory as a student?
Do you think being a student is the best time of your
life?
Would you prefer to be the student or the teacher?
Which is better, being a student or being a worker?
Should a student’s university education be free or
should the student have to get a loan?
Did / Do you like being a student?
What is a good student?
What should schools do about students who bully
others?
What are the best and worst things about being a
student?
Do you think students studying for master’s degrees
should get paid?
Should all students wear a uniform?

Religion

religion
noun [ C, U ] UK  /rɪˈlɪdʒən/ US 
B1 the belief in a god or gods, or a particular system of belief in a god or gods
религия
the Christian religion

religious
adjective UK  /rɪˈlɪdʒəs/ US 
OF RELIGION

B2 relating to religion
религиозный
religious paintings
PERSON

B2 having a strong belief in a religion

верующий
He's a very religious man.

atheist
noun [ C ] UK  /ˈeɪθiɪst/ US 
someone who believes that there is no god
атеист

sacred
adjective UK  /ˈseɪkrɪd/ US 
HOLY
relating to a religion or considered to be holy
священный, духовный
sacred music
a sacred object

Islam
noun [ U ] UK  /ˈɪzlɑːm/ US 
a religion based on belief in Allah, on the Koran, and on the teachings
of Mohammed
ислам
The followers of Islam are called Muslims.

Muslim
noun [ C ] ALSO Moslem UK  /ˈmʊzlɪm/ US  /ˈmʌzləm/
someone who believes in Islam
мусульманин
Muslim adjective
мусульманский
a Muslim family

Christianity
noun [ U ] UK  /ˌkrɪstiˈænəti/ US 
a religion based on belief in God and the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and
on the Bible
христианство

Christian
noun [ C ] UK  /ˈkrɪstʃən/ US 
someone who believes in Christianity
христианин
Christian adjective
христианский

Buddhism
noun [ U ] UK  /ˈbʊdɪzəm/ US  /ˈbuːdɪzəm/
a religion based on the teachings of Buddha
буддизм

Buddhist
noun [ C ] UK  /ˈbʊdɪst/ US  /ˈbuːdɪst/
someone who believes in Buddhism
буддист
Buddhist adjective
буддистский
a Buddhist temple

Judaism
noun [ U ] UK  /ˈdʒuːdeɪɪzəm/ US 
the religion of the Jewish people, based on belief in one God and on
the laws contained in the Torah
иудаизм

Jew
noun [ C ] UK  /dʒuː/ US 
someone whose religion is Judaism, or who is related to the ancient people of
Israel
еврей, еврейка

Jewish
adjective UK  /ˈdʒuːɪʃ/ US 
relating or belonging to the Jews
еврейский
Jewish history/law

pray
verb [ I, T ] UK  /preɪ/ US 
GOD

A2 to speak to a god in order to show your feelings or to ask for something

молиться
Let us pray for all the sick children.
[ + that ] She prayed that God would forgive her.

prayer
noun UK  /preər/ US 
WORDS [ C ]

B1 the words you say to a god

молитва
Shall we say a prayer for him?
ACTIVITY [ U ]

the activity of praying
молитва
They knelt in prayer.

temple
noun [ C ] UK  /ˈtempl/ US 
BUILDING

B1 a building where people in some religions go to pray or worship

храм
a Buddhist temple

church
noun UK  /tʃɜːtʃ/ US 
BUILDING [ C, U ]

A2 a building where Christians go to worship God

церковь
We used to go to church every Sunday morning.

cathedral
noun [ C ] UK  /kəˈθiːdrəl/ US 
A2 the largest and most important church in a particular area
собор

mosque
noun [ C ] UK  /mɒsk/ US 
A2 a building where Muslims say their prayers
мечеть

synagogue
noun [ C ] UK  /ˈsɪnəɡɒɡ/ US 

a building in which Jewish people pray
синагога

What does religion mean to you?

Is religion always a good thing?
With all the religions in the world, how do we know
which one is best or true?
Do people choose their religion or do people’s parents
choose it?
If religion is all about love and peace, why are many of
the world’s conflicts and wars caused by religion?
If religion teaches us that all men and women are
equal and we must love everyone the same, why is
there so much racism?
Do you like talking about religion?
What would the world be like without religion?
Why do you practice your religion (or why don’t you
have a religion)?
Do you think people will eventually stop believing in
religion?
What would Jesus, Mohamed and Buddha think of our
world today?
Do you think there’ll ever be a single world religion?
Money is more important than religion and shopping
malls are more popular than places of worship. What
do you think about this?
How did religion start?

Homelessness
Do you ever give money to homeless people?
Is homelessness a problem in your country?
What does your government do for the homeless?
What does homelessness say about a society?
Why do you think people become homeless?
What do you think when you walk past homeless
people?
How difficult do you think it is for homeless people to
get back into employment, get a house, etc?
If you were homeless, where and how would you live?
What do you think it would be like to suddenly
become homeless?
Why do many people look down on the homeless?
What can you do to help the homeless?
If you were homeless, what would you do all day?
Would you give a homeless person a shower and a
bed for the night in your home?
Do you think homelessness will ever disappear, even
in rich countries?

Politics

What role does Russia play in world economy and

policy?

Is it important for Russia to be on good terms with the

rest of the world? Or do you think Russia can manage
without any support of other countries?
Is it possible that Russia will become a superpower
again? Under what conditions do you think this can
happen?

What states of the world are the closest friends of

Russia today? Who are the enemies?

Try to describe the relationship of Russia with former

republics of the Soviet Union. What countries are (are
not) our friends now?

What is the relationship beetween Russia and the

USA?

Is it easy for Russians to get a visa to European

countries and the USA?
What should you do in order to obtain the visa?
Do you believe that the visa situation will ever
change?

What is the attitude of Russians to immigrants?

From which countries do the immigrants come to
Russia? What do they do here?
Do you think we need immigrants or do you think that
the government should introduce more strict
immigration laws?
What do you know about Russian immigrants to the
west?
Has their life become better?
Which places of the world are especially popular with
Russian immigrants?

Would you like to spend the rest of your life in

Russia?
If not, what country would you like to live in?

Russians outraged by pension

reform plan
Tens of thousands of Russians have been protesting against a government
pension reform proposal that includes raising the retirement age for both men
and women.

Crowds take to streets over corruption. There are several thousand people that
have gathered on/in Pushkinskaya square.
The Russian authorities say that this anti-corruption protest is illegal. Lots of
people are being detained by police

Last month, Putin’s public approval ratings dropped sharply after he

supported a plan to raise Russia’s retirement age. Strong public opposition led
to protests against the measure.
Back then, President Vladimir Putin promised not to touch the current retirement age "as
long as I'm president."

Do you think that the protests can really change the

economic and political situation in Russia?
I believe the only way to change it is to raise the level of
violance and to increase the number of people
participating in them. As long as the protests are peaceful
they’re not going to work. The governement breaks the
law, so the only way to change something is starting to
play the same game. They don’t play by the rules, why
should we play the same game

Do you think we really have the opposition? Who is

the strongest leader of Russian opposition at the
moment?
I think Navalny is a good organiser of demonstrations and
protests. He’s good at destroying things, but on the other
hand apparently he’s not good at creating things

Do you think that one day Russia will become a

democratic country, respect rights, have a fair judicial
system?
Would you like to spend the rest of your life in
Russia?
If not, what country would you like to live in?
raise a question/subject, etc

B2 to start talking about a subject that you want other people to consider

поднимать вопрос

bring sth up
— phrasal verb with bring UK  /brɪŋ/ US  verb [ T ] PAST TENSE AND PAST
PARTICIPLEbrought

TALK

B2 to start to talk about a particular subject
поднимать (вопрос и т. д.)
There are several points I'd like to bring up at tomorrow's meeting.

rally
noun [ C ] UK  /ˈræli/ US 
MEETING

a large public meeting in support of something
митинг
an election/campaign rally

unauthorized
adjective ALSO UK -ised UK  /ʌnˈɔːθəraɪzd/ US 

done without official permission
несанкционированный
an unauthorized use of company money

chant
verb [ I, T ] UK  /tʃɑːnt/ US 
REPEAT

to repeat or sing a word or phrase many times, often shouting

скандировать
The demonstrators chanted anti-racist slogans.

outrageous
adjective UK  /ˌaʊtˈreɪdʒəs/ US 

B2 shocking or extreme
возмутительный, скандальный
outrageous behaviour/clothes
The prices in that restaurant were outrageous.

outrage
verb [ T ] UK  /ˈaʊtreɪdʒ/ US 

to make someone feel very angry or shocked
возмущать
[ often passive ] The audience was outraged by his racist comments.

Local people were outraged at the bombing.

hypocrisy
noun [ C, U ] UK  /hɪˈpɒkrəsi/ US 

behaviour which shows that someone does not really believe something that they

say they believe or that is the opposite of what they do or say at another time
лицемерие

hypocrite
noun [ C ] UK  /ˈhɪpəkrɪt/ US 

someone who pretends to believe something that they do not really believe or

that is the opposite of what they do or say at another time
лицемер

Israel
What are the good things and bad things about Israel?
How different is Israel from other Middle Eastern
countries?
Does your country have good relations with Israel?
What are the differences between Israel and your
country?
What do you know about Israel’s history?
What do you think about Israeli people? Who are the
most famous Israeli people you know?

The State of Israel is a country in southwestern Asia on

the eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea. Israel became
an independent country in 1948.

Israel is the only Jewish country, and Jews all over the
world think of Israel as their spiritual home. Israel's
population was 8.1 million people in 2013 and 6.04 million
are Jewish. Almost all the other citizens of Israel are Arab
(1.6 million). Israel's largest city is Jerusalem. Israel's
capital city is Jerusalem, which Palestine claims, but no
countries recognize Palestine's claim. Most countries keep
embassies in Tel Aviv.

Israel is a small country, but it has mountains, deserts,

shores, valleys and plains. The climate is hot and dry in
the summers, and cool and rainy in the winters.

Israel has few natural resources and imports more goods

than it exports. It has a relatively high standard of living
and life expectancy.
Israel is a democratic republic in the Middle East.

The country's history goes back thousands of years, to

ancient times. Two world religions, Judaism and
Christianity, began here.
Jews and Christians call it the Holy Land, because it is the
place of many events described in the Bible.

The countries of Lebanon and Syria are to the north of

Israel; Jordan is on the east; and Egypt is to the
southwest. Israel also controls the West Bank of the
Jordan River.

Israel has a long coastline on the Mediterranean Sea. In

the south, the town of Eilat is on the Gulf of Aqaba, which
is part of the Red Sea.

Israeliadjective  

UK  /ɪzˈreɪ.li/ US  /ɪzˈreɪ.li/

belonging to or relating to Israel or its people:

Israeli exports
an Israeli newspaper

Israel is a parliamentary democracy. All Israeli citizens

who are 18 years or older may vote. The Israeli parliament
is called the Knesset. The Knesset has 120 members.
Each member is elected for no more than four years at a
time. The Knesset makes laws, helps decide national
policy, and approves budgets and taxes.

The Prime Minister is the head of Israel's government. He

or she is usually the leader of the party that has the most
seats in the Knesset. The prime minister must keep the
support of a majority of Knesset members to stay in office.
He or she appoints ministers to the cabinet. The Knesset
approves appointments to the Cabinet. The ministers are
responsible for subjects such as education, defense, and
social welfare. The prime minister is the head of the
cabinet and decides the topics of cabinet meetings and
makes the final decisions.

Benjamin Netanyahu has been the Prime Minister since

March 2009.

The President is the head of state. The Knesset elects the

president for seven years. Most of the president's duties
are ceremonial: The president signs laws and treaties
approved by the Knesset, appoints judges, and members
of some public organizations.

At independence, Israel was a poor country with little

agricultural or industrial production. But Israel's economy
has grown tremendously since 1948. The nation now
enjoys a relatively high standard of living, despite having
few natural resources and a limited water supply.
Hebrewnoun  

UK  /ˈhiː.bruː/ US  /ˈhiː.bruː/

[ U ] the ancient language of the Jewish people, or the modern form of it, which is

an official language of Israel

Random
Technology

 What technology would it be difficult to live without today?

 Has technology changed our everyday lifestyle?
 What technology, if any, has made our homes more comfortable?
 Has technology changed education methods?
 Will online education one day replace the classroom?

Work

 Do human beings need to work to be happy?

 What motivates people to work long hours?
 Can perks (or fringe benefits) compensate for a boring job?
 What are the advantages/disadvantages of working from home?
 How do people find a balance between work and personal life?
 What would make you leave your job?
 In your opinion, what is the worst job in the world?

It is impossible to have a successful career and a happy family life. 

You have to choose one or the other. Do you agree?

Under what circumstances would you : 

- walk out of a restaurant?
- refuse a taxi?
- call the manager of a hotel?
- sleep in a train/bus station?
- wear casual clothes to work?
If you won a lot of money, what would you do? 
Would you : 
- keep it a secret?
- stop working? 
- go shopping?
- buy a new house?
- travel around the world?
- give money to your family/friends?
- give money to charity?

Moving to Another Country

 What are some expectations you have about living in xx?
 What is your worst fear about moving to xx?
 Are you concerned that you might be discriminated against?
 Why do you think discrimination exists?
 Have you ever experienced discrimination on a personal level?
 What are some expectations you have for your children moving to xx?
 What do you think is the most serious problem for you in your move to xx?
 What are some things you can do to make your move easier?
 Do you think it would be easier if you were moving there permanently?
 What parts of 'xx' have you visited?
 Which part did you like the best and why?
 Which part do you want to visit next and why?
 What is the capital of xx?
 What is the coldest county/state/province?
 What is the warmest county/state/province?
 Name three counties/states/provinces that touch the sea, and name the sea.
 Name three counties/states/provinces that touch another country, and name the
country or countries.
 What is the biggest county/state/province of xx?
 What is the smallest county/state/province of xx?
 Who is the president/prime minister/king/ruler of xx?
 What type of government does 'xx' have?
 What is the climate of xx?
 What is the currency, and the exchange rate to your currency, of xx?
 How can you travel to xx?
 Can you name the highest mountain in xx?
 Can you name the longest river in xx?
 Can you name the largest lake in xx?
 Can you name any holiday resorts in xx?
 What language do they speak in xx?
 Would you learn the language(s) of xx?
 How long do you think it would take you to learn the language of xx?
 Do you know anyone from xx?
 Do you know anyone married to someone from xx?
 Would you consider marrying someone from xx?
 If you had children with someone from 'xx' what language would you teach them?
(Note: Nobody teaches babies to speak, they learn naturally!)
 If you did have children, where would you educate them, in 'xx' or your home
country?
  If you decided to educate them in your home country, at what age would you do
that?
 Have you got a job to go to in xx?
 How easy will it be to get a job in xx?
 How will you live if you can't find work in xx?
 Do you know the visa rules of xx?
 Can you become a 'citizen, of 'xx', and if so, would you want to?
 Would you like your children to take the citizenship of 'xx', or would you ensure that
they were born in your home country thus taking on your nationality?
 Would you miss your family very much?
 Would you consider trying to take your family to xx?

Public holidays, festivals and celebrations

What holidays do you celebrate? What holidays do you really

look forward to?
In many places, the day does not have a political aspect, and is simply a time for men to express their love for women. Men present
their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc. with flowers and small gifts.

International Women's Day is now an official holiday in Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Ecuador, Georgia, Italy, Israel, Laos, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova,
Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

Russia

The most important holiday in Russia is New Year (New Year’s Eve and New Year’s day). New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are
national holidays in Russia so most businesses and public offices are closed. The New Year break lasts 10 days.

There are actually two New Year’s holidays celebrated in Russia. Russia’s “Old” New Year is celebrated on January 14th according
to the Julian, or Orthodox calendar. This celebration is the smaller of the two New Year’s holidays, and Russians usually spend the
day with family.

The “New” New Year’s celebrations occur (happen) as most would expect, on December 31st and January 1st.  On December 31st,
most families have a very late dinner including Russian salads, herring, and sparkling wine.  A pre-recorded address by the
country’s president appears on TV at 11:55pm local time, listing the achievements of the past year. At midnight, the Kremlin
Spasskaya Clock Tower chimes and the Russian national anthem begins.  Many people watch his address and raise a toast to the
chiming of the Kremlin clock. Now is when the festivities really begin! 

Many Russians spend December 31st with family and only leave the house after midnight to see friends or enjoy New Year’s Eve
parties and nightlife. People may also celebrate the day at a friend’s house or attend fireworks dispays, with the largest located at
the Red Square. Some people go out to make a snowman or light (set off) firecrackers.

Another tradition is to wish a “Happy New Year” to passers-by throughout January 1.

Celebrations for children include a decorated fir tree and Grandfather Frost, the Russian equivalent of Santa Claus, who gives
presents. Grandfather Frost often comes with his granddaughter, Snegurochka (“The Snow Girl”).

Fun Facts:

- Russians welcome the New Year by saying “S Novim Godom!” (С Новым годом!)
 - New Year’s isn’t complete without traditional Russian salads.  The most popular is Olivier salad, which includes
potatoes, carrots, pickles, green peas, eggs, chicken or bologna, and mayonnaise. 
- Christmas falls on January 7 in Russia in (according to) the Julian calendar used by the Russian Orthodox Church.  

The West

Around the world, as well as in the UK, people host and attend New Year parties at home or celebrate in restaurants, bars, clubs or
on the street, counting down to the end of the year and wishing each other a happy new year with champagne and other sparkling
beverages as the clock strikes twelve.
New Year's Eve is a major social holiday for many people in the United States. Many people hold parties at home or attend special
celebrations to celebrate the upcoming New Year. In many cities, large scale public events are held. These often attract thousands
of people.

Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25 in (according to) the Gregorian calendar. It traditionally celebrates Jesus Christ's birth
but many aspects of this holiday have pagan origins.

In the days or even weeks before Christmas Day, many people decorate their homes and gardens with lights, Christmas trees and
much more.
Many people spend Christmas Day with family members, with whom they exchange gifts and cards. It is common to organize a
special meal, often consisting of turkey and a lot of other festive foods.
Children, in particular, often receive a lot of gifts from their parents and other relatives and the mythical figure Santa Claus. He
travels in a sleigh pulled by reindeer and enters houses by climbing down the chimney. He supposedly travels so fast that he can
deliver presents to all children in one night, although in some stories elves help him with his work.
Later in the day, people may attend special church services, even if they do not usually go to church.
Many schools, churches and communities organize special events.
Government offices, organizations, businesses and schools are closed, almost without exception.

Are there holidays in other countries or religions that you

wish were also celebrated in your country?

Are there enough holidays in your country for which workers

get the 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?
How would you feel if there weren’t any holidays?

What are the pros and cons of spending holidays with your
family, with your friends, or alone?

Do you think holidays are too commercialized?

Do you put on weight during certain holidays?

Do you like what’s on TV during holiday times in your

country?

MOST IMPORTANT CELEBRATIONS IN THE UK

14TH FEBRUARY – VALENTINE’S DAY

Saint Valentine’s Day (also known as Valentine’s Day) is celebrated in many countries
around the world, although like England, it is not a public holiday in most of them. The day
was first associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle
Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. In 18th-century England, it evolved into
an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers,
offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines”). Valentine’s Day
symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the
winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-
produced greeting cards.

FEBRUARY – CHINESE NEW YEAR

Many cities in the UK with a large Asian population celebrate Chinese New Year.
In London there is a parade through Chinatown in the West End with fireworks, music,
dance and acrobatics which is the biggest in the world outside Asia.

17TH MARCH – ST PATRICK’S DAY

Saint Patrick’s Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, is a cultural and religious holiday
celebrated annually on 17th March, the day that the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick,
died. According to legend, Saint Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Holy
Trinity to Irish pagans.
MARCH TO APRIL – EASTER

Easter is celebrated in Christian countries to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ

(where he is believed to have come back from the dead). We celebrate by going to Church,
giving Easter eggs and going on Easter egg hunts. Eggs symbolize new life which is related
to Jesus coming back from the dead. There are a few different days which are celebrated
by Christian’s throughout the Easter period. These include Palm Sunday, Maundy
Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

AUGUST – NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL

Notting Hill Carnival is held in the streets of Notting Hill in west London over the last
Summer bank holiday weekend. It’s Europe’s biggest street festival and it is completely
free. Around 1 million people flock to watch the colourful procession, dance to music from
salsa to reggae, and taste Caribbean food from street stalls. 

AUGUST – EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL

Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world. It features over 40,000
performances and more than 2,500. Whilst any type of performance may participate (e.g.
theatre, music and dance) the festival is most famous for comedy.

31ST OCTOBER – HALLOWEEN
Halloween, also known as All Hallows’ Eve, or All Saints’ Eve, is a yearly celebration
observed in a number of countries on 31st October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of
All Hallows’ Day. It initiates the triduum of Hallowtide, the time in the liturgical year
dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful
departed. To find out more about the history and traditions of Halloween in the UK have a
look at this article.
Unlike in the USA, it is a relatively calm event.  Children will dress up in costumes and go
‘trick or treating’ around the neighbourhood.  Trick or Treating involves knocking on a
neighbours door, and saying ‘Trick or Treat’.  The neighbour then either plays a trick on the
child, or gives them a treat (usually sweets).  It is very rare for neighbours to play tricks on
the children, so the children enjoy the festival because they go home with a bag of sweets!

5TH NOVEMBER – BONFIRE NIGHT

In Britain, Bonfire Night is associated with the tradition of celebrating Guy Fawkes’ failed
attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament on 5th November 1605. It is an annual event
dedicated to bonfires, fireworks and celebrations.

25TH DECEMBER – CHRISTMAS DAY

Christmas is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ and a widely observed
cultural holiday, celebrated generally on 25th December by nearly a billion people around
the world. Christmas Day is celebrated as a major festival and public holiday in countries
around the world, including many whose populations are mostly non-Christian. In some
non-Christian countries, periods of former colonial rule introduced the celebration (e.g.
Hong Kong), while in others, Christian minorities or foreign cultural influences have led
whole populations to observe the holiday.

31ST DECEMBER – NEW YEARS

Like many countries around the world the UK celebrates the New Year, we do this by
hosting parties with friends and families to await the countdown to the New Year. In
Scotland they call it Hogmanay. We celebrate by having a party with friends and setting
fireworks off!

MOST IMPORTANT CELEBRATIONS IN THE US

New Year’s Day is a federal holiday that marks the beginning of the new Gregorian year
and the end of the Christmas season. Celebration usually starts the night before, on New
Year’s Eve, when people get together and organize parties. A few seconds before midnight
the countdown begins and when the clock strikes 12.00 Americans kiss and hug each other.

Valentine’s Day is a highly commercialized holiday. On February 14, couples exchange

gifts and love declarations. Because of the U.S., the holiday has become popular all around
the world.

Easter doesn’t have a set date and varies from one year to another. On Easter, Christians
celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Independence Day or the Fourth of July is a huge holiday in the U.S. It celebrates the
signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence from Great Britain and is marked all around
the country with impressive parades and fireworks.

Halloween is also a popular and highly commercialized holiday which has been adopted by
many countries around the world. On October 31, people get to wear costumes and children
go “trick or treating” where they usually receive candies.

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. Families get together and
have large meals that usually include the traditional turkey and pumpkin pie.

Christmas is a major holiday in the United States, as it is all around the world. It celebrates
the birth of Jesus Christ, but its popularity is due to the festive atmosphere which includes
decorations and gift-giving.

Parties
 1) Do you like partying?
2) When was the last time you were in the
nightclub?
3) What’s your attitude to alcohol? Have you got a
favorite alcoholic drink? Do you get drunk at
parties?
4) What is worse smoking or drinking?
5) Do you celebrate holidays like New Year’s Day or
Christmas or Easter?
6) Do you have birthday parties usually?

 To throw a party: To host a party, to invite guests

 To crash a party: To show up uninvited, to go when you are not supposed
to be at the party
  To be the life of the party: To be the person that everyone is looking at, to
be entertaining everyone, to be the center of attention, telling jokes,
making the party fun
 To be a party pooper: Someone who doesn’t have fun at parties
 To be a wallflower: Someone who is shy and stands in the corner at a
party and does not socialize very much
 To be a party animal: Someone who loves parties

What are some stereotypes?

 stereotype
 noun [ C ] UK /ˈsteriəʊtaɪp/ US
 a fixed idea that people have about what a particular type
of person is like, especially an idea that is wrong
 стереотип
 racial stereotypes


 How is your country stereotyped?

 Do you stereotype people?
 Does stereotyping help you in some way?
 Why do you think people stereotype?
 How can stereotypes be damaging?
 How are various nationalities stereotyped?
 What is the difference between stereotypes and
prejudices?
 Are stereotypes offensive?
 Funny?
 Realistic?

 What is prejudice?


 prejudice
 noun [ C, U ] UK /ˈpredʒədɪs/ US
 B2 the feeling of not liking a group of people or unfair
treatment of them because they are a different race, sex,
religion, etc
 предубеждение, предрассудок
 racial prejudice
 prejudice against women
 Why does prejudice exists?
 Are women highly regarded in your society? Why?
 Are men highly regarded in the community?
 Are there gender role biased issues in your country?
What are they?
 biased
 adjective UK /ˈbaɪəst/ US
 showing unfair support for or opposition to someone or
something because of your personal opinions
 предубежденный
 to be biased against/towards younger workers
 Are women workers often promoted at their workplace?
 If yes, what qualities do they possess over the other
gender?
 If not, what make them not excel at their work?
 Do gender issues affect the development of a country?
 Why do you think we need to discuss issues about
gender?
 What are some prejudices you have?
 What, if any, measures has your national government
implemented to combat gender-based discrimination or
prejudice?

 Have you made any recent changes in your life?

 Do you think change is important?
 Do you ever get the urge to refurnish your whole house?
 urge
 noun [ C ] UK /ɜːdʒ/ US /ɝːdʒ/
 C2 a strong wish, especially one that is difficult or
impossible to control:
 The two of them seem unable to control their sexual
urges.
 [ + to infinitive ] The urge to steal is very strong in some of
these young men.
 Do you rearrange the furniture in your house often?
 Do you think change is important in people's life?
 Do you think it is easy to keep up with the times?
 If you could change anything in your life, what would it
be?
 What is the most difficult change you have ever had to
make?
 What was the craziest change in appearance you have
ever made?
 What was the last major change you made in your life?
 Have you ever decided to change the group that you
usually hang out (spend time) with?
 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?
 If you won a million dollars what things would you
change about your life?
 What things would you keep the same?
 Have you ever had to change the way you speak, or the
way you act? Why?
 Have you ever decided to change the way you dress? If
so, why?
 Have you ever decided to change the way you eat, or
your form of exercise?

 What is privacy?
 How do you maintain your privacy at home?
 On the Internet?
 When using Facebook?
 When you travel?
 When talking on the phone?
 Do you think the government has the right to read your
email?
 How can using social networking sites invade your
privacy?
  What do you think about being fingerprinted when you
enter a country?

App Conversation Starters

What are the three best apps on your phone?

What’s the most addictive mobile game you have played?

An app mysteriously appears on your phone that does

something amazing. What does it do?

How many apps do you have on your phone?

What is the most annoying app you have tried?

Which app seemed like magic the first time you used it?

What is the strangest app you have heard of or tried?

Which app has helped society the most? Which one has hurt
society the most?

What is the most useful app on your phone?

What apps have changed your life a lot?

Human Nature Questions

Is human nature constant or is it molded by culture? Can
human nature be completely changed by culture or society?

Are humans better at creation or destruction?

What are the best and worst parts of human nature?

If pressing a button meant you received 5 million dollars but it

also killed 5 people somewhere in the world, would you press
it? What if it killed only 1 person or killed 20 people? What if
the people were people you knew?

If you had to sum up the whole human species in 3 words,

what would those words be?

What aspects of humans have made us a successful species?

Is what we perceive reality or just a construct of our minds?

Can our minds correctly interpret reality or is reality
subjective?
What is the best way to explore human nature: psychology,
philosophy, or biology?

Is tribalism and people separating themselves into “us” and

“them” groups, a learned or genetic trait? Can it be
overcome? If so, how?

What makes people believe absurd conspiracy theories?

What’s something terrifying that we’ve all come to accept as a

fact of life?

Sport and competition

Are you a competitive person. Why/why not?
Why are some people very competitive?
Is competition good for us?
Do you like competitive people?
Are men more competitive than women?
Do you think life is a competition?
Do we learn to be competitive or are we born competitive?
What would the world be like without competition?
"Competition brings out the best in products and the worst
in people." What does this mean? Do you agree?
“A competitive person is always a winner. An
uncompetitive person is always a loser." What do you
think?
Competition

B2 a situation in which someone is trying to win something or be moresuccessful than someone else

конкуренция

There's a lot of competition between computer companies.

Applicants face stiff competition for university places this year.

Competitive

B2 involving competition

соревновательный, основанный на конкуренции

competitive sports

a highly competitive industry

PERSON

B2 wanting to win or to be more successful than other people

стремящийся победить

She's very competitive.

PRICES/SERVICES

B2 Competitive prices, services, etc are as good as or better than other prices, services, etc.

конкурентоспособный

Compete

verb [ I ] UK /kəmˈpiːt/ US

B1 to take part in a race or competition

состязаться, соревноваться

She's competing for a place in next year's Olympics.

SUCCESS

B2 to try to be more successful than someone or something else

конкурировать

It's difficult for small shops to compete with/against the big supermarkets.

Competetitor

noun [ C ] UK /kəmˈpetɪtər/ US

B1 a person, team, or company that is competing with others

конкурент

What’s your favourite sport?

Do you prefer playing or watching sports?

Do you prefer watching sports at the stadium, at home on TV, or in a bar on a giant screen?

How often do you read sports news?

What is your country’s national sport? Do you like it?

Why do so many people like sport while othere are not interested in it?

Who is your favourite all-time sport star?

Do you think professional athlets, especially footballers, get paid too much?

George Orwell (He was a famous English writer) said: "Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It
is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in
witnessing violence. In other words, it is war minus the shooting." Do you agree?

John Wooden (He was a basketbal player and coach) said: "Sports do not build character. They reveal
it." Do you agree?

Why do you think football is the world’s most popular sport?

Why does football attract hooligans?

What do you like and dislike about football?

Do you think football will one day become the number one sport in the USA?

Do you think women’s football is as exciting as men’s?

Is it a problem that so few goals are scored in football?

front-runner

noun [ C ] UK /ˌfrʌntˈrʌn.ər/ US /ˌfrʌntˈrʌn.ɚ/

the person, animal, or organization that is most likely to win something:

She is one of the front-runners in the contest.

Synonym

favourite uk
Out of someone’s league 

The “league” here is in reference to baseball leagues, where teams are grouped by their performance.
Obviously, teams who perform better are in a different league than those who perform poorly. When
we talk about a person being out of someone’s league, we mean that the person is too good for them.

“Did you meet Tim’s new boyfriend? He’s so good-looking AND rich. He is way out of Tim’s league.”

Drop the ball 

In baseball, when a fielder drops the ball, the other team can gain an advantage by running through the
bases. To drop the ball is to make a mistake or to make a mess of something, often through
carelessness.

“I needed Tim to send me those files for my presentation today, but he didn’t. He’s really dropped the
ball on this one.”

touch base (with someone)

to talk briefly with someone:

I'll touch base with him later to tell him about the meeting.

Time and procrastination

How often do you think about time?
How do you like to spend time?
How much spare time do you have every day?
What do you do to kill time?
Do you have enough time to do the things you want to do?
What kinds of things do you put off doing?
Do you ever waste your time?
Does it annoy you when people take their time doing
things? Why do people procrastinate?
Do you ever think life is a race against time?
What stage(s) in our life do we have all the time in the
world?
What is the most time-consuming thing you do in your life?
Is time on your side?
Have you ever been in the right place at the right time?
What's the difference between patience and
procrastination?

Time flies
Meaning: Time passes extremely quickly
Example: Look how fast our children grew up, how time flies.

Time flies when you're having fun

It's crazy how time flies.

It’s high time

Meaning: It’s the right time to do something, or past the appropriate time to do
something.
Example: It’s high time he met with me to resolve this issue.

Better late than never

Meaning: Doing something late is better than not doing it at all. It can be used
sarcastically if someone is very late.
Example: Well hello John. Better late than never, huh? Class started half an hour ago.

In the long run

Meaning: In the long term, over a long period of time.
Example: I hate having so much after school activities now, but I know in the long run
this will be beneficial for me.

In the nick of time

Meaning: at the last possible moment, just before it’s too late.
Example: I made it to the wedding in the nick of time, I almost missed the ceremony.
We got there just in the nick of time.

Ship has sailed

Meaning: A lost opportunity, missed shot.
Example: I should call Annie, I’ve been thinking about her lately. Sorry Chad, that ship
has sailed. She got married last month.

Call it a day
Meaning: To finish working on something, a day’s work’s been completed.
Example: We’ve been working for a long time on this with no progress. Let’s call it a
day and come with new ideas tomorrow.

Not born yesterday

Meaning: Experienced, not naïve or easily fooled.
Example: You can’t expect me to believe that the vase broke itself. I wasn’t born
yesterday, you were playing ball with the dog in the house again!

AHEAD OF ONE’S TIME = HAVING IDEAS OR ATTITUDES THAT ARE TOO

ADVANCED FOR THE CULTURE/SOCIETY AT THE MOMENT

My grandmother was ahead of her time – she opened her own company in an era
when there were few women in the business world.

BEHIND THE TIMES = OLD-FASHIONED, NOT KEEPING UP WITH CURRENT

DEVELOPMENTS

Bob is a bit behind the times – he doesn’t know how to use a computer, much less a
smartphone!

ONLY A MATTER OF TIME = IT WILL DEFINITELY HAPPEN SOONER OR LATER

The company has lost money for the third year in a row; it’s only a matter of
time before it goes bankrupt.

STAND THE TEST OF TIME = LAST FOR A LONG TIME AND CONTINUE TO BE
SUCCESSFUL

This is a classic work of literature. It has stood the test of time.

TIME HEALS ALL WOUNDS = THE PASSING OF TIME MAKES EMOTIONAL

INJURIES GET BETTER
Right now she’s very upset that her boyfriend broke up with her, but you know what they
say: Time heals all wounds.

Technology

• What technology would it be difficult to live without today?

• Has technology changed our everyday lifestyle?

• What technology, if any, has made our homes more comfortable?

• Has technology changed education methods?

• Will online education one day replace the classroom?

Robots and artificial intelligence

The West sees robots as evil and dangerous, Japan sees them as helpful and cute. What do
you think?

Will artificial intelligence ever be more intelligent than humans?

Ex Machina

A programmer wins a contest for a one-week visit to the home of the CEO of his company. The CEO lives
in a very remote and isolated place. And he’s build a very advanced female robot. And the CEO wants the
programmer to test/judge whether the robot has consciousness

Is there a difference between artificial intelligence and robots?

What is the best science fiction movie ever?

The Matrix

The terminator

Predator

Back to the future

Inception
Avatar

Edge of tomorrow

Gravity

Interstellar

Mad Max: Fury Road

Have you ever felt as though you were a robot?

If you had a robot, what would you like it to do?

What role will robots play in our society later this century?

Would you rather deal with a robot or a human in a store or government department?

Do you think robots will ever have emotions or be able to love?

Will robots have rights? What will robot rights be?

Elon Musk says humans must become cyborgs to stay relevant. Is he right?

Humans must become cyborgs if they are to stay relevant in a future dominated by artificial intelligence.
That was the warning from Tesla founder Elon Musk, speaking at an event in Dubai this weekend.

In the future it will be possible to create “neuroprosthetics” or brain-computer interfaces that could allow
us to communicate complex ideas telepathically

Will we be androids in the future? How much of the human body will be replaced by machines?

Would a robot be a better leader than the leader of your country?

Will artificial intelligence ever replace the need for humans to work?

What makes people invent and discover new things?

Can you name the greatest inventors of all time that you know?

- Einstein

- Guilermo Marconi

- Archimedes

- Leonardo Da Vinchi

- Nikola Tesla

- Alexander Graham Bell

- Alfred Nobel

- Galileo Galilei
- Samuel Morse

- Thomas Edison (American)

What inventions changed people’s life in the 20th century?

- The Internet (Tim Berners Lee in the late 80’s, English)

- The television (John Logie Baird in 1925, Scottish and Philo Taylor Farnsworth, American) Lots of
people contributed to invention of television

- Nuclear power

- The airplane (the Wright brothers, Americans)

- The automobile

- Rocketry

- The submarine

- Antibiotics (using antibiotics started when Scottish guy Alexander Fleming discovered some
substance in the mold killing bacteria that was later called penicillin)

- Microwave oven

- Vacuum cleaner

- Airplane (the Wright brothers, Americans)

- The personal computer

- Cell phone (Martin Cooper, American. He worked at Motorola)

What are the top 10 inventions that drastically changed the world before 20th century?

- Paper (China)

- The compass (China)

- Refrigeration

- The printing press (China)

- Plumbing

- Steam engine (James Watt, Scottish)

- The wheel

- Radio (Guliermo Marconi in the late 19th century, Italian)

- Electricity (Many inventors made important contribution to its modernization. Ben Franklin,
Nikola Tesla, Michael Faraday, Thomas Edison)

- Telephone (Alexander Graham Bell in 1876)

What are the most famous Russian or Soviet inventions?

- Sputnik 1 – the first satellite

- Radio invented by Alexander Popov. He was unable to publish his work though because he
worked for a military institution. Italian Guglielmo Marconi conducted similar experiments at about the
same time – his article was published in 1897. Unlike Popov’s, Marconi’s invention was commercialized
fast, so they still argue in the West over who invented radio first.

- The Helicopter. The history of manufacturing helicopter begins in the 15th century with a
Leonardo da Vinci drawing. The drawing, named ornithopter flying machine, was done in 1488 but
would never be built until it inspired modern helicopter designer, Igor Sikorsky, a Russian. Igor is
undoubtedly the recognized father of modern helicopters.

- Caterpillar tracks

What science fiction from the past is science truth today?

1) Invisibilty cloaks

With help from a special film called "metamaterial," scientists can wrap light around objects to turn
them invisible, reports the BBC.

2) Laser guns

Weaponized laser turret Rheinmetall

The United States Army has a weaponized laser called the Avenger. It's 20 times hotter than a stove top
and can even cut through artillery shells.

3) Robots that learn

4) Automatic doors

5) Space travel

This became reality on April 12, 1961 when Yuri Gagarin became the first human in outer space,
successfully completing an orbit of the earth in a spacecraft.

6) Submarines

Jules Verne's classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was published in 1870, and it takes place almost
entirely on an underwater ship that can easily be called a precursor to the modern submarine.

7) Voice control

With the introduction of software like Siri on the iPhone 4S, voice control has gone mainstream.
8) The Internet

In 1975, Brunner's novel The Shockwave Rider told a story of a huge computer network, introducing the
ideas of stealing identities, hacking, and computer viruses. He even suggests that these would play an
important part in modern warfare, which they certainly do today.

9) Flying car

It's real and it's street-legal.

10) Airplane television

We first saw it in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Now you can see it any time you take a fancy flight.

11) Tablet computers

12) 3D printers

13) Chess-playing computers

What things from science fiction do you think will never come true? Human Teleportation, Time
machine, Reanimation from cryonic suspension

Would you like to be transported into a future science fiction world?

Who is the greatest ever science fiction character? Mad Max

Who is the scariest ever science fiction character? Alien, Predator, Darth Vader

If you wrote a sci-fi book, what would you write it on? Interaction between robots and people

Do you think living on Mars is pure science fiction?

the nuts and bolts

the basic parts of a job or an activity

практические основы чего-либо

Law school can teach you theory, but it can't teach you the nuts and bolts of the profession.

hit the panic button

also press/push the panic button

to react to a situation with fear and confusion:

The coach isn't going to hit the panic button just because we lost two games.

it's not rocket science (it’s not brain surgery)

humorous used to say that you do not think that something is very difficult to do or to understand:

My coach always said, "Basketball is not rocket science. It's about putting the ball in the basket."

reinvent the wheel

to waste time trying to create something that someone else has already created

a well-oiled machine

something that works very smoothly and effectively

The office runs like a well-oiled machine.

Movies

Why do you think the center of the movie industry in the United States began in Hollywood, southern
California, next to Los Angeles?

What kind of information about the United States have you learned by watching Hollywood movies?

Do you watch the Academy Awards every year?

Do you usually agree with the judges?

How do you think that movies will change in the future?

Do you think that there are any topics that there should be more movies about?

Do you think that the movies from your country can be popular in other parts of the world if they have
subtitles or are dubbed in different languages? Why or why not?

What makes you go and watch a film at the cinema?

Films do not need to reflect real life – fantasy is good!

Films should never be censored – we should be able to choose what we want to see.

What's the best thing and the worst thing about being a celebrity?

Where do you think the movie industry is going? Is getting better or worse over time?

What do you think should be done to take the Russian movie industry to the next level? If at all possible
= if not impossible = if that’s even possible
The latest technological innovations

Do you get excited by new technology? What kinds of technology interest you?

Some people prefer to live with less technology in their lives. Can you understand the desire to live a
simpler life?

How do you feel if you forget your mobile phone and leave it somewhere?

Many science fiction movies present a dark vision of the future. Are you optimistic or pessimistic about
the future of humanity?

Are there any new gadgets that you really want to get?
What do you think will be the next biggest technological advance?
What is your favorite piece of technology you own?

Top Technology Trends for 2019

Internet of things
Internet of things is an idea from computer science: connecting ordinary things like lights and doors
to a computer network to make them "intelligent". An embedded system or a computer connects
each thing together in a network and to the internet. The connections allow each thing to collect and
exchange data, and we can control them remotely or by setting rules or chains of actions. IoT
improves the ease of life of humans and their daily activities. Experts estimate that the IoT will
consist of almost 50 billion objects by 2020.
Examples where the internet of things has become reality:

 Many postal companies offer tracking codes that offer customers the ability to check the status
of their package in real time.
 Modern printers offer the option to order new ink cartridges when it runs out. The printer can
easily query how much ink or toner is left in a cartridge and order a new one once it starts to run
out or becomes empty.
 Smart doorbells that offer a real-time video of your front door to prevent trespassing and
provides an extra layer of security for residents when or when they are not at home.
 Smart thermometers, that uses AI to learn your personal habits at home to monitor and control
the temperature to make your living as comfortable as possible while also keeping the electricity
cost low.
 One of the most popular iot devices known as Amazon echo is a small device where you are
able to interact to help improve your living conditions. It is able to help turn on your coffee
machine, play songs, turn on lights, and much more.

Internet of Things (IOT)

One of the biggest tech trends to emerge in recent years is the

Internet of Things. Simply put, the Internet of Things (abbreviated IOT)
is the idea that all technological devices can be connected to the
internet and to each other in an attempt to create the perfect marriage
between the physical and digital worlds. How will this impact you? It
depends on your industry. For example, for those who work in
marketing, advertising, media or business management, IOT could
provide a wealth of information on how consumers engage with
products by tracking their interactions with digital devices. In turn, this
data could be used to optimize marketing campaigns and user
experiences.

Machine learning
Machine learning gives computers the ability to learn without being explicitly programmed.
The idea came from work in artificial intelligence.[3] Machine learning explores the study and
construction of algorithms which can learn and make predictions on data.[4] Such algorithms
follow programmed instructions, but can also make predictions or decisions based on data. [5]:2 They
build a model from sample inputs.

Machine learning

Another exciting emerging technology is machine learning, which is

essentially a computer’s ability to learn on its own by analyzing data
and tracking repeating patterns. For example, social media platforms
use machine learning to get a better understanding of how you’re
connected with those in your social network. They do this by analyzing
your likes, shares and comments and then prioritizing content from
your closest connections, serving you that content first.

Virtual reality

A person wearing a virtual reality headset

Virtual reality (often just called VR) is the name for computer technology that makes a person feel
like they are somewhere else. It uses software to produce images, sounds and other sensations to
create a different place, so that a user feels like he or she is really a part of this other place. That
other place can be a real place (to take a tour in another country, for instance) or imaginary (playing
a game).
Current VR technology is implemented through VR headset, which looks like a pair of goggles. It
generates realistic images and sounds through tracking the movements of user’s head using
accelerometer and gyroscope in the headset to create the virtual reality experience that user can
interact with.
The technology of VR started with the air force, which used this technology as a training program for
new pilots who can experience the feeling of flying planes, including shooting and ejecting, without
risking the million dollars planes being crashed. It is a much cheaper and accessible method to train
the new pilots.
Virtual reality is different from augmented reality, which shows the real place that a person is in, but
changes or adds to it. Pokémon Go is an example of augmented reality.

Virtual reality (VR)

Remember watching movies about virtual reality and thinking how cool
it would be if it was actually like that in real life? Well, it’s about to be.
Although VR has been around since the 1950s, until recently the
technology wasn’t able to deliver the fully immersive digital experience
users have been craving. That’s about to change with recent
improvements to both hardware and programming, and the effects are
going to be felt across almost every industry from retail to education.

How it’s affecting industries: Virtual reality has been a popular

component of video games for several years and this trend is
continuing to expand. It’s also a potentially useful tool for learning and
is increasingly being adopted by educational organizations.

Touch commerce

Being able to buy anything you want with the touch of a finger may
have seemed like a fantasy a few years ago, but it’s now a reality.
Merging touchscreen technology with one-click shopping, touch
commerce allows consumers to buy products easily from their phones.
After linking their payment information to a general account and
enabling the feature, customers are able to buy everything from
clothes to furniture with just a fingerprint.
Blockchain technology a system in which records of transactions using digital currencies (such as bitcoin)
are stored and may be accessed by linked computers

It allows people to send or receive money across the internet without an intermediary (such as a bank)
or a third party

Grease the wheels means make something happen more easily

Hopefully, this shift in public opinion will help grease the wheels of immigration reform

1) Bells and whistles (прибамбасы) are special features that are added to a product or system to
attract more buyers

Manufacturers still build luxury cars with all the bells and whistles

2) Hit the panic button

Don’t hit the panic button = Relax

3) Pull the plug means cancel

They’re going to pull the plug on the project (cancel it)

4) Blow a fuse is lose your temper, blow up

5) Reinvent the wheel means to overcomplicate something
6) Run out of steam

The protests ran out of steam

7) Push somebody’s buttons

My brother knows exactly how to push my buttons (= annoy me)

8) A well-oiled machine

They’re working like a well-oiled machine

I want my team to work like a well-oiled machine

Weapons

Do you think everyone has the right to carry a weapon?

Would you ever carry a weapon if it was allowed by law?

There’s a widespred belief that Russian people shouldn’t be allowed weapons, because a lot of
Russians have sort of criminal mentality and the crime rate would go up dramatically. Do you agree
with that?

Do you think someone will ever use weapons of mass destruction?

If there’s a riffle hanging on the wall, it will go off someday