Part 1

Topics
Bonus Topics

Watches Perfume
Old Buildings Staying up late
Dreams Breaks
Mirrors Laughter
Lost Advertisements
Maths Shopping
Sleep Tidiness
Sharing Hairstyles
Rubbish
Watches
Vocabulary

Wearables = smart
electronic devices we wear

Wearable technology

Fashion statement =
things you wear that show
the type of person you are
Watches

Do you wear a watch?

Have you ever got a watch as

a gift?

Why do some people wear

expensive watches?

Is it important to wear a
watch?
I used to, but I don’t
anymore. I don’t really
see the need to, as my
phone can tell me the
time, as well as a zillion
other things. I know
wearables are coming
back in fashion, but
they’re not really for me.
For those people, I guess
an expensive watch is a
fashion statement. It’s a
way for them to show off
their wealth or status. I
suppose they may also
think that the best quality
watches are the most
expensive ones.
Old Buildings
Vocabulary

A listed building (U.K.) =

protected by the
government

In disrepair = in bad
condition
In ruins = in very bad
condition
Old Buildings
Have you ever seen old
buildings in a city?

Should we preserve old

buildings in cities?

Do you prefer to live in an old

building or a modern one?

Are there any old buildings you

want to visit in future?
Yes, I have, there are
some old historic
buildings in my city
which are listed
buildings, and protected
by the government. As
well, there is also a
handful of derelict
buildings which to be
honest, are falling apart
and nearly in ruins.
It depends really, if they
have heritage or cultural
value, then yes, on the
other hand if they are in
disrepair and potentially
dangerous, then it would
be better to knock them
down.
Dreams
Vocabulary

A dream come true

A nightmare = a bad dream

A recurring dream = a
dream you have repeatedly
Dreams
Do you usually remember
dreams you have had?

Do you tell other people about

your dreams?

Do you think dreams have a

special meaning?

Would you like for your dreams

to come true?
From time to time I do,
especially if it’s one of
those recurring dreams.
Sometimes I remember a
dream as soon as I wake
up and it’s really vivid.
Other times, I can only
remember bits and
pieces, maybe because
the dream was just
illogical and didn’t seem
to make any sense.
I am not sure, maybe.
Sometimes I recall a
dream and I see how it
may represent a strong
desire I have, like I often
dream about flying and I
suppose this symbolises
a desire to be free and to
do whatever I want.
No, not really, I think
they’re just a chance for
our imagination to go
wild or an outlet for
suppressed frustrations
or desires. To be totally
honest, I don’t go in for
the idea that dreams have
hidden, subconscious
meanings.
Mirrors
Mirrors
Do you like looking at yourself
in the mirror?

Have you ever bought a

mirror?

Do you usually carry a mirror

with you?

Would you use mirrors to

decorate your room?
Vocabulary

A reflection

To check my look = to
check my appearance

To be vain = to be self-
loving
Not particularly, I mean I
do check my reflection in
the mornings to make
sure my hair is tidy and
my clothes are straight,
but I don’t spend hours
gazing at myself,
brushing my hair or doing
my make-up.
No, I don’t really need a
mirror when I am out and
about. If I need to check
my look at work or when
I’m out with friends, then I
use a bathroom mirror. Of
course nowadays, I can
also use the camera on
my phone, if needs be.
Yes, I have a compact
mirror that I take
everywhere with me, in
my handbag, just in case.
You never know when I
may need to touch up my
make up, or brush my
hair.
Getting Lost
Getting Lost

Have you ever got lost?

How can you nd your way

when you are lost?

Do you know how to read a map?

Have you ever helped someone

who was lost?
fi
To lose / find your way

A good / bad sense of

direction

To be prone to getting
lost = to often get lost

To point someone in the

direction of
Absolutely. I mean I have
a pretty good sense of
direction, but I have got
lost several times,
especially in unfamiliar
cities, as a tourist. I got
lost in the back streets of
Rome once, and had to
ask for directions.
Yes, I would say so, but
to be honest, nowadays
with Google maps, I don’t
think we need to ‘read’
maps. I can just set the
directions and Google
does the rest. It’s a piece
of cake. I can get from
one place to another on
automatic pilot.
Maths
Maths

When did you start to learn maths?

Is maths important?

What is a good way to learn maths?

Yes, I think it is
important in
today’s society, for
instance, when you
go shopping, if you
want the right
change, you need
to know addition
and subtraction.
I think maths is
quite important
nowadays, that said,
today everybody
has a mobile phone
so I am not sure we
need to know
addition and
subtraction, we can
just use a calculator
on our phones
Sleep
Sleep

How many hours do you sleep

every day (or every night)?

Do you think it’s good to have

a nap during the day?

Did you sleep more in the past

than you do now?
Yes, I do think it's
a good idea to have
a small sleep during
the day, but if you
sleep too long, you
can end up feeling
groggy and tired
for the rest of the
day!
Yes, it is a good
idea to have a nap,
otherwise you are
going to feel really
tired for the rest of
the day.
Sharing
Sharing

Do you enjoy sharing?

What do you share with your

friends?

Were you encouraged to share

as a child?
Yes, both my
mother and father
encouraged me to
share my toys and
even my food with
friends, because
they felt that was a
family value I
should grow up
with.
Yes, I’d say I was
strongly
encouraged to
share with family
and friends, if not I
would get into big
trouble with my
parents.
Rubbish
Rubbish

Is it important to keep the

streets clean?

Why do some people throw

rubbish on the ground?

What do you do when you see

rubbish on the street?
It depends really, I
think if someone
lives in the city,
maybe they’re just
lazy, if some people
have grown up in
the coutryside,
maybe it’s just that
they don’t know it
can damage the
environment.
I’d say some people
just don’t care,
they think just one
person doesn’t
make a difference.
At the same time,
some people,
especially younger
children, may not
know it can
damage the
environment.
Perfume
Perfume

Do you wear perfume?

What’s your favourite perfume?

Would you spend a lot of money

on a perfume?
Yes I think I would.
If I was buying a
present for
somebody, I’d be
happy to splash out
on a nice perfume.
It depends really. If
I was buying it for
myself, I don’t
think I would spend
too much, if I was
buying a present
for somebody, then
yes, I’d fork out a
bit of extra money.
Staying up late
Staying up late

Do you sometimes go to bed late?

What do you do when

you stay up late?

How do you feel when you have

stayed up late the night before?
Do you sometimes go to bed late?
Now and again yes,
but by and large
I tend to hit the sack
quite early.
I am usually an early riser,
because I find I am much
more productive in the
mornings.
Yes, actually,
I tend to stay up until the
early hours.
I just enjoy the peace and
quiet when others
have gone to bed.
It’s a great time to get
things done.
How do you feel when you have
stayed up late the night before?
Well, if I have stayed up
late and need
to work the next day,
I will usually feel a bit
tired and groggy.
You know, if I don’t get at
least 7 hours sleep,
I usually feel out of sorts.
To be honest, mostly,
I’m fine because I am
used to it.
So long as I get around 6
hours sleep, I don’t feel
too tired or sleepy.
I just get myself a strong
coffee
first thing in the morning
and I am good to go.
Breaks
Breaks

Do you prefer a long break or

several short breaks?

How often do you take a break?

What do you usually do during a break?

Why do you need to take a break?

Do you prefer a long break or
several short breaks?
By and large， I prefer
several short breaks.
Mainly because I have a
bit of a short attention
span, but also I think it’s
much more productive to
have more frequent
breaks. That said, I do
like to have a long lunch
break!
What do you usually do
during a break?
Sometimes, I’ll pop out
for a quick coffee so I
can stretch my legs as
well, and other times, I
might go and chat to
some colleagues. A
bunch of them usually go
for a smoke outside, so I
might join them, even
though I am not a
smoker.
Laughter
Laughter

When was the last time you laughed?

Do you like watching funny

programmes on TV?

Do you like to make people laugh?

Do you think it is important for

friends to laugh together?
When was the last time you laughed?
That’s hard to say, I think
it was probably last week.
I was watching a film and
it really made me giggle.
It was a comedy with Jim
Carey and if I remember
correctly it was called
‘Yes Man’. It was one of
those films that’s full of
visual humour, right? and
it really cracked me up.
Do you like to make people laugh?
I do, I think I have a
good sense of humour, I
enjoy a good laugh with
friends. I am not really
into telling jokes, but I
like playing with words,
so in conversations I
am often thinking
about other meanings
words can have, and
then make a joke with
that.
Advertisements
Advertisements

Do you see a lot of advertising?

Are there any types of

advertisements that you like?

Have you ever bought something

because of an advertisement?

Do you watch advertisements from the

beginning to the end?
Useful collocations

An advertising campaign

A captivating / engaging
advert

An intrusive advert

An engaging slogan
For sure, I think
nowadays we are
bombarded with adverts
left, right and centre. I see
them on my social media
feeds, on website pop
ups, and to be honest, by
and large I find them
quite intrusive.
Well, yes, some adverts
that tell a story can be
quite engaging. So rather
than focusing on the
product features, they
focus on the user and
their emotions. I think
these are easier to relate
to and that emotional
connection is really
powerful.
Shopping
Shopping

Do you like shopping?

Who does most of the shopping

in your household?

What is the item that you buy the most?

Do you compare prices before

purchasing something?
Do you like shopping?
Well, I like shopping for
food,
but I am not a big fan of
clothes shopping.
I love cooking,
so I really enjoy picking
up fresh produce
at the local markets,
but when it comes to
buying clothes,
I try to get it over and
done with,
as quickly as I can.
Do you compare prices before
purchasing something?
I think for food items,
yes I probably do.
I am usually after the
best value for money,
so I will compare brands
and prices
before purchasing.
It’s become a bit of a
habit really.
Tidiness
Tidiness

Are you a tidy person?

Are all members of your family tidy?

Do you think people should

be tidy all the time?

Are you more tidy at work/school or at home?

Are you a tidy person?
Yes, quite tidy.
I make a habit of making
my bed in the morning,
I usually wash the pots
straight after dinner.
I wouldn’t say my house is
spic and span,
but it’s tidy enough
Yes, I am a stickler for
keeping things tidy.
I like my home to be
really shipshape.
If the house is messy,
it just puts me in a bad
mood, you know, I can’t
find things and I also feel
bad because I know
I should’ve cleaned up,
but I haven’t.
Hairstyles
Hairstyles

Have you always had the hairstyle

you have now?

Do you go to the barber's a lot?

Did you ever feel disappointed

with your hairstyle?
Have you always had the hairstyle
you have now?
No, not at all. I mean I
wear my hair really short
now, because it’s much
more manageable, you
know, easy to wash, no
need to brush it and that.
But when I was younger I
used to have long,
shoulder-length hair. I
also played with the idea
of dying it, but in the end,
I never did.
No, not at all. I mean I
wear my hair really short
now, because it’s much
more manageable, you
know, easy to wash, no
need to brush it and that.
But when I was younger I
used to have long,
shoulder-length hair. I
also played with the idea
of dying it, but in the end,
I never did.
Do you go to the barber's a lot?
To tell you the truth, I
never go to the
hairdressers’s these
days, because my wife
cuts my hair. However,
when I was younger I
used to go once a
month, and I always got
the same style; short
back and sides.
To tell you the truth, I
never go to the
hairdressers’s these
days, because my wife
cuts my hair. However,
when I was younger I
used to go once a
month, and I always got
the same style; short
back and sides.
Are you more tidy at
work/school or at home?
Interestingly enough,
I tend to keep my
workplace in order,
way more than my home.
I guess I just think
tidiness and productivity
are connected,
but at home I just want a
more relaxed atmosphere.
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