Level C1

TOPICS and SAMPLE QUESTIONS for the ORAL EXAM in ENGLISH (C1)

I. Cities

1. What effects do you think the following can have on a city? How serious are they?
2. An earthquake, pollution, an armed conflict, a high crime rate, a huge fire, unemployment
3. Which of the above are things of greatest concern and why?
4. What are the advantages and drawbacks of living in an urban area?
5. Are cities good things?
6. What is your favourite city?
7. How are city people and country people different?
8. What are the biggest problems with living in cities?
9. What damage do cities do to the countryside?
10. When does a town become a city?
11. Which world city do you think would be the best to live in?
12. How will cities in the future be different from those today?
13. If you were city mayor, what changes would you make to your city?
14. Which city would you choose as the capital of the world and why?

II. Relationships

1. Would you like to attend a school reunion now or at some point in the future. Why/why not?
2. Can you think of anyone who turned out to be successful after doing badly at school or vice versa? What happened?
3. Have you ever been to any kinds of reunion?
4. In what ways have your friendships changed over time? Why?
5. What are the pros and cons of meeting someone online?
6. What images spring to mind when you hear the word ‘dating’?
7. What are the good things and bad things about dating?
8. What can you remember about your first date?
9. How do you feel before you go on a first date with someone?
10. What is your idea of a great first date?
11. What is the most disastrous date you’ve been on?
12. If you could go on a date with anyone in the world, who would it be with and why?
13. Would you ever use a dating service (online or otherwise)?
14. Would you ever go on a blind date?
15. Who pays on a first date?
    

III. Culture and identity

1. How important do you think is to maintain traditions? Why?
2. What stereotypes are there in Poland? Are there stereotypes of people from particular cities or areas in Poland? Are they positive or negative?
3. What effect can each of the following have on society and culture? (tv and film, education, money, travel, immigration)
4. Do you think different countries have a different sense of humour? In what way?
5. Have you ever experienced a culture shock? What happened?
6. What are the good things about multiculturalism?
7. Is it possible for a country to avoid multiculturalism today?
8. How would the world be different if there was no multiculturalism in any country?
9. Do you think multiculturalism will eventually lead to a single world mixed race?
10. Why are many people afraid of multiculturalism?
11. Where in the world do you think multiculturalism works best?
12. Do you think multiculturalism can ever be reversed?
13. Do you think the original culture of a society, that has become multicultural, like the change?
14. Is multiculturalism good for world peace and understanding?

IV. Politics

1. Have you ever been to the parliament building in any country? What was your experience like?
2. What qualities should a good politician have and why?
3. Have you ever heard of any stories about cities going bankrupt because of bad politics?
4. How do most of the politicians behave in parliament? What do you think of the way they behave?
5. Are there any satirical programmes about politicians? Do you like watching them?
6. What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘politics’?
7. Would you like to work in politics?
8. Is politics important to you?
9. Do political beliefs really matter?
10. Should religion and politics mix?
11. Is the word ‘politics’ a singular or plural noun?
12. Do office politics exist where you work?
13. Is a week a long time in politics?
14. Do you read about the political issues of your country?

V. Going out, staying in

1. Are you a party animal or a lone wolf?
2. What are the occasions when people wear party costumes?
3. Have you ever been to a surprise party? How was it?
4. How do you usually celebrate birthday?
5. When was the last time you had a very late night because of the party?
6. Do you like to party? Do you party hard?
7. What makes a good party good according to you?
8. How many parties have you thrown?
9. What was the worst party you’ve ever been to?
10. What’s the best birthday party you’ve ever had?
11. Have you ever been to a fancy dress / costume party?
12. Have you ever been to a party where lots of things went wrong?
13. What do you think of children’s birthday parties?
14. Are parties better in people’s houses or in party halls and hotels etc?

VI. Conflict and resolution

1. How do you resolve conflicts among friends or your family?
2. As soon do you lose your temper, you lose the argument. Discuss
3. Sometimes people need a good row to clear the air. Discuss
4. Arguing can become addictive and can have terrible impact on relationships. Discuss
5. Raising your voice is a form of aggression. Discuss

VII. Science and research

1. To what degree do you see science as a force for good?
2. What do you think are the most important scientific discoveries of recent times? Explain.
3. Who are the most famous scientists you can think of? What are they famous for?
4. Do you know anyone who works in the field of science? What do they do?
5. How far do you believe in climate change?
6. Do you have any concerns about genetic research? What are they?
7. What images spring to mind when you hear the word ‘science’?
8. How important is science?
9. Is science always good?
10. Do you always trust science?
11. Were you good at science at school?
12. What science projects or experiments did you like at school?
13. Would you donate your body to science after you die?
14. Why is science becoming less and less popular in schools?
15. Do you like visiting science museums?
16. What kind of people love science?

VIII. Nature and nurture

1. Tell about a time when you saw an animal in the wild, what was the occasion, if any.
2. How much or how little we should we spend on animal welfare and why?
3. Give examples of two endangered animals and what can be done to protect them.
4. Discuss which animal you think has the bleaker future.
5. Which parts of your country has have the most beautiful nature and why?
6. What images spring to mind when you hear the word ‘science’?

IX. Work

1. What are pros and cons of working in an office?
2. Have you heard of any instances of incompetence in the workplace? What happened?
3. How do people get to the top at work? Does it depend on the industry?
4. Which person you know has the best work-life balance?
5. Someone said that work is for horses and idiots. Do you agree?
6. What would life be like if we did not have to work?
7. Would you like to work in your own business?
8. Would you like to work in another country?
9. What are working conditions like in your country?
10. What is the best job in your country?

X. Health and illness

1. How easy it is to make an appointment to the doctor’s office in Poland? Is it different if you want to see a dentist?
2. What are the main reasons for visiting a doctor?
3. What are the waiting times for operations usually like?
4. What are the most common operations people have?
5. What are possible side effects of chemotherapy?
6. Why are people usually put on a drip?
7. What is the best way of dealing with poor eyesight? Is it wearing glasses, contact lenses or having corrective surgery?
8. How expensive are dentist’s visits are? What are average prices for a check-up?
9. Do you do anything to stay healthy?
10. Do you worry about the health of those around you?
11. Do you ever worry about your own mental health?
12. Have you ever stopped doing something for your health?
13. Are you always a picture of health when you wake up in the morning?
14. What are the health risks associated with your lifestyle and environment?
15. What health problems do you worry about most?
16. What is the WHO and what does it do?
17. What can you do to improve your health?

XI. Play

1. What images spring to mind when you hear the word ‘sport’?
2. Why do so many people like sport?
3. Why are some people not interested in sport?
4. How often do you read sports news?
5. Do you prefer playing or watching sports?
6. Do you have good or bad experiences with sports at school?
7. Do you think sports stars have the best life?
8. Who is your favourite all-time sport star?

XII. History

1. Is history important to you?
2. Did you like studying history at school?
3. What period of history interests you most?
4. What do you think of the recent history of your country – the past fifty years?
5. What do you know about the early history of your country?
6. What do you think of the overall history of your country?
7. Do you think history repeats itself?
8. What period of history would you like to go back to and live in?

XIII. News and the media

1. What images spring to mind when you hear the word ‘news’?
2. What is the media?
3. Do you think the media have too much power?
4. What are the good and bad things about the media in your country?
5. Do you like the fact that today, media coverage of world events in instantaneous and extensive?
6. What do you think about countries that ban or restrict the media?
7. Do you always believe the media?
8. Is the media of your country biased towards the views of your government over the war on terror?
9. How is today’s media different from that of 30 years ago?
10. Can you think of any examples of the media being irresponsible?

XIV. Business and economics

1. What is economics?
2. Are you interested in economics?
3. How important is economics?
4. Do you think economics is a good subject to study?
5. How is the economy in your country?
6. What are the biggest economic problems in your country?
7. Do you think economics is a science?
8. How is economics different under socialist and capitalist systems?
9. What was the last thing you read or heard about economics?
10. Do you think economics is the most important thing people think about in an election?

XV. Trends

1. Do you like fashion?
2. What do you think of the fashion industry?
3. Are you a fashion victim / slave to fashion?
4. Would you like to be a fashion model?
5. How does fashion affect our lives?
6. How important is fashion today compared with in the past?
7. What do you think of the fact that what’s in fashion lasts just a short time, then we have to spend more money on the next “in” things?
8. What are the bad things about fashion?
9. Is fashion only for beautiful people?
10. Do you have your own fashion or do you follow the crowds?

XVI. Danger and risk

1. What is danger?
2. Why do some people like danger?
3. What dangers do you see around you every day?
4. What do you do when you are in danger?
5. Is the Earth in danger?
6. What dangerous things were you told to avoid when you were a child?
7. What countries in the world are too dangerous to visit?
8. What new dangers are there in society?
9. What are the dangers of the Internet?
10. Are there hidden dangers in the food we eat?