CZŁOWIEK

1. What shapes our personality: our genes or the environment in which we grow up? Justify your opinion.

2. Does our nationality determine the way we think and act? In what way?

3. Do you believe in horoscopes? Can our date of birth influence our character? Why do so many people read horoscopes?

4. Would you ever consider having plastic surgery? Why/Why not? What are the positive and negative aspects of plastic surgery?

5. "Rarely do great beauty and great virtue dwell together" (Petrarch). Comment.

6. How important is the dress code in our lives? Do you think that the way we dress says something about our personality? Why/Why not?

7. Does fashion play an important part in your life? Why do you think people are so concerned about the way they look?

8. Some people say that we are as old as we feel. How do you understand this statement?

9. Do you think that cloning may be useful to humans? Why? What might the negative implications of cloning be?

10. Why are there so many people who are against organ donation? What is your attitude towards donating organs?

11. Is genetic engineering a blessing or a curse?

12. Do you think that honesty is the best policy nowadays?

13. In some countries euthanasia is legal. Do you think it should be legalized in Poland ? What are the benefits and dangers of such a solution?

14. Human rights can be an issue in some countries, like China, but not in Poland. Do you agree with this statement.

15. Present the advantages and disadvantages of legalizing abortion.

16. Beauty is more important nowadays than intelligence. Do you agree? Do you think that good-looking people have an easy start?

17. The western civilization suffers from the cult of youth. Do you agree ?

18. There are lots of stereotypes about men and women. Is there a grain of truth in them?

19. First impression is the most important thing nowadays, so we should pay more attention to what we wear. Do you agree with this statement ?

DOM

1. Explain the proverb: My home is my castle.

2. Explain the saying: Show me your home and I'll tell you who you are.

3. Household duties (doing the washing up, cleaning, hovering etc.) are relaxing and give us pleasure and satisfaction. Do you agree?

4. What are the most important things that make a home comfortable?

5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a block of flats and a detached house?

6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living with a roommate?

7. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living alone?

8. If you were to share a flat with someone, what would your requirements be?

9. What are the most important things you should consider while looking for a flat?

10. When choosing a new place to live, how important is the neighbourhood? What are the benefits of being on good terms with neighbours?

11. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a big city and in the country?

12. What should be done to make big cities more friendly?

13. Advantages and disadvantages of living in the country.

14. The prizes of flats have become very high nowadays. What do you think the consequences might be ? What do you think the market will look like in twenty or thirty years?

15. A house or a flat ? Present advantages and disadvantages of both.

SZKOŁA

1. What do you think of the educational system in your country? What changes would be welcomed by students in Polish schools?

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of private schools/state school?

3. Education is something permanent. We never stop learning. Discuss.

4. What problems do you have to cope with at school?

5. What do you think school problems result from? What can be done to reduce school problems?

6. What qualities do you think a good teacher should have?

7. Schools would educate more effectively if teachers didn't have to give grades. Discuss.

8. What are the advantages and disadvantages of studying in your own town and studying in a different city?

9. What are the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad?

10. Bullying is becoming a serious problem in many schools. What can be done to stop it?

11. Is good education important to make a career nowadays?

12. Knowledge and happiness are incompatible; the more you know the more you worry. Discuss.

13. School uniforms are a good way to fight violence at school. What else do you think should be done? Discuss.

14. Private schools are for rich parents which unintelligent kids - when you pay for education, you can get what you want. Do you agree? Are private and public schools very different - or very similar?

15. Do you think we should pay for higher education, or have it free ? Discuss.

16. In Great Britain school is compulsory since the age of five, in Poland it is later. Do you think it is better for a child to start education earlier, or later ?

17. The whole system of education in Poland is wrong. Do you agree? What could be done to improve the system?

PRACA

1. Why is work so important in life? Why is it difficult to find a job in Poland?

2. Retirement should be made compulsory for everyone at the age of 60. Discuss.

3. Which is more important, money or job satisfaction? Why?

4. Why are so many people workaholics nowadays? Could this be called a disease?

5. What are the reasons for sex and age discrimination in the workplace? What can be done to eliminate discrimination at work?

7. In Poland the most important jobs get the lowest salaries. Do you agree with this statement ?

6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the fact that young people take up holiday jobs? What factors can influence the choice of a holiday job?

8. What are the social and psychological consequences of being unemployed?

9. What measures should be taken to counteract unemployment?

10. What, in your opinion, motivates people to go to work: boredom, the need to make a living or the need for respect and social recognition? Can you think of other reasons?

11.Unemployment is a problem modern societies have to fight. Can anything be done about it?

12. More and more people nowadays work from home using the Internet. How do you think this way of working will develop in the future?

13. More and more people get a university degree and can't find a job. What are the reasons for such a situation? Are there any possible solutions?

14. Some people are born to be bosses, some people are born to be unemployed. How do you think our personality decides what kind of work we are going to do?

KULTURA

1. What kind of art impress you most? Why?

2. Why do you think people take part in artistic activities? How do you think the arts can influence people's life?

3. Would you like to become an artist? Why/Why not?

4. What is the role of the modern mass media in modern society? What are the dangers connected with the modern mass media?

5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of television?

6. What influences people's choice of programmes to watch on TV?

7. Why are reality shows so popular today? What do you think about people taking part in reality shows.

8. Do you prefer reading books to watching films? Is reading popular with people nowadays? Why/why not?

9. Do you think conventional books will ever be replaced by electronic books?

10. Film adaptations of famous literary works are usually a poor version of the original, so there is no point in making them. Discuss.

11. Do you like going to art galleries and museums? Why/why not?

12. Why is cinema generally much more popular than the theatre?

13. Modern art is only understood by the artist and a few critics. Discuss.

14. What role does music play in our lives?

15. Music is a profitable industry. Why?

16. What do you think of graffiti?

17. What should be done to encourage people to take more interest in art, literature, theatre?

18. A very high percentage of people in Poland do not read books at all. What are the reasons? Can anything be done to encourage people to read?

19. Nowadays only popular entertainment can earn money. Do you agree?

20. Polish films are awkward copies of American movies. Do you agree? What should be done to improve the situation?

21. Will e-books and e-newspapers replace their printers equivalents?

SPORT

1. Why should people do to be physically fit? Why is it important to keep fit?

2. What should be done to encourage people to engage more in sports? Which sports would you recommend? Why?

3. Professional sport has nothing to do with a healthy lifestyle. Discuss.

4. Why are extreme sports becoming more and more popular nowadays?

5. What precautions should be taken by people who engage in dangerous or extreme sports?

6. Should extreme sports be banned as they put people's life at risk?

7. Do you think contemporary sports has become too commercial?

8. What are the reasons why so many sportsmen/sportswomen are involved with doping? What measures should be taken to fight against doping?

9. Would you like to become a professional sportsman? Why/why not?

10. Men are more interested in sport than women. Discuss.

11. Why do so many people choose extreme sports nowadays?

12. More drugs seems to be a serious problem in sport. Do you think in the future sports can be honest and drugs eliminated?

13. Too much money is spent on sports. Do you agree?

ZDROWIE

1. What does a healthy lifestyle mean to you? What can people do to be healthy and fit?

2. What is the role of the mass media and school in promoting a healthy lifestyle?

3. Why do people start smoking/taking drugs/drinking alcohol? What can be the results of these addictions?

4. Why do you think it is difficult to find effective methods of prevention as far as young people are concerned?

5. Should smoking be banned in all public places?

6. Do you think that Internet addiction is a big problem these days? How can people addicted to the Internet be helped?

7. How can addictions affect people's life?

8. What inconveniences are the disabled faced with? How can the government and an individual eliminate the barriers encountered by the disabled?

9. Nowadays people live longer than they did in the past. Discuss the advantages of living longer.

10. What are the reasons for the popularity of alternative medicine? Do you think alternative treatments will ever take the place of conventional medicine? Why/ why not?

11. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the public and private healthcare system?

12. What is the attitude of Polish people towards the national health service?

13. Medical should be free in all countries. Discuss.

14. It is very difficult to be handicapped person in Poland. Do you agree? What problems does a handicapped person have to face? What should be done to make their life easier?

15. Alternative medicine has become very popular nowadays. What is it and do you believe it can really help ill people ?

16. The system of public health care in Poland needs changing. Do you agree? How should the system be improved?

17. Should soft drugs be legalized? What are the advantages and disadvantages of legalization of drugs?

NAUKA, TECHNIKA

1. Necessity is the mother of invention. Explain the meaning of this saying.

2. How have computers and the Internet changed our lives? What do you use a computer for?

3. Which area do you think has benefited most from the introduction of computers?

4. Technological development is both a blessing and a curse. Discuss.

5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using e-mail?

6. Do you think young children should be allowed to use the Internet without adult guidance? Why/Why not? How should they be protected?

7. Have mobile phones and the Internet introduced any changes in the way of communication between people? Are these changes positive or negative?

8. Which 20th-century inventions do you consider most important and why?

9. How can modern technology influence our lifestyle?

10. What is the most important invention of the 20th century?

11. Even small kids want to have a mobile phones. Do you think everybody should have them? What are the situations when mobile phone should not be used?

12. What is the future of the Internet?

ŻYCIE RODZINNE I TOWARZYSKIE

1. Research shows that married people are healthier and live longer. Why do you think this is the case?

2. A large family with a lot of children is happier and healthier than an only child. Do you agree?

3. In what ways have the roles of men and women in the family changed in recent years?

4. What are the most common conflicts between brothers and sisters?

5. Is generation gap inevitable? Why/Why not? What should be done to remedy this situation?

6. Why do so many couples get divorced nowadays? What are the bad sides of divorce?

7. How important is friendship in our lives? What should be done to keep up friendship?

8. What qualities should a good friend possess? Can people who differ a lot become friends?

9. Is having a happy family and personal life more important than a successful career? Can a successful woman have a happy family life?

10. A hobby can make you a bore or an interesting person. Discuss.

11. What do our preferences for some hobbies depend on? Which do you prefer: physically challenging or mentally creative leisure activities?

12. How do you celebrate your birthday/Christmas/Easter/Valentine'sDay/New Year's Eve?

13. What is your favourite festival in Poland?

14. The traditional model of family has changed. How will it affect our life? Do you think in the future people will return to the traditional family model?

15. More and more couples nowadays decide to live together before they get married. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this solution.

16. Generation gap - does it exist nowadays, when it seems there are fewer differences between parents and children?

17. Nowadays people live longer, but it is not easy to be old. Are there any advantages of being old ? What should we do about it?

ŻYWIENIE

1. What, in your opinion, is a healthy diet? Is your diet healthy?

2. What is the attitude of young people towards healthy diets?

3. What are the most common eating habits in Poland? Do we eat in a healthy way?

4. Do you agree with the statement that we are what we eat?

5. What are the usual causes of obesity? What should an obese person do to lose weight in a healthy way?

6. Why do so many people, especially women, go on a diet these days? What problems do obese people have to struggle with?

7. What are the symptoms of anorexia and bulimia? How can eating disorders affect people's life?

8. Why do people become vegetarians? Do you think it is a healthy diet? Why/Why not?

9. Why do people eat so much junk food nowadays? Why is junk food unhealthy?

10. Eating can be a therapy for unhappy and stressed people. Discuss.

11. Why do some people prefer eating out to eating at home? What is your preference?

12. What is the role of school in promoting healthy eating habits?

13. What are the advantages and disadvantages of introducing genetically modified food into our everyday menu?

14. What consequences do you think genetically modified food may have for human health and the environment?

15. We live faster and we tend to eat too much junk food. On the other hand, many people choose vegetarianism or diets. Which option will prevail?

16. Now when we eat dishes from different countries, we have lost our national cuisine. Do you agree with this statement?

17. We are what we eat. How can we interpret this statement?

18. We can't eat healthy nowadays because additives and preservatives are added to everything. Do you agree? How can we eat healthier?

ZAKUPY I USŁUGI

1. A supermarket or a corner shop. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of them and which do you prefer?

2. More and more shops are open on Sundays. What is your attitude towards this phenomenon and why?

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of buying in virtual shops/by mail order? Do you think that in the future traditional shops will be replaced by online stores?

4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a credit card?

5. Has shopaholism become a problem in Poland? What are the causes of this addiction?

6. In what ways does advertising benefit and harm the consumer?

7. Do you think that it is important to be insured? In what sense?

8. Advertising aimed at children should be forbidden. Discuss.

9. Consumer society (where people buy more and more things) is heading for its own destruction. How do you understand this sentence?

10. You should never borrow or lend money. Discuss.

11. Small shops have no chance in competing with supermarkets. Do you agree? Are there any advantages of shopping in small shops?

12. In the future people will rarely go to shops: they will buy everything in the Internet: it is cheaper and more convenient. Do you agree with this statement?

13. More and more people nowadays buy things on hire purchase or on credit and tend to buy things they can't really afford. What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a situation?

14. Some people think that shops should be closed on Sunday, some people argue Sunday is the best day for shopping. What is your opinion?

PODRÓŻOWANIE I TURYSTYKA

1. What do you think of the public transport system in your country? How could it be improved?

2. What advice would you give to a foreigner about using the public transport in your country?

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of traveling by car/plane/ship/train/bicycle/bus?

4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of hitchhiking?

5. Why are there so many road accidents these days? How can drivers and pedestrians contribute to road safety?

6. Traveling broadens the mind. Discuss.

7. How has traveling changed over the years? Do you think traveling is safe or dangerous nowadays?

8. Do you agree that the world is still becoming smaller and smaller? Why/Why not?

9. How can people avoid problems when they travel? What should you do before setting out on your journey?

10. If you had a visitor from abroad, which places in Poland and in your home area would you like to show him/her? Why?

11. Do you think that going on a package tour is the best way of visiting foreign countries? Why?

12. What makes a perfect holiday?

13. If you had enough money to travel wherever you wanted, where would you go? Why?

14. Genetic experiments should be banned for ethical reasons. Discuss.

15. Are there any disadvantages or risk related to some means of communication?

16. How different would every life be without modern appliances (television, phone, fridge, computer, dish washer, cooker etc.)?

17. People from communities that live without all the benefits of modern civilization are much happier than we are. Discuss.

18. Tourism has developed and different kinds of tourism are popular nowadays than in the past. What are the reasons of this situation? How do you think people will spend holidays in the future?

19. Poland has a lot to offer to foreigners. Do you agree? What should we do in Poland to make tourist industry grow?

20. All-inclusive or camping? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both.

ŚWIAT PRZYRODY

1. What are the major environmental problems in the world? Who do you think is responsible for the degradation of the environment?

2. What should international organizations and local authorities do to protect the environment? Are you green?

3. Why is recycling important today? How can we all help with recycling?

4. Natural disasters are a form of punishment for the horrible things people do to nature. Discuss.

5. What are the arguments for and against scientific experiments on animal?

6. What are the major threats to endangered species? What should be done to save endangered species?

7. What feelings do people often experience when a natural disaster occurs? In what way can local and foreign governments as well as individuals help those affected by natural disasters?

8. What is the greenhouse effect? What may be the ultimate effects of global warming?

9. What do you think causes the global changes in the climate? What should people do to slow down the rate of change in the climate?

10. What do people hope to achieve by exploring other planets? Do you think that the enormous expense of space exploration is justified? Why/Why not?

11. Do you think there is intelligent life elsewhere in the galaxy? Why?

12. A lot of animals are in the danger of extinction. What should be done to protect endangered animals?

13. A lot of people treat their pets like toys. Do you think there should be some organs controlling how people take care of their pets?

14. Everybody knows the environment is in danger. What are the biggest dangers threatening the environment? Can individual people help protect the environment?

PAŃSTWO I SPOŁECZEŃSTWO

1. Do you think that Poland has benefited from membership in the European Union? Why/Why not?

2. Is it a good idea to support beggars in the street? How can we help the poor?

3. What makes young people commit crimes? How should young criminals be punished?

4. How can people protect themselves from mugging / car theft / burglaries / pickpocketing?

5. What should be done to solve the problem of increasing violence and crime?

6. Why do football fans fight? What could be done to prevent football hooliganism in Poland?

7. How would you define terrorism? Why is it so difficult to fight against terrorism?

8. What do you think are the reasons of homelessness? What can be done to help the homeless?

9. What role do older people play in society? What might be the consequences of an increasing number of old people in society?

10. What are the problems and joys of old age? How are old people treated in Polish society?

11. What are the problems that an immigrant worker faces in the new country? How does immigration affect family life?

12. The family is getting weaker and family ties will gradually disappear. Discuss.

13. Can very severe punishment deter people from committing crimes? Justify your opinion.

14. Capital punishment should be introduced in Poland because it is the best way to prevent the crime. Do you agree with this statement?

15. Why do you think young people choose crime? Is it because parents work too hard to control them or are there other reasons?

16. War is the worst thing that could happen in the modern world. Do you agree? What can be done to prevent war from breaking out?

17. The world is not the same after the World Trade Center. Do you agree? Is terrorism a serious problem nowadays?

ELEMENTY WIEDZY O KRAJACH ANGIELSKIEGO OBSZARU JĘZYKOWEGO

1. Why do so many people all over the world learn English?

2. Which festival celebrated in one of the English speaking countries do you find the most interesting? Why?

3. How are traditional holidays (Christmas / Easter / St Valentine's Day / Thanksgiving day) celebrated in Britain or America?

4. How would you describe a typical person from America/Great Britain?

5. If you could choose to live in one of the English speaking countries, where would you decide to live and why?

6. Is the American/British educational system different from the Polish one? Discuss the similarities and differences.

7. Discuss the political system in the United States/Great Britain.

8. People still believe in the idea of the American dream. Is the USA still a promised land?

9. Do you agree with the statement that American culture is dominating the world? Give your reasons.

10. If you had to choose, where would you like to live - in Britain or in the USA?

11. Present an important British or American writer.

12. It always rains in England and all Americans are fat. Discuss stereotypes about Britain and the USA.

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