CONVERSATION TOPICS - BUSINESS

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

1. It doesn't matter whether you enjoy your job or not as long as it's a well-
paid job.

2. Self-employment is more stimulating than working for a large

organisation.

3. Social networks have rapidly become communication tools for many

companies.
They will be further developed for business in the future.

4. Innovation is different from invention.

5. In the future most companies will be online companies.

There will be fewer offices and more call centres.

6. Anyone who has contact with a customer is a salesperson - and that

includes the person who answers the phone!

7. Small companies can adapt more quickly to changes in the marketplace

than large corporations.

8. Companies become more efficient as they grow in size.

9. More time is wasted during meetings than during any other business
activity.

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

You have to choose one or the other.
11. It is impossible for young people to find a (good) job today without help
from someone.

12. Qualifications are more important today than ever before.

13. A successful salesperson knows the strengths and weaknesses of

competing products.

14. Small companies cannot offer employees opportunities for promotion.

15. There is more creativity in multinational companies than in small firms.

16. Some companies do not adhere to proper rules of conduct.

17. It is dishonest for companies to avoid paying income tax in the

countries where they are established.

18. Men and women are not always treated equally in the workplace.
Women often face discrimination.
CONVERSATION TOPICS - ADVANCED LEVEL

1. Fake news
Fake news (fabricated news) is the deliberate spread of misinformation.
Sensationalist, dishonest or outright fabricated headlines are often used to
increase readership.
o Do you agree with the above definition?
o Where do we most often find fake news? (newspapers, social media
...)
o What sort of fake news can you think of? (politics, show business...)
o How can we tell if a news story is ‘fake’ or not? (checking sources,
dates, photos…)
o What is the purpose of the misinformation?
o Is fake news used in election campaigns?
o Have any countries recently been accused of spreading fake news?
o Can you think of ways to prevent the circulation of fake news?

2. Violence in the world today

o When you hear the word "violence", what do you think of?
o Is the world more violent today?
o Are there different sorts of violence? (physical / mental
/psychological/domestic …)
o What forms of violence have you noticed?
o Do people tend to be more violent when they group together? (gangs /
mobs / crowds…)
o In what areas is there an increase in the level of violence? (football,
politics, religion, environment …)
o What are the causes of violence? (jealousy, frustration, unemployment,
poverty, conspiracy theories, fake news …)
o What violent conflicts are going on around the world?
o Does the repetition of violent images in TV news reports have a
positive or negative effect?
o Does violence ever achieve anything?
o Is the increase in violence a worldwide phenomenon?
o What could be done to reduce violence?

3. Annoying things
o Do people have habits that annoy you?
o Do you annoy people with some of your habits?
o What does 'pet peeve' mean?
o Do you have a pet peeve?
o What annoys you when you are driving a car?
o What are some things that car drivers do that annoy you?
o Does it annoy you if someone cuts in front of you when you are waiting
in line?
o Does smoking bother you?
 o Does something that your parents or friends do annoy you?
o Do some people in your office/company do annoying things?
o Can you think of any celebrities that are annoying? Why?
o What do people do on public transport or on the street that annoys
you?

4. Success-Failure
o How would you define success?
o Do you have the same idea of success as your parents?
o To what extent will your encourage your children to become
successful?
o Do you think failures can contribute to a person's success?
o Can you think of any famous people who encountered failure before
success?

5. Social Networking
o What is social networking?
o Can social networking sites be dangerous?
o What precautions would you advise people to take?
o Should the use of social networking sites be banned at work?
o Are social networking sites changing our daily behaviour?
o Is it possible to become a social networking addict?

6. Diseases
o What dangerous diseases are people scared of nowadays?
o Should we be better-informed about the dangers of these diseases?
o What is the best way to stop diseases from spreading?
o Do diseases have an effect on travel?
o Which disease is it urgent to find a cure for?

7. Manners
o Are good manners important?
o Do people have better manners today than before?
o Can you give examples of what you think are good manners?
o What do you think are bad manners?
o Can good manners in one country be bad manners in another country?
o What about table manners? Can you give examples of some good
table manners?
o How about bad table manners?
o Can manners affect your success in life? How?
o What's the best way to teach manners to children?
o What advice about manners would you give a foreigner visiting your
country?

8. News coverage in the media today.

o Do you think news coverage today correctly describes what is going on
in the world?
o Do you trust everything you hear or see on the news?
o What improvements would you make?
o What is the most important current news story?
o Do certain types of events get too much/too little coverage?
 o Do you trust the media? Are you sure the information given is always
true?
o Is it important to keep up with current events?

9. Job interviews
o Is it necessary to prepare for a job interview?
o How can a person make a good first impression?
o Is there a recommended dress code for an interview?
o Can you think of any difficult questions one should be prepared for?
o Is there anything a candidate should avoid mentioning?
o Is it ok to make negative comments about your present employer?
o Is it ok for interviewers to ask questions about age, marital status, etc.?
o What information should a candidate have about the company?

10. Environment
o What are some of the most serious environmental problems today?
o Can you find ten things that each of us can do to help preserve our
planet?
o What is your opinion on climate change?
o In what way will our children be affected by climate change?
o How can we make our homes more environmentally friendly?
o What can companies do to help preserve the environment?
o Which countries cause the most pollution?
o If we run out of oil, where will we get our energy from?
11. Shopping on the internet
o Do you often do your shopping online?
o What do you buy online? :
- food
- clothes
- furniture
- services : airline tickets, theatre reservations, flowers, greeting cards
...
- other
o Are the prices the same as in the shops/agencies or less expensive?
o Have you ever had any disappointments or bad surprises?
o What are the advantages of shopping online?
o What are the dangers?
o What advice would you give future online shoppers?

12. Risk
o What is your definition of risk?
o Do you know any risk takers?
o In your opinion why do people take risks? (pleasure, work, challenge
...)
o What risks do you come across in your work/life?
o Are some people obliged to take risks in their jobs?
o When is a risk stupid or unnecessary?

13. Politicians' personal lives.

o Does a politician's personal life have an effect on their ability to do their
job?
 o Do you think the media pays too much attention to politicians' personal
lives?
o Why do certain types of media give excessive coverage to minor
offences?
o Information concerning personal lives circulates quickly on social
networks.
Is this good or bad?

14. History for future generations.

o You are asked to select a number of objects to represent life at the
beginning of the 21st century.
The idea is to help future generations better understand how we lived
and what major events affected us.
What objects would your choose and why?

15. Technology
o What technology would it be difficult to live without today?
o Has technology changed our everyday lifestyle?
o What technology, if any, has made our homes more comfortable?
o Has technology changed education methods?
o Will online education one day replace the classroom?

16. Travelling has become easier and cheaper. What has it changed in
people's lives:
o speed, comfort, health, family relationships, etc.
o work/employment
o holiday habits
o way of life/standard of living in certain countries.

17. Describe the best or worst trip you ever took:

o Where did you go?
o Did you travel alone or with a group?
o What did you do / what had you intended to do?
o What made it your best (or worst) trip?
o What advice would you give someone planning the same sort of trip?

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

19. Is life today better than in the past? Think about the following:
o Education - employment - job satisfaction
o Health : prevention, treatment, new discoveries, social security, etc.
o Comfort : standard of living (housing/transport/leisure)
o Violence
o Social issues : single mothers, unmarried couples, homosexuality ...
20. Inventions
o What invention has had the greatest impact on our lives?
o Are there some things that never should have been invented?
o Do some countries encourage inventors more than others?

21. What are the 5 most important decisions in a person's life?

After making suggestions and defending their ideas, the group retains five of
them and decides on the order of importance.

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

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

23. Careers today: how to advise young people

o How important is it to have a good (well-paid/secure) job?
o What advice would you give a young person today?
o Would you encourage your children to accept a job in another country?
o Would you be disappointed if your children
1. left school early?
2. chose a manual job?

24. The internet is an essential communication tool in today's world.

o The first and most popular use is the email. What others can you think
of?
o Has fraud increased since the arrival of the internet? How?
o Is the internet sometimes used for other dishonest purposes?
o What steps would you advise to protect data and privacy?
o What do you think the internet will be used for in the future?

25. Recent physical achievements (crossing the Atlantic, mountain climbing,

etc.).
o How many can you think of?
o Which achievement was the most impressive?
o Are the world's best athletes present at the Olympic Games?
o What do you think of 'extreme' sports (bungee jumping, tightrope
walking...)?

26. The effects of medical and scientific progress:

o health (prevention, treatment, organ transplants, rare diseases, etc.)
o beauty (plastic surgery, dental care, etc.)
o comfort in the home
o transport