Birthdays

• How are birthdays celebrated in your country?
• What are some birthday traditions you know of from other countries?
• How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
• What is your best birthday memory?
• What is your worst birthday memory?
• Have you ever had a surprise birthday party for yourself or someone else?
• What is the best birthday gift you have ever received?
• What is the worst birthday gift you have ever received?
• What are some things you like to do for your birthday?
• When is your birthday?

Children

• Were there many children in your family?
• How many children do you have. How many would you like to have.
• Do you enjoy being around children?
• When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
• What are the positive or negative things about being a child?
• Do you think that children are different today from the time when you were child? Or from 50 years ago? 100 years ago?
• What is most annoying or amazing thing about children?
• What is the most important thing that we need to teach children?
• Do you think that children are naturally good? Why or why not?
• What were some important experiences that you had when you were child which shaped you as a person?
• Why do you think children commit violent crimes?
• Do you think children are more violent today than they used to be? Why?
• What was your favorite game when you were a child?
• Do we have to answer children's questions even if they are unappropriate ones?

News

• What is the role of newspapers in society?
• What sells newspaper?
• Why do we buy newspapers?
• Do you think that news is censored in some countries?
• Is the news censored in your country?
• Will newspapers disappear in the future?
• How does American news differ from your country's news?
• What is your favorite section of the newspaper to read?
• How often do you watch the news?
  • Do you make a point of watching the news?
  • Do you feel bad if you miss the news?
• Which kind of news is the best? Why? (e.g. newspaper, TV, internet etc)
  • Do you think there should be more or less of this news?
• Do you think that the news is necessary? Why or why not?
  • What would the world be like without news?
• Do you think the news tells us just information without giving its opinion?
  • Should the news give an opinion?
  • Do you think the news influences people too much?
• Do you think the news is shocking now?
  • How has it changed over the years?
• What is the biggest news you ever heard in your life?
  • Do you think anything could be bigger news?
• How did it affect you?
  • Were you glad you heard this news?
• Do you think people need to know all of the news?
• What do people not need to know?
• What do you think is the most important thing the news should report?
• What was the most memorable news you ever watched?
• If the news reported your week, what would be the headline?
• Think of a news headline for the following countries: America, Britain, France, China, Australia, Indonesia, Russia, Germany.
• Do you read the newspaper everyday?
• How often do you read the newspaper?
• What newspaper do you read?
• How much does the newspaper cost?
• What kind of magazines do you like to read?
• What is your favorite newspaper?
• What is your favorite magazine?
• Are magazines expensive in your country?
• Do you enjoy reading a newspaper?
• What sections of a newspaper do you like to read?
• What are the different sections in a newspaper?
• Do you think that reading a newspaper is a good way to improve your English?
• What kinds of information can you get from the newspaper?
• Where do you get most of your news?
• Do you like to keep up with current events?
• If you are someone who usually follows the news, has there been a time when you decided to stop? Why and for how long?
• Do you think it's important to read the newspaper and know what is going on in the world? Why or why not?

Personality

• What are some characteristics of your personality?
• What makes you happy?
• What are some things that make you angry?
• Are you happy with your personality?
• Would you like to be different?
• Are you a determined person? Are you a stubborn person?
• Are you shy ? In which occasions are you shy?
• Do you consider yourself selfish ? Why?
• Is your personality suited to your job?
• In what way has your personality changed? Why has it changed??
• Are you more introverted (focused on your inner world) or more extraverted (focused on other people and the outer world)?
• Do you think you can change a major characteristic of your personality if you try?
• Do you think you have an unusual personality? Why?
• If you could change any aspect of your personality, what would it be?
• What sort of things would you do to amuse yourself during a car journey?
• What personality traits do you consider important in a good friend / a boss / a partner?
• Do you consider yourself to be even-tempered?
• What is one thing that many people don't know about you?
• What expressions include colors when discussing illness? (ex., white or pale, pink eye, black and blue for bruises, yellow fever)
• What expressions include colors and feelings? (ex. I feel blue, green with envy, red with rage, turning red, black circles under the eyes, you are turning blue (with the cold))
• What do the colors in your home country's flag represent?
• Do you think birth order(oldest, youngest or middle) makes a difference in your personality?

Languages

• What language is spoken the most in your country?
• Do you have a second language in your country?
• How many languages do you speak fluently?
• Does your language have words adopted from English?
• Is English important for an individual in your country?
• Why are you studying English?
• What language you like speaking in?
• What language do you least like speaking in?
• What's your favourite language?
• What's your least favourite language?
• What's the language the people mostly speak in these countries (native language):
  • Brazil?
  • Mexico?
  • Switzerland?
  • Australia?
  • Canada?
• What's the strangest language have you ever head?
• Do you wish your country has another language instead of the present one?
• Do you have pen-friend? If yes, what languages do they speak?
• Think a bit...mention a language which isn't used anymore? (it begins with an ' L' )
• What language do the neighbouring countries of where you live speak?
• What would you do if you had to travel to a country where it's people don't know how to speak neither your language nor English?

Wishes

• What are three wishes you have for your life?
  • If you could choose only one of these to come true, which would it be and why?
  • What would be some positive and negative consequences (results) if each of these wishes came true?
• What other wishes do you have for yourself? What wishes do your parents have for you? Are they the same?
• What wishes do you have for your country? For your family members? For your classmates? For your roommates?
• How have your wishes changed since you were young?
• When you were young, how did you answer this questions: "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
• Have you ever had a wish come true? Was it what you always wanted?
• Why do we wish for things we don't have?

Fears

• Are there any parts of the city where you live which you are afraid to visit after dark? Where? Why?
• Are there certain weather conditions that scare people? What are they? Why do people become scared?
• Are you afraid of flying?
  • (Are you afraid to fly in an airplane?)
• Are you afraid of ghosts?
• Are you afraid of giving a speech in public?
  • (Does it scare you to speak in public?)
• Are you afraid of going to the dentist?
• Are you afraid of heights?
• Are you afraid of scary movies?
• Are you afraid of the dark?
• Are you afraid to die? Why?
• Are you afraid of getting old? Why?
• Are there any numbers that people are afraid of in your culture?
• Do you fear certain insects/animals? Why?
• Do you know anyone with a phobia?
• Do you like horror movies?
• Do you think young children should be allowed to watch horror movies?
• How do you react when you see something frightening?
• Is there any person you are afraid of?
• Were you afraid of the dark as a child?
• What animal do you think is the most scary?
  • (What animal scares you the most?)
• What are some things which many people are afraid of? Why are they afraid of them?
• What is the scariest movie you have ever seen?
• What is your biggest fear in life? Are you afraid that it might come true?
• What kinds of things make you nervous?
• What was the most frightening experience you've had?
• When you were a child, what things were you afraid of?
• Do you ever have nightmares (bad dreams)?
  • What are they about?
  • How often do you have nightmares?
• Have you ever seen any TV shows where people face their fears for money? e.g. Fear Factor etc.?
  • Would you ever face one of your fears for money?
  • Do you find this kind of show interesting to watch?
• What is your biggest fear?
• Have you overcome any of your fears?
• Are you afraid of being ill? What disease are you most afraid of? Why?
• Do you believe people can be cured of phobias by hypnosis?