Topic1 Describe an interesting conversation you had with someone (or a stranger)

1. What’s the difference between face-to-face conversation and phone conversation?

The biggest difference between face-to-face conversations and phone conversations is that with face-
to-face conversation, you can actually see the person you are talking to. This makes it a lot easier to
understand the tone of the conversation1 because you can read the person’s expressions. Phone calls
can be tricky2 because it can be difficult to determine exactly how the other person is feeling, and that
can cause miscommunication sometimes.

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2. What are the differences between men and women’s preferences for topics of conversation?
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I would say that women tend to be more emotional when they talk. They like talking about their
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feelings with each other and communicate more about their personal lives. Men, on the other hand,
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usually don’t talk about their emotions. It’s more about their daily lives, like what cars they like, what
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games they play, or what new technology is cool. I don’t think there is anything wrong with these
general differences, it just shows that both genders tend to react differently with each other.
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3. If you have a piece of bad news, do you prefer to tell others in person or by phone?

If I had bad news, I would definitely avoid telling others on the phone. Again3, it’s all about being able
to see each other in person and read each other’s expression. I would really hate for someone to
misunderstand what I’m saying because that could cause more problems on top of4 the bad news.
Telling them in person would make sure that both of us understand what is happening and we can
figure out what to do next or how to react together.

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the tone of the conversation
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tricky
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Again
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on top of
4. Why some people feel nervous when they do a presentation?

Presenting in front of people can be really scary. There are just so many people who are listening to
what you have to say and making a mistake can really ruin5 a presentation. I think the biggest source
of anxiety6 is getting judged by others. It really sucks to be made fun of7 and when standing in front
of a large crowd of people, the chances of being judged become much greater.

5. Is it better to have a PPT（PowerPoint） when doing the presentation?

A PowerPoint presentation can be really helpful when doing presentations. The PowerPoint adds a
visual aid8 to your presentation which not only takes focus off of9 you, but also helps the audience pay
more attention to what you are saying. This way, people don’t get bored listening to just one person
talk. Also, the PowerPoint can be a helping guide in case you lose track of10 what you’re saying during

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the presentation.
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ruin
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source of anxiety
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It really sucks to be made fun of
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adds a visual aid
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takes focus off of
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lose track of
Topic2 Describe a toy that you received when you were a child.

1. How do advertisements influence children？

Ads can be very influential. The main purpose of an ad is to motivate people to purchase certain objects.
Children’s ads especially target young kids by including their favourite toy characters or showing other
kids having fun while playing with a certain toy. These ads can make children more prone to11 wanting
to buy things, and growing up to think that happiness is associated with purchasing things.

2.What’s the difference between the toys kids play with now and those they played with in the
past?

I suppose that the main difference is that the toys now are more electronic. The internet has become a
really big thing12, so most toys are either on the internet or involve the internet somehow. The toys in
the past were more hands-on13, like toy blocks and rolling hoops14. A lot of the toys involved using the

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imagination or going outdoors, which allowed those children to be more active.
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3. Do you think parents should buy more toys for their kids or spend more time with them?
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Parents should definitely spend more time with their kids. It’s a really good idea to be able to enjoy
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time with family. Spending time with their parents allows children to form stronger bonds with them15,
and helps them in the future when they form relationships with other people. You know, no matter
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how many toys the parents buy for their children, they can’t compare to quality time together.
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prone to
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a really big thing
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hands-on
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toy blocks and rolling hoops
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form stronger bonds with them
4. Do you think playing has benefits for children? Why?

Most definitely. Playing games allows children to use their imagination. For example, pretend-play16,
which helps them gain specific characteristics and skills, like communication and cooperation, that
will be helpful in the future. Plus, by being allowed to be more creative, these children tend to grow
up happier and also gain skills that allow them to think outside of the box17. Without being able to play,
children won’t learn how to express themselves and interact with other children.

5. Do you think team activities have benefits for children? Why?

Yes, definitely. Team activities help children learn how to work with other people, how to lead and
how to follow, how to resolve conflicts, and most importantly, it makes them more open to other
perspectives. This can be really helpful in the future because most tasks usually involve more than one

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person. Being exposed to team activities at an early age ensures that these children are able to be open-
minded18 and cooperative with each other. io
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pretend-play
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think outside of the box
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open-minded
Topic3 Describe a film you would like to share/talk with your friends

1. What kind of movie is popular in your country?

I think sci -fi movies19 are becoming more and more popular in my country, especially since the release

of the big hit movie20 The Wandering Earth . There has been a new trend where Chinese

sci-fi stories have become the next big thing, and right now everyone loves them. Actually there are
more movies with sci-fi elements coming out these days, which is pretty exciting for fans like me. The
enormous number of movie fans21 in China are expecting to see more good sci-fi movies in the future.

2. What kind of movie do young people like to watch?

Lately, young people have become big fans of sci-fi and superhero movies22. With the whole Marvel23
business exploding, most young people have fallen in love with the superhero universe. Honestly, I

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think any movie with an awesome action sequence really makes a movie stand out. Right now, wars
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against superheroes, or even superheroes versus superheroes are just so much fun to watch. Kids love
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them because there are even entire toy franchises that they can collect and be a part of.
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3. Do you think cinemas will disappear in the future?

No, I don’t think cinemas will disappear. I feel like many people have believed that with new movie
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and TV show platforms like Youku or Aiqiyi that cinemas would die out, but that hasn’t really been
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the case24. In fact, with these awesome new movies coming out, I think more people have begun
visiting the cinemas more often. You know, the cinema is all about the environment. With spectacular
sound and visual effects25 at the cinema, you can enjoy a feast for the eyes and ears26 the way you can’t
do at home.

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sci -fi movies
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big hit movie
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enormous number of movie fans
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superhero movies
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Marvel
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hasn’t really been the case
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sound and visual effects
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enjoy a feast for the eyes and ears
4. Do you prefer to watch a movie at home or in a cinema?

I actually prefer watching movies at home, in my pajamas, while munching on27 whatever snack I feel
like having. It’s a lot more convenient doing that then having to get all dressed up to go out and watch
a film. I like that I can watch whatever movie I want, whenever I want, and also the privacy of watching
it in my room is so nice. Cinemas require a lot more work and dedication. You have to wait to buy
tickets, there are only certain times the movie is shown, and sometimes you can’t even bring your
snacks.

5. What are the reasons that an actor is popular?

To be honest, I think that being attractive is the top reason. I don’t want to drop any names28, but there
are certain actors out there who get these awesome movies but can’t actually act. It’s all in their

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appearance and name. Otherwise29, if an actor is really good at their job, then they become famous too.
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Actors like Tom Hanks or Zhang Ziyi are all popular because they really dig into their roles30 and are
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beyond amazing on screen. Sometimes they get so into their character that you forget about the actor
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all together! Those actors are the best.

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munching on
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I don’t want to drop any names
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Otherwise
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dig into their roles
Topic4 Describe a place where you can read and write (not your home)

1. What do you think is more important? Reading or writing?

Reading, I would have to say, is more important. This is kind of a difficult question; it resembles the
chicken and the egg riddle31. Reading and writing go hand in hand32. If someone doesn’t read, they
won’t be able to write. So, following that logic33, in order to be able to write well, you would have to
read as much as possible and then learn from reading how to write. Besides, people who read don’t
have to be good writers either. Reading provides such a large variety of information that it’s helpful to
everyone.

2. At what age should children start to read?

I guess the earlier, the better. Exposing children to stories and texts at even a year old can help them
develop reading skills and the patience to read. This would really help them in the future when they

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have to read textbooks. It will also make these children much more curious and open to learning. So I
think it’s always good to let children get hooked onto34 reading at a young age.
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3. Where do people like to study?

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Usually people like studying in libraries or in their own room. Anywhere quiet is a good place because
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it lets people focus better on their work and prevents them from getting distracted. People who like
studying in a quiet place usually prefer studying alone. They don't like being disturbed by anyone or
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anything while studying. Some other people might prefer studying at a place with some background
noise, like a coffee shop. Those places do wonders for35 their productivity and creativity.

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This is kind of a difficult question; it resembles the chicken and the egg riddle

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go hand in hand
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following that logic
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get hooked onto
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do wonders for
4. What are the differences between studying in a public place and studying at home? (What are
the advantages of studying in a public place and studying at home?)

Studying in public places such as a quiet library can be helpful sometimes. It allows people to feel like
they aren’t really missing out on 36 the world, and also still focus on their work. Plus, the study
atmosphere in public places works like a charm37 sometimes when you don't like studying alone. It can
make people more focused when they studying in a group setting. On the other hand, studying at home
gives people a quiet, focused place to study while feeling comfortable. There are snacks nearby, if
needed. Their family is at home for moral support, and most importantly, all the items that the person
might need are right in front of them38.

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missing out on
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works like a charm
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right in front of them