Food for Thought Questions – Part#1

These questions can be used as part of partner or group discussion activities in ESL classes or ‘get acquainted’ questions for any class.  These questions can also be used for solo recordings as speaking practice or midterm/final assessment (see below).

Food for Thought Questions (Part#1)

1. What is your favorite or least favorite smell?  Why?
2. Whom do you secretly envy? Why?
3. Do you believe in miracles? Have you ever experienced one?
4. What accomplishment or life experience are you most proud of? Why?
5. In what ways are you weird (unusual)?
6. Would you want to marry or date someone from a different country? Why or Why not?
7. What do you think about when you lie awake in bed?
8. When was the last time you lost your temper? About what?
9. When was the last time you lied? What did you lie about?
10. When was the last time you apologized for something? What about?
11. When have you worked hard and loved every minute of it?
12. What can you do today that you were not capable of a year ago?
13. What technological change would you most like to see?
14. What is your favorite personal item of clothing?
15. How do you define a ‘good friend’?  How long does it take to become a good friend?
16. Do you want to get married? Why or why not? When?
17. Do you ever talk to yourself? When? What do you say?
18. What is your favorite indoor and outdoor temperature? Why?
19. What is the most valuable life lesson you learned from your parents?
20. What is the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?
21. What advice would you give to 12-year-old you?
22. What is your favorite fictional story? (novel, movie, fairytale, etc.) Why?
23. What is your favorite place on Earth? (other than your home)
24. What possession is most important to you?
25. What life lesson did you learn the hard way?
26. What was the most formal event you ever attended? How was it?
27. When do you feel most like yourself?
28. What do you do to deliberately impress others?
29. Are you more like your mom or your dad? In what way?
30. Do you want to have children?  How many? Why? How important is family to you?  
31. Are you afraid of getting older? Why or why not?
32.  What do you like most about your bedroom?  What would you like to change?
33. While you are talking with other people, do you speak more or listen more? Do you wish you were better at either?
34. Are you ever lonely, even when you are with your friends? Why or why not?
35. How do you define success?
36. How much do you care about what others think of you? In what ways?
37. Which would you rather be? rich or famous? beautiful or smart?
38. What would you rate 10 out of 10?
    (e.g. movies, books, songs, restaurants, people, places, snacks, etc)

Food for Thought Questions Part #2

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Solo Recordings

You will be asked to record two solo videos. Each video should be 1-3 minutes.  Recording can be done in your own solo breakout room or with your phone. 
1) Prepared Question: You can choose any food for thought question above At the beginning of class, you will be given 10 minutes to record a selfie video.  You can prepare your answer and even look at notes, but the goal is to sound as prepared, natural, and engaging as possible. 
2) Impromptu Question:  After recording your prepared video, you will be given another ‘Food for Thought’ type of question that is NOT on the list.  You will have another 10 minutes to record a selfie video. 

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