Part 1 Topic

 Question

• What do you think are the advantages (and disadvantages) of 
  bicycles compared to cars? 

• How does the way people like to relax in China compare 
  with western countries?
• Compare the way people in China relax today and the way they 
  used to relax many years ago.

• Compare emails and (handwritten) letters.
• (Similar to above Do you prefer to write letters or emails? (Why?) 
• What are the differences between handwritten letters and emails? 
• Do you usually write letters to people or do you usually use a 
  cell-phone or email?
• (Similar to above) When you communicate with people, do you 
  prefer to write a letter, write an email or call on your 
  cell-phone? (Why?)
• (Similar to above) How do you communicate with others at work – by email or is it more convenient to communicate face-to-face?

• Compare the music that young people like and the music that 
  old(er) people like.
• Which instrument do you think would be better to study – the 
  piano or the violin?  

• Do you think the seasons have changed in recent years, compared to the past? (Why? How?)

• Are boys and girls good at the same sports? 

• In China, is transportation in the big cities the same as 
  transportation in small towns and villages?

• Do different age groups of people like to play different games? 
  (Give examples - What games?)

• What different types of newspaper are there in China?
• Do you prefer to read about domestic (or local) news or 
  international news? (Why?)

• Do you like your present age? (Why?/Why not?) (= Would 
  you prefer to be a different age to the age you are now?)
• What do you think is the best age to be?
• Do people have different pressures at different times of their life?

• What reading materials do different kinds of people like? 

• How (do you think) restaurants have changed, over the past few 
  years? (=How are restaurants today different to those of 
  before?) 

• What kind of entertainment do you prefer, TV or radio? (Why?)
• How are radio programs and television programs different?
• Do you prefer TV news or news on the radio? (Why?)
• In China, has television/radio changed much in the past few 
  years? (How?)

• Is there much difference between traditional dancing and modern 
  dancing? (What?) 

• What are the differences between cell phones and typical house phones (fixed-line phones)?
• Which do you prefer to use, a cellphone or a normal house phone (= a fixed-line phone)? (Why?)
• Which is better, a face-to-face conversation or a phone call? (Why?)
• Do men and women use telephones/cellphones in the same way?
• (Similar to above) Are there any differences to the cellphones (= mobile phones) that men use, compared to those that women use?
• How has advertising for cellphones developed in recent years? (Hint: Include a comparison with before.)

• After you start working, do you think you will prefer that kind of life to being a student? 

• Do you prefer working to being a student? (Why?/Why not?)

• Which place do you prefer, your hometown or the city where you are studying (or working)?
• How has your hometown changed in recent years? (E.g., the past 20 years or since you were a child.) 

• Do you prefer informal (= casual) or formal clothes? (Why?)

• Do you prefer to watch films in a cinema or at home? (Why?)

• Do you prefer to eat at home or in restaurants? (Why?)  (What 
  are the advantages of home cooking?) 
• Do you often eat with your family? or, Do Chinese people (or 
  you) prefer to eat with family or with friends? (Why?) 

• Do you prefer to spend time with friends or spend time alone? 

• Which meal do you prefer, lunch or dinner (supper)? (Why?)
• Do you prefer to eat three full meals a day or do you prefer to 
  eat many snacks throughout the day?

• Do you prefer to take photos yourself or to have other people 
  take photos? (Why?)
• Do you prefer to take pictures (= take photos) of people or of 
  scenery? (Why?)
• Do you prefer to send postcards to people or to send photos that 
  you took yourself? (Why?) (Or: As a souvenir of a place that 
  you visit, do you prefer to buy a postcard or take a photograph 
  yourself?)

• Do you prefer shopping in small shops or big supermarkets and 
  department stores? (Why?)
• How do you think shopping has changed in China since you were 
  born? 

• Which do you prefer, Saturdays or Sundays? (Why?)

• Have computers changed (= influenced) your life in any way? (If 
  yes, how?)

• Have you ever been to any place where the weather is different to your hometown? (If yes, compare the two.)

• Are there any big differences between people's names today in China and people's names many years ago?