General Conversation Topics
- Festivals. What days of the calendar year are officially designated as national festivals? What are the central themes of these occasions and how are they celebrated?
- Greetings, friendly exchange, farewells. How do friends meet, converse briefly, take their leave? What are the usual topics of small talk? How are strangers introduced?
- Childhood literature. What lyrics, rhymes, and songs are usually learned by young children?
- Errands. What are typical errands that a young person is likely to be asked to do, either at home or in school?
- Pets. What animals are kept in the home as pets? What is their role in the household?
- Tobacco and smoking. Who smokes, what do they smoke, and under what circumstances? What are the prevailing attitudes toward smoking? Where are tobacco products obtained?
- Invitations and dates. What invitations are young people likely to extend and receive? What formalities are involved? How common is "dating" between the sexes? How is it carried out?
- Owning, repairing, and driving cars. What is the role of the car in family life? Is car ownership common? Do most young people know how to drive? What are the requirements for obtaining a license to drive?
- Sports. What organized and professional sports are the most popular and the most generally presented for the public?
- Family meals. What meals are usually served with the whole family present? What is the special character of each meal, the food eaten, the seating arrangement, the method of serving dishes, the general conversation?
- Ceremonies. How are births, marriages, funerals observed or celebrated? What other important life events have ceremonies associated with them?
- Outings -- Where do you go with your family or friends on the weekend or a day off from work/school? How do you get there? What do you do there? Why do you like to go there? Tell about an outing that you did not enjoy! What went wrong?