ORAL PROFICIENCY INTERVIEW - TOPICS

1.- Increase in crime in big cities.

- Most usual motives for murder.
- Why there more male criminals than female.
- How crime could be prevented.
2.- Driving on motorways.
- Pleasure of driving .
- Fast and cheap way of travelling.
- Traffic safety.
3.- How to keep fit in a big city.
- Putting on weight.
- Do gymnastics at home.
- Running / jogging.
4.- Women at work .
- Pleasant aspects of being housewife.
- Should housewives be paid a salary?.
- Jobs traditionally associated with women.
5.- Sports
- Professionally.
- In your spare time.
- Advantages of taking up sport.
6.- The miniskirt.
- Is it only a temporary fashion?.
- Advantages and inconveniences in its use.
- Should only young women wear it?.
7.- The world population is increasing faster now than ever before
- Causes.
- Consequences.
- Possible solutions to limit the problem.
8.- Everyday stress.
- What is everyday stress?.
- Its causes and consequences.
- What advice would you give to those who suffer from stress?.
9.- The Rock of Gibraltar.
- Geographical location and brief history.
- Gibraltars most important recent events.
- whats your opinion about the future of the Rock?.
10 Computers.
- Whats a computer?.
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- Do you think that computerisation has any influence on employment?..

- .Do you think it is easy to work at computers?
11.- The role of woman in Spanish life.
- Is that role the same as it was at the beginning of century?.
- Why do women work outside the home?.
- What types of jobs do working women hold?.
12.- Is it desirable for young people to live away from their families?.
- What age is the best for leaving home?.
- Problems of young people living alone.
- Advantages of staying at home.
13.- Air travel.
- Convenience and speed.
- Safety.
- Does it make travelling too easy?.
14.- How are the publics buying habits influenced by advertising.
- Do people buy things they dont want or need because of advertising?.
- Advertising is too expensive.
- The most effective advertisement you have seen.
15.- Sales.
- Are they a business technique?.
- Is the price or the quality lowered?.
- Items that put on sale.
16.- Should the police be armed?.
- Do criminals carry guns because the police do?.
- Under what circumstances should a policeman use his gun?.
- What the best arm for a policeman?.
17.- Too much time is spent earning a living.
- The pressure of work.
- Little time for hobbies or family.
- Psychological problems.
18.- Doping in sports.
- Whats doping?.
- Its consequences.
- Antidoping control.

19.- Amusement parks.

- Whats an amusement park?.
- Do you like them?. Why?.
- If you want to an amusement park with your family or some friends what
rides .
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.
20.- Carnival.
- External manifestations: acts of celebration.
- Does crime increase during Carnival ?.
- Repercussions in Spain.
21.- Boxing.
- Whats boxing?.
- Is boxing dangerous for ones health?.
- Should boxing be banned?.
22.- About housewives.
- Whats a housewife?.
- Tell us something about the usual activities of an average house wife?.
- Why do housewives always have to do deal with the house chores?.
Topics numbers 23 and 24 are cancelled.
25.- The population explosion is causing problems in developing
countries.
- Not enough food / land.
- Economic pressure.
- Should developed countries give more help?
.
26.- Choosing a career
- Something you enjoy.
- Something that pays a lot of money.
- What career would you have chosen if you hadnt joined the Army?.
27.- Everyone needs a hobby.
- It help to relax.
- What is your favourite hobby?.
- People dont have enough time for spare time activities.
28.- Traffic congestion in large cities
- Should people use public transports more?.
- Pollution and inconvenience to drivers and pedestrians.
- In Athens, you can only use your car on alternate days. Is this a good idea?.
29.- Strike !.
- Main causes of strikes in present-day industry.
- Should people, like doctors, teachers and policemen go on strike?.
- Are workers forced to go on strike by their unions?.
30.- Too much money is spent on space exploration.
- The money is wasted.
- Space exploration is dangerous.
- Nobody is interested in it.
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31.- The bullfight.

- Whats a bullfight?.
- Are for or against bullfights?.
- How are bullfights part of Spanish culture?
.
32.- Driving in Spain..
- Is it safe to drive in Spain?.
- Whats your opinion about Spanish drivers?.
- Are the Spanish roads suitable to cops with the increase of traffic?.
33.- Department stores.
- Whats a department store?.
- Advantages and disadvantages, if any of buying in department stores.
- Repercussions on small stores
34.- Hollywood.
- Location.
- Hollywoods main industry.
- The Oscars.
35.- Parachuting.
- Whats a parachute?.
- Sports parachuting.
- Military parachuting.
36.- A visit to a sea port.
- Whats a sea port?.
- What activities and facilities can you see at the sea port?.
- Sea port in regard with their economic and tourist importance.
37.- Drinking alcohol is dangerous.
- Addiction.
- Expense.
- Drinking and driving.
38.- Television is a bad influence.
- Too much time spent in watching television.
- Children often copy what they see on television.
- People are too busy in watching television to talk to each other.

39.- Every one needs a holiday.

- Time to spend with the family.
- A rest from work.
- What would be your idea of a dream holiday.
40.- Education.
- Children should stay in school longer.
- Too much importance is given to art subjects.
- What was your favourite subject at school ?.
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41.- The English language

- English is necessary in the modern world.
- One day, English will be the only language.
- English is easy to learn.
42.- Energy.
- Nuclear power is dangerous.
- Alternative energy sources (i.e. solar power).
- What will happen when oil runs out ?
.
43.- Pollution in big cities.
- Whats to pollute ?.
- Is pollution a menace to our live ?.
- How do people pollute?.
44.- About space travels.
- Whats a spaceship?.
- Advantages and disadvantages, if any, space travels.
- Mention a significant space expedition.
45.- The current antismoking campaign.
- Are you for or against tobacco ?.
- What kind of actions would you suggest to reduce smoking?.
- Whats your opinion about non-smokers complaints?.
46.- Snow sports.
- Are snow sports popular? Are they cheap?.
- Snow resorts.
- Is skill necessary to practice these sports?.
47.- About cars .
- Whats a car?.
- Name and describe main systems and components of a car and the functions
they perform.
- Cars versus public transport and bicycles.
48.- Christopher Columbus.
- Where was he born?.
- His navigation theory.
- The importance of this discovery.
49.- The computer revolution .
- The world is changing too quickly.
- Schoolchildren must study more computer.
- One day, computers will control every aspect of life.
50.- The Olympic Games .
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- Too political.
- Too professional.
- Should always be held in the same place.
51.- Learning a language .
- Its very difficult to learn a second language.
- Its better to study a language in a country where it is spoken.
- Good grammar isnt important if people ununderstand what you say.
52.- Gambling in Spain .
- The national lottery.
- The primitive lottery.
- Whats our opinion about gambling?.
53.- About fuel .
- Coal.
- Gasoline.
- Importance in todays industry.
54.- Don Quixote .
- His author.
- The knight-errants books.
- Tell us about any of Don Quixote adventures.
55.- Crafts in the modern world .
- Satisfaction from doing things with your hands.
- Age at which people can learn.
- Do they pay off?.
56.- Conversation is a lost art .
- Pleasant aspects of it.
- A stimulant to means imagination.
- Television is responsible for destroying conversation.
57.- Mans search for happiness .
- Material success rarely brings happiness.
- Increasing interest in happiness.
- Most people in modern Europe are not happy.
58.- The influence of climate on human behaviour .
- Psychological problems.
- The Spanish siesta is out of date.
- Undeveloped countries are all in temperate zones.
59.- Blood sports- wrestling and boxing .
- Few people are interested in them.
- Is man an aggressive animal.
- Fighting as an sport relieves social pressure.
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60.- Women in the Armed Forces .

- Adequate assignments for women in the armed forces.
- Problems caused by their incorporation.
- Arguments for and against.
61.- Buying second-hand .
- Advantages of such cars.
- Too much trouble.
- You need to be a good mechanic.
62.- Effects of pollution on the sea .
- How to prevent it.
- Is it too late to do anything.
- Greenpeace is a useful organisation.
63.- Without music world would be a sorry place .
- Something everyone enjoys.
- It helps you to relax.
- Modern music is just noise.
64.- Care of animals .
- Cruel to keep animals in a big city.
- Expensive hobby.
- Some people care more about their animals than people.
65.- Lack of enough food .
- Problems in developing countries.
- How to combat them.
- Rich countries are obliged to help.
66.- Unidentified Flying Objects .
- Fact and fiction.
- People want to believe in UFOs.
- Some things cannot be explained by Science.
67.- Effects of strikes on economy of the country .
- Ineffective - do the workers more harm than good.
- Unemployment.
- Strikes should be illegal.
68.- Emigration .
- Should it be encouraged ?.
- How this might be solved?.
- People have a right to live where they want.
69.- The pleasure of reading .
- Personal hobby.
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- Way of fighting stress.

-.Excellent way of widening ones knowledge
70.- Competition in sport .
- Pleasure from winning.
- Too much competition is dangerous.
- Sport is about participating, not winning.
71.- Inadequate housing causes delinquency .
- Do high-rise blocks create problems ?.
- Poor housing should be cleared and people moved.
- Importance of open spaces in towns and cities.
72.- Man is a political animal .
- Politics is dishonest.
- Man is only interested in himself.
- Society needs strong governments.
73.- A new trend: Living in the country .
- Advantages.
- Disadvantages.
- Why do retired people like to live in the country ?.
74.- History of transport .
- Water and train transport.
- Transport by land.
- The newest form of transport; the airplane.
75.- Pollution of the sea
- Death in the sea.
- Accidental oil spills.
- Nuclear cemeteries.

76.- Keeping fit .

- Main purpose of keeping fit.
- Working out - the best method.
- Diet to follow.
77.- Man in space .
- Russian - American race.
- Inherent problems and dangers.
- Astronaut training.
78.- Let the punishment fit the crime .
- Why are criminals punished ?.
- What are the aims of different kinds of punishment ?.
- What do you think of corporal and capital punishment ?.
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79.- A round -the - world trip .

- The route you would take.
- The places you would visit.
- How you would travel.
80.- Advertising .
- What can you say in favour of advertising.
- Danger of T.V.
- Comment on All advertising media have their own particular advantages.
81.- Environment .
- Life in the country versus life in the city.
-.What are the most important question for a town planner?
- In what ways are news towns better or worse than old towns?.
82.- Equal opportunities and discrimination .
- Kinds of discrimination.
- Jobs labelled for men or for women.
- What can be done to eliminate discrimination ?.
83.- Sports and politics .
- Can politics and sports be kept apart ?.
- Is there any difference between the Olympics issue and the case of racism in
sports ?.
- Many athletes are asked to miss sporting occasions for political reasons.
84.- Newspapers .
- What do you think is the main function of a news paper ?.
- Newspapers do not report news; they make it. Do you agree ?
- What are the functions of photographs. in newspapers.
85.- Entertainment .
- What type do you enjoy most?.
- In what ways has it changed in the last twenty years ?.
- How do you think it will develop in the near future ?.
86.- The Army .
- Should it be compulsory or voluntary.
- Are there any advantages in the Army using advertisement for recruiting ?.
- How should conscientious objectors be treated ?.
87.- Westerns .
- Why are the stories about the Wild West so popular?.
- What is your opinion of such stories ?.
- Farmer against cowboys.
88.- Superstars .
- Advantages and disadvantages of being a star .
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- Why adult people dislike pop music? .

- Superstars appeal to the blood more to the head. Do you agree ?.
89.- Food .
- Are some types of food healthier than others? .
- What are the advantages of frozen and canned food, compared with fresh
food ? .
- What are your favourite dishes ?.
90 .- Dieting .
- Are the men better cooks than women ?.
- What reasons do people have for becoming vegetarians ?.
- The danger of putting on weight.
91 .- Unemployment .
- What are the causes of unemployment ?.
- How do people feel when they are unemployed ? .
- What can be done about this problem ? .
92.- Housing .
- What different types of housing are there ? .
- What makes you prefer one type to another ?.
- Should buildings be functional or beautiful ?.

93.- Juvenile delinquency .

- What are the causes of juvenile deficiency ? .
- How can it be cured ? .
- Should young lawbreakers be treated in a different way adult criminals? .
94 .- Crime detection .
- Variety of experts.
- Fingerprints .
- Importance of forensic science.
95.- Having an operation .
- Common surgical operations.
- The procedure for surgery.
- The recovery period.
96.- Railways of the future .
- Wheels obsolete.
- Automatic train control.
- From present to future .
97.- Uses of leisure .
- Leisure and work .
- Leisure activities and expenditure .
- The future of leisure .
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98.- Early weapons and defence .

- The first weapons .
- Later arms and armour.
- The medieval knight.
99.- Soon, more than a half the worlds population will be over 65 years
of age .
- How will they be looked after? .
- What pressure will it put on the rest of the population? .
- How has this population come about? .
100.- Everybody should go to University .
- It is not suitable for everybody.
- Parents put pressure on their children.
- Will it guarantee employment?.
101.- What can we do to ensure that the future is as we want it to be? .
- Pollution and environment .
- Automation .
- Violence and war .

102.- Squatters .
- Uninhabited building and people without a home.
- Types of people: young people, maladjusted .
- Similarities and differences between other collectives: the Greens, ecologists,
etc....
103 .- Buildings of the future .
- Should building be functional or beautiful? .
- Building fitting with the surroundings .
- Suggestions to make them cheaper.
104.- Advertising .
- There is a lot to be said in its favour .
- They even provide entertainment.
- They are an integral part of our urban environment .
105.- Male versus female .
- What do you think of the traditional male / female roles within the family? .
- What do you know about the women s liberation movement? .
- What do you think of its aims and ideals? .
106.- New towns and old towns .
- In what ways are new tows better or worse than towns?.
- What are the most important questions for a town planner?.
- Concern for history should never stand in the way of progress.
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107.- Boom in the baby trade .

- Why do couple adopt babies?.
- How do birth control and abortion affect this trade?.
- Why hard currency by-passes any queue for adopting babies?.
108.- Juvenile delicuency .
- What are the causes of juvenile delicuency?.
- How can these causes be cured?.
- Should young lawbreakers be treated in a different way from adult criminals?.
109.- Newspapers .
- The future of newspapers.
- Ownership of newspaper and its significance .
- Pros and cons of news papers versus T.V. .
110.- Using horoscopes .
- Why do people read horoscope?.
- Why do newspapers print horoscopes?.
- What might this tell us about the readers of newspapers.
111.- Cooking and sating habits .
- Traditional and modern cooking.
- Food and health.
- Ethnic eating. The availability of food from other countries.
112.- Pressing the press .
- Different forms of press control.
- Press and revolutionary propaganda.
- Journalistic criticism under political control.
113.- Weddings .
- Big weddings VS. small ones.
- The cost of getting married today.
- Wedding gifts-extravagant ones VS. practical ones.
114.- Socialised medicine .
- Advantages and disadvantages for patients.
- Advantages and disadvantages for doctors.
- As compared to private medicine.
115.- Telephone answering machine .
- Their use in private home and businesses.
- Their limitations .
- Would you have one in your home? Why or why not?.
116.- Credits cards .
- Plastic money VS. paper money.
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- Credit card thieves.

- How to avoid overspending.
117.- Buying and renting an apartment .
- Reason for renting or for buying.
- Ways of financing buying an apartment.
- The best investments.
118.- Buying a car .
- Considerations for choosing the type of car.
- Foreign cars VS. domestic cars.
- Cars as status symbols.
119.- Draft Dodgers .
- Is draft dodging a spontaneous or provoked phenomenon?.
- Relationship between the draft dodgers and other groups such as ecologist
and Greens.
- Possible solution to the problem of draft dodging.
120.- Drunk driving .
- Prevention.
- Penalties.
- Responsibilities (only the driver or friends, bystanders and other drivers?).
121.- Satellite dish antennas .
- Why theyre so popular.
- How are they changing todays world.
- Are they good or bad or just more of the same.
122.- Pets .
- What kind of animals can be allowed in an apartment building?.
- Dogs abandoned by their owners.
- The role of the Society for the Protection of Animals.
123.- Smoking in public places .
- What do you understand by public place .
- People have a right to smoke.
- The dangers have been exaggerated.
124.- The right to strike .
- It is a part of democratic process .
- How could it be controlled? .
- Strikes have very little effect .

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