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Conversation questions

Culture Conversation Questions (B1–C1)

Celebrations, customs, family traditions and cultural identity.

Age
Ages 13+
Level
B1–C1
Skill
Speaking
Format
Teacher guide
More in the library

Warm-up

In pairs, describe a celebration you enjoy using only five words. Your partner asks yes/no questions to find out more, then you swap.

Pick a question

B1 · 1 of 12

What's your favourite celebration of the year, and how do you usually spend it?

2-minute timer

All 12 questions

B1

  1. What's your favourite celebration of the year, and how do you usually spend it?
  2. What dish do people where you're from make for special occasions?
  3. Which custom in your country might surprise a visitor? Describe it.
  4. Is there a family tradition you'd like to keep in the future? What is it?

B2

  1. Why do some traditions survive for centuries while others disappear?
  2. What can people learn from spending time in a different culture?
  3. Are global brands, films and music making cultures more alike? Is that a problem?
  4. How should you behave when you don't understand a local custom?

C1

  1. When, if ever, is it right to change or abandon a tradition?
  2. Where would you draw the line between appreciating another culture and borrowing from it carelessly?
  3. Can a person truly belong to more than one culture? What does belonging involve?
  4. If you had to explain your culture using only three objects, which would you choose, and what might people misunderstand?

Wrap-up

In groups, invent a new tradition for your class or town: when it happens, what people do and why. Present it and explain what it says about your group.

Printable question cards

Twelve cut-out cards with the level on each, plus the phrases and vocabulary.