Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Conversation Questions: Supernatural, Ghosts and Superstitions

from: conversation questions

A Part of Conversation Questions for the ESL Classroom.

Ghosts

1. Do you believe in ghosts?

2. Do you believe that dead people come back to life as ghosts?

3. Would you talk to a ghost?

4. Do you know anyone who has said that they have seen a ghost?

5. Have you ever come in contact with a ghost? (Have you ever seen a ghost?)

6. If one of your friends told you they had seen a ghost, would you believe him/her? Why/Why
not?

7. What is the scariest ghost story you know?

8. Is there an area where you live (park, house, etc.) that is known to be haunted? If so, what is the story or legend that makes people believe this area is haunted? Have you ever visited this place?

9. Do you believe that houses can be haunted? Have you ever been to one?

10. Do you believe that houses have ghosts in them sometimes?

11. Were you ever touched or physically harmed by a ghost or "spirit"? If so, how?

12. If you were a ghost who and where would you haunt?

13. How do you know if a ghost is near you?

14. If you don't believe in ghosts, then what have you heard other people say?

15. If you don't believe in ghost, tell why?

16. If you don't believe in ghost, and you actually have seen one, what were your reactions?

17. Have you ever felt that you knew a ghost that you saw?

18. If you were a ghost, who or what would you haunt?

19. Why do people say they see ghosts even though they sometimes do not?

20. Do you put any faith in the modern day ghost hunters?

21. Can you recall any strange or unexplained events in your life?

22. Do you believe your ancestors are watching you?

23. What do you about the image movies give us about aliens?

Superstitions

24. Do you think that there is truth behind superstitions?

25. Do you walk under ladders?

26. What are some superstitions in your country?

27. What are some things that are considered unlucky?

28. What are some things that are considered lucky?

29. What numbers are considered to be lucky and unlucky in your country?

30. A four-leaf clover is often considered lucky. What are some other things which are considered lucky.

31. Do you have a lucky number?

Psychics, Fortunetellers and Knowing the Future

32. Have you ever gone to a psychic?

33. If so, what were you told?

34. Did you believe it?

35. Why do some people consult psychics before doing important things?

36. Do you know anyone that has ever been to a psychic?

37. Why do some people need fortunetellers?

38. How do people predict the future in your country?

39. Do you believe in horoscopes?

40. Do you read your horoscope? If so, do you believe it?

41. Do you think that dreams come true?

42. Do you think that dreams can help us solve our problems?

43. Have you ever had a dream come true? / Have you ever had a dream that later came true?

44. Do you think that some people can predict the future?

45. What is your blood type?

46. Do you believe that you can tell a lot about a person from his/her blood type?

47. Do you believe that blood types can tell what a person's personality is?

48. Is the belief in UFOs, aliens, physic powers, etc, growing because belief in religion is dying?

49. What is your star sign?

50. Do you believe the predictions contained within your horoscope?

51. Are horoscopes important?

52. Do you read your horoscope often? Does it come true?

53. Does your star sign describe your personality traits well?

The Unexplained

54. Has anything ever happened to you that you cannot explain?

55. Do you believe that there are many things in our universe that cannot be explained? Give examples.

56. Do you believe that you are from another planet?

57. Do you believe you have supernatural powers there?

58. Have you ever tried to contact another planet?

59.Did you succeed?

Unsorted

60. Do you believe in reincarnation?

61. Have you ever felt that you knew someone the first time you met them?

62. Have you ever visited a foreign country or city for the first time and found that you knew exactly where things were?

63. Have you ever looked in the mirror and 'seen' a different face?

64. What do you think a spirit would look like?

65. Is the belief in UFOs, aliens, physic powers, etc, growing because the belief in religion is dying?

ESP

66. Do you believe in ESP?

67. How can a person know what kind of ESP abilities he/she has?

68. What do you think are some ways of developing these abilities?

UFOs

69. Do you believe that UFOs exist? / Do you believe in UFOs?

70. Do you know anyone who has said that they have seen a UFO?

71. Have you ever seen a UFO?

72. Do you know anyone who says that they have?

73. If you saw a UFO but were alone and had no proof would you tell anyone? Who?

74. Do you think that UFOs from other planets visit Earth?

75. What would you do if you were taken aboard a UFO?

76. Do you believe there is life on other planets?

77. Have you ever seen an E.T.?

78. Do you know anyone who says that they have?

Aliens

(Perhaps you should also explain that alien sometimes means a person from another country.)

79. Do you believe in aliens?

80. Do you think that you are an alien?

81. Do you think aliens are monsters?

82. If you saw an alien what do you would do?

83. Have you ever seen an alien?

84. Has anyone ever told you that he or she has seen an alien?

Other Questions

85. Are you afraid of spirits?

86. Do you believe in angels?

87. Do you believe in witches why or why not.

88. Do you believe in astrology? What is your astrological sign?

89. Do you believe in coincidences? Why or why not?

90. Do you believe in God? Why or why not?

91. Do you believe in life after death?

92. Do you believe in vampires? / Do you believe that vampires exist?

93. In many countries people believe in ghosts, spirits and dragons. Is this true in your country, and
why do you think these beliefs are so common?

94. What is the most frightening things that has ever happened to you?

QUESTIONS IN ALL CAPITAL LETTER (This is how they were submitted.)

95. WHAT IS THE MOST FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE HAD?

96. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A CEMENTERY AT NIGHT? WHY? OR WHY NOT? WOULD YOU GO?

97. WHERE DO YOU THINK DEAD PEOPLE GO?

98. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE WHO WERE BAD ALIVE PAY THEIR BAD BEHAVIOR BY
STAYING HERE?

99. DO YOU THINK HEAVEN EXIST?

100. DO YOU THINK HELL EXIST?

101. HAVE YOU PLAYED QUIJA? WHY OR WHY NO? WOULD YOU PLAY?

102. DO YOU THINK THAT SPIRITS WHO APPEAR TO PEOPLE ARE GOOD OR BAD?

103. DO YOU BELIEVE IN ANGELS?

104. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN CONTACTED AN ANGEL? WHAT DID IT TELL YOU?

105. HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED IN A MIRACLE? WHAT WAS IT ABOUT?

106. DO YOU GET SCARED BY HORROR STORIES?

107. DO YOU THINK YOU CAN CALL DEAD'S PEOPLE SPIRIT BY MAKINS A SESSION WITH A WITCH?

Ghosts

108. WOULD YOU STAY THE NIGHT IN A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE SAY THAT THERE ARE GHOSTS? LIKE IN A VERY OLD UNINHABITED HOUSE, A CHURCH OR A SCHOOL?

109. HAVE YOU SEEN A GHOST? WHAT KIND OF GHOST? DID YOU GET TO TALK WITH IT?

110. HAVE YOU THOUGH ABOUT BECOMING A GHOSTBUSTER?

111. WOULD YOU BE SCARED IF A GHOST TALKED TO YOU?

113. DO YOU THINK WE CAN FEEL IF A GHOST IS NEAR OF US BY THE CHANGES IN THE WEATHER? LIKE IN THE MOVIE, THE SIXTH SENSE

114. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU SAW A GHOST?

1 comment:

Grover said...

Such topics can be fun but the reason many such canned questions fall flat in the language classroom is that the approach is teacher-centred. Put the students first as in a new book called Catalyst. This is an interesting resource as it addresses this concern. Catalyst: A Conversation Taskbook for English Language Learners has an automatic topic generating routine built-in and the topics always resonate with students because it's student-centred: all about them. The main point about Catalyst is not that topic creation and topic substance are automatic or appealing however. Rather generated conversation is used as a means to the acquisition of a whole variety of essential communication tactics. Catalyst has review built around principles of "space repetition" and has instructor-, peer- and self- assessment protocols integrated as well. With all that going on there's not a lot of prep to do. Teachers can focus on facilitating the lesson, not the lesson plan.

Catalyst is the first ever interactive, "multi-touch" ESL textbook and has just been published for iPad. You can find out more by visiting http://www.speekeezy.ca/ or you can just download the free sample on iTunes here:https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/catalyst-esl-taskbook/id564638682?mt=11. This is clearly what Apple had in mind when they released iBooks Authour in January 2012.

Catalyst is also available in traditional paper.