71. Gifts
1. What is the importance of gifts?
Gifts are gestures of love. They strengthen bonds of friendship. Gifts make the recipient feel special.
2. Is there any pressure on us to buy presents?
As such, there is no pressure on us to buy presents. But sometimes when we receive costly presents then there is a pressure to reciprocate in the same way. Then it may cause pressure. I believe that gifts should be just gestures of love. Too costly gifts should not be there. Nowadays, we belong to a consumerist society. There are so many choices of gifts. This may seem good to some, but I often get confused when it comes to selecting a gift.
3. How often do you buy others gifts?
I buy gifts very often. I buy gifts for my friends and siblings, but I don’t buy expensive gifts. I am not earning yet. So, my budget is restricted to my pocket money only.
4. Do you like to send expensive gifts?
No, I don’t buy expensive gifts. I am not earning yet. So, my budget is restricted to my pocket money only.
5. What kinds of gifts are popular in your country?
All sorts of gifts are popular in my country. People buy gifts according to their choice and pocket.
6. Why do people send gifts?
Gifts are tokens of love. They give happiness to the giver and receiver.
72. Shoes
1. How often do you buy shoes?
For me comfort of shoes is more important than the looks, so whenever I find a pair of shoes that are very comfortable I don’t miss the chance to buy .As a matter of fact I end up buying a pair of shoes every month.
2. Have you ever bought shoes online?
Yes, online shopping these days offers a wider range of products, than conventional shopping in the stores. So I prefer to buy shoes online these days. I just bought a pair yesterday.
3. Do you know anyone who likes to buy a lot of shoes?
Yes I have come across many people who like to buy a lot of shoes. My sister, my aunt ,my mother all of them have a good collection of Shoes in all colours .
4. What’s your favourite type of shoes?
As I just mentioned my favourite type of pair of shoe is the one that offers comfort rather than good looks only. I like shoes that are simple in design and polishable.
73. Forget things
1. What kinds of things do you have to bring when you go out?
When you go out you should have your purse with some money, an ID card and your cell phone.
2. Did you ever forget to bring something?
Yes, once I had to go to Ludhiana by bus. I forgot my wallet at home. Fortunately, I knew someone in the bus, who helped me. Otherwise, I would have had to get down midway.
3. How do you remind yourself?
I have become very forgetful. I try to repeat things in my mind and sometimes I set reminders on my cell phone.
4. Do you carry different things in the morning and in the evening?
It depends on where I have to go. In the morning, it is generally to school or college. So, I carry my bag and books. In the evening, I may have to go shopping. So, I carry my purse and shopping bag.
74. .Indoor games
9. Do you play any indoor games?
Yes, I play carom board and cards with my siblings and parents.
10. Do you prefer to play indoor games or outdoor games?
It depends on the weather outside. In hot summer afternoons, I play indoor games. But, when the weather is good, I play cricket and badminton outside with my friends.
11. What indoor games did you play when you were a child?
I played carom board, ludo and snakes and ladders as a child.
12. Is there any particular indoor game that you liked (when you were a child)?
I liked ludo and snakes and ladders.
13. What sorts of indoor games do children play now?
Nowadays, children are of the digital era. They play electronic games on the computer.
14. Do you play video games?
Yes, I play Mario and tetris sometimes on my phone.
15. What kinds of video games do you like to play?
I play Mario and tetris only. Sometimes I feel I have wasted a lot of time on these two games.
16. Is it good for young people to play video games?
Yes, video games are good, but only if played in a limit. These introduce children to computer technology, and teach strategy building skills.
75. City Life
1. Do you live in the city or the countryside? (countryside = village)
I live in the countryside. (—–Then go about talking about your village)
I live in the city. (—–Then go about talking about your city)
2. Is it good for young people to grow up in the city?
Yes, it is good for young people to grow up in the cities because cities provide many facilities. There are good education facilities, recreational (entertainment) facilities, and health facilities. There are also good job opportunities in cities.
3. Is your city/village a good place for young people to grow up?
Yes, my village is a good place for young people to grow up. First, it is very near to the city. It is as good as being in the suburbs of the city. We can enjoy all the facilities of the city as well as the clean and pollution free atmosphere of the village.
OR
Yes, my city is a good place for young people to grow up. There are good education facilities, recreational (entertainment) facilities, and health facilities. There are also good job opportunities in my city.
4. Have you ever been to the seaside?
No, I have never been to the seaside. My cousin went to Goa last year. He told me that beaches are fun places. I would like to go there whenever I get a chance.
OR
Yes, I have been to the seaside once. I went to visit relatives in Mumbai. They took us to the Juhu Beach
5. Do you often eat out (go to restaurants)?
I eat out very often, in fact two or three times a month.
6. What food do you like?
I like traditional Punjabi food, such as dal roti. I also like Chinese Manchurian and cheese chilly. I love eating Italian pizza and pasta.
76. Foreign language
1. Why do you think it is important to learn a foreign language?
It is important to learn a foreign language because it helps you connect with more people. As it is, today we do not belong to a big planet Earth; we belong to a small global village and to survive in this global village, it is necessary to be multilingual. For example, English is spoken in 86 countries. If you know English you can communicate with people of 86 countries.
2. How is it helpful to you to speak a foreign language?
I know English which is a foreign language. It is very helpful for me. Knowledge of English makes me feel more confident as it increases my communication skills and also it helps me in surfing the net because most websites are written in English.
3. What is the most difficult part of learning a foreign language for you?
I find some pronunciations very confusing at times. For example bough is pronounced ‘bo’ whereas tough is ‘tuff’. Sometimes the spellings which have silent words also confuse me. For instance ‘b’ is silent in doubt and debt.
4. What is the best way to memorize new words?
The best way is to start using them in daily life so that they become part of your natural spoken English.
5. Is it better to learn a new word from translation or by definition?
I think both ways are equally good. Sometimes some words are learnt best by translation and some by definition.
6. Why don’t some people know the language of the society they live in?
This is perhaps because they live in their own shell and don’t intermingle with those people.
7. What do you think of children learning a foreign language?
I think children should learn a foreign language. It is very easy for children to learn a foreign language as they are very receptive and they are not hesitant about making mistakes. They also have a benefit of not knowing any other language too well, to make comparisons and assumptions about the difficulty of language learning. In this era of globalization, knowledge of a foreign language is very beneficial for a better career and a brighter future. It opens more avenues for the students for higher education and good jobs.
8. Why are some language classes boring?
Some language classes are boring because of the teaching methods used. If there no interactive and fun activities involved in teaching a language and only textbook teaching methods are followed, students become bored easily. Incorporating technology in classrooms, keeps the students interested in learning and they learn it easily. For example, there should be audio-visual means used.
9. Some students hate to learn foreign languages, what can teachers do to develop their interest?
Some students hate to learn a foreign language mainly due to lack of interest and uninteresting teaching methods used. Teachers play an important in developing students’ interest. Interactive and fun activities should be included to keep the children involved and interested in learning. If students are taught only from text books and there is a pressure of examination, it leads to students becoming bored or disliking language classes. Teachers should also use contexts and examples to which the students can relate in their day-to-day life. If they understand how the language can help and benefit them, students would be motivated to learn that language.
10. Some people travel for learning a foreign language, what do you think?
I think that traveling is a very good way to learn a foreign language. It is true that the more we use a language, the better we get at it. So, if we travel to a county/region where that language is used, we will interact more with the local people in that language and learn its nuances better. Also, language is related to the culture. If we travel, we learn more about the culture and can learn the language better.
11. What’s the best way to learn a foreign language?
I think the best way to learn a foreign language in a classroom environment, from a teacher who has in-depth knowledge of that language. The teacher should preferably be a native speaker of that language or should have a high proficiency level in that language. It is very important to incorporate technology and audio-visual methods to teach that language. Also, travelling to that country/region where the language is spoken is also a good way to learn it. These days learning a language through videos and online classes has become very popular, as the students get a chance to interact with the teachers and also with native speakers of that language, through the internet. There are many apps also available, which can be downloaded on smartphones, which help learning a foreign language in a fun and interactive way. For example, the Duolingo app.
12. Why can some people learn languages fast white others learn slowly?
Some people learn language faster than some others because of the teaching methods used to teach them. Interacting more with the native speakers also helps with learning a language better and faster. Also, there may be a motivating factor, like a job that requires them to learn that language, which makes people learn a language faster than others, who don’t have any motivation behind learning a language.
13. Does one’s age affect their language learning?
Yes, I think age affects language learning. I thing the learning curve goes down with increasing age. Also, at an older age, people try and compare the new language they are learning with the language they already know. That may cause a hindrance in the learning of a language. People also become more hesitant about making mistakes and feel more embarrassed, at a later age, as compared to young learners.
Advantages for children to learn languages – Why it is good to learn languages at younger age
1. When children learn multiple languages at a younger age, they develop a lifelong love of communicating with others.
2. It is much easier to learn foreign language when young. At a later age it becomes harder to become fluent
3. Learning a foreign language helps a child’s mind develop. Such children do better in other subjects. It helps their intellect to develop more
4. Learning a foreign language helps children to expand their knowledge of the world. They want to know about other people and other countries. They would want to understand them instead of being afraid of them.
Advantages for the adult learner of a foreign language
He has his own language to compare with the second language. So new terms or concepts are easily understood.
They have a strong motivation to learn a new language especially if it is connected to an employment opportunity.
Most adult learners have participated in study earlier, so they know what method of learning works best for them.
77. Birds
1. How do you feel about birds? (Why do you feel that way?)
I feel that birds are very special. They are beautiful creations of God. They add diversity to nature.
2. How do Indian people feel about birds?
India is a diverse country. Everyone has different feelings. Some love birds, and keep them as pets. Others just admire them flying in the sky. Some even eat birds.
3. Are there many birds near your home?
Yes, there are birds near my home. I can see pigeons, crows, sparrows and even the cuckoo bird occasionally.
4. Have you seen many different kinds of birds? (near your home)
Yes, I have seen many different birds. Apart from the birds I see routinely around my house, I have seen peacocks in my neighbouring village. I have also seen some rare birds, in the Chhattbir zoo. There were different varieties of parrots and the ostrich and emu over there.
1. Do any birds have any particular significance in India? For example, does India have a national bird?
Yes, peacock is our national bird. It is a beautiful bird. The male looks very beautiful with its plumes spread out.
1. Do you think birds should be protected? (Why? / Why not? How can they be protected?)
Yes, definitely. They are beautiful creations of nature. They add diversity to our environment. Apart from that, they are the best pollinators. Also, birds eat insects. That is why crops are protected. They are part of our ecological chain. We all know that if any link of our ecological chain is not there, then the whole ecology can collapse. Birds can be protected by having strict laws against catching and selling birds. The NGOs like
SPCA, which means Society for prevention of cruelty to animals, and the PFA, which means people for animals can also help in this matter.
5. Do Indian people like raising (keeping) pet birds?
Yes, they do. Some people keep birds as pets. They keep colourful parrots and pigeons as pets.
6. Have you ever raised (kept) a pet bird?
No, I have never raised a pet bird. There is a lot of work involved.
78. Boats
1. Do you often travel by boat?
No, I don’t often travel by boat. I don’t live in the coastal area and where I live people do not travel by boat. Boating is done only in places with water such as the Sukhna Lake.
2. Have you ever been on a boat while you were on holidays (on vacation)?
No, I have never traveled to a coastal area for holiday. I never got a chance.
3. (Similar to above) Have you ever been on a boat tour while you were on holidays? (Same question as above. Can be answered differently)
No, I have never been on a boat tour, but yes, I did boating once then I went to Chandigarh to visit my relatives. They took me to the Sukhna Lake.
4. Would you like to go on a boat tour? (Why?/Why not?)
Yes, I would definitely like to go on a boat tour. I think it would be great fun. My relatives live in USA. They told me that there’s a cruise to Alaska. One day I would love to do that cruise.
5. (Similar to above) Would you like to have a holiday on a boat?
6. Where in your country do people most often use boats? (or, travel by boat)
India has a long coastline. The coastline is more than 7000 km. People living near the coast use boats very often.
7. Do many people in your country own their own boat?
Maybe people living near the shores have their own boats, but people living off shore do not have their own boats.
8. Would you like to buy a boat?
No, I would not like to buy a boat. I think it would be a waste of money.
1. If you had your own boat, what would you do with it?
If I had my own boat, I would buy a house near the beach and do boating everyday.
79. Relatives
1. Do you often visit your relatives?
No, I don’t often visit relatives. I visit them once or twice in six months.
2. What do you do when visit them?
Whenever we visit relatives, we have lots of fun. We visit some historical places, eat out, watch movies and do lots of other activities.
3. Do you prefer to spend time with your relatives, or your friends?
I prefer to spend time with my friends. I like the company very much. We have lots of fun together.
4. (Possibly the question above is this) Do you prefer visiting your relatives, or your friends?
5. (Similar to above) Who is the more important to you, your relatives / your family, or your friends?
Both are important for me, but my friends are more important than my relatives. Of course, my immediate family is more important then friends.
80. Sports
1. Are you interested in sport?
Yes, I am interested in sports. I like watching cricket and hockey on TV. Sometimes I play badminton with my brother, on the terrace of our house.
2. (Similar to above) Do you like sport?
3. What sports do you like? (Why?)
I like cricket, hockey, badminton and many other sports. I like watching these on TV. But I play only badminton.
4. Do most people in your country like sport?
Yes most people in my country like sport. Cricket is the most popular sport. People also like hockey and football.
5. (Similar to above) What sports do people in your country like to play?
India is a diverse country. People like to play all types of sports, but cricket is the most popular sport.
6. What benefits do you think sport can bring us?
Playing sport and bring us many benefits. By playing competitive sports, we learn competition, and by paying team sports we learn cooperation.