Communication activities/ Writing Assignment Topics
1. Exchanging information: Student A, while on holiday in NY, he/she decides to go and visit the Statue of Liberty bud doesn’t know how to get there. She/he asks somebody in the street where to find the statue, the best way to get there, the cost of the visit, things to do and see there, the history of the Statue. Student B, walking down the street, is asked by a tourist about the Statue and he gives him/her some details: Liberty Island, by boat, inexpensive, go to the top, a gift from France in 1886.)
2. Antiques fair: work in groups of three. Imagine you are antiques experts in the year 3000. I’m going to tell you some objects (a CD, a training shoe, a cigarette, a yo-yo, a pair of glasses, a credit card, a toothpick, a mobile phone, a bunch of keys, a coin, a comb, a fork, a die, a teddy bear, a floppy disk) Try to invent reasonable but false descriptions of what people used to do with them: e.g. rubber band (In the mid-nineteenth century, people used to chew these to clean their teeth after eating.
3. Giving account: Student A, while walking home late at night, after a party, notices two persons breaking into a car. He/she phones the police to report the crime he witnessed. Now he must tell them his/her name and address, what he saw and where, how the persons looked like, what happened after and how he/she reacted. Student B is an employee at the police station. He/she answers the phone and talks to the witness and wants to find out further information about the case.
4. In pairs ask each other questions about your schooldays: Did you use to play truant often? Here are some expressions to help you: love school, love sports, study hard, be a bully, have a strict teacher, be good at music, make trouble, smoke cigarettes, wear a tie, be lazy, do lines or detention, have a funny teacher, be the teacher’s pet.
5. Team Work: The 10 most important events of the 20th century. You are participating in a nation-wide survey to choose the 10 most important events of the 20th century. Your discussion group has been asked to consider different possibilities and then suggest two events to include on the list. Each member of your group should first select one event that he/she feels should definitely be on the list. (e.g. the World Wars, the break-up of the Soviet Union, the internet, etc.) Make a few notes about your event and say why you consider it to be so important In the discussion, put forward your point of view and listen to others. You may ask and answer questions too. Finally, take a group vote and choose your two most important events. Now the other groups can announce their results. Put these together and look at differences and similarities. Compose a class list of 10 events that reflects the majority opinion.
6. Giving sequels: Read the following lines and image a sequel for the situation
‘Is there something wrong? You look a bit down in the dumps. Not your usual cheerful self’.
‘Yes, I suppose I am feeling a little down today. I woke up feeling glum and I just can’t seem to shake it off.’
‘Why do you think that is? What’s up?’
‘Well, what happened was that I invited a few friends over for dinner last night and every single one of them pulled out at the very last minute.’
‘Oh, that’s awful. What reasons did they give for cancelling at such short notice?’
‘Well, they all had their excuses about hard days and overtime at work. But it didn’t make it any easier for me to tuck into that spread all on my own’.
A. Food for thought
The odd numbers represent one and the same topic; the others instead ask you to develop different situations linked to your field of interest. You could imagine a written assignment or a speaking activity.
1. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
2. Think of Romania's main natural resources. Are they effectively exploited? Give reasons.
3. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
4. Do you agree that the national character is largely influenced by climate and geographical position? Give reasons.
5. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
6. Every country has a cultural and historical heritage which, among other things, contains a wealth of legends and myths about its past. Speak about a legend or myth - Romanian or foreign - which you know or love best.
7. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
8. Think back to a time when you went somewhere new on your holiday and had a lot of new experiences. Make some notes (e.g.: Greece-moussaka) and tell us about your experiences comparing two actions in the past: I (never eat) moussaka before I (go) to Greece. You can make something out if you cannot remember anything real.
9. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
10. Do you like travelling? Speak about a few places you have already been to or about those you would like to go to.
11. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
12. It is scientifically proven that most of us - if not all of us - are weather-conditioned. How do weather changes influence your feelings and moods?
13. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
14. Talk about a trip you have recently taken. Say where you have been, what you have been by, who has been there with you, and if you liked it.
15. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
16. Romania is a country worth visiting. Talk about the things you would like to recommend a foreigner so as to make him visit the country.
17. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
18. Describe what your town/ a town you love looks like by day or by night.
19. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
20. Speak about your favourite holiday spot and explain what makes it so special to you. Describe the place, the scenery, the people, and the general atmosphere.
21. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
22. An English friend of yours comes to live in this country. Speak about what he/she may find different in people's attitudes, behaviour, and mentality - or in other aspects of daily life. Choose those things which you consider most significant and which your friend should get to know.
23. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
24. Is it better to live in a small town/ village than in a large town/ city? Give at least three reasons to support your choice.
25. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
26. Are you the kind of person you thought you would become one day? Do you like the person you are now? If not, what are you going to do to change that?
27. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
28. Most people act or behave according to a set of values they appreciate most. Mention at least three such values which have top priority and guide you in life.
29. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
30. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. What could that mean? Decide upon its most appropriate meaning and argue in favour or against it.
31. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
32. When speaking about cultural stereotypes, reserve, restraint, and distance refer to important characteristics attributed to the British. Which, in your opinion, would be three stereotypical features attributed to the Romanians? Give arguments.
33. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
34. Describe the special place where you spent or would like to spend a winter holiday/ a summer holiday.
35. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
36. You have decided to go on a trip in China but when there you realize that the guide cannot speak English well. What would you do?
37. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
38. A tourist spent a night in a country inn but unfortunately a pipe was leaking in the bathroom all the night. Think of some of his/her complaints and how you as the inn owner cope with this situation.
39. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
40. You are running a restaurant and need another waiter/waitress. Write the advertisement for the job and imagine a short application letter in response to your ad.
41. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
42. In the catering industry, some establishments serve very high class meals, with very personal service, while others serve plain meals quickly and simply. Suggest a few examples.
43. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
44. Think of the most crucial worldwide threats to our planet’s biodiversity and environment. Then try to find an answer to the question: “How could we protect the environment?”
45. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
46. Think of some geographical features of a country you like (you can choose either Romania or among other European countries)
47. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
48. Make the personal profile of a well-trained guide. What qualities should he/she have? How should he/she be like?
49. Introduce yourself, speak about your expectations regarding your professional life and highlight how your academic studies are relevant for your future job?
B. Food for thought. From spoken to written style.
1
A. Describe your future profession.
B. What is the topic of your diploma paper? Explain why you have chosen this topic.
2
A. What is the role of Geography in the education of children?
B. What was your favourite subject matter as a student? Explain.
3
A. What are the qualities of a successful guide?
B. What are your chances of finding a job in your field of activity after graduation?
4
A. What are the qualities of a successful hotel manager?
B. What are the qualities of a good teacher of Geography?
5
A. Who is your favourite personality? Why do you admire him/her?
B. Describe your favourite topic in the field you have studied.
6
A. What are the benefits that people can derive from travelling?
B. What is the significance of the Travel Channel for you?
7
A. Imagine that you had to persuade a friend to start travelling as a recreational activity. What would you tell him/her?
B. What is the role of travel in society?
8
A. Do you think that professional guides are paid too much? Explain.
B. Do you think that extreme sports are good recreational activities?
9
A. What is the role of television in promoting tourism?
B. What would you recommend to a person who wants to lose weight?
16
A. How can physiotherapy improve people’s health?
B. What are the differences between individual and team work? Which do you prefer?