The Cultural Impact of Overseas Travel
• Why do so many Chinese people want to go abroad? (Possibly not just referring to travel
but also to all travel including study & migration.)
• Compare the benefits of traveling abroad with domestic tourism.
• When people travel to places that are different to where they come from, what effects does
this have on these people?
• Do you think travelling (overseas) can contribute to a person's education?
• What can people learn from overseas travel?
• Do you think people can learn anything about themselves from overseas travel?
• What is the importance (or value) of experiencing different cultures?
• With more and more students going abroad to study, what effect do you think this has on
China when they come back?
• In the past 20 or 30 years, have people's attitudes towards overseas travel changed in
China?
• What factors determine how people decide which country to go to?
• How do people decide which country to go to?
• What overseas country would you most like to visit? (Why?)
• Do you think traveling to that country would help you understand the culture of that country
more? (If yes, how?)
• Why do people like to buy things when they travel abroad?
Preparations Before Overseas Travel
• What are some of the things people have to do before they can travel (or, go) overseas?
• Is it easy to get a visa to most countries? *
• Does it take long to get a visa now? *
• What do people need to do before going abroad to study?
• How do you think traveling abroad to study is different to what it was to several decades
ago?

Tour Group Travel
• How do you think individual travel (as a tourist) and travelling in a tour group are different?

• Do you think it's suitable to give money as a gift?
• Do you think it's a good idea for people who are doing business with each other to exchange
gifts?
• Why do some people not give gifts to others very often?
• Why do some people not like giving gifts?
• How do people decide on what gift to give a person? (I.e., what factors do they consider?)
• Do you think it's suitable to give the same (kinds of) gifts to young people and older
people?
• Do you think something that you made yourself is suitable as a gift?
• Which do you think is better, to give something you made yourself or to give something
you bought? (Answer & compare)
• Why do some people prefer to buy a gift rather than make a gift themselves?
• Compare giving a gift with receiving a gift. What are the differences between the two?
• Some people don't like receiving gifts. Why do you think they feel that way?
• There are some people who like to give presents to others but don't like receiving presents.
Can you guess why they feel this way?
• What do you think makes people happier, to receive a gift to to give a gift? (Why?)
• Would you say it's true that the more a person gives you gifts, the more it shows that this
person likes you?
• Do you think that expensive gifts are (always) a sign of true friendship?
• What is the difference between a "precious" (or, "valued") gift and a "valuable" gift? *
• What kinds of things do people in China give as wedding gifts?
Other Ways to Give, for example, Helping Others
See also Part 3, Topic #156
• Do you think people today are more willing, or are they less willing to help others than they
used to be? (Why do you say that?)
• Do you think that people of different ages need different forms of help?
• What should be done to help people find suitable jobs?
• In schools today in China, are children taught the importance of consideration for others?
• Do young people in China help old people (or, older people) very much?

162. Someone You Enjoy Spending Time With (2) (Aug. 16, 2008)
163. An Important Letter You Wrote (May 10, 2008)
164. Your Favourite Season (2) (Sept. 6, 2008)
165. Clothing for Special Occasions (Sept. 6, 2008)

RETURN TO PART 2 TOPIC INDEX
FQ = frequent question = a question that has frequently been reported = a question that is probably
in the examiner's question book
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A Photograph (3)
Describe a photograph that is important to you.
You should say:
where (and when) you saw this photograph
what (or who) is in the photograph
when this photograph was taken
and explain why this photograph is important to you.
Notes:
• It seems that on about July 12, some new Part 3 questions started to be used for the
'Photograph' topic. For this reason, the topic is being treated as a new topic.
• So far, the wording of this new Part 2 is a little unclear. It is possible the first line is,
"Describe a photograph that impressed you." (or, " a photograph that had an effect on you")
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------------- Possible follow-up questions:
• Do other people like that photograph?
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------------- Part 3

• When you're walking outdoors, what are some examples of the scenes that can especially
catch your attention?
• What are some ways that a photograph can catch people's attention?
• What are some examples of (or an example of) photographs that catch the attention of
people?
• What types (usages) of photographs especially catch people's attention?
• What are the attributes (qualities) of these photographs that make them so attention-
catching?
• Do you think a photograph can affect a person's judgment? (or, opinions or beliefs)
'Good' and 'Bad' Quality Photographs
• What do you think makes a 'good' photograph?
• Sometimes a person doesn't like (the look of ) a photograph that he or she has taken. What
are some the reasons why these people don't like these photographs?
• Do you think photographs taken by professional photographers are better quality than the
photos that average people take?
• Do you think the quality of the photograph is (always) more important than the contents of
the photograph?
• What are some reasons why a person might throw away (or tear up) a photograph?
• Do you think people should throw away photographs that are not good quality?
• Some people don't like to throw away photographs even when the quality of the
photographs is not very good. Can you guess why they feel that way?
• Do you think a photograph that someone takes could ever become valuable (= worth
money)?
Preserving Photographs
• Do you think it's important to preserve (or keep) photographs?
• How can that be done?

Other Uses of Photographs
• Do you think photography has (or, photographs have) any relationship to culture?
Photographs and History

• What benefits can children derive from visiting an art exhibition or art gallery? FQ
• How are paintings and photographs different (and how are they similar)? FQx2
• (Similar to above) Do people look at photos and paintings in the same way?
• Compare artists (painters) and photographers. Do they use the same skills?
• Tell me about the visual arts in China, for example, painting. *
Photographs in Advertising and Marketing
• How are photographs used in advertising and marketing?
• Can you give an example where photographs are very useful in advertising?
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162. Someone You Enjoy Spending Time With (2) (Aug. 16, 2008)
Version A
Describe someone you enjoy spending time with.
You should say:
who this person is
how you know this person *
what you do together *
and explain why you like to spend time with this person. *

Version B
Describe someone you would like to spend time with.
You should say:
who this person is
how you know this person *
what you would like to say to (or ask) this person *
what you would do together *
and explain why you would like to spend time with this person. * Notes

• At work or in school do you think people need to (or should) help each other? FQ
• Do you think it's better for a person to study alone or in a group?
• (Similar to above) Do you prefer to study alone or study with others? See Note
• Some people say there are advantages and disadvantages from studying or working with
others. What do you think?
• If a person is always working or studying alone, what do you think the result might be?
• How would you feel about working in an organization composed of only one person – you?
• In the future, do you think students will be studying and working more as individuals or
more in groups? FQ
• What is the value of teamwork? FQ
• (Similar to above) Do you think teamwork is important? (Why?/Why not?) FQ
• How do you help your colleagues at work?
• Do you think it's important for nations to have good international relations with other
nations?
• What impact do you think small businesses have on the world?
• Are there any disadvantages from being a member of a group?
Interpersonal Relationships in Society
• Do you think people today are closer to other people or more isolated from other people,
compared to the past?
• In general, what are the factors that are most important for having good communication
between people?
• Do you think modern people have enough time to communicate with others?
• When do you have free time to spend with your family?
Community Size
• Do you think the closeness of people to each other is related to the size of a community?
For example, are people who live in cities as close to each other as people who live are in
villages?
• What do you think future relationships between people will be like?
Modern Technology and Interpersonal Relationships
• How have mobile phones and the internet improved the way people communicate today

the card doesn't say that, such examples might be suitable. Ask the examiner.
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------------- Possible follow-up questions:
• Do you often write letters?
• Did you receive a reply? *
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------------- Part 3
See also the Part 3 questions for Topic # 105.
Communication
• What are the different types of letters that people write? (= the different purposes for
writing letters. E.g., business letters, love letters, invitations, applications for a job, ...)
FQx2
• Besides letters, what are some other ways to communicate with someone?
• Do you think people will continue to use (hand-written) letters in the future?
• When do you think a phone call is more suitable and when is a letter more suitable? FQx2
• (Similar to above) Compare the advantages of letters and the advantages of phone calls.
FQx2
• How have mobile phones and the internet improved the way people communicate today
(compared to the days before we used these inventions)? FQ
• (Similar to above) What are the advantages of modern-day electronic forms of
communication? FQx2
• Of all the different ways to communicate (emails, faxes, hand-written letters, phone calls &
text messages), which way do you think is the most effective? (Why?)
• What are some differences (and similarities) between emails and handwritten letters?
• Do you think there are any disadvantages from using those methods of communication?
• Do you think a photograph can communicate much information?
International Language
• Do you think it would be a good idea to have an international language so people all over
the world could communicate with each other? FQ
• Do you think this will happen in the future?


Notes
• Since the topic card almost certainly says, " ... or time of year", it should be ok to talk
about a time such as the Spring Festival or your school summer vacation.
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------------- Possible follow-up questions:
• Is that also your friends' favourite season?
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------------- Part 3
See also the Part 3 questions for Topic #25 and Topic #95.
The Different Seasons
• Is there anything you don't like about that season (the one you just talked about)? (What?
Why?)
• What's the difference between 'season' and 'weather'?
• What are the differences between the different seasons in China? FQ
• Please briefly describe the different seasons in China. FQ
• What are the signs that the season is changing (for example, from summer to autumn)? FQ
• Which season would you say is the best for tourism?
• Which season do you like best for sport?
• In general, how do you think climate of a place effects the people who live there?
• What are the different things that people can do in different seasons (or, in hot weather and
in cold weather)?
Climate and Living Place
Climate in Different Parts of Your Country
• What's the climate (or, weather) like in your hometown?
• How does the climate in your hometown compare with other parts of China?
Living in Hot versus Cold Places
• What kind of climate do most people prefer to live in? Why? (Hint: a mild or warm climate)
• In general, do you think people prefer to live in (very) hot places or in (very) cold places?
FQ

• (Similar to above) Have you seen any effects of (or, evidence of) global warming in your
country?
• How does (or will) global warming affect the community?
• (Similar to above) In the future, what do you think will (possibly) be some of the effects of
global warming? FQ
• In the future, do you think Global Warming will affect the way people work?
• What is the government doing about (preparing for) these changes?
• What do you think the government could/should do about this? *
• Would you say that Chinese people feel climate change is an important topic? FQ
• (Similar to above) For Chinese people, how important is protecting the environment? FQ
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165. Clothing for Special Occasions (Sept. 6, 2008)

Describe an item of clothing that you wear on special occasions. *
You should say:
what this clothing looks like
where you bought it
on what special occasions you wear it
and explain why you wear it on special occasions. *
or
and explain what other people think about this item of clothing. *

Note
• The wording might be, "Describe something you wear on special occasions". If this is the
case, there are other things that people 'wear' besides clothes. See Notes
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------------- Possible follow-up questions:
• Do other people like your _______? (The thing you just talked about)
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