A Part of 

Conversation Questions for the ESL Classroom.

 Where did you go to kindergarten?
 Where did you go to elementary school?
 Where did you go to junior high school?
 Where did you go to high school?
 Did you go to college or university?
 Where did you go?
 What did you study?
 How many years did you go?
 Did you work while you went there?
 Did you enjoy going to elementary school?
 Does your country have middle schools?
 What is the age that children begin school?
 How old are students they when they graduate?
 Did you go to a good high school?
 What do you remember about your teachers?
 Who was your favorite teacher?
 What teacher impressed you the most?
 Do you still stay in touch with your teachers?
 Did you have any teachers you didn't like?
 How many students were in your high school?
 Describe the students who attended your high school.
 Did they have a good influence on you?
 Did they make your childhood and teenage years harder or easier?
 Were there cliques in your high school? Were there gangs?
 Did you make friends in high school that you still keep in touch with?
 What subjects were you good at?
 What subjects were you bad at?
 Did you study a foreign language in school? Was it taught well?
 Do you know anyone who attended a private school? Do private schools
offer higher quality education or are they just prestigious?
 Did you attend college?
 If you did, what made you decide to go to the college you did?
 Was it a good school?
 How many students attended it?
Conversation about 2 friends helping each other study
for a test
Mary:  Hey Alexis, I am glad you decided to come over to my house to study for
our upcoming exam.  The sociology test seems to be very difficult.  I have
studied all the materials, but I am still not confident about my performance this
Friday.

Alexis:  Yes, this test is going to be hard, but since you have covered all the
materials, you

should be adequately prepared.  I have read all the chapters, but I have not
studied the notes from the lectures.  Let’s do a review starting from chapter one
and then we will work our way up through chapter three.  Does that sound OK to
you?

Mary:  That sounds like a good idea.  Let’s start!

Alexis:  Well, in chapter one, the book covers the three fundamental points of
view on sociology. Do you know what these three points of view are?

Mary:  Yes, I think I do.  They are the Functionalist, the Conflict, and the
Interactionist perspectives.  Is that right?

Alexis:  Yes!  You got it!  Good job!

Mary:  Thanks, Alexis!  But what does each perspective believe?

Alexis:  Well, you know what the Functionalist Perspective talks about.  It is the
easiest to remember.

Mary:  Oh yes!  That one talks about how everyone has a function in society.  It
states that everyone has a function in life where their collective actions will be put
together for the benefit of society.

Alexis:  That is correct!  No need to ask, but I think you understand very well
what the other two perspectives are all about, right?

Mary:  Yes, I can explain very precisely what they are. There is no need for me
to do a review on them.  Let’s finish the other chapters.

Alexis:  Well, how about you quiz me on chapter two.

Mary:  Sure.  Well, in chapter two, the book discusses Max Weber.  Who was
Max Weber and what was his opinion on the issue of organization?

Alexis:  Well, Max Weber was one of the founders of the modern study of
sociology. He believed that organizing requires communication, coordination, and
control.

Mary:  That is correct!  You are doing really well too, Alexis!

Alexis:  Thanks Mary!  I feel pretty good about chapter two.  Let’s take a break
right now and we will finish going over the main parts of chapter three when we
come back.

Mary:  Chapter three is the most difficult chapter. I have read the chapter twice
on top of reviewing all my lecture notes, and it is still quite confusing. Maybe I just
made a big deal out of nothing.

Alexis: Chapter three covers quite a few different concepts. It might be better for
us to write down each concept and then carefully do a comparison of their
similarities and differences. I bet our teacher will ask us to write a short essay on
each concept as part of the exam.

Mary: Do you think so? I better get myself prepared since we only have an hour
to finish the exam. I am never good at writing as I always have difficulties putting
my thoughts on paper. I have worked so hard to overcome this problem, but I still
have not improved much. Maybe, I have a tendency of over analyzing things.

Alexis: I do not think that is your problem. It is probably a case of anxiety. Try to
relax and take it easy. Things get worse when you do not have control of
yourself.

Mary: I know, I know. However, I cannot help it. It is good that you suggested we
take a break. I need to have a clear mind when we start on chapter three. Let’s
go find something to eat and listen to some soothing music for a while.

Alexis: OK, Mary.

Expressions used in the conversation

Come over to somebody’s house

Upcoming exam
I am not confident about

Be adequately prepared

Work one’s way up

You got it!

 Good job!

Precisely

Quiz somebody

 That’s correct!

Feel good about something

Take a break

School of thoughts

It might be better to

As part of the exam

Putting one’s thoughts on paper

Overcome a problem

Have a tendency to

Anxiety

Try to relax and take it easy

I can’t help it

Have a clear mind

A - Hi Lucy!  Do you like your school?

B - Hi Carl. Yeah!  It's great.  It's a magnet school. 

A - A magnet school?  What's that?

B - It's a special school that teaches different stuff, not just math,
reading, and boring things like that.

A - What does your school teach?

B - My school is bilingual.  I spend half the day with an English-

speaking teacher and half with a Spanish-speaking teacher.  For
example, this month I'm learning science and math in English but
social studies and art in Spanish.  Next month I switch.  I learn science
and math from the Spanish-speaking teacher and social studies and
art from the English-speaking teacher.  

A - Wow!  Isn't that confusing?

B - No.  I started in the school when I was in kindergarten.  When I

started I only could speak English.  Now I'm totally bilingual.

A - That's cool.  I heard about a kid in another magnet school that

specialized in the arts.  He had a lot of theater classes and art classes
and stuff like that.

B - Different magnet schools specialize in different things.

Jerry's cousin has just come to Beijng and wants to study Chinese.
Fei: Hi Jerry, what are you looking at?

Jerry: My cousin is in Beijing and wants to study Chinese here. I'm reading about
different Chinese programs in universities around the city, but I don't know which one is
the best.

Fei: Well, Beijing University is usually considered the best university in China. I'm sure
they offer Chinese classes to foreign students.

Jerry: I know that Beida has a 100-year history and has a beautiful campus as well, but
there are so many other good universities in Beijing. Take Qinghua University, for
example...
Fei: Actually, some people think Qinghua is the best university in all of China, especially
for science. They also have a very good Law School. In fact, many top government
leaders graduated from Qinghua University.

Jerry: That makes it a tougher choice! Actually, though, my cousin is interested in

studying Economics after Chinese. Can she continue her studies of Economics after she
learns Chinese at Beida or Qinghua?

Fei: Sure! They both have programs in Economics. But you know, now that I think about
it, Renmin University may have a better Economics Department. Some people consider it
the best Economics Department in all of China, not just in Beijing.

Jerry: Okay, now I have to consider Renmin University. That's the People's University,
right?

Fei: That's right. Renmin University also has a Confucian Research Institute, if your
cousin is interested.

Jerry: Probably not, but I'll ask her and see. For now, she is mostly interested in
becoming fluent in Chinese.

Fei: In that case, maybe she should go to Beiwai or Beiyu. I mean Beijing Foreign
Studies University or Beijing Language University.

Jerry: That's a good idea. I know many students study languages at Beiwai.

Fei: They not only study languages, they can study to become diplomats too.

Jerry: My cousin isn't so interested in working for the government. Maybe Beiyu will suit
her better.

Fei: Maybe it will. Not only can she study languages there, the surrounding area is
becoming a very lively part of the Haidian District of Beijing.

Jerry: Really? How is it lively?

Fei: There are lots of shops and markets, as well as Korean and Japanese restaurants. Last
week I went to an "all you can eat" Japanese restaurant near Beiyu. It was wonderful!

Jerry: So maybe my cousin will end up learning more Japanese or Korean than Chinese.

Fei: Or she'll practice more English! Both Beiwai and Beiyu have many students who are
learning English and will want to practice with your cousin.

Jerry: Hmmm... All of these universities sound good, but none is ideal. There must be
another choice.

Fei: Oh, I know! Your cousin can go to Beihang to study Chinese!

Jerry: Go to Beihang? But that's the Aeronautics University. Why should she study there?
Fei: At Beihang, your cousin will be able to speak only Chinese. Besides, they have a
wonderful little park in the middle of the campus and they have lots of tennis courts.

Jerry: Wonderful! My cousin can find a tennis partner who is also a Chinese teacher. I
think that will be fun!

Narrator
Listen to a conversation between a student and a university advisor. The student is trying to
decide where to go to school next year.

Advisor: Now, then, Mr., uh, Vickstad. How can I help you?

Student: Well, I'm thinking about transferring, but I'm, I'm not sure ... I was hoping you
could help me make a decision.

A: I'll try. Where are you thinking of transferring to? And why do you want to leave Kryptos
U?

S: Um...I'm thinking of going to Central University, because it's in my hometown. I've uh,
been kind of homesick here this year, and I haven't made many friends...I just feel so lonely.
So, I thought that uh, maybe, it'd be better to be closer to my parents and friends and all.

A: I see. And would you keep the same major if you transferred? What is it...business
administration?

S: Yeah, I would. The credits I've earned here will transfer to Central. I've already checked.

A: May I ask why you chose to come to Kryptos University in the first place?

S: Sure. Um, well, the main reason is you have a great business school. And the second
reason is that I...I wanted to get away from home.

A: You're right, Mr. Vickstad, we do have an excellent business school. But, so does Central.
The thing is, you've got almost a year under your belt here now. At Central, you'll be starting
from scratch.

S: Yeah, I know that. But I'm a little bit familiar with Central, 'cuz I had older friends who
went there, and I visited it before I came here.

A: You know, freshman year is usually the hardest. I remember how homesick I was my first
year. I'll tell you, I was ready to pack it in after the first two weeks. But the longer I stayed,
the more comfortable I felt. By senior year, I was glad I chose to stay.

S: Really? Did it get a lot better your sophomore year?

A: Yes, it did. You might well find the same is true for you. Also, even though your credits
here will transfer, you will have to take extra courses, because Central has different
requirements. You'll probably have to go to school for an extra year.

S: Hmm...I hadn't thought about that. I'll have to check into it. Maybe I should give it one
more year. I mean, it's probably good for me to learn to live away from my family and friends,
right? It'll make me stronger in the future.

A: You can always move back there after you graduate. Of course, by that time you may not
want to!

S: Thank you for all your help. I guess I'll find out the exact transfer requirements. You've
given me a lot to think about.

A: Don't mention it. If you feel like you want to talk more, don't hesitate to come back and
see me.