describing people/ extended speaking/ discussion questions
Part One: Presentations
Your partner will talk about one famous person for at least one or two minutes. Don’t interrupt them or ask them questions (unless you don’t understand what they are saying), just tick the things below that they talk about
Topics to listen out for, tick off and ask about
- Man or woman
- Appearance (present and past), including clothes
- Personality
- Talents
- Age
- Nationality and home(s)
- Family
- Reasons for fame
- Other things they have done
- Who they are famous and popular with/ What kinds of people like them
- What their fans do
- Most recent thing they were in the news for
- Greatest achievements and failures
- Before they were famous
- Story of their career
- The time when they were most famous or popular
- Their future
- Other things they could have done
- Comparisons with other famous people or people in the same business
- Why they chose this person to speak about
- If they particular like this person and why/ why not
- When they first found out about or became interested in this person
- If they have met or seen this person, or think they might
- Pets, possessions etc.
- How they have coped with fame
When your partner stops, ask them questions about things they didn’t speak about such as topics you haven’t ticked off above, starting with things that you think they might know or have something to say about. Then switch roles and do the same, with the person speaking not looking at the worksheet, just saying anything they like about their choice of famous person.
Part Two: Discussion questions
Student A
Without looking at your partner’s worksheet, take turns asking each other questions, only using any follow-up questions if the first answer is short.
- Would you like to be famous? Why/ why not?
- Do you think fame brings happiness or unhappiness, or does it depend on the person?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of fame?
- Do people who seek fame have any right to privacy? If so, what things should remain private?
- What do you think about celebrities who attack paparazzi?
- What can you do to deal with the pressures of fame? What kinds of people cope well with it?
- Is the most famous person usually also the most talented? What makes you say that? What other factors might be important in making someone famous?
- Is anyone in your country just famous for being famous?
- How has the cult of celebrity changed over the years?
- Which celebrities do you admire? Why?
- Which celebrities do you dislike or disapprove of? Why?
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Student B
Without looking at your partner’s worksheet, take turns asking each other questions, only using any follow-up questions if the first answer is short.
- What is the quickest and easiest way to become famous?
- Why do the press pay so much attention to famous people’s lives?
- Do you feel sorry for or envious of celebrities?
- Why do people want to become famous?
- What kinds of people want to become famous?
- Why do famous people usually marry other famous people? Do you think that it is a good idea?
- Do you think it is possible for anyone to have their “fifteen minutes of fame”?
- Why are people interested in following the lives of famous people?
- Are people of a particular nationality, age range, gender etc more interested in celebrity gossip than others? Why do you think that is?
- Are celebrities treated differently by the police etc? What do you think can be done about that?
- How would you feel if one of your parents was famous? What might the difficulties of that be?
When your teacher stops you, look at all of the questions and ask about any which you are not sure about, discussing them as a class each time.
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