Part One: Guess the strength of your partner’s opinion
Ask your partner about one of the topics below. They will secretly write a number between 1 (strongly disagree with this idea) and 5 (very strongly agree with this idea), then give their answer. After asking them for more details about their opinion if you like, write down what you think their number was. You then both reveal the numbers to check if they were the same.
A crackdown on dangerous cycling
A hike in infrastructure spending
A law requiring bystanders to help
A more open clash with neighbouring countries over their territorial claims
A probe into the actions of Japanese companies during WWII
A public hearing on the future of Yasukuni shrine
Allowing protests outside embassies
Axing the Japan-US security treaty
Banning naming of suspects in newspapers
Charging people who cross the road when there is a red light (= jaywalking)
Curbing government spending right away
Demanding a place on the UN Security Council
Deny bail for more white collar criminals
Detaining asylum seekers if their claims are rejected
Legalising home schooling
Making entering university less of an ordeal
Newsreaders being more aggressive about questioning politicians’ claims
Polling the whole voting public more often (= Referendums)
Public forecasts of the likelihood of quakes
Raising VAT (= consumption tax)
Sending an envoy to North Korea
Sparing more people the death sentence
Stepping up pressure on North Korea
Stronger sentencing for white collar crimes
Telling people how to flee the city if there is a nuclear disaster
Urgent educational reforms to address slipping standards
| Useful language for asking for opinions
“How do you feel about…?” “What do you think about…?” “What’s your opinion on…?” |
Ask your partner about any of the underlined words or headlines that you can’t understand or pronounce.
Part Two: Headlines vocabulary Starting with strong opinions
Choose one of the topics below. Start with one of you arguing strongly for and one of you arguing strongly against and try to slowly move together in some way, e.g. by one of you being convinced or by finding a compromise position.
Boycotting countries like North Korea/ Encouraging free trade with countries like North Korea
More aid for developing countries/ More free trade with developing countries
Bidding for more international sporting events/ Bidding for fewer international sporting events
Longer and more prison sentences/ Shorter and fewer prison sentences
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PDF version for easy saving and printing: Headlines vocabulary weak and strong opinions
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