Dear KYOTO NHK ESS members
This is Osamu MINAMIHASHI from Kyoto City.
I would like to inform you all about the latter practice on April 30th, 2016
Date: April 30th at Hitomachi from 16:30
Genre: Impromptu speech
Title: “What" Questions
Description and procedure
1. Make 8 to 12 groups or more so that each group has 3 members.
If one member were left, I would ask him/her to be the 4th member of the last group.
If two members were left, I would ask them to add me as the 3rd member of the group.
2. Read the following example and answer so that you would get some ideas on how to answer the following questions
3. Two persons shall answer to the questions below as you like within 30 seconds to 2 minute each.
4. The other one shall choose next question. He/she and another member shall start, in turn, expressing one’s own answer.
5. Your impromptu speech shall follow the order as below.
A) State your conclusion briefly
B) Explain your conclusion with 2 or 3 reasons.
C) Repeat your conclusion in somehow different expressions.
5. Your group may choose any of these questions below as you like.
6. Make speech on these questions as many as you can until 18:30．
7．From 18:30, youngest member of each group shall introduce most notable speech to all the members within 30 seconds.
Example：What do you think is the best way to stay healthy?
Answer：
A）Best way to stay healthy is eating moderately or exercise regularly, or both.
B）The reasons are as follows
1) There are many ways to remain healthy. Different people pursue many of them. They may take large amounts of vitamins or tonics. Some blindly believe in some diet or other.
2) These method may be commercially appealing but not medically tested.
3) Nonetheless, good health starts with weight control.
C）Therefore, despite of either vitamins or tonics or various diet, good health is achieved greatly through eating moderately or exercising regularly, or both.
Words:
・pursue : try to attain or accomplish (sth)
• tonic：(sth) that improves (sb)’s health, strength, or confidence
• blindly：without thinking or paying attention to what one does
• diet：regulated selection of foods, as for medical reasons or cosmetic weight loss
・commercially：considering whether a business or product is making a profit
• appealing：attractive or interesting
• nonetheless：despite what has been said
• give up on (sth)：admit failure and stop trying
•command of (sth)：knowledge of (sth), esp. a language, or ability to use (sth)
•prenuptial agreement：agreement made by a man and woman before they marry about how they will divide their money and property if they get divorced
Other “What” Questions:
1. What do you usually have for breakfast?
2. What do you usually have for lunch?
3. What is your favorite snack?
4. What do you want to be in the future?
5. What do you want your kids to be in the future?
6. What do you think about giving up on English?
7. What do you think are the advantages of having a good command of English?
8. What do you do to improve your English?
9. What do you think about prenuptial agreements?
10. What made your parents get married?
11. What makes you feel happy?
12. What do you do to make your parents happy?
13. What do you usually do if you have a cold?
14. What makes you feel sad?
15. What do you do to make your friends happy?
16. What can you do to help the poor?
17. What do you think about buying lottery tickets?
18. What is your favorite season?
19. What do you think about women smoking and drinking?
20. What is the best movie you've ever seen?
21. What is your favorite food?
22. What is the most important thing for you to do this year?
23. What are you going to be doing at 10:00 pm tomorrow?
24. What do you think is the most important thing in life?
25. What are your future plans?
Notice: My intention is to enable each member to express one’s own idea briefly, logically and persuasively with impromptu speech.
I hope all of you would enjoy this tough, interesting and exciting practice thoroughly, of course, at last, from the bottom of your heart!
Sincerely yours,
Osamu MINAMIHASHI