Speaking practice: answer out loud for one minute
Has globalisation done more good than harm?
1:00
12 conversation questions about globalisation
- 1Has globalisation done more good than harm?
- 2Who are the winners and losers of globalisation?
- 3Is the world becoming culturally the same?
- 4Should countries protect local industries with tariffs?
- 5How has globalisation affected your country?
- 6Is English as a global language a help or a threat to other languages?
- 7Did the pandemic reverse globalisation?
- 8Should companies be judged on their global supply chains?
- 9Is it hypocritical to criticise globalisation while buying imported goods?
- 10Do international organisations have too much power?
- 11Can local businesses compete with global brands?
- 12What will the global economy look like in twenty years?
Useful phrases
- On balance, I'd say...
- It's had a mixed impact.
- The flip side of that is...
- It's disproportionately affected...
- There's an argument to be made that...
- I'm sceptical of the claim that...
- It's not as black and white as...
- Whether we like it or not, ...
Key vocabulary
- tariff
- a tax on imported goods
- supply chain
- the steps involved in producing and delivering a product
- outsourcing
- paying another company, often abroad, to do work
- homogenisation
- becoming the same or similar
- protectionism
- protecting local industry by limiting imports
- interconnected
- closely linked to each other
Sample answer
Has globalisation done more good than harm?
On balance, I'd say globalisation has done more good than harm, but the benefits haven't been shared fairly. It has lifted millions out of poverty and made goods cheaper for consumers. The flip side is that some manufacturing towns have been hollowed out, and those communities feel left behind. I think the real failure wasn't globalisation itself but the lack of support for the people it disrupted.
Practise "Globalisation" with a real partner
Questions are easier to remember once you've answered them out loud. Start a live 1-on-1 video call and use this topic to get the conversation going.
Practise this topic liveHow to practise this topic
- Answer each question in at least two or three sentences.
- Try to use two of the useful phrases and one new word in every answer.
- With a partner, ask a follow-up question like "Why?" or "Can you give an example?"
- Alone, record your one-minute answer and listen back for one thing to improve.