ORAL EXAM TOPICS1. Personal characteristics features, personality traits the typical man and woman the ideal man and woman fashion, trends, cosmetics beauty care, cosmetic surgery

Describing personal characteristics is important to everybody and a major part of every language. There are tons of words to describe different physical or psychologial traits, and many people take pride in saying that they know people well. I think most people who keep saying this a lot are compensating and generally dont even know themselves well enough, but that may just be my experience. But the words describing traits are so many and so important that there are some psychological personality models based on taxonomy, such as the Big Five which was created by collecting thousands of descriptive words over the course of decades. They attempted to collect every word that describes personal characteristics then performed factor analysis to group those words. They figured that every important trait is already coded in the language.I dont like tipologies and labeling people and putting them into categories, I rather believe that we all have a little bit of everything in us. I also dont believe that such a thing as typical man or woman exists. Only what society expects them to be, and some people adapt to that and try to conform without considering what they really want, so they become typical people and give up what makes them unique. I suppose you can say that the typical man is supposed to like sports, care about his career, like beer and meat and worry about his height. The typical woman is supposed to worry about her weight and wear uncomfortable shoes, and like sweet food but tend to eat as little as she can. I really hope that not many people give in to these false expectations though.For me the ideal man and woman is confident enough that they try to find what works for them, instead of blindly playing the roles they are supposed to play. They improve themselves every day, they learn new things, acquire new skills but they also feel good in the present moment. They accept other people and dont try to find mistakes in every person and situation, they are cool and easygoing without compromising. They look healthy and fit because they are healthy and fit. I think cosmetic surgery is so trendy because society is playing on peoples insecurities, trying to make us believe that we can never be good enough, or that having a smaller nose or bigger breasts is the magical solution to all our problems. I think there is a huge difference if someone wants to change for themselves, or because they have been brainwashed. I believe with a healthy diet and lifestyle and effective sports everyone can look their best, and most of the surgeries dont make people look their best, they make them look unnatural, just look at some horror photos of cosmetic surgery results. They look so unnatural that its just sad to think that they were really this insecure. I think in most cases the insecurity is not cured by changing one physical attribute.

2. Friends and relationships friendship fellow students and colleagues partners alienation

I have a few close really good friends but Im not very good at nurturing relationships, I should invest much more effort in maintaining my friendships. I still have several friendships and sort of friendships but they are not as important to me as the really close ones. Generally I consider myself easygoing and friendly, I get along with colleagues and fellow students but Im not very outgoing and I require some private time every day. If Im at camps or festivals or travel with other people, or when I lived in a dormitory, after a few days Im getting frustrated because of the lack of private time and silence. This is why I havent settled down with a stable partner yet, Ive tried a few times but after a week or two I always felt that it was an invasion into my privacy. That said I like getting to know new people and go out to big parties, I just need the other side too, for my balance.I used to go out a lot in my previous workplace and I still meet sometimes with my ex colleagues from there, and remember the good old times. In my current workplace there is less wild social life, and it seems a more of an adult, or perhaps old or responsible place. My current colleagues seem to live in a different pace, they still party but some of them have families and they dont seem as free spirited as we used to seem four-five years ago. I see alienation every time when a person tries to express their individual values, instead of just reflecting what they see in their close environment. Most of the time their desires are not accepted and they end up alienated because they are different and they were not afraid to express it. I think we live in a very uniform world where every subculture has its place but people are not allowed to behave or appear different than their subculture. Of course, they are free to move but if they feel outsiders they probably have to change their circumstances because its unlikely that others will accept them.

3. Family family models alternative forms of cohabitation demographic trends division of tasks within the family bringing up children generations living together old people

The traditional family models which have been present in our culture for thousands of years include a father, a mother and children. Some cultures allow a man to have more than one wife which I think is a sexist practice, granting men more freedom than to women. These days couples often dont get married for a long time, sometimes not even after the kids are born. Though most cases after the first child arrives they do get married. But the average age in which people get married is much higher than it was a hundred years ago.

4. Man and society social allowances: pension, health insurance, unemployment benefit social movements political system multicultural society

The state takes care of several social allowances which is covered by tax money paid by people. I think pension and unemployment benefit are present in most countries, so people have to pay for them in form of taxes, and the state has to provide them, while health insurance is only obligatory in some countries. In the US there have been big debates recently about the proposed changes in health insurance, I think the president wants to make it obligatory, similar to how it is in Hungary. The political system here is a democracy with several parties and elections held every four years. The parties need to get a certain percentage of votes to get into the Parliament. I try to stay outside of the campaigns because I find them all fake and a blunt way of manipulation. They try to appeal on peoples emotions instead of making rational claims. I dont have a TV and I generally avoid the news because every time I see or read a newspiece I find it manipulative and fake.That said, the country is in a touch situation, and fighting unemployment and inflation at the same time is very hard. New and more taxes kill every initiative, and no wonder that eight or nine in every ten new small firm fails within their first year. And while the government talks all kind of smack about multinational companies, they still provide most of the employment for the country, and the government doesnt seem to help Hungarian firms with these tax regulations.

5. Social problems privileged vs. disadvantaged social groups the rich and the poor living on the periphery role and prestige of the intelligentsia unemployment aging population conformists and deviants public safety crime and criminal investigation migrationYou can experience the huge gap between the rich and the poor every day. Especially here in Budapest the streets are full of homeless people. There are some places for them to go but its still not the same as a home. I think for one part if you want it enough and work hard enough you can have success, but on the other hand many people start their lives with serious disadvantages or handicaps that is too much to overcome. Many of us support some charities but there have been so many scandals around them that I think you really have to double check to make sure that your donation really goes to those in need, and doesnt get stolen in the meantime. I rarely give people money anymore because of these trust issues, but when someone asks for food and I see them often then by the next time I go there I buy some food for them and give it to them. The country is in a touch situation, and fighting unemployment and inflation at the same time is very hard. New and more taxes kill every initiative, and no wonder that eight or nine in every ten new small firm fails within their first year. And while the government talks all kind of smack about multinational companies, they still provide most of the employment for the country, and the government doesnt seem to help Hungarian firms with these tax regulations.I hear all kinds of stories about people getting attacked on the streets, and public safety decreasing, but I personally never experienced such a thing, I often walked home in the middle of the night, and nobody ever tried to attack me. However my flat has been broken into, a bit more than three years ago.

6. Place of living, neighborhoods interior design, furnishings flat-related costs, maintenance living in the city or in the country the ideal home I live in the sixth district in a rented apartment. Ive been living here for five and half years so its been reliable and comfortable. Its also comfortable that the owner hasnt raised the rent for all this time, I guess hes happy too that he has a stable and reliable long term inhabitant and doesnt have to look for new ones every year. The flat looks more spacious than it actually is because there are no doors between the rooms, and the whole place is very bright during the day. Of course because its not my own place, some things are not ideal, the refridgerator is old and gets full of ice every couple months, the stove is not easy to use because the burners often go out, and the heating system used to have problems before it was replaced. I used to have a tile stove which needed a repairman at least once a year before I could use it, so I had to call someone to look at it before every heating season. In August they replaced it with a convector, well see how it works, so far it looks good. I feel quite lucky because the furniture is not bad, the apartment is bright, the bathroom looks nice and stylish, and one of the wardrobes has a huge mirror on the door. So, while it would be nice to have a place that I arrange and furnish on my own, Im not complaining, this is comfortable. It would have been cheaper to share a place with others but since the landlord hasnt raised the rent since I moved in, now even a single room would cost as much as this whole place, so its not that expensive either. I love living in downtown, everything is close, the public transport is excellent, even at night, there are lots of shops, grocery stores, party places, my workplace is close, the university is close, markets are close, and the city is full of life. Also people are much more open minded here than in the countryside, which is also important to me. I imagine my ideal home as bright, with a little foyer to keep shoes and coats, I would like it to have a small balcony to keep some flowers and get some sun without leaving home. I like living in downtown, so as long as I dont have kids I dont plan to move. Most people prefer to move to the suburbs when they have children so its possible that I may change my mind later but I cant imagine myself living outside the downtown, I love it here.

7. The housing situation living conditions (property, rented accommodation, lodgings, hostel) finding a place to live (building, buying, social flats) the housing situation in Hungary today trendsI used to live in a dormitory during the university, and I didnt like it, Im used to having more privacy than that, but I survived.Ive recently read that my generation tends not to buy property and cars as much as the previous generation. Its like if using things, such as a place to stay or a car to drive is more important to this generation than owning them. Young people now are fine with just renting a good place. This is especially true to countries where property is very expensive. In Hungary its not nearly as expensive a sin the UK or France for example, so here young people still plan to buy their own place when they can afford it. Im still saving for a place on my own.

8. Holidays and celebrations family holidays public holidays religious holidays weekdays and holidays customs and traditions

9. Free time 1 free time activities trends spending free time in a useful way free time industry social life, friends man and nature

10. Free time 2 getting information, being informed culture without reading media and society man and music dance as a way of communication visual artsWith the internet, one can easily keep up with the programs and opportunities to spend their free time with. One can get every update about their hobbies, even keep in touch online with other fans of that hobby. Its very easy to find programs, especially in a capital city. I keep receiving invitations to tons of events on Facebook, most of which is irrelevant to me, or doesnt seem interesting enough to go to. Perhaps if I went to a couple I would get hooked and find myself a new hobby or a new orchestra or band to love, but Im too busy most of the time. I avoid the media as much as possible, I dont own a TV, I dont read newspapers because its all about manipulating people and brainwashing them. I avoid ads too, though they are everywhere, so many forms advertising are impossible to avoid. But usually I can spot them very well, even in the case of native advertising I instantly feel that something is off, the article seems fake. I like going to exhibitions, its always a pleasant activity, combining the art and, most of the time, a beautiful building or venue which is a pleasant experience in itself. I also like some classical concerts, and several of my ex colleagues play in bands so sometimes Im going to their concerts as well. I used to go out and dance much more than I do now because Ive been too busy lately and couldnt afford to stay up all night and therefore waste the next day. Im not a fan of the the talking arts so to speak, such as stand up comedy and improvisation, I dont see much value in it, after all everybody can speak mindlessly, its not a big feat, I dont see any artistic value in just talking. Except if the comedy is really good and funny, but most of them should improve that. Ive been to a small amateur acting group which tried to perform a totally meaningless version of The Tempest, and the only requirement was to speak the sentences in a way that they make no sense at all, totally twist the intonation and the tempo and pretty much every aspect of the spoken language. I only went there once and never returned, it was terrible.

11. Learning, education, the school system school system, school types in Hungary tertiary education language learning experiences, role of foreign languages student exchange programmes, student mobility equal chances in education lifelong learningKids can go to a nursery at a very young age, but this is not obligatory, they can stay at home with their parents. Then comes kindergarten, I think from three to six years, then elementary school which can be four, six or eight years. Then comes high school, usually from 14 to 18 years or so, but I for example, went to a type of high school which accepted students from 10 years so Ive spent there eight years. I think education is compulsory between the age of six and 16 in Hungary, but Im not 100% sure of that. There are different vocational schools where students can prepare for an occupation and acquire practical skills. In Eger where I studied, a school specialised for cooking and bakery skills was very popular. After the general exams one can go to college or university. These studies used to be free until the first diploma, this has been changed recently. There are some student exchange programs but Ive never participated in any, we couldnt afford the travel and all the expenses necessary back when I was a student. Lifelong learning becomes increasingly important now when people change their jobs several times, and they may need to learn new skills because there isnt much security in the job market, every skill can prove very valuable so people are more motivated to learn new things. Regarding equal chances, there are tons of difficulties especially in the countryside. The new trend is to try to integrate ethnic kids and keep all the students together in an integrated system. This should bring results but is not easy to realise. My mum is a teacher, and she has serious problems with the kids attention span and refusal to do hard work. Every day she faces kids who cant read fluently or spell but have big plans of careers while they are not even willing to read one single book. She often tells me that there are so few talented kids nowadays, and she mostly blames the increased role of computers and the internet which is replacing books, real interaction and activities, making people passive and lazy.

12. Work and the individual working hours (part-time, occasional jobs, shifts, several jobs, telework) ways of finding a job working abroad (advantages, disadvantages) career and/or familyI studied psychology after high school, and got a diploma but it was very hard to find a job in my own field, especially a decent one, so I found occupation at a multinational company using my language skills. When looking for a job, I search the internet and read job websites, there are plenty. I always try to tailor my CV according to the job and the company Im applying for, and Im learning as much as I can about their activities and what they consider important, what they are looking for in a candidate.

13. Work and society job prestige, fashionable jobs unemployment, benefits the challenge of our age self-employed vs. employee graduates entering the labour market globalisation

14. Sports sports facilities, sporting activities mass sports/sportsmen extreme sports dangers of sports the role of the state

15. Health characteristics of a healthy lifestyle healthy and unhealthy diet/dishes prevention, healthcare

16. Illnesses common illnesses and their prevention addictions (alcohol, drugs, smoking, shopping, computer, TV) stress, psychic diseases alternative treatments the challenged, the disabled the role of the state

17. Services catering facilities banks repair of consumer durables emergency services

18. Shopping buying consumer durables where to do the shopping shopping habits role of advertisements consumer society

19. Transport public transport in the city intercity transport individual transport public transport problems individual transport problems transport of the future

20. Travelling in Hungary and abroad favourite destinations holiday activities trends travelling in Hungary types of trips (holiday, official, business, study, conferences package holidays (advantages, disadvantages) language skills and travellingOne of my favourite destinations in Hungary for the holidays is the Balaton because I love the summer, water, beach, swimming and getting a nice tan, and I love playing cards on the shore and just enjoying not doing much all day. So for a summer holiday this lake is the winner for me but there are a few other lovely lakes, and my Dad lives near the Tisza, unfortunately I rarely have time to visit but in summer its a great experience. I live in Eger bla bla. I go there by train whenever I visit home. Its a bit longer than going by bus but much more comfortable. The buses are always packed full and they dont allow you to bring your luggage with you, but the luggage container is always full so its very uncomfortable. Also in Eger there is no possibility to buy your ticket in advance so you can never know if you miss your bus because it just got full before you could get in. The train is much better, it takes half an hour longer to get there but its worth it for me. I dont have a car and I dont plan on getting one because public transport is good enough and I wouldnt use a car. Also traffic jams are terrible, I see people every day sitting in their cars and making a couple meters progress in half an hour, I wouldnt want that. Ive never been to a business trip, unfortunately, but several colleagues have. In certain positions you can really travel a lot, sometimes to migrate a work activity that used to be done abroad, or a conference, meeting, a customer visit, or if you are an auditor your job includes travelling from one place to another and get in touch with the locals and check their work. It must be a great experience and I hope that one day I will end up in such a position.

21. Weather, climate change in the climate and its consequences natural disasters (prevention, catastrophe management) sensitivity to weather

22. Environment protection environmental problems alternative energy sources welfare society and the environment responsible individuals

23. Telecommunications telephones computers e-mail Internet

24. Science scientific developments technical developments medical treatments and alternative medicine gene technology space research

25. Hungary Hungary as a destination major tourist attractions, main places of interest tourism as a factor in the economy perspectivesHungary is very popular among tourists, probably also due to the lower prices but it also has so many attractiones. Tourists find us friendly and helpful, and they enjoy the night life and the sights offered by both Budapest and the countryside. Sometime Im surprised how well informed they are about cities in the countryside and that my foreigner colleagues take the effort and go to visit some cities on the weekends. I live in Eger which also has several tourist attractions but it doesnt have such a brimming and active life. Compared to Budapest, there are very few job opportunities, no good shops, few shops with high prices, and the streets are usually empty after 7 pm. The castle and some of the historic places are amazing, the churches really beautiful and full of artwork, and the theatre is good, also the park is lovely, but its only nice as a place to visit sometimes, not to live there all the time. I think tourism plays a big role in the economy, especially around thermal waters and the Balaton, but there are hotels and hostels in every major city, lots of restaurants and attractions. More and more people speak English, too, which also helps to make the country a tourist friendly place.

26. Englishspeaking countries general information, personal experiencesIve been to the UK twice, visited London a couple years ago. It was an amazing experience because it is such a huge city with much diversity, whole districts populated by different ethnic groups. We lived in Hackney which is full of black people, but I also visited the Indian district which looked amazing, and Chinatown blew my mind, these places are like small universes within the big city. People seem tolerant towards each other, too, and friendly. Ive only been to a few pubs but had complete strangers talk to me and we had a great time.I havent been to other English speaking countries. I would love to visit Australia and New Zealand because of the amazing animal world and the open attitude by people there. Also the US but it would take several weeks to see everything because its so huge. I would hate just rush through the cities and states if I ever get to visit. But speaking English is helpful no matter where youre going, people speak English in most countries so at least you can hope to have a common language with some of the locals. At my job I sometimes have to contact Norwegians and their English is excellent. The Italian and French contacts I have at work speak less English or perhaps they are not that willing to speak it, but I also speak Italian if necessary.