ORAL EXAM TOPICS

1. 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
migration
You 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
trends
I 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 arts
With 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 learning
Kids 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 family
I 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 travelling
One 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
perspectives
Hungary 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 experiences
Ive 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.