Books and reading conversation questions
Reading is an important skill and a pleasant pastime. We gain knowledge and different insights from it, and it can help us navigate and succeed in the world we live in. It has evolved quite dramatically in the digital era. Many people prefer to use electronic devices and read online instead of using traditional paper books. Although no doubt they will survive for a very long time yet! There is something quite satisfying about turning pages physically and holding words in your hands.
Here we have a worksheet of discussion questions about reading and books that you can use as conversation starters to chat. This handout is quite easy, the most challenging terms on it for ESL learners include genre, author, electronic, device, ideal, environment, borrow, and non-fiction.
The reading conversation questions are –
1 – What was the last thing you read about? Did you find it interesting?
2 – Do you do much reading? How often do you read?
3 – What kind of things do you like to read about?
4 – Do you read much online? Which websites do you read?
5 – How many books do you own? What genres are they?
6 – What was the last book that you read?
7 – Do you prefer paper books or electronic reading devices? Why?
8 – Have you read any books more than once? Which books?
9 – Who is your favourite author? What do you know about this person?
10- Are you a member of a library? How far is the closest library from your home?
11- What do you think is the ideal environment for reading?
12- Where do you usually read when you are at home?
13- Have any books you like been made into films? Which was better?
14- What things did you like to read when you were younger?
15- Have you ever read a bad book that you couldn’t finish? What was its title?
16- At what age were you able to read a book? Do you remember your first book?
17- Do you read any magazines? Which ones?
18- Do you read newspapers? At what time of day do you read them?
19- If you were to write a book, what would it be about?
20- Do you prefer male or female authors? Do you think they write differently?
21- Where do you usually get your books from? Do you ever borrow from friends?
22- What kind of non-fiction books do you like to read?
23- Who is the most famous author from your home country?
24- What do you want to read next? Why will you read it?
25- Do you prefer to read a book or watch television?
Book and reading idioms
Here are some useful related idioms you may want to share with your friends or class after discussing the reading conversation questions.
A bookworm is a person who loves reading and reads all the time.
If you cook the books, you change the financial details of a company or organization in a fraudulent or illegal way.
If somebody says to you, “read my lips“, they are telling you to listen carefully and pay attention, as what they are saying is important.
If you are in someone’s bad books, that person has a problem or is angry with you.
If you hit the books, you are studying. This is usually used as an expression for studying before examinations.
To turn the page means to move on or forward in life and forget a bad experience or event.
