A1 Level – Elementary
1. Do you like parties?
2. What is a common social gathering?
3. Do you like meeting new people?
4. What food do you bring to a party?
5. What makes a conversation interesting?
6. What is the difference between a formal and a casual gathering?
7. Do you like dancing at parties?
8. What is a common way to say thank you when leaving?
9. Do you think small gatherings are better than big ones?
10. What makes a good host?
11. Do you use your phone at social events?
12. What makes a gathering noisy?
13. What is the opposite of a crowd?
14. What are some different types of music at a party?
15. Do you feel nervous before a social gathering?
A2 Level – Pre-Intermediate
1. What are the key differences between a family gathering and a professional networking event?
2. Describe one time when a social gathering helped you make a new, important connection.
3. What are the pros and cons of using social media to invite people to a large event?
4. What role does body language and eye contact play in making a good impression at a gathering?
5. Have you ever experienced social anxiety before attending a large, unfamiliar gathering?
6. What specific rules of etiquette should guests follow when bringing food or drinks?
7. What is the difference between a spontaneous gathering and a planned event?
8. What are common challenges when trying to start a conversation with a complete stranger?
9. How does technology (e.g., shared photos) extend the life and memory of a social gathering?
10. What are the biggest cultural differences in the acceptable noise levels or formality of social events?
11. What is the importance of having icebreakers or planned activities at a gathering?
12. Do you think online-only social gatherings can ever fully replace in-person events?
13. What are the challenges of catering a gathering to diverse dietary needs or cultural restrictions?
14. What are the best ways to gracefully exit a boring conversation or leave a party early?
15. What is the difference between attending a gathering for duty and attending for genuine pleasure?
B1 Level – Intermediate
1. Discuss the difficulty of balancing the desire to be present at a gathering with the urge to check your phone or retreat.
2. How can organizations ensure their social gatherings are truly inclusive of all personality types (e.g., introverts)?
3. What are the ethical issues surrounding the pressure to consume alcohol at social gatherings for professional reasons?
4. Do you agree that the best social gatherings are those where people feel comfortable to be their authentic selves?
5. Describe a time when a small, private gathering led to a much deeper and more meaningful conversation than a large one.
6. To what extent should the host be responsible for managing awkward social situations or conflicts at a gathering?
7. What role does storytelling and shared memory play in strengthening bonds at recurring social events?
8. How do cultural norms about gift-giving and reciprocity affect the atmosphere of a social gathering?
9. Discuss the psychological phenomenon of “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out) in the context of declining social invitations.
10. What are the challenges of planning a social gathering in a highly polarized political environment?
11. How does the concept of “social capital” relate to the size and quality of a person’s social network?
12. Should mandatory social events be required in the workplace to promote team cohesion?
13. What is the difference between networking (strategic social interaction) and genuinely making a friend?
14. Discuss the concept of a “potluck”—a shared meal where everyone contributes a dish—and its social benefits.
15. What is the long-term impact of consistently avoiding social gatherings due to anxiety or introversion?
B2 Level – Upper-Intermediate
1. How does economic inequality influence the frequency, size, and formality of the social gatherings a person attends?
2. What are the ethical arguments about excluding specific individuals or groups from private social gatherings (e.g., based on politics)?
3. Should public funding prioritize the creation of non-commercial, third places (e.g., community centers) for social gatherings?
4. What are the psychological reasons why large group gatherings can be both highly stimulating and deeply exhausting?
5. How has the dominance of highly produced digital media changed people’s expectations for in-person entertainment at gatherings?
6. Discuss the idea that the spontaneous, unstructured conversation is the most vital component of a successful social gathering.
7. What is the role of legal frameworks (e.g., noise ordinances, public assembly laws) in regulating social gatherings?
8. How do our cultural narratives about hospitality and hierarchy affect the way we host and are hosted?
9. What are the challenges of managing a safe and respectful social gathering that includes people of vastly different age groups?
10. Discuss the concept of “weak ties”—casual acquaintances met at gatherings—and their importance for career mobility.
11. What is the difference between a social gathering that affirms existing beliefs and one that challenges them?
12. Should there be stricter rules about the quality and accessibility of public venues used for major community gatherings?
13. What is the impact of mandatory public safety measures (e.g., health checks) on the intimacy of private gatherings?
14. How does the history of salon culture and coffee houses relate to the modern need for intellectual social gatherings?
15. Discuss the idea that the greatest benefit of social gatherings is the validation of shared experience.
C1 Level – Advanced
1. Analyze the socioeconomic factors that correlate with social isolation and the decline in participation in spontaneous social gatherings.
2. To what degree should the legal system restrict the size or location of private social gatherings that may cause public disturbance?
3. Discuss the philosophical concept of “the social contract” and how social gatherings reinforce or challenge its informal rules.
4. Evaluate the impact of new technologies (e.g., live streaming, VR events) on the definition of a “social gathering.”
5. How does the strategic use of seating arrangements and spatial design influence conversational flow and power dynamics at a gathering?
6. Examine the legal challenges of holding hosts accountable for the actions of their guests at large private gatherings.
7. What ethical guidelines should govern the use of facial recognition or social network analysis to track attendance at private events?
8. Discuss the concept of “third places”—spaces outside of home and work—and their critical role in community well-being.
9. How do different national policies on privacy and alcohol regulation affect the spontaneity and character of social gatherings?
10. Analyze the interplay between the massive market for event planning services and the decline of simple, self-organized social events.
11. What ethical challenges arise when social gatherings are intentionally used as platforms for covert political organizing or fundraising?
12. Debate whether a technologically perfect social gathering, managed by AI, would lose the essential human element of unpredictability.
13. How does the architecture of residential homes reflect a priority for private family space over open gathering areas?
14. Discuss the concept of “social loafing” and how it affects the quality of collaboration at professional gatherings.
15. To what extent does the emotional need for belonging drive people to attend social gatherings they do not genuinely enjoy?
C2 Level – Proficiency
1. How do you analyze the idea that social gatherings are fundamentally ritualized performances that reaffirm social hierarchy and group norms?
2. Formulate a critique of organizational models that view social gatherings purely as productivity tools rather than as ends in themselves.
3. Analyze the intersection of complexity theory, crowd dynamics, and the challenge of managing safe social gatherings of massive scale.
4. Discuss the philosophical distinction between “communion” (deep shared experience) and “assembly” (mere physical presence) in a gathering.
5. Critically evaluate the effectiveness of virtual platforms in replicating the non-verbal and tactile communication essential to human social bonding.
6. Propose a system for public funding that supports the creation and maintenance of open, non-commercial public spaces for spontaneous social interaction.
7. Examine the psychological function of planned periods of silence and focused attention in enhancing the quality of social interaction.
8. How does the semiotics of invitation design, venue choice, and dress code communicate the intended social value of a gathering?
9. Discuss the ethical responsibilities of social media platforms in ensuring that online event groups do not devolve into exclusive or hostile spaces.
10. Analyze the historical relationship between cycles of public health crisis (e.g., pandemics) and the subsequent societal re-evaluation of physical gathering.
11. Articulate the inherent tension between the personal desire for genuine intimacy and the large number of participants required for some social goals.
12. Debate whether the global trend toward digital interaction will eventually render the physical social gathering a specialized, rare luxury.
13. Assess the long-term societal effects of chronic social isolation on political polarization and public civility.
14. Discuss the philosophical definition of ‘community’ and how it is sustained by the repeated ritual of social gathering.
15. How might the principles of successful social hosting be used to model processes of organizational onboarding and inter-departmental trust-building?
