Cultural taboo topics Elementary Version

Teacher’s instructions
Give the topic sheets to the students with the number of points at the top cut off/ folded over
Get them to discuss how taboo all the topics on one sheet are (or one sheet per group)
Tell them that they are arranged as all the same level of taboo on each sheet, for a British person talking to an acquaintance
Get them to discuss and arrange the 5 sheets in order
Discuss differences in Japan
Let students take turns choosing how many point topics they want to talk about/ role play for one minute. Give them that many points, with points taken off for speaking under a minute, not being polite, long pauses etc.
After a few rounds declare a winner. (Can also be played as a board game.)
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Low and very low risk- 10 points
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Gossip about famous people
Cars
Your route here
Tea and coffee
The weather today
Gardening and DIY
(Recent) TV programmes
Independence movements in parts of your country
Your pets
(Recent) movies
Places you have lived
Your studies
Problems with the transport system in your country
Problems between the UN and your country
Problems between the IMF and World Bank and your country
Football
A sports team I support
The weather this week
Your family
Sightseeing in your area

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Medium to low- 20 points
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What you usually eat
Start a conversation with a taxi driver
Start a conversation at the bar with another person
Your car
The royal family
Food
Your precise position in your company and what you do in your role
History- the 2nd World War
Which newspaper you read and why
The class system in your country
Your surroundings (=the building or area you are in)
Your diet
Your wife
Which university you went to and why
The relationship between your country and its closest neighbour
The seasonal changes
How much you saved in the (summer) sales
Young people nowadays
Talk directly to a pet
Today’s news
Favourite restaurants
Local recommended (tourist) sights
Countries and cities you have been to
Ask your boss their first name
Suggest splitting the bill
Holidays
Why your partner’s favourite sports team is no good
Your home town
Smoking
Books

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Medium- 30 points
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Your neighbours
Your social class
Tell some jokes
Cooking
Death of a pet
Politics
Sexism in your country
Your bad points
Religion in your country
Your nickname(s)
Bad things about your country
Complaining about the police
Your household chores (cleaning, washing etc.)
Property prices in your country/ area
Fashion
Bad behaviour by your children
The history of your country
Your country’s relationship with America
Keep on asking your boss or teacher to explain something you don’t understand
How good-looking (or not) men and women are in your country
Treatment of prisoners in your country
The power of religions in your country
A recent political scandal
Where you buy your clothes and why
Famous crimes and criminals from your country
How old you are and how you feel about it
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Medium to high- 40 points
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Poverty (= poor people) in your country
Your family’s/ ancestors’ social class
Your academic achievements
Tell some rude jokes
Start a conversation on the bus
Start a conversation on the train
Stand up and introduce yourself
Compliment everyone in the class
The political party you support
Race and racism in your country
Great things about your country
How you really feel
The death penalty
Homosexuality (= gay people)
Terrorism in your country
Your health
The sex industry
Birth control in your country (the pill etc.)
Start a conversation with a good looking man or woman that you are have never met before
Complain about the food to a waiter
Animal rights
Vegetarianism (= not eating meat)

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High and very high- 50 points
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Your marital state (= married, single, divorced etc.)
Having babies
Your salary
What your house cost
What your car cost
A death in the family
The underclass in your country
Your weight
Your good points
Your religion
Start a conversation with someone sitting at the next table in a bar or restaurant
Tell someone who has no idea that you love them
Patriotism and nationalism in your country (= loving your country)
Your achievements at work
Your ambitions
Your (Xmas) bonus