B1 Science Discussion Questions for Late Teens (16-18)

50 intermediate (B1) science discussion questions for 16-18 year olds. Each with 8 vocabulary items. Preview 5, use all 50 in YapYapGo.

BasicB1 Intermediate
Question 1
What science subject do you find most interesting, and why?
fascinate (v)understand (v)reason (n)practical (adj)experiment (n)discover (v)complex (adj)field (n)
Question 2
How do you think science will change the way we live in the next 10 years?
improve (v)medicine (n)technology (n)solve (v)problem (n)change (v)daily (adj)way (n)
Question 3
What scientific discovery from the past few years has surprised you the most?
surprise (v)breakthrough (n)research (n)amazing (adj)learn (v)result (n)exciting (adj)recent (adj)
Question 4
Do you think it's important for everyone to understand basic science, even if they don't study it at school?
necessary (adj)understand (v)knowledge (n)basic (adj)help (v)decision (n)useful (adj)benefit (n)
Question 5
What area of science would you like to learn more about?
interested (adj)explore (v)subject (n)curious (adj)learn (v)topic (n)develop (v)skill (n)
Question
This question is available in YapYapGo...
vocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabulary
Question
This question is available in YapYapGo...
vocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabulary
Question
This question is available in YapYapGo...
vocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabulary
Question
This question is available in YapYapGo...
vocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabulary
🔒

45 more questions with vocabulary support

Use all 50 Science & Discovery discussion questions at B1 level in YapYapGo's Topic Discussion mode. Questions are displayed one at a time with vocabulary on demand, automatic student pairing, and session history tracking.

20 topic categoriesVocabulary on demandNo repeatsAge filtering
Try Topic Discussion
Part of YapYapGo Basic. From $3/month.

Built for teachers who run speaking lessons every day

YapYapGo handles the logistics: student pairing, question delivery, timers, and session tracking. You focus on facilitation and feedback.

See Plans

Explore More Questions

Other Age Groups

B1 Science Discussion Questions for Late Teens (16-18)

B1 late teens can discuss science topics but default to repeating what they learned in school rather than forming their own positions. These 50 questions push beyond textbook recitation by asking for evaluation and opinion: 'Should we spend more money on space exploration or ocean research?' 'Is it better to study science from books or through experiments?' 'Will robots make scientists unnecessary?' Each question requires a position, not just a fact, which generates the kind of personal, evaluative speech that B1 development demands.

The vocabulary introduces the language of scientific debate that B1 teens encounter in media but do not produce: 'renewable energy,' 'extinct,' 'genetic engineering,' 'vaccine,' 'ecosystem,' and 'climate change.' These compound terms and semi-technical phrases mark the transition from basic science English to the vocabulary needed for informed discussion.

From recitation to opinion

B1 teens discussing science benefit from 'what if' questions that let them speculate beyond established facts. 'What if we discovered intelligent life on another planet?' produces more creative, extended language than 'Is there life on other planets?' The speculative frame removes the pressure to be scientifically correct and encourages fluent, imaginative speaking.

Semi-technical vocabulary for informed discussion

For 16-18 year olds in CLIL programmes where science is taught partly in English, these discussion questions reinforce subject vocabulary while developing speaking skills. A science concept learned in an English-medium lesson becomes truly internalised when the student can discuss it with a partner in their own words.

Frequently Asked Questions

The questions cover common scientific themes (energy, climate, genetics, space, health) that appear in most school science curricula worldwide. They are designed for language practice rather than science assessment.
The questions deliberately ask for opinions, comparisons, and speculation rather than facts. 'Should we fund space exploration?' cannot be answered by reciting a textbook. It requires personal evaluation.
Yes. Science and technology are common topics in Cambridge exams. These questions develop the evaluative discussion skills and topical vocabulary that Preliminary Speaking tasks require.