Students rarely run out of things to say on this one; ghosts, UFOs, superstitions, cryptids, government cover-ups, deja vu, and more give everyone something to react to, regardless of whether they’re a believer or a skeptic. It’s a great topic for mixed levels because the conversation naturally moves from sharing personal experiences at lower levels to exploring why humans are drawn to mystery in the first place at higher levels.
Questions are organized by level from beginner to advanced. A printable PDF of all the questions is available at the bottom of the page.
Beginner (A1-A2)
- Do you know what UFO stands for? Have you ever seen something in the sky that you could not explain?
- Have you ever visited a place that people say is haunted? What was it like?
- Have you ever heard of Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster? What do they look like?
- What is a famous legend or folktale from your country? Who told it to you?
- Do you like scary movies about ghosts or monsters? What is a good one?
- Have you ever used a lucky charm or done something for good luck? What was it?
- If you saw an alien, what do you think it would look like? Would it be scary or friendly?
- Is 13 an unlucky number in your country? What numbers are lucky or unlucky?
- Do you believe in magic? Have you ever seen a magic show or a magician? Was it fun?
- Have you ever lost something and then found it in a very strange place? What happened?
- Do you like stories about aliens? What is your favorite movie or book about aliens?
Elementary (A2)
- What is the scariest ghost story you have ever heard? What made it so scary?
- What is the most mysterious place in your country? What do people say about it?
- Have you ever had a strange experience that you could not explain? What happened?
- What is a superstition that people in your country believe in? Do you believe in it?
- Have you ever had a feeling of deja vu, the feeling that something has happened before? What did it feel like?
- What is the strangest news story about an unexplained event that you have heard or read about? Why did it stick in your memory?
- Have you ever heard a strange noise at night that you could not explain? What did you do?
- Have you ever had a dream that later came true? What happened?
- The Bermuda Triangle is an area in the ocean where many ships and planes have disappeared. Have you heard of it? What do people say about it?
- Have you ever had your fortune told or your palm read? What did they tell you? Did any of it come true?
- Some people say they have seen crop circles, large mysterious patterns in farm fields. Have you heard of them? What do you think makes them?
- Have you or someone you know ever seen something they thought was a ghost? What did it look like? What did they do?
Intermediate (B1)
- Are you afraid of ghosts? What would you do if you saw one?
- Why do you think so many people are afraid of the dark? Is that fear logical?
- Do you prefer watching movies or TV shows about ghosts, aliens, or mysteries? Why?
- Do you think it is possible to communicate with someone who has died? Why or why not?
- Do you think animals can sense things that humans cannot, like ghosts or danger? Why or why not?
- Should schools teach students about unexplained phenomena like UFOs and paranormal activity, or is it a waste of time? Why or why not?
- Do you think that people who claim to have seen UFOs are telling the truth, or do you think they are mistaken or lying? What makes you think so?
- If you woke up tomorrow with the ability to read minds, would that be a good thing or a bad thing? What are the downsides?
- Do you think governments around the world are hiding information about alien life? Why or why not?
- Should people who claim to have psychic abilities be allowed to work with the police to help solve crimes? Why or why not?
- Have you ever tried something like tarot cards, astrology, or fortune telling? Do you think these things can actually predict the future? Why or why not?
- Why do you think some people become obsessed with investigating unexplained phenomena, even when others think they are wasting their time? Is it worth it?
- If you could solve one famous unsolved mystery, which one would you choose? Why that one?
- Do you think there are still large animals on Earth that we have not discovered yet? Why or why not?
Upper-Intermediate (B2)
- Do you think there is life on other planets? If scientists confirmed this tomorrow, how do you think it would change the world?
- How has the internet changed the way people investigate and share information about unexplained events? Has it made it easier to find the truth, or harder?
- Unexplained phenomena like UFOs and cryptids are treated very differently in the media today than they were 30 years ago. What has changed, and why?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of using eyewitness testimony as evidence for paranormal events? When should it be trusted?
- How do ghost stories and legends about mysterious places affect tourism in those areas? Can you think of any examples from your country or elsewhere?
- How do different cultures around the world explain the same unexplained phenomena, like strange lights in the sky or creatures in the water? What does this variety of explanations tell us?
- What are the risks of taking paranormal or conspiracy theories seriously at a societal level? Can you think of any real-world examples where this caused problems?
- Why do some unexplained events, like the Loch Ness Monster or the Bermuda Triangle, become globally famous while others remain unknown? What factors determine which mysteries capture the world’s attention?
- Some famous mysteries, like the Bermuda Triangle or crop circles, have been explained by science, but many people still prefer the mysterious explanation. Why do you think people resist the scientific answer?
- How do movies, TV shows, and social media shape what people believe about the paranormal? Are they more likely to create believers or skeptics? What makes you think so?
- Some people who report seeing ghosts or experiencing unexplained events are completely sure of what they saw. How much does personal experience shape what we believe, even when there is no scientific proof?
- How do superstitions both comfort people and limit their behavior? What real-world examples have you seen?
Advanced (C1)
- Why do you think humans across all cultures and throughout history have believed in ghosts or spirits? What does that tell us about human nature?
- When someone reports seeing a UFO or a ghost, how do you decide how much of that account to believe? What does the way we evaluate these stories reveal about how humans handle uncertainty?
- The same unexplained event can be a miracle to one person, a scientific mystery to another, and a fraud to a third. What does this tell us about the role of existing beliefs in shaping what we accept as real?
- Believing in unexplained phenomena is often mocked as irrational, yet even scientists hold beliefs they cannot fully prove. Where is the line between healthy skepticism and rigid closed-mindedness?
- The paranormal entertainment industry, ghost hunting TV shows, horror films, podcasts about unsolved mysteries, profits from keeping things unexplained. How does commercial interest shape what we collectively believe?
- Across many cultures, unexplained phenomena tend to appear at places and times of historical trauma like battlefields, former prisons, sites of disasters. What does this pattern suggest about the relationship between collective memory and the stories people create to make sense of the past?
- Some argue that belief in psychic abilities or the paranormal actually reflects a deep human discomfort with randomness, we prefer a mysterious pattern to the idea that things simply happen by chance. Do you think that is true? What examples support or challenge that view?
- Some unexplained events, like near-death experiences, are deeply meaningful to the people who experience them but impossible to prove scientifically. Should science stay out of these experiences, or is it important to investigate them even if it takes away their meaning?
- Children are often fascinated by monsters, ghosts, and the supernatural, but as adults, many people dismiss these things as childish. What gets lost when we stop believing in things we cannot explain, and what do we gain?
- Everyone now carries a high-quality camera in their pocket, and yet convincing evidence of ghosts, UFOs, and cryptids has not increased. Why do you think better technology has not settled these debates? What does that tell us about what people are actually looking for when they believe in the unexplained?
- Governments have released classified files about UFO sightings, but rather than ending the mystery, this has often increased public suspicion and conspiracy theories. Why does more official information sometimes create less trust instead of more?