Topic 100: Luck vs. Hard Work

A1-A2 (Beginner-Elementary)

1. What is luck? Can you give an example of good luck?

2. What is hard work? How do you describe it in simple terms?

3. Do you believe in luck? Why or why not?

4. Can you think of a time when you had good luck? What happened?

5. Do you think hard work is important? Why or why not?

6. Have you ever worked hard and then succeeded? What did you do?

7. Do you think people who work hard are more successful than people who rely on luck?

8. Can you think of someone who is very lucky? What happened to them?

9. Do you believe people can make their own luck? How?

10. Is it important to try your best even if you don’t feel lucky? Why?

11. Would you rather be lucky or work hard for success? Why?

12. How do you feel when someone gets lucky and wins something you wanted?

13. How do you feel when your hard work doesn’t lead to success?

14. Can you change your luck? How?

15. Do you think luck plays a role in being successful? Why or why not?

16. What is something you worked hard for and felt proud of afterward?

B1-B2 (Intermediate-Upper Intermediate)

17. Do you think luck can help people succeed in life? Why or why not?

18. How does hard work contribute to long-term success?

19. Can luck and hard work work together to help people succeed? How?

20. How do you balance working hard and waiting for lucky opportunities?

21. Do you think some people are just lucky, or do they also work hard to succeed?

22. How can a person make their own luck?

23. Can luck ever be a disadvantage in life? Why or why not?

24. Do you believe that success is more about luck or more about effort? Explain your view.

25. Do you think some careers are easier to achieve by being lucky rather than working hard?

26. Do you know anyone who had success because of hard work or luck? What happened?

27. How do you deal with failure when you work hard but don’t get the results you expect?

28. Do you think it’s fair when people succeed just because they are lucky?

29. What are some situations in life where luck seems more important than hard work?

30. Can hard work overcome bad luck? How?

31. How can you turn bad luck into good luck through hard work?

32. What is more important in the long run, luck or hard work? Why?

C1-C2 (Advanced-Proficient)

33. How do you define success, and does luck or hard work play a bigger role in achieving it?

34. In some fields like entrepreneurship, do you think luck is more important than effort? Why or why not?

35. How can people create their own opportunities and ‘make their own luck’ through persistence and hard work?

36. In professional careers, how do people with ‘lucky breaks’ maintain their success?

37. Does the concept of luck sometimes undermine the value of hard work in society? Explain your viewpoint.

38. How can a person’s background or social class affect their luck or opportunities in life?

39. Do you believe that luck is something out of your control, or can it be influenced by your actions?

40. How do different cultures view luck and hard work? Are there any noticeable differences?

41. When does luck seem to play the most important role in someone’s success, and when does hard work take over?

42. Can you think of any ethical concerns surrounding people who rely heavily on luck to succeed?

43. Is it possible for someone who works hard to always succeed, or is luck always a factor? Discuss.

44. How can the idea of luck shape someone’s mindset about their own potential and ability to succeed?

45. Do you think it’s possible to be both lucky and hard-working at the same time? How can both work together?

46. Can you think of an example where luck played a huge role in someone’s life, but they still failed in the long run?

47. How do luck and hard work influence personal happiness? Is one more important than the other?

48. How does the media portray the balance of luck and hard work in achieving success? Is it an accurate reflection of reality?