PERSPECTIVE
Free ESL Conversation Resource · Issue 052

Chocolate: ESL Discussion Questions

15 classroom conversation questions about rising chocolate prices, cocoa farmers, climate change, fair pay, and whether cocoa-free alternatives can replace the real thing.
A1–A2 BeginnerB1–B2 IntermediateC1–C2 Advanced

Could chocolate become a luxury? Explore the pressures facing cocoa farmers and chocolate makers through 15 ESL discussion questions from Perspective English Issue 052, “Choc Horror.” Students discuss shrinking chocolate bars, the cost of fair pay, climate change and cocoa-free alternatives. Use these questions for pair work, group discussions and debates at three English levels.

A

Beginner · A1–A2

Start the conversation

  1. 01

    Would you still buy chocolate if it cost twice as much? Why?

  2. 02

    Has a product you like got smaller or more expensive? What did you do?

  3. 03

    Would you pay more for chocolate if the farmers got a fair income?

  4. 04

    Should chocolate companies promise farmers a minimum income?

  5. 05

    Could chocolate without cocoa ever replace real chocolate? Would it matter?

Ready for the full lesson?Explore the A1–A2 Choc Horror lesson →
B

Intermediate · B1–B2

Explore the issue

  1. 01

    Would you still buy chocolate if it cost twice as much? Why or why not?

  2. 02

    Have you noticed a favorite product getting smaller or more expensive? How did you react?

  3. 03

    Would you pay more for chocolate if you knew the farmers were paid fairly?

  4. 04

    Should chocolate companies guarantee cocoa farmers a minimum income?

  5. 05

    Could a lab-grown alternative ever replace the real thing? Would it matter if it did?

Take the topic further.Explore the B1–B2 Choc Horror lesson →

A cheap treat can hide a very expensive problem.

One topic. Three levels. Countless perspectives.
C

Advanced · C1–C2

Challenge the idea

  1. 01

    Would you still buy chocolate if it cost twice as much? Why, or why not?

  2. 02

    Have you noticed a favorite product shrinking or costing more? How did you react?

  3. 03

    Would you knowingly pay more if farmers were guaranteed a fair income?

  4. 04

    Should chocolate companies be required to guarantee farmers a minimum income?

  5. 05

    If a lab-grown substitute tasted the same, would it matter that it was not real?

Push the discussion further.Explore the C1–C2 Choc Horror lesson →
Perspective English · Complete lessons

Turn the discussion into a full lesson.

Continue with “Choc Horror,” Perspective English Issue 052. Explore the future of chocolate, cocoa farming, changing prices and fair pay through reading, vocabulary, critical thinking and speaking challenges, with ready-to-teach materials for all three levels.

A1–A2

Discuss rising chocolate prices, fair income for farmers and whether cocoa-free chocolate could replace the real thing.

View beginner lesson →B1–B2

Explore volatile cocoa prices, vulnerable farms and the trade-offs between affordability and fair pay.

View intermediate lesson →C1–C2

Debate who bears the true cost of chocolate, corporate responsibility and the future of lab-grown alternatives.

View advanced lesson →