adventure story essay questions

101 Epic Adventure Story Prompts

Do you want to write in the adventure genre but need help conjuring compelling and adventure-packed stories and concepts? Sometimes reading simple story prompts is the easiest way to get those creative juices flowing .

We get our ideas from many sources — news headlines, novels, television shows, movies, our lives, our fears, our phobias, etc. They can come from a scene or moment in a film that wasn’t fully explored. They can come from a single visual that entices the creative mind — a seed that continues to grow and grow until the writer is forced to finally put it to paper or screen.

In the spirit of helping writers find those seeds, here we offer 101 originally conceived adventure story prompts that you can use as inspiration for your next adventure story.

They may inspire screenplays, novels, short stories, or even smaller moments that you can include in what stories you are already writing.

Common Elements in the Adventure Genre

Adventure movies are the action genre's closest relative. They are seemingly one and the same beyond a single element — location .

Adventure movies are best defined as action movies set within an exotic location — something beyond an otherwise anonymous big city or small town.

They entail a character — or cast of characters — traveling to a new world, or many worlds, to attain what they so desire.

• Indiana Jones movies globe-trot to many different locations.
• The Pirates of the Caribbean  franchise takes us to many worlds across the open waters of the ocean.
• The Goonies  takes children into the underground caves of a pirate's treasure.
• The  Jumanji  franchise takes characters into the jungle worlds of a videogame.
• Jungle Cruise  took us down the waters of the Amazon River.

Again, the key difference between a straightforward action movie and an adventure movie is location, location, location.

Notable adventure sub-genres include:

• Disaster Flicks  —  The adventure aspect of these types of films entails characters struggling to survive through seemingly impossible and yes, disastrous, circumstances.  The Poseidon Adventure ,  The Towering Inferno ,  San Andreas , almost every Roland Emmerich movie, etc. These are all disaster flicks that take us on the ultimate adventure of survival. They can often be blended genres set within the context of natural disasters, alien invasions, and post-apocalyptic situations. In these cases, the disaster itself creates a unique location.
• Quests —  The word quest is perhaps the most simple term to market. The mere mention of it entails a MacGuffin — a plot device in the form of some goal, desired object, or other motivators that the protagonist pursues — and the grand adventure of attaining it. The Indiana Jones franchise as a whole is perhaps the most well-known of this sub-genre.

Note: Because we’re all connected to the same pop culture, news headlines, and inspirations, any similarity to any past, present, or future screenplays, novels, short stories, television pilots, television series, plays, or any other creative works is purely coincidence. These story writing prompts were conceived on the fly without any research or Google search for inspiration.

101 Adventure Story Prompts

1. Two treasure-hunting teams race against time to find the same treasure in four different potential locations.  

2. A group of high school students traveling abroad must survive the elements when their plane crashes into the jungle. 

3. A gamer wakes up in his favorite car racing game and must win multiple races to survive.

4. A young boy searches for his lost father in the nearby mountains.

5. An astronaut crash lands on an exotic planet.

6. A group of middle school friends discovers a series of tunnels underneath their town.

7. A father and son go on a safari and must survive the elements when their guides are killed. 

8. A group of explorers searches for a long-lost ship that disappeared in the Antarctic two hundred years ago. 

9. A single mother learns that her college-age daughter has disappeared into the jungles of a foreign country.

10. A family struggles to survive a destructive meteor shower.

11. A man wakes up in a dream world that he can't escape. 

12. A woman joins the military and is shipped overseas as she intends to avenge the death of her soldier husband.

13. The last man on Earth flies into space to search for astronauts sent to colonize Mars ten years prior.

14. The last people on Earth go to China's Great Wall to evade attacking creatures that have killed everyone else on the planet.

15. A priest discovers the true entrance to biblical Hell. 

16. A woman fights her way across purgatory to find her true fate. 

17. A boy is taken to an alien world after displaying amazing fighting skills in his video game system. 

18. An FBI agent tracks down a group of bank robbers through the waters of the Grand Canyon. 

19. The President of the United States wakes up on a train taking him into a desert. 

20. A spy escapes to another continent to evade government assassins trying to take him out. 

21. A group of rock climbers discovers a drug deal in the Rockies and must survive as they are pursued. 

'127 Hours'

22. A retired assassin struggles to survive an onslaught of assassins trying to kill him near his mountain cabin home .

23. A gamer escapes into the fantasy world of his favorite game.

24. A classic horror movie fan escapes into the world of his favorite horror movies.

25. Professional thieves are tasked with stealing from a country's gold reserves hidden deep within a mountain.

26. Extreme paintball enthusiasts on a wilderness retreat stumble upon a group of armed criminals.

27. A president must fight off terrorists that attack him on a retreat. 

28. An FBI agent must team up with a cartel boss to find their missing sons in the jungles of Mexico. 

29. Explorers search the ocean for the lost city of Atlantis. 

30. A family finds a lost city underneath their farmland. 

31. A team of explorers is tasked with drilling a ship into the core of the Earth. 

32. A man is catapulted into an apocalyptic future to find the cause of impending doom. 

33. Extreme sports athletes are forced to use their skills for heists in the world's most exotic locations. 

34. College friends search for a mythical island paradise during spring break.  

35. A family is marooned on another planet. 

36. Racecar drivers race across the country in the ultimate race. 

37. Pilots discover a strange city in the clouds. 

38. A robot from the future finds a little girl and takes her to the future world.  

39. Kayakers are whisked away down the Mississippi River during a horrible storm and flood. 

40. A spelunker discovers an underground world. 

41. A bullied boy wakes up as a strong knight in a fantasy world. 

42. Deer hunters discover that they have been targeted by a master hunter that hunts only one prey — man. 

43. A family must survive when they are shipwrecked on a jungle island. 

'Dora and the Lost City of Gold'

44. A waitress is given a mysterious plane ticket as a tip for her excellent service. 

45. An old west gunslinger must survive a posse that is after him. 

46. The world's most deadly convicts are hired for an impossible adventure into the depths of space. 

47. A sailor decides to sail into the infamous Bermuda Triangle to find a lost friend.  

48. A town must survive the worst flood in history. 

49. Storm chasers must survive a unique weather system that creates multiple F5 tornadoes. 

50. A man that has uploaded his consciousness to a simulated reality fights to return to his real body and world.

51. A truck driver travels across the country as he's pursued by gangsters that want his cargo. 

52. An outcast nerd discovers that he's actually a revered prince from another planet, hidden by his royal family to escape an evil space lord. 

53. The story of the Titanic, but the Titanic is a luxury space cruiser that has hit a meteor made of ice. 

54. An astronaut stuck in cryosleep wakes up after his returning ship crashlands in medieval times. 

55. A Navy SEAL is shipwrecked on a deserted island full of vampires. 

56. A submarine crew discovers an underwater civilization of humans. 

57. An asteroid crashes into Earth as people struggle to survive. 

58. Archeologists unlock the mystery of the great pyramids. 

59. The world's last unicorn struggles to get to a safe world. 

60. A wizard from another realm must find a magical item lost on Earth before their evil counterpart does. 

61. A scientist finds the cure for cancer in the jungles but is pursued by a drug cartel wanting to sell it to the highest bidder. 

62. A space pilot goes on an interstellar race to find a coveted treasure. 

'Guardians of the Galaxy'

63. A family sailing the ocean waters must overcome the worst hurricane in history. 

64. Two escaped union soldiers with key intel must make their way through the southern battlefields of the Civil War-era United States. 

65. Old West train robbers must fight off infantry soldiers as the train races across the country. 

66. A Vietnam POW escapes a prisoner camp and struggles to make his way through the war-torn territories to freedom.

67. Criminals are now shipped into space on space prison ships as some try to escape. 

68. Peter Pan's mother tracks him down in Neverland. 

69. Competing treasure hunting families race on the open ocean waters to find a sunken treasure. 

70. A character within a Sim City-like game becomes self-aware and wants to escape to the real world. 

71.  A family vacationing in Hawaii unlocks a portal that transports them back in time. 

72. Asteroid miners struggle to survive an accident. 

73. A family of assassins must survive a syndicate's attempt to take them out while they're on vacation in Europe.

74. A family is transported back to the time of the dinosaurs and struggles to survive. 

75. A riverboat captain attempts the first trip down the Mississippi River. 

76. A futuristic gamer realizes what he thought was a virtual reality shooter game is actually real life. 

77. A movie director finds a way to transport his cast and crew back in time to save money on sets and wardrobes. 

78. Alien monsters chase the last living family on Earth across the country. 

79. A warrior is tasked with venturing to the Dark World to save a captive princess. 

80. A pirate that has fallen in love and wants to leave his pirate ways is chased down by his crew. 

81. Three swordsmen fight their way across a medieval world in search of Excalibur. 

'The Green Knight'

82. A select group of individuals is invited to partake in the ultimate scavenger hunt. 

83. A best-selling author is transported into the fantasy world of his novels. 

84. A science fiction movie director realizes that the world he created for his hit franchise is real. 

85. Siblings mourn the death of their grandpa, only to discover that he's left them an old treasure map.  

86. A witch curses a group of children, causing them to shrink to the size of ants. 

87. A family must find each other after the worst earthquake in human history. 

88. An ancestor of the real Van Helsing is hunted across Europe by vampires.  

89. An off-duty detective on a cruise vacation with his family must fend off terrorists that take over the ship. 

90. A special forces team is catapulted into the world of Wonderland. 

91. An astronaut marooned on the dark side of the moon must make his way to a landing site before it is too late.  

92. A wilderness firefighter must parachute into a wildfire to find a missing family. 

93. A special forces team must retreat back to their base as they are pursued by vampires awakened within an ancient village.  

94. A group of ghost hunters must find their way out of a haunted castle. 

95. A family snorkeling along a reef during vacation finds themselves trapped in an underwater world.  

96. A portal to another world opens during a sleepover. 

97. A conspiracy theorist manages to break into Area 51 and discovers that it houses portals to alien worlds. 

98. An action star is kidnapped and hunted down by a tribe that believes he is the real deal.  

99. Career criminals utilize a city-wide blackout for their crimes. 

100. Scientists travel back to the world of dinosaurs to find a long-dead plant that could save humankind from extinction. 

101. A screenwriter awakens in the world of his science fiction script and must find a way back home.  

'Adaptation'

Share this with your writing peers or anyone that loves a good adventure story. Have some prompts of your own? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter !

Want More Ideas? Take a Look at Our Other  Genre-Based Story Prompts !

Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries  Blackout , starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller Hunter’s Creed , and many Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies

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20 Fun Adventure Writing Prompts And Story Ideas

There’s a reason that adventure stories like Harry Potter are so popular. Kids, teenagers, and even adults love to use their imaginations and picture themselves going on a wild adventure. Writing adventure stories is equally enjoyable for the same reason. Starting an adventure story can be challenging for students, but with these fun adventure writing prompts and story ideas your students will be able to easily start their fun adventure story. Before we take a look at these adventure story starters, first let’s talk about what adventure stories are.

What Are Adventure Stories?

Adventure stories follow a certain formula. They include a hero who is going on a journey or quest in an unfamiliar environment . For example, in Lord Of The Rings, the ‘hero’ (Frodo) leaves his hometown and sets off on a quest to destroy the ring in the fires of Mount Doom. In adventure stories, there’s almost always a villain and a certain element of risk . As an adventure story progresses, the main character usually transforms from an ordinary person into a hero.

Fun Adventure Writing Prompts And Story Ideas

Here are 20 fun adventure writing prompts and story ideas:

• You find a flute in the forest. When you play it, you are transported to another world. What’s the world like? How do you get back home?
• One day, in P.E. class, you fall and bump your head. When you get home, you can understand everything your pet is saying. What does your pet say? What adventures do you and your pet have next?
• On  Christmas  eve, Santa clause crashes his sleigh in your backyard. He needs your help to deliver all the presents before Christmas day. How do you help?
• You move into a new house and find an old board game covered in dust. You decide to play the game, and when you roll the dice, you get sucked into a different world. What’s it like there? How do you escape?
• Some equipment malfunctions while working in a laboratory on a top-secret project. The next day, you start to notice strange new powers. What powers do you have? What do you do with your new powers?
• Your father is an inventor. You go into his office and find a ‘ray gun’. You accidentally fire it, it hits you, and you shrink to the size of an ant. What happens next?
• While on vacation in Europe, you get lost in the backstreets of a city. There, you discover a portal that transports you back in time to World War 2. What do you do there?
• While cleaning your room, you discover an old dusty book. You open it, and there is a key hidden inside. What does the key open?
• You visit a charity store and buy a cool jacket there. When you put it on, you suddenly become invisible. What adventures do you get up to with your new jacket?
• You go for a walk in a forest and get lost. As night falls, the trees and plants begin to talk. What do they say?
• The year is 3022, and your cleaning robot starts behaving strangely. You look outside, and all the other robots appear to be malfunctioning. What happens next?
• While trekking in the jungle, you come across some ancient ruins. In the center is a pool of clear water. What happens when you drink the water?
• While cleaning the attic, you discover a tiny door. When you go through it, you are transported into the mind of somebody famous and can control what they do for a day. Who is the famous person? What adventures do you get up to?
• At school, you discover a ghost. The ghost has some unfinished business and needs your help. How do you help the ghost?
• Halfway through a 7-month journey to Mars, your ship gets struck by cosmic rays. What damage does it cause? What do you do to make it to Mars safely?
• You have a time machine, and you travel back to prehistoric times. There, you kill a mosquito. When you return to the present day, the world is entirely different. What’s this world like now?
• You drop and break your T.V remote control. You put it back together, and suddenly it controls real life. What happens next?
• You find an old cell phone while clearing out your desk. You charge it up and suddenly receive a call. It’s a detective from the past who needs help solving a crime. What happens next?
• While shopping for antique furniture, you come across an antique mirror that catches your eye. What happens when you look in the mirror?
• During a thunderstorm, you get struck by lightning. The next day, you start having visions of crimes that haven’t taken place yet. What do you do next?

Download PDF

Download these adventure writing prompts as a printable PDF.

Fantasy Writing Prompts Quick Writing Prompts 4th Grade Writing Prompts

Writing prompts for adventure stories

Writing an adventure story can be very exciting, but the journey takes a bit of planning. The following are some adventure story writing prompts to help you brainstorm.

Feel free to add other elements, or to use the prompts as a springboard into another idea that you think might work better for your story.

1. Writing prompt about bad luck

Write about a character who does not have the best of luck. Their life is full of misfortune and bad situations, but one day they come across an opportunity to make a wish on a genie’s lamp. A twist: the genie is actually a trickster, and grants their wish in a way that will cause more problems down the road.

2. Writing prompt about struggling at school

Write about a character who must attend a class in which they do not excel. Their teacher is tough and demands excellence, so the student tries to go above and beyond to show their dedication to learning. However, when they start putting too much effort into their work, bad things start happening around them for no reason.

3. Writing prompt about being chased

Write about a character who has the opportunity to win a multi-million dollar prize by beating another contestant in a contest. However, they are also being chased by someone or something intent on causing them harm. They may not be able to rely on anyone else for help, either.

4. Writing prompt about proving yourself to your family

Write about a protagonist who wants to prove themself to their family, so they embark on a mission to find a long-lost artifact. Things become complicated when the other people who want it start hunting the protagonist down as well.

5. Writing prompt about lying

Write about a character who is offered a job that seems too good to be true, and for which they must lie about their qualifications. However, they do not think anything of it until the job starts requiring more and more from them.

6. Writing prompt about animal cruelty

The protagonist is an animal handler at a circus, but she hates her job because she feels the animals aren’t being treated well enough. One night there’s a fire, and everyone freaks out except for one lion tamer.

7. Writing prompt about magic

The protagonist stumbles upon a magical item that grants him any three wishes he desires.

8. Writing prompt about finding a snake

The protagonist has just moved into a new apartment. While walking around the apartment complex, they find their neighbor’s pet boa constrictor on the ground. What does the protagonist do?

9. Writing prompt about an airplane incident

The protagonist is on an airplane when something goes wrong. What do they do?

10. Writing prompt about disaster

The protagonist’s life is great; they have a wonderful family, lots of friends, etc., until one day when everything changes for worse.

11. Writing prompt about monsters under the bed

The protagonist believes that there are monsters under their bed/in their closet/etc.; at first everyone thinks they’re crazy, but eventually someone believes them and comes up with a way to get rid of the monsters once and for all…but the protagonist doesn’t want the monsters to be gotten rid of.

12. Writing prompt about change

The protagonist is a successful businesswoman/entrepreneur who starts to feel like nothing’s going her way, and she wants to lose herself in something (or someone) else for a while.

13. Writing prompt about art

The protagonist has always had an appreciation for art, but after an incident they’re seriously scared of it. What happened?

14. Writing prompt about camping danger

The protagonist is out camping at night when suddenly something goes wrong (e.g.: an animal attacks them; it starts raining; someone is trying to hide them), and they have to escape.

15. Writing prompt about a vampire

A rich, lonely man invites the protagonist over for dinner; shortly after arriving at his home, he reveals that he’s a vampire who wants them to be his next victim.

Tips for using these prompts to write an adventure story

Use the story prompts as a jumping off point for your own ideas, and spice it up with more dialogue/description/action.

If you find yourself stuck or needing help, come back to this list and choose another prompt. If one of them sparks an idea in your head, run with it!

There are no right or wrong ways to write a story, so just have fun with the prompts you choose.

And don’t forget to submit your story to our story writing competition .

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25 Hero’s Journey Story Ideas to Start an Epic Adventure

by Sue Weems | 0 comments

The hero's journey is one of the most beloved and popular story frameworks in books and film. Today we have 25 prompts with hero's journey story ideas, so you can write your own epic adventure tale!

If you've watched any one of George Lucas's Star Wars films, read or watched any of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings books or films then you've experienced the hero's journey. I've walked my creative writing classes through these stories numerous times, helping them identify and emulate the story principles. 

Part of what makes these stories so compelling is that they follow a character from their ordinary life into an adventure they couldn't have imagined, leading to personal transformation.

You can see David Stafford's (our resident expert on Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey Story Structure) Ultimate Guide to the Hero's Journey here if you want to see a complete breakdown of the heroic journey that creates these character arcs. 

While there are twelve stages or phases in a traditional hero's journey story, I've organized these prompts in the three essential stages: the departure, the initiation, and the return. You can combine these into a story or use them individually to fuel just one section of your larger story. 

Try one and see how it pushes your character out of their normal life and into a hero venture! 

Hero's Journey Story Ideas for the Departure

This opening stage is all about establishing a would-be hero's everyday life, revealing the status quo, and then disrupting it. What's expected of this character in their current state? What do they believe about themselves? 

The departure stage requires the hero to leave that mundane life, that familiar world behind to begin their adventure that will happen in a series of stages. The departure includes: the Ordinary World , the Call to Adventure and Refusal of the Call , Meet the Mentor , and the Crossing of the Threshold .

1. Create a scene where your character is frustrated or in trouble at their current workplace or home. Avoid a wake-up scene unless you can make it compelling.

2. Show your character doing their favorite activity when it gets interrupted with something inconsequential.

3. Show your character interacting with a pesky sibling, challenging family member, or sometimes friend. 

4. What problem will arise in your character's community that will necessitate them leaving home to solve it? 

5. Create a major threat to your character's favorite place or person , preferably one that could be extended to the entire community. 

6. Describe the insecurities that plague your character, focusing on ones that will inform their refusal of the call to adventure. 

7. Create a mentor (or two or three!) that will inspire your character to think beyond their current limitations and plant a seed of inspiration. What kind of person or being will best speak into your character's specific fears?

8. Write the scene where the character accepts the call and leaves home to begin the adventure. 

Hero's Journey Story Ideas for the Initiation Stage

The initiation stage includes Trials, Allies, and Enemies ; Approach to the Inmost Cave ; The Ordeal ; and The Reward .

This next part, the initiation, is usually the longest in a story, loosely from the inciting incident to the end of the climax (and immediate repercussions). This is a place to play—get creative with the trials, the complications, and the ultimate battle.

9. Make a list of your hero's strengths and weaknesses. Now, create a trial or an antagonist that can challenge each of those traits. 

10. Write a scene where your hero meets an unexpected ally on their journey . 

11. Create a fantastical challenge or physical obstacle in the world where your story is set. Drop your hero and one other character into the situation and force them to fight their way through it. 

12. Write a scene where the hero faces something they think will be easy, but it challenges them in an unexpected (and humbling way).

13. How will your character take on a new physical look during the initiation phase? How will their build, clothing, features change? Write the description , including an outline of how it happens. 

14. Create a creature who the hero will approach as a threat. What happens in the face-off? Will the creature remain foe? or become a friend?

15. The character archetype of the shadow (sometimes called the villain) appears during the approach to the inmost cave. The villain is the dark side of the hero. Write a scene where the hero misuses their power and prowess—then see if you can adapt it for the shadow OR use it to help the hero grow. 

16. Write a scene where the hero faces their toughest foe, the scene where they are not sure they can beat evil.

17. Consider how the fight has become even more personal for the hero. Write about what they believe they are fighting for now. Make sure the stakes are high.

Hero's Journey Story Ideas for the Return

Finally, the Return stage shows off how our hero has changed, how the internal transformation has now manifested as an external change as the hero fully embraces their new status and learning.

It includes the final stages of the journey structure: The Road Back , The Resurrection , and the Return with the Elixir . 

18. Write a scene (or a list!) where the hero recounts what they have lost on the journey. 

19. Write a scene where the hero has achieved what they hoped, but somehow it falls short of what they thought it would be to them.

20. Write out the worst thing that could happen on the hero's way back home. How will they face it?

21. Describe (or draw!) a map of the hero's way home. Will they return the same way or go a new direction? What have they learned? 

22. Write a scene where your hero makes a significant sacrifice to defeat evil, preferably on behalf of their community.

23. Write a scene where the hero encounters a setback on their way home, either physical or relational. Make sure they are using their newfound confidence to solve the problem. 

24. Make a list of possible “elixirs” or rewards your hero could bring back from their adventure. Think about what is broken or important to their community and what that physical object will mean to them. Choose one elixir and write the moment the hero presents it. 

25. Write a hero's celebration feast scene. 

Now you try! 

The hero's journey structure can push you as a writer to focus on character development in addition to its opportunities for action and world building. Try one of these prompts today in your writing time and see where it leads!

Choose one of the prompts above. Set your timer for fifteen minutes and write. When finished, post your practice in the Pro Practice Workshop here , and I hope you'll share feedback and encouragement with a few other writers. Help those heroes shine! 

Sue Weems is a writer, teacher, and traveler with an advanced degree in (mostly fictional) revenge. When she’s not rationalizing her love for parentheses (and dramatic asides), she follows a sailor around the globe with their four children, two dogs, and an impossibly tall stack of books to read. You can read more of her writing tips on her website .

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50 Jungle Adventure Writing Prompts

December 11, 2023 by Richard Leave a Comment

Here are 50 Jungle Adventure Writing Prompts that can take your imagination deep in the jungle. The lush green canopy beckons you deeper into undiscovered territory brimming with wonder and danger in equal measure. Prepare for thrilling expeditions through ancient ruins, close encounters with mysterious beasts, and imaginative worlds hidden within the untamed rainforest when you explore these 25 jungle adventure writing prompts!

Whether you crave wielding magical artifacts that defy reality, joining the high-stakes hunt stopping criminal enterprises threatening rare wildlife, or roleplaying as an intrepid documentarian risking it all to showcase vanishing ecosystems, you’ll find story ideas to spark your wildest jungle fantasies. Weave tales of cursed ancient civilizations, evolutionary experiments gone awry, portals to dinosaur dimensions, and more as you venture down these storytelling trails where truth collides with jungle legends.

So pack your imagination’s bug spray and machete to brave the wilderness where creativity takes root and flourishes. The verdant words await to envelop you in rainforest reveries! Let the story seeds in this blog post germinate epic yarns as you cultivate mystifying jungle tales wrapped in morning mists and emergent curiosities.

• Your protagonist stumbles upon an ancient temple hidden deep in the jungle and gets trapped inside. What dangers and surprises await them?
• A massive storm causes your protagonist’s plane to crash land in the jungle. Now they must survive and try to find their way back to civilization.
• Your protagonist is a wildlife photographer on an expedition to capture rare animal behaviors. They get a once-in-a-lifetime chance but must risk their life to get the perfect shot.
• While out for a jungle hike, your protagonist slips and falls into a steep ravine. Now injured, lost, and alone, can they find their way out?
• Your protagonist discovers a rare flower deep in the jungle that bestows magical abilities to whoever consumes it. Do they use it for good or evil?
• A team of scientists venture into unexplored jungle territory to document new species but discover prehistoric beasts long thought extinct.
• Your protagonist stumbles upon a band of smugglers using the jungle’s dense vegetation and winding rivers to transport illegal wares.
• An ancient artifact with untold powers has sat undisturbed in a hidden jungle temple for centuries until your protagonist disturbs its resting place.
• A jungle guide must lead a group of tourists to safety through treacherous terrain after they ignore warnings and get lost.
• Your protagonist plunges over raging rapids while whitewater rafting through the jungle. Can they survive and complete their journey?
• A mysterious disease threatens a remote jungle village. Your protagonist tries to find the source and cure before it spreads further.
• Greed leads your protagonist’s treasure hunting expedition into dangerous jungle territory containing deadly animals, traps, and hostiles protecting their lands.
• Your protagonist discovers a secret entrance to a thriving, hidden world existing utterly cut off from modern civilization within the depths of the jungle.
• Alien forces have invaded Earth and retreated into the jungle to establish a hidden base. Your protagonist stumbles upon it but is then captured.
• Your protagonist encounters a jungle tribe with customs never before documented by outsiders. But violating their taboos has severe consequences.
• A deranged war criminal has escaped custody and established a militia deep in the jungle. Your protagonist joins a specialized task force tracking them down.
• Your protagonist is a park ranger striving to stop poachers decimating endangered jungle wildlife for profit. But the poachers fight dirty and won’t back down easily.
• A jungle safari guide must use their expertise in survival and animal behavior to save tourists when their vehicles are attacked by wild animals.
• Your protagonist discovers a new parasite transforming jungle animals into aggressive hybrid creatures. They try to document and cure this new threat before it spreads out of control.
• While visiting an eco-lodge nestled in the rainforest canopy, your protagonist witnesses illegal logging threatening nearby indigenous communities dependent on the jungle to survive.
• Your protagonist leads an expedition searching the Amazon rainforest for rare medicinal plants than can cure disease. But traversing the dangerous terrain and wildlife to find these miracle cures won’t be easy.
• A team of documentary filmmakers disappear in the jungle. Your protagonist joins the dangerous search party to try rescuing them and uncover the truth of what happened.
• Your protagonist stumbles upon a secretive research facility housing unethical jungle genetic experimentation projects, and must expose their illegal activities.
• Tribal warfare breaks out in a remote jungle region over disputed lands rich in natural resources. Your protagonist tries negotiating peace but ultimately is forced to choose a side.
• Cryptozoologists launch an expedition through treacherous jungle terrain, braving hazards to capture proof of the mythical creature they pursue before it disappears forever.
• Your protagonist discovers an ancient civilization deep in the jungle that still lives much as it did thousands of years ago, untouched by modern technology or civilizations.
• A kidnapped child is being held for ransom somewhere hidden deep in the winding jungle. Your protagonist joins the dangerous rescue mission.
• An evil corporation is illegally clear-cutting rare sacred trees in the jungle needed by indigenous people for medicine. Your protagonist leads efforts to expose and stop them.
• Your protagonist stumbles upon a massive crater in the jungle, leading them to discover it was caused by a meteorite now emitting mysterious energy with strange effects on wildlife.
• While backpacking through the rainforest, your protagonist is bitten by a venomous snake miles from help. They race against time to find a rare flower said to counteract the venom.
• Your protagonist’s plane crashes into the jungle, leading them to discover the lost ruins of an ancient temple. Inside lies a portal to another world full of magic and danger.
• Your protagonist must safely guide a team of scientists studying endangered jungle wildlife through territories ruled by a violent drug cartel.
• An ancient book discovered in a ruined jungle temple holds secrets that could revive an extinct Mesoamerican language and culture. But dangerous tomb guardians protect it.
• Your protagonist discovers a family of Sasquatches living deep in the Pacific Northwest rainforest and struggles with whether to protect or expose them to the world.
• Your protagonist stumbles upon an isolated jungle village practicing dark forbidden magic utilizing plants and rituals to gain power and defy death.
• Your protagonist leads a documentary film crew trying to capture the first footage proving the existence of a destructive, legendary apeman beast lurking deep in the dense rainforest.
• Your protagonist joins the search for a team of activists gone missing while trying to save the jungle ecosystem from an expanding palm oil plantation.
• A jungle shaman calls upon your protagonist to help retrieve a sacred plant growing wild in treacherous terrain, necessary to cure a mysterious plague afflicting their people.
• Your protagonist must help safely evacuate researchers from their jungle camp along an emergency wilderness trail after it’s overrun by escaped exotic animals.
• Stranded campers with vital medicine head into perilous jungle territory hoping to find a clearing to signal helicopters for rescue after their plane crashes.
• Vigilantes recruit your protagonist to stealthily venture into the jungle and infiltrate illegal mining operations poisoning river ecosystems with mercury.
• Your protagonist discovers a pulsating egg in the ruined jungle temple of an ancient cult. Upon hatching, it spawns a nightmarish creature bringing their worst fears to life.
• Your protagonist leads wealthy big game hunters on a jungle safari promised to secure record animal trophies, but regrets the environmental impact.
• After their small plane crashes in the rainforest, your protagonist and the pilot spot ruins of an ancient civilization reclaimed by vegetation and attempt to find treasure.
• Your protagonist is a zoologist documenting rare behaviors in endangered jungle wildlife. But hunting poachers will do anything to silence them.
• Homeless children hide out together in the depths of the urban jungle after running away. Your protagonist, once one of them, strives to uncover their refuge.
• Your protagonist discovers a glowing fungus deep in an unexplored rainforest emanating psychic visions. They plunge into madness the deeper they explore its origin.
• A distressed woman emerges from the jungle begging for help after claiming she escaped from kidnappers. Your protagonist tries helping but senses not all is as it seems.
• Your protagonist serves as guide and bodyguard for a TV celebrity host filming their survival show in the dangerous South American rainforest.
• Cryptic carvings on an ancient temple lead your protagonist to activate a magical portal. They step through to discover an alternate world where dinosaurs rule.

We hope you were able to venture forth into fertile storytelling grounds filled with discovery and danger lurking behind every rainforest revelation. These jungle adventure writing prompts hold the potential for twisting tales stuffed with ancient secrets and bewildering phenomena hidden beneath lush canopies.

If these prompts inspired a writing adventure, please leave some of it in the comments. We’d love to read it. We also have a lot of other writing prompts on our site you may be interested in .

Related posts:

• 50 Poetry Prompts Every Writer Should Try
• Daily horror writing prompts 
• 50 Fantastic Science Fiction Writing Prompts
• 31 Creepy Writing Prompts for Every Day of October
• 50 Christmas Fiction Writing Prompts

About Richard

Richard Everywriter (pen name) has worked for literary magazines and literary websites for the last 25 years. He holds degrees in Writing, Journalism, Technology and Education. Richard has headed many writing workshops and courses, and he has taught writing and literature for the last 20 years.  

In writing and publishing he has worked with independent, small, medium and large publishers for years connecting publishers to authors. He has also worked as a journalist and editor in both magazine, newspaper and trade publications as well as in the medical publishing industry.   Follow him on Twitter, and check out our Submissions page .

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The Adventures of Pinocchio

By carlo collodi, the adventures of pinocchio essay questions.

How does The Adventures of Pinocchio combine an adventure story and a moral allegory?

The Adventures of Pinocchio is a children's book that offers more than just a simple adventure story. A series of entertaining stories for children that includes exciting elements such as encounters with magical creatures and cunning thieves, the book also has a strong focus on imparting wisdom and moral teachings to its young readers. The author, Collodi, is dedicated to promoting the moral development of children and imbues each character with a particular moral significance. He imparts these moral lessons by illustrating the link between virtues and rewards, and between vices and negative consequences. For instance, the Fox and the Cat ultimately receive their comeuppance for their deceitful ways, while Pinocchio is turned into a real boy after laboring to support his parents. These moral lessons resemble the style and purpose of Aesop's fables, but with the added advantage of an engaging adventure element that can hold children's attention and interest.

What role does the concept of having to live with consequences play in the novel?

In The Adventures of Pinocchio , the concept of having to face the consequences of one's actions is a central theme. Throughout the novel, the protagonist, Pinocchio, experiences negative consequences as a result of his selfish and reckless behavior. Examples of this include when he runs away and causes Geppetto to be imprisoned, leading to Pinocchio spending the night starving and accidentally burning off his feet. Additionally, when he sells his schoolbook to go to the puppet theater, Pinocchio is nearly burned by the puppet master. Pinocchio also ignores the warnings of the Talking Cricket and is ambushed by assassins. But as the story progresses, Pinocchio makes better decisions. Ultimately, the Fairy rewards Pinocchio's good behavior by turning him into a real boy and giving him a house. In this way, he lives with the positive consequences of his good behavior.

What is the role of laziness in The Adventures of Pinocchio ?

In The Adventures of Pinocchio , laziness plays a significant role as one of the novel's major themes. Pinocchio is initially unwilling to put in effort, particularly when it comes to work or school. He rejects the advice of the Talking Cricket to attend school and take care of his father, Geppetto. Instead, he chooses to live as a vagabond and avoid the responsibilities of studying and working. Despite promising Geppetto that he will attend school, Pinocchio's idle nature leads him toward the puppet theater and away from his studies. However, things change when he starts living with the Fairy in a town where hard work is valued. Pinocchio proves himself to be a diligent student until his friend Candlewick appeals to his innate laziness and convinces him to move to the Land of Boobies, where they can do whatever they want. Unfortunately, this leads to them being turned into donkeys and being forced to work for the men who buy them. While Candlewick is worked to death, Pinocchio is fortunate enough to survive the experience and become a dedicated son. Through these experiences, Pinocchio learns the importance of hard work and self-sacrifice.

What role does sacrifice play in The Adventures of Pinocchio ?

Sacrifice—defined as giving something up for a greater cause—is a prominent theme in The Adventures of Pinocchio . The novel explores sacrifice as the opposite of greed, which is another major theme. Sacrifice first arises when Geppetto, Pinocchio's father, sacrifices his own food and coat to provide for his son. Pinocchio, who is initially selfish, also makes sacrifices throughout the story, such as offering to be burned as firewood in the place of another puppet, and risking his own safety to rescue a drowning dog. As the story progresses, Pinocchio's willingness to sacrifice grows, and he devotes himself to earning money to support Geppetto. In the end, Pinocchio makes a final sacrifice by sending money intended for himself to the Fairy when he learns she is ill. She then rewards the puppet, seeing he has finally overcome his faults and learned the importance of sacrifice.

In what ways is The Adventures of Pinocchio a tale of redemption?

Defined as being saved or saving oneself from error, evil, or sin, redemption is a crucial theme in the novel. The story depicts the character of Pinocchio, who is initially selfish and lazy, suffering the consequences of his moral weaknesses and learning to be virtuous. Characters such as the Fairy and the Talking Cricket guide Pinocchio toward redemption by reminding him of the importance of hard work and good behavior. Despite Pinocchio's repeated moral shortcomings, the Fairy continues to help him throughout his journey and provides him with a place to live while he works towards redemption. Through her guidance and support, Pinocchio ultimately learns how to model the good behavior encouraged by the Fairy, the Talking Cricket, and Geppetto.

The Adventures of Pinocchio Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Adventures of Pinocchio is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Study Guide for The Adventures of Pinocchio

The Adventures of Pinocchio study guide contains a biography of Carlo Collodi, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Adventures of Pinocchio
• The Adventures of Pinocchio Summary
• Character List

Essays for The Adventures of Pinocchio

The Adventures of Pinocchio essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi.

• Collodi, Disney, and the Question of Poverty in 'Pinocchio': Adding Richness to a Fairy Tale

Lesson Plan for The Adventures of Pinocchio

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Adventures of Pinocchio
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Adventures of Pinocchio Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for The Adventures of Pinocchio

• Introduction
• International popularity

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“ the interior life of ruck ” by ajay sabs.

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #244

I backpack. Named Ruck. Store person put me on shelf. She say I “handsum”. I not know what it mean, but she make happy face when she say, so must be nice thing.  Nothing to do while I sit here but lots to look at. After I see sun come up from outside window two times, I feel little bored. I feel little empty, like I hungry. But I not wait long. Young man come, he look at me. He lift me from shelf, take me to store lady, who ask him if he want me “in a bag”, which make them both laugh. We go outside, he sling me on back. What a feeling! ...

“ Souls in the Sky ” by George [email protected]

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #233

Zack Kaudjak was crossing the open snow laced fields of the Yukon River with his fourteen dog Iditarod sled team as the sun began to set below the birch tree line at three in the afternoon.  The days were short during the first week of March which meant the temperature would be dropping nearly forty degrees below zero.  He was prodding the team hoping to make it to the Galena rest stop by dinner time. Wrapped i...

“ Major M.K. Grayson V.C. ” by Chris Miller

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #225

“Wake up, Sarge. It’s half-past-four.” Catherine walked away from me across the village green. It was a Sunday in May and we had nothing to do. Swallows cut the clean spring air into cloudless curves. She was carrying her shoes. She looked back at me and opened her mouth to say something.  

Introducing Prompted , a new magazine written by you!

🏆 Featuring 12 prize-winning stories from our community. Download it now for FREE .

✍️ All stories

“ all the signs ” by julia thomas.

Submitted to Contest #246

Detective Arthur Winson crouched over the dead body with a weary sigh. As a Capricorn, he could go days without sleep, but he didn’t feel good doing it. A short, round, dead man lay before him with no visible wounds. The only signs of distress were the black veins that ran up the man’s neck and onto his right cheek, a textbook Scorpio poisoning. The air in the apartment was hot and stale. Under his suit coat, Arthur’s broad back was wet with sweat. His temporary partner, a Gemini named Derek Tomasso, stood in the corner of the room. With a s...

“ They Danced in the Long Eclipse ” by Dr. Stephen A Salaka

Chapter 1: Dust and Omens Shadows clung to the empire of Ant-opolis, a labyrinth of tunnels worming beneath a forgotten cookie. Here, amidst the stolen sweetness and the ceaseless hum of a thousand tiny legs, Nostrantdamus toiled. Others hurried on paths of purpose; he lurked, drawn to whispers echoing from the world beyond. The granules of sugar he gathered weren't mere sustenance, but omens etched in crystalline code by unknowable forces. His nest, a grotesque shrine of singed maps and cryptic symbols, crackled with a disquieting energy. F...

“ In Your Comfortable Bed ” by Naya Putryansyah

The stars filled up the sky as the blazing sun went down. My eyes scanned the heavens for any sort of air attack that might take away my life. So far, none has appeared. The ground was moist and soft, the soil watered with cloud tears. The air around me was damp, like a just-unloaded washing machine. The sound of crickets was heavy in the air, making up a natural choir. The weight of my make-shift bag was ponderous against my back, my legs aching so much it felt like lead. Even so, I forced a step after the other, trying to balance my breath...

“ Manmade Eclipse ” by Dov Kurtis

The director was a perfectionist and everyone was always pissed at him. He’d do each take twenty thirty times over and wouldn’t let the people leave until they got it right. It had to be perfect. Now it was his best film yet and they were on the very last night. It took place in the desert at night on the roof of a car. There was a boy and a girl. “Kiss more slowly,” he said. Well they did it again. “That’s too slow. Faster.” Again. “Let me see it with the brights on.” Again. “Move the car. I want the moon in the background.” “Holy shi...

“ Echoes of Infinity ” by Ziwei Fu

In the heart of Illinois, within the rolling plains, lay the town of Cedar Hollow. It was a place where time seemed to move at its own pace, unaffected by the buzz of modern life. Among its residents was a young African-American woman named Emily Stardust, born and raised under the vast Midwestern skies. Emily had always felt a deep connection to the heavens above. Growing up in Cedar Hollow, she had gazed at the stars on clear nights, dreaming of distant worlds and mysteries of outer space. The impending total solar eclipse, with its path c...

“ In to Get Out ” by Jacqueline R

He found her below deck, near the ethereal crystal that powered the ship to stay afloat. She sat cross-legged with her eyes closed. Her frizzy hair needed brushing and he noted as he got closer, that a bath and some new clothes wouldn’t hurt. He didn’t know if he had any female clothing but would look to get her something clean.  Despite her abysmal appearance, her serine face was concentrated. Brows creased as whatever powers mingled with her thoughts.  He knew better than to interrupt a Kristl during their…process.  It still...

“ False Gods ” by Jed Cope

The ship’s log would state that Captain John Tanner was the first to set foot on the newly discovered lands. This was not the case. Tanner was a shrewd and sometimes cunning man. He prioritised survival over the flim-flam of bravery, chivalry and honour. He had a head on him and he used it. His crew, those who were lucky enough to live through the depravations of numerous long and treacherous voyages, would have likely referred to him as dependable. The word would be qualified, but not expanded upon. Not that anyone would have aske...

“ Journey Back by Staright ” by Eva Raynes

Somewhere in France, 1918  Besides a thick coat of mud, Lance Corporal Horace Yule had somebody else’s blood on his boots. He tried to rub it off but was unsuccessful. A plump rat scattered past him, making him reel in disgust. He knew that these things were the least of his worries, because, in an hour or so, it was going to be nighttime, and Horace and other men were going to have to leave the safety of their trench and raid the German trench, which was on the other side of no-man’s land.   Far away, Horace heard cannons fir...

“ Hands of a Sailor ” by H.e. Ross

I sat in front of Dobie as he got animated while telling his tale of the Turtling hurricane that he survived. I know a little was going to be from his imagination but I sat to hear the tale of a real storyteller on a starry night with a warm breeze against my cheek and the gentle rock of my ketch in the change of tide swell. He took a gulp of rum and began with a nod of head.‘The wind started to go all wrong and Cop’n had to order a reef in the main. Then he had to order the jib topsail down, then another reef. The seas were kicking up with ...

“ Ripples Across The Universe ” by Jed Cope

The moon was absent that night. This was a night when the see lapped at the night sky. Kissing it gently until the dark heavens succumbed and there was no way of knowing where sky and ocean began or ended. The two lovers intertwined in a brief embrace that should have been desperate in its stolen transience, but was instead languorous and so hypnotically natural that Glen could no longer remember where the horizon should have been. He stared out across the boat and lost himself in that distant lovemaking. The ebb and flow of the water undern...

“ To Be Heard ” by Fern Everton

Submitted to Contest #245

Content Warning: This story is set during the Holocaust through the eyes of a fictional character. This story will contain themes of violence and death, and depictions of Nazi occupation in Poland, as well as anti-Semitic themes (which I do not support). Extensive research has been done to ensure this text is as historically accurate as possible. Any relation to real people is purely coincidental. Viewer discretion is advised.  There are two days in my childhood that time will never take: the day I got my camera and the day it almost c...

“ The Jaded Tyger ” by M.A. Turner

TW: Trauma, language, violence, gore, threats. Namibia, 2005, Kasim Akuchi Private Wildlife Preserve Very rarely through history has a warrior caught a photo of a beast. Well, I wasn’t a warrior, nor was the orange-striped predator a beast. It’s all the interpretation of zealots. We’re much more than we seem; though, we can seem much more than we are to certain people. Often, it’s not for the better. I let the steering wheel guide me, following the curves of the African countryside. Sparkling gold settled near the sun, letting warm light fal...

“ Dairy Cows ” by Jay Simmons

I was on the platform when Ant phoned me. He was supposed to pick me up from the station. We would then drive to Nutton Farm for the story. I’d never met Ant before. Not properly. He was rarely in the newsroom. He tended to film feature pieces. When I pitched the farm story, the bosses roped him in as well: I would write the article, he would film for the website. There would be a photographer there as well, apparently. I was quite pleased with myself. I had found a story as an intern that was important enough to involve journalists twice my...

“ The decent camera ” by George Wallace

The one thing David has always wanted is a decent camera.David is full of excitement he is going on holiday to Inverness. They fly from London Heathrow to Inverness. David is full of excitement, but keeps on reminding his paremts that he wants a new camera that is decent. But unbeknown to him they have bought him a new camera at Heathrow. They arrive at Inverness airport and catch the bus to Inverness. They book into the hotel, David loves Inverness, the clean fresh air and the scenery, wow the scenery. If only he had a decent camera, Dad an...

“ Perspectives From A Peak ” by Clarissa Salman

I’ve accomplished a fair amount of stupid activities in my life, but this one by far prevails over them all as the most foolish.  It’s October, but the weather in Shenandoah National Park ignores the memo. The trees around me hold steadfast onto their leaves, reluctant to discard them. The leaves themselves are hesitant to change, surrounding me in a sea of emerald shrubbery. When I look out across the valley, a few pockets of forestry have surrendered to the changing of the seasons. Though their colorings haven't reached the vibrancy o...

The Best New Adventure Short Stories

Adventure stories are a staple in literature — pretty much everyone grows up having followed a courageous character on an exciting and unexpected journey somewhere far away. Whether it’s a fight for survival or a search for a treasure, whether it features mythical creatures or real-life monsters, adventure stories provide a spark for your imagination, transporting you to exhilarating landscapes from the comforts of your home. 

Adventure short stories aren’t exactly the same as novels — they don’t get the space to tell a complete journey, from start to finish. What they do give you is a healthy dose of adrenaline by plunging you and the characters into a wild, awe-inspiring, and yet dangerous place, even for the briefest moment. A lot of world-building goes into an adventure short story, yet not so much that it seems overwhelming — in other words, just enough to leave you wanting more. 

Looking for more adventure short stories?

We’ve collected a list of adventure shorts right here for you to peruse. Hop from one expedition to another with a diverse cast of characters created by our promising writers in their submissions to our weekly contests . At the top of the list are adventure short stories that stand out against hundreds of pieces in other genres submitted on the same weeks. They’re the ones that show impressive creativity and storytelling — and definitely not ones to miss. 

And if you want to try your hand at crafting an action-packed short story, join our contest. You might even walk away with next week’s prize — plus a shot at publication in Prompted , our new literary magazine!

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25 stimulating adventure conversation questions

Adventure conversation questions.

Most people love to watch adventure movies and read adventure stories. Find out how adventurous your students are with these 25 adventure conversation questions. What things do they think are exciting and dangerous, and what are they willing to do?

The most difficult words in this speaking exercise include – canoeing, kayaking, rafting, ascend, cave, explore, fear, survive, desert island, afraid, involve, and time travel.

The adventure conversation questions are –

Have you ever been canoeing, kayaking, or rafting? Where did you do it?

Would you say that you are an adventurous person? Why do you think so?

What’s the highest mountain that you have ascended? How did you get to the top?

If you have an adventure anywhere in the world, where would you go? To do what?

What is the most dangerous adventure you can think of? Would you do it?

How do you feel about caves? Have you ever explored one? What was it like?

What kinds of adventures do people in your home country like to go on?

Do you think it is possible to have adventures in cities? What kinds of adventures?

What is the best adventure you have ever had? Who were you with?

Do you like reading about adventure? How about watching adventure movies?

Would you prefer an adventure by car, motorbike, boat, horse, or on foot?

Has the weather ever made your day an adventure? What happened on this day?

Do you have any plans for an adventure in the coming months? What is it?

Do you enjoy the feeling of fear? Do adventures need to have danger to be fun?

Who is a famous adventurer or explorer from your country? What have they done?

Do you think you could survive on a desert island or if you got lost in the jungle?

Would you like to go somewhere nobody has ever been, or to a popular destination?

What is something that you are too afraid to try? Why does it scare you?

When you travel do you like to have an itinerary or make it up as you go?

What are five things would you take to go camping on a beach?

How many countries do you think you will visit in your lifetime? Which ones?

Where is a place that you will never want to go to? Why don’t you want to go there?

Can you think of any jobs that involve a lot of adventure? Would you do these jobs? If you could time travel for an adventure, when and where would you choose?

Follow-up activities

Once you have completed discussing the adventure conversation questions, a good follow-up activity is to write an adventure story.

In the writing section of ESL vault you will find writing and pictures prompts that you can download and give to your students to help get them started. Some of the topics of the writing prompts include – a desert island, space, and fantasy.

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ESL Conversation Questions

Questions That Will Make You Speak

50 ESL Conversation Questions about Adventure

• Have you ever been on an adventurous trip? Where did you go and what did you do?
• What is the most daring adventure you can imagine yourself taking?
• Do you prefer adventurous activities like skydiving or more calm adventures like hiking? Why?
• Would you rather travel to space or explore the depths of the ocean? Why?
• How do adventure sports contribute to personal growth and development?
• Have you ever faced a challenging situation during an adventure? How did you overcome it?
• What risks and dangers should people be aware of when embarking on an adventure?
• How can adventure tourism impact local communities and the environment?
• Can you think of any famous adventurers or explorers who have inspired you?
• If you had the opportunity, would you choose a career as an adventurer? Why or why not?
• What are some popular adventure activities in your country or region?
• Have you ever taken part in a team-building adventure? How did it go?
• Can you describe an adventure that didn’t go as planned? What happened?
• Do you prefer spontaneous adventures or well-planned ones? Why?
• How do you mentally prepare yourself for an adventurous experience?
• What are some common misconceptions people have about adventure sports?
• How can adventure activities help people overcome their fears?
• Do you think age is a factor in enjoying and participating in adventurous activities? Why or why not?
• What are some unique adventure destinations around the world that you would like to visit?
• How does adventure differ from everyday activities in terms of the experiences and emotions involved?
• Have you ever tried any extreme adventure sports, such as bungee jumping or rock climbing?
• What are some cultural aspects associated with adventure activities in your country?
• How has technology impacted the world of adventure? Are there any negative consequences?
• Can you think of any books or movies that revolve around the theme of adventure? Which ones do you recommend?
• In your opinion, what makes an adventure memorable or unforgettable?
• How do you think adventure experiences can shape a person’s character and worldview?
• Are there any adventure-related traditions or festivals in your culture? Describe them.
• What safety measures should be taken when participating in adventure activities?
• How do people fund their adventurous pursuits? Are there any sponsorship opportunities available?
• Have you ever volunteered for an adventure-based charity or cause? Share your experience.
• Can you think of any historical adventurers who made significant discoveries or contributions?
• How do different cultures define and interpret the concept of adventure?
• Do you believe everyone has an adventurous spirit within them? Why or why not?
• Have you ever encountered any wildlife or natural wonders during your adventures?
• How can adventure activities promote environmental awareness and conservation efforts?
• What skills do you think are necessary to be a successful adventurer?
• Have you ever faced any cultural or language barriers during your adventurous journeys? How did you overcome them?
• How does adventure tourism impact local economies and job opportunities?
• Do you think adventure activities should be regulated more strictly? Why or why not?
• Can you describe a memorable adventure that you had as a child?
• How can adventure activities promote personal growth and self-discovery?
• What role does adrenaline play in adventure experiences? How does it affect our bodies and minds?
• Can you think of any famous adventurers who have become advocates for environmental or social causes?
• Have you ever had an adventure that pushed you out of your comfort zone? How did it change you?
• How does the media portray adventure activities? Do you think it accurately represents the reality?
• How can adventure activities be inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities?
• What ethical considerations should adventurers have when engaging with different cultures and environments?
• Can you share an adventure story that you heard from someone else? What made it memorable?
• Do you think adventure is an essential part of a well-rounded life? Why or why not?
• What advice would you give to someone who wants to embark on an adventurous journey for the first time?

Don’t Be Fooled By Trump’s Failure to Endorse a Nationwide Abortion Ban

F ormer President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he favors state control over abortion law and policy and declined to endorse a nationwide ban. He also claimed that the Supreme Court’s overturning of  Roe v. Wade  in  Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization  was favored by “all legal scholars” on “both sides.” Abortion is “where everybody wanted it, from a legal standpoint,” according to Trump.

All of this is patently false, of course. Decades of legal scholarship and advocacy support the federal constitutional right to abortion that Dobbs eliminated. Some scholars who support legal abortion as a matter of policy have criticized the result the Court reached in  Roe , but they are in the minority. Others have critiqued the  reasoning  of  Roe v. Wade . Some, like Ruth Bader Ginsburg , prefer the equality rationale of  Planned Parenthood v. Casey   (1992), where the Court noted the central importance of reproductive freedom to women’s ability to participate fully and equally in the social, political, and economic life of the nation. But the notion that all or most legal scholars wanted the Court to obliterate the right to choose abortion is ludicrous.

No one should be fooled by Trump’s failure to endorse any of the proposed nationwide abortion bans, a move designed to appear “moderate” and lull voters into a false sense of complacency. Make no mistake: a second Trump administration will empower an anti-abortion movement determined to make abortion illegal everywhere. Even if Republicans do not take over Congress, there are plans in place to make medication abortion unavailable and to resurrect the 1873 Comstock Act, an archaic anti-vice law, to ban abortion nationwide. Proponents of fetal personhood, which defines an embryo as a legal person from the moment of fertilization, will be closer to realizing their goal, threatening not only abortion and miscarriage care but also IVF and common forms of contraception. Trump promotes the grotesque lie that Democrats want to “execute babies” to distract from his own party’s extremism.

Trump peddles these false and misleading claims because he understands that the truth about abortion endangers his candidacy and Republicans generally. Far from ending the controversy, returning abortion to the states already has led to outcomes wildly out of step with public opinion. Doctors and hospitals routinely deny patients basic medical care, including miscarriage treatment, because they are not close enough to death to have their rights outweigh those of an embryo or fetus. State laws with no or ineffective exceptions force children, survivors of rape and incest, and people with nonviable fetuses to carry pregnancies regardless of the consequences to their health and future fertility. Maternal health deserts multiply because doctors fear criminal and civil liability. Abortion bans exacerbate a maternal and infant mortality crisis that makes pregnancy a mortal danger to American women— especially Black women , who are almost three times more likely to die from pregnancy and childbirth than their white counterparts.

Read More: How Louisiana Has Become a Microcosm of the Abortion Access Fight

Even people with qualms about abortion in theory don’t favor these horrific results in fact. Recent polling from Gallup and Axios respectively reveals supermajority popular opposition to total and near-total bans on abortion, and majority support , even among Republicans, for keeping the government out of reproductive health care decisions altogether. Every ballot initiative since Dobbs has been resolved in favor of abortion rights and access. In fact, abortion motivates Americans to turn out and vote for candidates who support reproductive freedom.

Perhaps the most pernicious of Trump’s lies is that returning abortion to the states is a victory for democracy. Depriving people of the right to make the most basic decisions about their bodies and lives is deeply undemocratic and a hallmark of authoritarian regimes worldwide. Extreme abortion bans and fetal personhood laws pass  despite  popular opposition because of unchecked partisan gerrymandering that gives Republicans supermajorities. Even the most conservative lawmakers live in fear of a primary challenge from the right if they support any exceptions, however minor and ineffective, to total abortion bans. Trump says abortion law after Dobbs is “all about the will of the people.” But in fact, Republicans are scrambling to take decisions about abortion out of the people’s hands by preventing referenda from reaching the ballot, protecting state courts that defy public opinion from accountability for their decisions, and disenfranchising voters.

The GOP has long used abortion to secure the support of voters to promote a much broader right-wing agenda. Trump, as promised, packed the federal judiciary with jurists who would destroy the government’s ability to regulate corporations, combat climate change and political corruption, enact sensible gun-safety laws, provide for affordable health care, expand opportunities for women and people of color, fight discrimination, protect the rights of workers and immigrants, ask the wealthy to pay their fair share in taxes, and so on. The problem is that a majority of Americans actually support each of the policies the Right is determined to undo. To remain in power, Republicans must undermine democratic institutions and practices. Partisan and racial gerrymandering, voter suppression, and the evisceration of campaign finance regulation and voting rights laws are longstanding strategies; more recently, election denialism, insurrection, political violence, and white supremacist resurgence—all fomented by Trump—place democracy and the rule of law in mortal danger. All of this is at stake in Trump’s ultimate lie: his claim to be a champion of democracy rather than the architect of its demise.

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NPR defends its journalism after senior editor says it has lost the public's trust

David Folkenflik

NPR is defending its journalism and integrity after a senior editor wrote an essay accusing it of losing the public's trust. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

NPR is defending its journalism and integrity after a senior editor wrote an essay accusing it of losing the public's trust.

NPR's top news executive defended its journalism and its commitment to reflecting a diverse array of views on Tuesday after a senior NPR editor wrote a broad critique of how the network has covered some of the most important stories of the age.

"An open-minded spirit no longer exists within NPR, and now, predictably, we don't have an audience that reflects America," writes Uri Berliner.

A strategic emphasis on diversity and inclusion on the basis of race, ethnicity and sexual orientation, promoted by NPR's former CEO, John Lansing, has fed "the absence of viewpoint diversity," Berliner writes.

NPR's chief news executive, Edith Chapin, wrote in a memo to staff Tuesday afternoon that she and the news leadership team strongly reject Berliner's assessment.

"We're proud to stand behind the exceptional work that our desks and shows do to cover a wide range of challenging stories," she wrote. "We believe that inclusion — among our staff, with our sourcing, and in our overall coverage — is critical to telling the nuanced stories of this country and our world."

NPR names tech executive Katherine Maher to lead in turbulent era

She added, "None of our work is above scrutiny or critique. We must have vigorous discussions in the newsroom about how we serve the public as a whole."

A spokesperson for NPR said Chapin, who also serves as the network's chief content officer, would have no further comment.

Praised by NPR's critics

Berliner is a senior editor on NPR's Business Desk. (Disclosure: I, too, am part of the Business Desk, and Berliner has edited many of my past stories. He did not see any version of this article or participate in its preparation before it was posted publicly.)

Berliner's essay , titled "I've Been at NPR for 25 years. Here's How We Lost America's Trust," was published by The Free Press, a website that has welcomed journalists who have concluded that mainstream news outlets have become reflexively liberal.

Berliner writes that as a Subaru-driving, Sarah Lawrence College graduate who "was raised by a lesbian peace activist mother ," he fits the mold of a loyal NPR fan.

Yet Berliner says NPR's news coverage has fallen short on some of the most controversial stories of recent years, from the question of whether former President Donald Trump colluded with Russia in the 2016 election, to the origins of the virus that causes COVID-19, to the significance and provenance of emails leaked from a laptop owned by Hunter Biden weeks before the 2020 election. In addition, he blasted NPR's coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

On each of these stories, Berliner asserts, NPR has suffered from groupthink due to too little diversity of viewpoints in the newsroom.

The essay ricocheted Tuesday around conservative media , with some labeling Berliner a whistleblower . Others picked it up on social media, including Elon Musk, who has lambasted NPR for leaving his social media site, X. (Musk emailed another NPR reporter a link to Berliner's article with a gibe that the reporter was a "quisling" — a World War II reference to someone who collaborates with the enemy.)

When asked for further comment late Tuesday, Berliner declined, saying the essay spoke for itself.

The arguments he raises — and counters — have percolated across U.S. newsrooms in recent years. The #MeToo sexual harassment scandals of 2016 and 2017 forced newsrooms to listen to and heed more junior colleagues. The social justice movement prompted by the killing of George Floyd in 2020 inspired a reckoning in many places. Newsroom leaders often appeared to stand on shaky ground.

Leaders at many newsrooms, including top editors at The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times , lost their jobs. Legendary Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron wrote in his memoir that he feared his bonds with the staff were "frayed beyond repair," especially over the degree of self-expression his journalists expected to exert on social media, before he decided to step down in early 2021.

Since then, Baron and others — including leaders of some of these newsrooms — have suggested that the pendulum has swung too far.

Author Interviews

Legendary editor marty baron describes his 'collision of power' with trump and bezos.

New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger warned last year against journalists embracing a stance of what he calls "one-side-ism": "where journalists are demonstrating that they're on the side of the righteous."

"I really think that that can create blind spots and echo chambers," he said.

Internal arguments at The Times over the strength of its reporting on accusations that Hamas engaged in sexual assaults as part of a strategy for its Oct. 7 attack on Israel erupted publicly . The paper conducted an investigation to determine the source of a leak over a planned episode of the paper's podcast The Daily on the subject, which months later has not been released. The newsroom guild accused the paper of "targeted interrogation" of journalists of Middle Eastern descent.

Heated pushback in NPR's newsroom

Given Berliner's account of private conversations, several NPR journalists question whether they can now trust him with unguarded assessments about stories in real time. Others express frustration that he had not sought out comment in advance of publication. Berliner acknowledged to me that for this story, he did not seek NPR's approval to publish the piece, nor did he give the network advance notice.

Some of Berliner's NPR colleagues are responding heatedly. Fernando Alfonso, a senior supervising editor for digital news, wrote that he wholeheartedly rejected Berliner's critique of the coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict, for which NPR's journalists, like their peers, periodically put themselves at risk.

Alfonso also took issue with Berliner's concern over the focus on diversity at NPR.

"As a person of color who has often worked in newsrooms with little to no people who look like me, the efforts NPR has made to diversify its workforce and its sources are unique and appropriate given the news industry's long-standing lack of diversity," Alfonso says. "These efforts should be celebrated and not denigrated as Uri has done."

After this story was first published, Berliner contested Alfonso's characterization, saying his criticism of NPR is about the lack of diversity of viewpoints, not its diversity itself.

"I never criticized NPR's priority of achieving a more diverse workforce in terms of race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. I have not 'denigrated' NPR's newsroom diversity goals," Berliner said. "That's wrong."

Questions of diversity

Under former CEO John Lansing, NPR made increasing diversity, both of its staff and its audience, its "North Star" mission. Berliner says in the essay that NPR failed to consider broader diversity of viewpoint, noting, "In D.C., where NPR is headquartered and many of us live, I found 87 registered Democrats working in editorial positions and zero Republicans."

Berliner cited audience estimates that suggested a concurrent falloff in listening by Republicans. (The number of people listening to NPR broadcasts and terrestrial radio broadly has declined since the start of the pandemic.)

Former NPR vice president for news and ombudsman Jeffrey Dvorkin tweeted , "I know Uri. He's not wrong."

Others questioned Berliner's logic. "This probably gets causality somewhat backward," tweeted Semafor Washington editor Jordan Weissmann . "I'd guess that a lot of NPR listeners who voted for [Mitt] Romney have changed how they identify politically."

Similarly, Nieman Lab founder Joshua Benton suggested the rise of Trump alienated many NPR-appreciating Republicans from the GOP.

In recent years, NPR has greatly enhanced the percentage of people of color in its workforce and its executive ranks. Four out of 10 staffers are people of color; nearly half of NPR's leadership team identifies as Black, Asian or Latino.

"The philosophy is: Do you want to serve all of America and make sure it sounds like all of America, or not?" Lansing, who stepped down last month, says in response to Berliner's piece. "I'd welcome the argument against that."

"On radio, we were really lagging in our representation of an audience that makes us look like what America looks like today," Lansing says. The U.S. looks and sounds a lot different than it did in 1971, when NPR's first show was broadcast, Lansing says.

A network spokesperson says new NPR CEO Katherine Maher supports Chapin and her response to Berliner's critique.

The spokesperson says that Maher "believes that it's a healthy thing for a public service newsroom to engage in rigorous consideration of the needs of our audiences, including where we serve our mission well and where we can serve it better."

Disclosure: This story was reported and written by NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik and edited by Deputy Business Editor Emily Kopp and Managing Editor Gerry Holmes. Under NPR's protocol for reporting on itself, no NPR corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly.