Talking point: Giving

This week's talking point is giving, and the good actions we can do to help others in our everyday life. Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below, so that ideas flow easily when you meet up with your friends and you can work out vocabulary issues beforehand.

• Have you ever heard of any rich people who do a lot for charity? Who? What do they do?
• Can you think of any people who were not rich but became famous for their generosity to others?
• Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa or Aung San Suu Kyi are household names when we talk about altruistic people. What did these people do to help others?
• What else can people do to help others apart from giving money?
• Is it easier to be generous if you are rich?
• Why do many famous people and celebrities get involved in charity events?
• What is the most altruistic thing a person can do?
• Have you ever made a sacrifice for another person? If so, what did you do?
• Would you ever make a sacrifice for someone you did not know?
• Is charity-giving popular in your country?
• What are the most popular charities?
• Are there any charities you support?

To illustrate the topic, you can watch this NBC video on Bono's charity work in Africa in 2006.




And good evening, from the nation of Ghana in West Africa, where today, we continued on a trip designed to look in on nothing short of an unfolding emergency, and check in on the status of anti-poverty, anti-HIV efforts on this continent where it's currently estimated that over 9,000 people are dying every day from disease, poverty or illness.
The tour has covered the nations of Nigeria, Mali, and now, Ghana, and was arranged by the Irish rock star, Bono. And because it is the leading effort of its kind in the world, and because the need is so urgent, we thought we would begin the broadcast tonight here in Ghana with a look at the stakes here, and the man so many are calling a humanitarian for this cause.
This is what we Irishmen call, "The American Dream."
A 46-year-old rock star from Ireland stopping at a small kiosk where a woman from Ghana runs her own business selling shares of call time on cell phones. But Bono likes to stop and point out what works on this continent, largely because he's plunged himself into so much sadness.
At another stop, he visits the Ghana Stock Exchange. Not quite the Big Board, but a big and burgeoning development here, and they are justifiably proud.
And the regional vertical integration is very exciting for us because…
He is never greeted as simply "a musician." In fact, he is welcomed as something akin to a head of state. He sits with the presidents of the nations he visits, because they know it is his interest that is driving a massive global effort and pledges of billions of dollars. He wants this story to be about more than him.
I genuinely see myself as a...as a traveling salesman. And like all salesmen, I have... I'm a bit of an opportunist. And I see Africa as a great opportunity.
Bono gave NBC News extraordinary access to his traveling operation - perhaps the largest Africa aid effort ever mounted by any individual. On the flight from Mali to Ghana today, he talked about his love of the place and the people.
My goal - my job - is to put myself out of a job. So I can be in a rock band in all good conscience and get on with my spoils of rotten rock star's life and drink a martini.
This effort, he says, is to use and leverage his own name. Whether it's getting the G-8 nations to give more money, lobbying President Bush, partnering with Evangelical Christians, or getting Americans to care about the 9,000-plus people who die every day in Africa.
American is deciding that... that's what America is about. That's why I'm a fan of America. America's not just a country, it's an idea. And real Americans are getting busy.
How did you find President Bush as a man to do business with?
Well, he's been very honest in his business dealings with me, as has Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, who we did an awful lot of work (with).
He says none of the barnstorming for the poor and the sick has taken time away from his music.
He says he's going back to Dublin and his U2 bandmates with up to eight new songs. One of which, he told us on the plane today, he wrote just last night.
"Has no midnight please, you're just on your knees. There's a harbor and a safe course. What was is now not. There was no price to pay. Thank you for the day." And... so I don´t know where that *** it comes from. By the way, but it keeps coming and interrupts you when you´re trying to get your job done.