How People Meet and Date

 

Broadcast: Feb 10, 2003
By Jerilyn Watson

The United¹ States has millions of unmarried² adults. Many would like to go out socially and have fun with someone they like. I'm Mary Tillotson.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Steve Ember. The story of how people meet and date is our report today on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.

VOICE ONE:

February fourteenth is Valentine's Day. On that day, many Americans send cards or buy presents for people who are important in their lives. Valentine's Day gives lovers³ a chance to express their feelings.

However, millions of people in the United States are alone. They are not married or involved1 in a close relationship. Some of these people wish they could find someone to date. They wish they could celebrate Valentine's Day with a special person.

VOICE TWO:

There are a number of ways to find someone to date. Some people meet at work. Others meet by chance in a public place. Still others visit places where other single people go. Or they can use businesses that help organize dates. Many men and women find dates through services they find on the Internet computer system.

The purpose2 of dating is to have fun. Sometimes people who date develop a close relationship. Some people decide to live together, yet remain unmarried. Others decide to get married.

In the past, young people in America usually lived with their parents until they got married. Today, some still do. Yet most young people live a more independent life. They have a job. They travel. They rent or own their own apartment or house. They wait longer to get married. While waiting, they date.

VOICE ONE:

Often a friend will plan a meeting between two unmarried people who do not know each other. The friend thinks the two people will like each other. This is called a "blind date."3 The people involved are not blind. They just have never seen each other. However, most unmarried people have to find their own dates. Many go to public eating, drinking or dancing places. Every city in America has them. Some places are popular with young people. Others are for older people.

Many Americans, however, want to go where they are sure they can meet people with similar interests. For example, they may go to a bookstore. Some bookstores in America serve coffee and food. Many offer special programs and social activities for single people. Other singles join health clubs or sports teams to get exercise and to meet people. Or, they may join groups for people who like to take long walks in the woods.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Some public eating and drinking places help plan dates for single people. At several such places in New York City, people can write answers to a series⁴ of questions about themselves. Then other people read the answers. If someone likes the answers, an employee⁵ sets up a date. This service costs a small amount of money.

A restaurant called Drip⁶ Café started using this system when it opened in New York in nineteen-ninety-six. Since then, the Drip Café has helped many people find someone to date. It was the first restaurant and date-organizing place in a group called DateCafes. There are similar cafes in several other American cities.

VOICE ONE:

Some businesses help single people meet other people. For example, Great Expectations has been organizing dates for about twenty-five years. It started in San Francisco, California⁷. The company sends millions of letters a year to people throughout⁸ the country. The letters explain how the system works⁹.

A company called Brief Encounters¹⁰ serves single people in Washington¹¹, D-C, and Baltimore, Maryland. Its meetings provide quick introductions¹² for small groups of men and women. At these events, people meet members of the opposite sex for only a few minutes. A man and a woman sit at a table across from each other. They talk for six minutes until a bell rings. Then everyone meets a new person. People write their reactions on paper. They write the names of the people they liked best. Then they give these notes to a Brief Encounters employee. Within twenty-four hours the people seeking dates receive the names and telephone numbers of the people who liked them.

VOICE TWO:

A group called SpeedDating also provides fast introductions for single people. It is one of a number of dating services organized by religious¹³ organizations. Many young people are in a room. One man and one woman meet and talk for seven minutes. Then they meet and talk to other people. An international Jewish¹⁴ education center started these groups. They began in Los Angeles, California. The service now has spread to many American cities and to other countries.

Some people seeking dates do not like making hurried choices. But others praise this method. They say it prevents spending long hours with someone who is not very interesting.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Many American newspapers and magazines publish messages from people seeking someone to date. The messages are called "personal want ads" or simply "personals." This is the usual kind of message in a personal ad: "Nice looking woman, thirty years old, thin, athletic¹⁵, successful, great cook, desires long-term¹⁶ relationship."

Men who want to meet this woman write to the newspaper or magazine. They describe themselves and their interests. The woman reads the letters. Then she decides if she wants to meet any of the men.

VOICE TWO:

There also are telephone dating services in many cities. A person calls a telephone dating service and leaves a message on a recording¹⁷ machine. For example, a man describes himself and the kind of woman he hopes to meet. He describes what kind of relationship he would like.

Other people call and listen to the messages. If they hear one they like, they leave their own message. If two people enjoy these telephone messages, they can make plans to meet. Some telephone services let people speak directly¹⁸ to others they might want to date.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Millions of Americans seek someone to date through services they find on the Internet. People start by communicating with strangers. Sometimes the strangers become friends. They might decide to meet. Then they might decide to date. They may even decide to get married.

A business called Match-dot-com is a leader in organizing dates through the Internet. It has millions of members.

Members can get lists of people their age who live nearby. Some people identify themselves, while others do not. Many send pictures electronically4. The goal is for people to get to know each other through electronic¹⁹ mail. Then, they can decide to meet and date.

VOICE TWO:

Match-dot-com began in nineteen-ninety-five. It says its service has led to more than one-thousand-three-hundred weddings. Many other members have formed close relationships. For example, a teacher in the Washington, D-C area ended her marriage a few years ago. She had not dated much until she met a computer expert through Match-dot-com.

However, many people believe there is the possibility of danger in any situation when strangers meet. Some women say they do not want to meet a man through a computer dating service. They are afraid that a man may not be the kind of person he claims to be.

Some people praise businesses that help organize dates. Others say they wish they could meet people by chance. No one method of finding²⁰ someone to date works for everyone.

VOICE ONE:

When single people finally get together, what do they do on a date? People of all ages like to do many of the same things. They go to restaurants or night clubs. They go to movies, museums and concerts. They watch sporting events, or play sports themselves.

Dating in America can be fun. It is also a serious business. Why? One woman gave this answer: "People are always looking for the perfect relationship," she says. "No matter how old they are, they are always looking for this thing called 'love'. And love is sometimes hard to find."

VOICE TWO:

This program was written by Jerilyn Watson. It was produced by Cynthia Kirk. I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE ONE:

And I'm Mary Tillotson. Join us again next week for another report about life in the United States on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.
1. involve [In5vClv] vt. 包括
2. purpose [5pE:pEs] n. 目的，意图
3. blind date n. 从未晤面的男女经第三者安排所作的约会
4. electronically [Ilek5trRnIk[lI] adv. 电子地

1 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

2 unmarried   

adj.未婚的，单身的

参考例句：

• Though he is forty,he is still unmarried.尽管他已经40岁了，但还是独身。
• I was still unmarried then.当时我还没有结婚。

3 lovers   

爱好者( lover的名词复数 )； 情人； 情夫； 情侣

参考例句：

• They were off-screen lovers. 他们是真实生活中的情侣。
• Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet 罗密欧和朱丽叶这一对莎士比亚笔下命运多舛的恋人

4 series   

n.连续；系列

参考例句：

• The students have put forward a series of questions.学生们提出了一系列问题。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

5 employee   

n.职员，员工，受雇人员

参考例句：

• Each employee received a like bonus.每个雇员都得到了相同数目的奖金。
• They brought around a new employee this morning.他们今天早晨请来了一位新雇员。

6 drip   

n.滴，点滴；水滴；乏味的人；v.滴下，漏水

参考例句：

• I hate this sort of drip.我讨厌这种无聊的闲话。
• A drip of water fell from the tap.从龙头滴下一滴水。

7 California   

n.加利福尼亚(美国)

参考例句：

• He was elected governor of the state of California.他当选为加州州长。
• We were driving on a California freeway.我们正沿着加利福尼亚的一条快车道驾车行驶。

8 throughout   

adv.到处，自始至终；prep.遍及，贯穿

参考例句：

• These magazines are sold at bookstores throughout the country.这些杂志在全国各地书店均有发售。
• Guilin is known throughout the world for its scenery.桂林以山水著称于世。

9 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

10 encounters   

遭遇战( encounter的名词复数 )； [天文学]（向着某一天体的）接近； 突然遇到

参考例句：

• Encounters of like charges act to diminish the coagulation rate. 同性带电粒子间的碰撞作用减少凝聚率。
• At each stage of development the trematode encounters formidable hazards. 吸虫在发育的每一个阶段，都可能遭遇到极大的风险。

11 Washington   

n.华盛顿特区(是美国首都)

参考例句：

• His birthplace is Washington,but he lives in San Francisco.他出生于华盛顿，但住在旧金山。
• They, together with my father,have gone to Washington.他们和我父亲一起去华盛顿了。

12 introductions   

n.介绍( introduction的名词复数 )；引言；引进；新采用的东西

参考例句：

• With a smile, he makes introductions all round. 他微笑着将在场的人一一作了介绍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This book has a superfluity of introductions and summaries. 此本书中有多余的介绍和摘要。 来自辞典例句

13 religious   

adj.宗教性的，虔诚的，宗教上的；n.修道士，出家人

参考例句：

• She is very religious person who goes to church every Sunday.她十分虔诚，每个星期天都上教堂。
• It is hard for me to reject religious beliefs.要我抛弃自己的宗教信仰是困难的。

14 Jewish   

adj.犹太人的，犹太民族的

参考例句：

• The coin bears a Jewish symbol.硬币上有犹太标记。
• They were two Jewish kids;I was friendly with both of them.他们是两个犹太小孩；我同他们都很要好。

15 athletic   

adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的

参考例句：

• This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
• He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。

16 long-term   

adj.长远的，长期的

参考例句：

• It isn't a long-term policy.这不是长久之计。
• We must calculate on a long-term basis.我们要作长期打算。

17 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

18 directly   

adv.直接地，径直地；马上，立即

参考例句：

• I will telephone you directly I hear the news.我一听到消息，马上打电话给你。
• She answered me very directly and openly.她非常坦率地、开门见山地答复了我。

19 electronic   

adj.电子的；n.[-s]电子学，电子设备

参考例句：

• It is an electronic device with many uses.这是一部具有多种用途的电子仪器。
• Father needs a new electronic shaver.爸爸需要一个新的电子剃须刀。

20 finding   

n.发现，发现物；调查的结果

参考例句：

• The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
• That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。