VOICE ONE:
The United States has millions of unmarried adults. Many wouldlike go out socially and have fun with someone they like. I’m SarahLong.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Steve Ember. The story of how people meet and date is ourreport today on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.
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VOICE ONE:
Thursday, February Fourteenth, is Valentine’s Day. On that day,many people buy cards or flowers for those who are important intheir lives. Valentine’s Day gives lovers a chance to express theirfeelings.
However, millions of people in theUnited States are alone. They are not married or involved in a closerelationship. Some of these people wish they could find someone todate. They wish they could celebrate Valentine’s Day with a specialperson.
VOICE TWO:
There are a number of ways to find someone to date. Some peoplemeet at work. Others meet by chance in a public place. Still othersvisit places where other single people go. Or they can usebusinesses that help organize dates. Many men and women find datesthrough services they find on their personal computers.
The purpose of dating is to have fun. Sometimes people who datedevelop 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 theirparents until they got married. Today, some still do. Yet most youngpeople live a more independent life. They have a job. They travel.They rent or own their own apartment or house. They wait longer toget married. While waiting, they date.
VOICE ONE:
Often a friend will plan a meeting between two unmarried peoplewho do not know each other. This is called a “blind date.” Thepeople involved are not blind. They just have never seen each other.
However, most unmarried people have to find their own dates. Manygo to public eating, drinking or dancing places. Every city inAmerica has them. Some places are popular with young people. Othersare for older people.
Many Americans, however, want to go where they are sure they canmeet people with similar interests. For example, they may go to abookstore. Some bookstores in America now serve coffee and food.Many offer special programs and social activities for single people.Other singles join health clubs to exercise and to meet people. Or,they may join groups for people who like to take long walks or watchbirds.
VOICE TWO:
Some public eating and drinking places help plan dates for singlepeople. At several such places in New York City, people can writeanswers to a series of questions. Then other people read theanswers. If someone likes the answers, an employee sets up a date.This service costs a small amount of money.
A restaurant called Drip started using this system when it openedin Nineteen-Ninety-Six. Since then, the Drip café has helped manypeople find someone to date. It was the first restaurant anddate-organizing place in a group called DateCafes. Today moreDateCafes have opened in New York and in Boston, Massachusetts.
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VOICE ONE:
Some companies help single people meet other people. For example,Great Expectations has been organizing dates for about twenty-fiveyears. It started in San Francisco, California. The company sendsmillions of letters a year to people throughout the country. Theletters explain how the system works.
A company called Brief Encounters serves single people inWashington, D-C, and Baltimore, Maryland. Its meetings provide quickintroductions for ten to twelve young and middle-aged people. Atthese events, people meet members of the opposite sex for only a fewminutes. 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 anew person.
People write their reactions on paper. They note whom they like.Then they give these notes to a Brief Encounters employee. Withintwenty-four hours people seeking dates receive the names andtelephone numbers of those who also liked them.
VOICE TWO:
The group SpeedDating also provides fast introductions. It is oneof a number of dating services organized by religious organizations.Jewish men and women aged twenty-five to thirty-five meet for fewerthan ten minutes. Then they meet and talk to other people. Aninternational Jewish education center started these groups. Theybegan in Los Angeles, California. The service now has spread to manyAmerican cities and to other countries.
Some people seeking dates do not like making hurried choices. Butothers praise this method. A young woman in Chicago, Illinois saysit prevents spending long hours with someone who is not veryinteresting.
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VOICE ONE:
Many American newspapers and magazines publish messages frompeople seeking someone to date. The messages are called “personalwant ads” or simply “personals.” This is the usual kind of messagein a personal ad: “Nice looking woman, forty years old, thin,athletic, successful, great cook, desires long-term relationship.”
Men who want to meet this woman write to the newspaper ormagazine. They describe themselves and their interests. The womanreads the letters. Then she decides if she wants to meet any of themen.
VOICE TWO:
There also are telephone dating services in many cities. A personcalls a telephone dating service and leaves a message on a recordingmachine. For example, a man describes himself and the kind of womanhe hopes to meet. He describes what kind of relationship he wouldlike.
Other people call and listen to the messages. If they hear onethey like, they leave their own message. If two people enjoy thesetelephone messages, they can make plans to meet. Some telephoneservices let people speak directly to others they might want todate.
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VOICE ONE:
Millions of Americans seek someone to date through services theyfind through their personal computers. People start by communicatingwith strangers. Sometimes the strangers become friends. They mightdecide to meet. Then they might decide to date. They may even decideto get married.
A business called Match-dot-Com is a leader in organizing datesthrough the World Wide Web. It has more thantwo-and-one-half-million members.
Members can get lists of people their age who live nearby. Somepeople identify themselves, while others do not. Many send pictureselectronically. The goal is for people to get to know each otherthrough electronic mail. Then, they can decide to meet and date.Match-dot-com says its listings have led to more thanone-thousand-four-hundred weddings. Many other members have formedclose relationships.
However, many people believe there is the possibility of dangerin any situation when strangers meet. Some women say they do notwant to meet a man through a computer dating service. They areafraid that a man may not be the kind of person he claims to be.
VOICE TWO:
Some people praise businesses that help organize dates. Otherssay they wish they could meet people by chance. No one method offinding someone to date works for everyone. When single peoplefinally get together, what do they do on a date?
People of all ages like to do many of the same things. They go torestaurants or night clubs. They go to movies, museums and concerts.They watch sporting events. Sometimes, they decide to spend the restof their lives together.
VOICE ONE:
A clothing designer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was married afew weeks ago. Her new husband is an engineer. They found each otherthrough their personal computers. They tried this service becauseneither had much chance to meet someone at work.
For several years after they finished their university studies,both felt alone. Now these newly married people say that this year,they are truly celebrating Valentine’s Day.
VOICE TWO:
This program was written by Jerilyn Watson. It was produced byGeorge Grow. Our studio engineer was Stefan Anderko. I’m SteveEmber.
VOICE ONE:
And I’m Sarah Long. Join us again next week for another reportabout life in the United States on the VOA Special English program,THIS IS AMERICA.
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