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VOICE ONE:
The United States has millions of unmarried adults. Many wouldlike to go out socially and have fun with someone they like. I’mMary Tillotson.
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:
February fourteenth is Valentine’s Day. On that day, manyAmericans send cards or buy presents for people who are important intheir lives. Valentine’s Day gives lovers a chance to express theirfeelings.
However, millions of people in the United States are alone. Theyare not married or involved in a close relationship. Some of thesepeople wish they could find someone to date. They wish they couldcelebrate Valentine’s Day with a special person.
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 the Internet computer system.
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. The friend thinks the two people willlike each other. This is called a “blind date.” The people involvedare not blind. They just have never seen each other. However, mostunmarried people have to find their own dates. Many go to publiceating, drinking or dancing places. Every city in America has them.Some places are popular with young people. Others are for olderpeople.
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 serve coffee and food. Manyoffer special programs and social activities for single people.Other singles join health clubs or sports teams to get exercise andto meet people. Or, they may join groups for people who like to takelong walks in the woods.
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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 about themselves. Then other peopleread the answers. If someone likes the answers, an employee sets upa date. This service costs a small amount of money.
A restaurant called Drip Café started using this system when itopened in New York in nineteen-ninety-six. Since then, the Drip Caféhas helped many people find someone to date. It was the firstrestaurant 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. Forexample, Great Expectations has been organizing dates for abouttwenty-five years. It started in San Francisco, California. Thecompany sends millions of letters a year to people throughout thecountry. The letters explain how the system works.
A company called Brief Encounters serves single people inWashington, D-C, and Baltimore, Maryland. Its meetings provide quickintroductions for small groups of men and women. At these events,people meet members of the opposite sex for only a few minutes.A manand a woman sit at a table across from each other. They talk for sixminutes until a bell rings. Then everyone meets a new person. Peoplewrite their reactions on paper. They write the names of the peoplethey liked best. Then they give these notes to a Brief Encountersemployee. Within twenty-four hours the people seeking dates receivethe names and telephone numbers of the people who liked them.
VOICE TWO:
A group called SpeedDating also provides fast introductions forsingle people. It is one of a number of dating services organized byreligious organizations. Many young people are in a room. One manand one woman meet and talk for seven minutes. Then they meet andtalk to other people. An international Jewish education centerstarted these groups. They began in Los Angeles, California. Theservice now has spread to many American cities and to othercountries.
Some people seeking dates do not like making hurried choices. Butothers praise this method. They say it prevents spending long hourswith someone who is not very interesting.
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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, thirty 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 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 datesthrough the Internet. It has millions of 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.
VOICE TWO:
Match-dot-com began in nineteen-ninety-five. It says its servicehas led to more than one-thousand-three-hundred weddings. Many othermembers have formed close relationships. For example, a teacher inthe Washington, D-C area ended her marriage a few years ago. She hadnot dated much until she met a computer expert throughMatch-dot-com.
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.
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.
VOICE ONE:
When single people finally get together, what do they do on adate? People of all ages like to do many of the same things. They goto restaurants or night clubs. They go to movies, museums andconcerts. 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 theperfect relationship,” she says. “No matter how old they are, theyare always looking for this thing called ‘love’. And love issometimes hard to find.”
VOICE TWO:
This program was written by Jerilyn Watson. It was produced byCynthia Kirk. I’m Steve Ember.
VOICE ONE:
And I’m Mary Tillotson. Join us again next week for anotherreport about life in the United States on the VOA Special Englishprogram, THIS IS AMERICA.