Диалоги на английском языке с переводом (уровень Intermediate). № 54. Тема: Создание университетского теннисного клуба.

(1) Mr Lear was trying speed dating for the first time. T / F /
(2) Participants give each other their scorecards. T / F /
(3) Generally more women attend speed dating than men. T / F /
(4) Some married couples have met through speed dating. T / F /
(5) Ms Townsend and Mr Harris arranged to meet again. T / F /
(6) Mr Lear has decided to give speed dating another try. T / F /

SPEED DATING

STEVE LEAR, 26, sat at table No 1 in the Water View Hotel lounge, his cheeks red, hands on his knees, every hair in place. Dating, he admitted, was not his forte.

'I'm very nervous,' said Mr Lear, a dental technician from Littlehampton, 'Until now, I've left meeting women to chance.'

Love doesn't come easy. But at least finding out whether a date had potential on this particular evening wouldn't take much time. Mr Lear didn't have to worry about suffering through three hours of difficult conversation or have anxiety about using just the right chat-up line. He had signed up for Speed Dating, a new variation on the traditional blind date. He was about to have a seven-minute conversation with each of the eight women in the room.

'I have no idea what to expect but I decided it was worth a try,' said Mr Lear. 'Anything else I've ever done was on my own. I haven't been very successful.'

The 'rules' of Speed Dating are simple. When the bell rings, the search for a suitable partner begins. After spending seven minutes in conversation, the bell rings again and participants move on to another person. The players only have to check a scorecard box next to the names of the people they speak to - 'Yes, please call me,' if interested, or 'No, thanks.' Scorecards are handed in at the end of the session. If both parties agree to see each other again, the organisers contact them and let them know the happy news.

Speed Dating was introduced to London from Los Angeles a couple of years ago and quickly became a popular new way to find love in the city. It is intended for there to be an equal number of both sexes but if a session is cancelled it is usually because of a shortage in men, particularly in the 40 to 55 age range. According to the organisers, Speed-Dating events have led to numerous lasting relationships and they hope one day soon to be able to boast of an actual marriage.

Ms Stella Townsend, 33, of Camden Town revealed that she had been unlucky in love. She taught chemistry, but having it with men seemed to be another story. 'The best thing here is you know everyone is looking,' she said.

Rejection can be painful. To reduce the risk of potential embarrassment, participants aren't allowed to ask for each other's phone numbers or indicate whether they want to continue the conversation. They are told if they have a match within 48 hours after the event ends.

Finally, Ms Townsend chatted to Andy Harris, 27, of Leyton. She thought they had a lot in common. On the scorecards, I noticed that they had checked off each other's names positively. Ms Townsend left, hopeful that Mr Harris had felt the same.

As for Mr Lear, by the end of the session, he hadn't checked off any 'Yes' boxes. 'I didn't feel a connection,' he said. 'I found myself waiting for the bell to ring.' However, far from being downhearted or rejected, he added, 'I guess it's something that takes a bit of getting used to. It's still early days yet.'