2006年VOA标准英语-Online Dating Practices Change the Face of Roma
时间：2019-01-11 作者：英语课 分类：2006年VOA标准英语（五月）
By Suzanne Presto 1 and Paige Kollock
Washington
24 May 2006
watch OnLine Dating report
As American society continues to strive for greater efficiency in all things, can even romance become streamlined? Busy young Americans increasingly rely on the Internet as matchmaker.
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Increasingly, in the United States and around the world, the Internet and so-called "speed dating" are considered legitimate 2 and efficient ways to find a mate, or at least a date.
Ashley Smith
On a Wednesday night at home in her one-bedroom apartment in Washington, Ashley Smith, 25, surfs the Internet, looking for "Mr. Right".
With her outgoing personality and southern charm, Ashley seems like the type of girl who would have no problem finding a date. But she says looking for a date online allows her to select the type of person she wants to go out with.
"I can say that I want someone who is 6' 2" (one-meter-88), makes between $75,000 and $100,000 a year, is a Protestant Christian 3, who attends church either on the holidays or regularly or once a week, who does not smoke, who drinks one or two drinks socially, who is looking for someone with short hair who is fun and outgoing," Ashley said. "I mean, I can specify 4 exactly what I want. It's dial-a-date!"
Internet market research firm ComScore Media Metrix says each month, roughly 23 million people in the U.S. use the Internet to find a date. Web sites such as Yahoo!-Personals and Match.com are leading the pack. Match.com has 15 million members in 240 countries and local country sites in 18 different languages.
According to Match's Web site, more than 60,000 new people register each day - people such as Ashley.
As she scoured 5 her closet for the right outfit 6 to wear on her date, Ashley explained why she turned to Internet dating. "When I moved to Washington, I didn't know anybody," she said. "So, it just seemed like online dating might be one way to get out there and meet people."
As she got ready to meet a Match.com date in Washington's trendy Dupont Circle neighborhood, Ashley explained that even though has not yet found the person she would consider the perfect boyfriend, her dates have been successful, and more important - fun. "I joke that I'm a [professional dater]. Number of dates? Forget it. I couldn't count," she exclaimed.
While some of Ashley's friends are skeptical 7 of her meeting men on the Internet, she says she prefers it to traditional dating.
"At bars, you look at someone, you smile, you wink 8, but not much ever really seems to come of it," she noted 9. "With Internet dating, you kind of know that someone is interested in dating, and you are interested in dating, so it kind of gets that first step out of the way."
Until the second step - when they meet in person. "I'm meeting this guy at a bar, and it's the first date, and I guess we are going to have some drinks," she said.
While Internet dating has been around as long as the Web itself, only recently have niche 10 sites started popping up to accommodate various interests and fads 11.
For instance, the site DateMyPet.com connects fellow pet lovers. Then there's DharmaDate for Buddhists 12 and GrapeDate.com for wine lovers.
For those who prefer meeting for the first time in person, there is a Web site called HurryDate to facilitate that. People register online and pay $35 for an evening of 10 four-minute dates. When the event's organizer blows a whistle, each participant moves on to the next date for a quick, get-to-know-you conversation.
Chris Cole
After that, they have the opportunity to connect online with Hurry Daters they liked. Chris Cole, 30, who works for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, attended an evening of Hurry Dating.
"I've met several people I want to put on my list [of people to contact]. There are a lot of very interesting, very smart, intelligent women here," he said. "I don't have a lot of time to go to bars, and this was a chance to meet a number of people of varying backgrounds in a short amount of time, who are also interested in meeting other people."
Traditionalists criticize these dating practices as being too hasty or too shallow. Others say they are too revealing, giving personal details about people to others they have not even met.
As a result, dating sites have begun to police themselves for sexual predators 13, and independent watchdog agencies like SafeDate and HonestyOnline have sprung up to run background checks on individuals.
But users say Internet dating is just another way to meet people.
"I'm not dating my computer," explained Ashley. "I'm meeting somebody that way, and then you meet in the real world, because that's where we have real relationships."
- With something so important,you can't just wave a wand and presto!在这么重大的问题上，你想挥动一下指挥棒，转眼就变过来,办不到！
- I just turned the piece of wire in the lock and hey presto,the door opened.我把金属丝伸到锁孔里一拧，嘿，那门就开了。
- Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
- That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。
- They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
- His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。
- We should specify a time and a place for the meeting.我们应指定会议的时间和地点。
- Please specify what you will do.请你详述一下你将做什么。
- We scoured the area for somewhere to pitch our tent. 我们四处查看，想找一个搭帐篷的地方。
- The torrents scoured out a channel down the hill side. 急流沿着山腰冲刷出一条水沟。
- Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
- His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。
- Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
- Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。
- He tipped me the wink not to buy at that price.他眨眼暗示我按那个价格就不要买。
- The satellite disappeared in a wink.瞬息之间，那颗卫星就消失了。
- The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
- Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
- Madeleine placed it carefully in the rocky niche. 玛德琳小心翼翼地把它放在岩石壁龛里。
- The really talented among women would always make their own niche.妇女中真正有才能的人总是各得其所。
- It was one of the many fads that sweep through mathematics regularly. 它是常见的贯穿在数学中的许多流行一时的风尚之一。 来自辞典例句
- Lady Busshe is nothing without her flights, fads, and fancies. 除浮躁、时髦和幻想外，巴歇夫人一无所有。 来自辞典例句
- The Jesuits in a phase of ascendancy, persecuted and insulted the Buddhists with great acrimony. 处于地位上升阶段的耶稣会修士迫害佛教徒，用尖刻的语言辱骂他们。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
- The return of Saivite rule to central Java had brought no antagonism between Buddhists and Hindus. 湿婆教在中爪哇恢复统治后，并没有导致佛教徒与印度教徒之间的对立。 来自辞典例句