The Reading / Listening - Dating Apps - Level 2

For decades, smartphones have had a big role in romance, love and dating. Many apps have been created to make it easier to meet a partner. However, dating app companies are in trouble. The world's two largest companies have lost more than $40 billion in value since 2021. Workers in these companies are losing their jobs. This is because young people aren't paying to use the apps. Companies need subscriptions to make a profit. However, many people in their twenties no longer want to subscribe to dating apps. Instead, they are using free platforms like TikTok to find romance.

In 2017, a poll found that by 2040, 70 per cent of couples would meet online. Today in the USA, 30 per cent of adults use dating apps. However, times are changing. Younger people have less money to spend on things like apps. The New York Times asked young people about dating apps. One 18-year-old student said she preferred to meet people in person, or through direct messages on social media. She said dating apps were "like a game". None of her friends paid for dating apps. She thought that paying for them was a no-no.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Dating Apps - Level 0 Dating Apps - Level 1   or  Dating Apps - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/12/business/dating-apps-tinder-bumble.html
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dating_app
  • https://www.msn.com/en-gb/lifestyle/relationships/swipe-left-on-love-why-people-are-breaking-up-with-dating-apps/ar-BB1ifrsW


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. smartphones have had a big
  2. make it easier to meet
  3. lost more than $40 billion
  4. young people aren't paying to
  5. Companies need subscriptions
  6. many people in
  7. subscribe
  8. they are using free platforms
  1. their twenties
  2. use the apps
  3. a partner
  4. like TikTok
  5. in value
  6. to dating apps
  7. to make a profit
  8. role in romance

Paragraph 2

  1. 70 per cent of couples would
  2. However, times are
  3. people have less money to spend
  4. she preferred to meet people
  5. direct messages on
  6. She said dating apps were
  7. None of her friends paid
  8. paying for them was a
  1. "like a game"
  2. in person
  3. no-no
  4. changing
  5. for dating apps
  6. on things like apps
  7. social media
  8. meet online

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

For decades, smartphones have had a big (1) ___________________, love and dating. Many apps have been created to make it easier to (2) ___________________. However, dating app companies (3) ___________________. The world's two largest companies have lost more than $40 billion in value since 2021. Workers in these companies are (4) ___________________. This is because young people aren't paying to use the apps. Companies need subscriptions to (5) ___________________. However, many people in their twenties no longer want to subscribe to dating apps. Instead, they are using (6) ___________________ TikTok to find romance.

In 2017, a (7) ___________________ by 2040, 70 per cent of (8) ___________________ online. Today in the USA, 30 per cent of adults use dating apps. However, times are changing. Younger people have less money to (9) ___________________ like apps. The New York Times asked young people about dating apps. One 18-year-old student said she (10) ___________________ people in person, or through direct (11) ___________________ media. She said dating apps were "like a game". None of her friends paid for dating apps. She thought that paying for them (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Fordecades,smartphoneshavehadabigroleinromance,loveanddatin
g.Manyappshavebeencreatedtomakeiteasiertomeetapartner.Howe
ver,datingappcompaniesareintrouble.Theworld'stwolargestcompan
ieshavelostmorethan$40billioninvaluesince2021.Workersintheseco
mpaniesarelosingtheirjobs.Thisisbecauseyoungpeoplearen'tpaying
tousetheapps.Companiesneedsubscriptionstomakeaprofit.Howeve
r,manypeopleintheirtwentiesnolongerwanttosubscribetodatingapp
s.Instead,theyareusingfreeplatformslikeTikToktofindromance.In20
17,apollfoundthatby2040,70percentofcoupleswouldmeetonline.To
dayintheUSA,30percentofadultsusedatingapps.However,timesarec
hanging.Youngerpeoplehavelessmoneytospendonthingslikeapps.T
heNewYorkTimesaskedyoungpeopleaboutdatingapps.One18-year-
oldstudentsaidshepreferredtomeetpeopleinperson,orthroughdirect
messagesonsocialmedia.Shesaiddatingappswere"likeagame".None
ofherfriendspaidfordatingapps.Shethoughtthatpayingforthemwasa
no-no.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You