The Reading / Listening - Dating Apps - Level 1

For a long time, smartphones have had a big role in dating. Apps have made it easier to meet a new partner. However, dating app companies are in trouble. The two biggest companies have lost $40 billion in value since 2021. Workers in these companies are losing their jobs. This is because young people do not want to pay to subscribe to use the apps. Instead, they are using free platforms like TikTok. Companies need subscriptions to make money.

In 2017, a poll found that by 2040, 70 per cent of couples would meet online. However, times are changing. Younger people have less money to spend. A newspaper asked young people about dating apps. An 18-year-old said she preferred to meet people in person, or through social media. She said dating apps were "like a game". None of her friends paid for the 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 2   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. For a
  2. smartphones have had a big
  3. Apps have made it
  4. meet a new
  5. dating app companies are in
  6. subscribe to
  7. they are using free platforms
  8. Companies need subscriptions
  1. like TikTok
  2. partner
  3. to make money
  4. role in dating
  5. use the apps
  6. long time
  7. trouble
  8. easier

Paragraph 2

  1. 70 per cent of couples would
  2. However, times
  3. Younger people have less
  4. A newspaper asked young people
  5. she preferred to meet people in
  6. dating apps were
  7. None of her friends paid
  8. She thought that paying for them
  1. for the apps
  2. money to spend
  3. was a no-no
  4. meet online
  5. like a game
  6. are changing
  7. person
  8. about dating apps

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

For (1) ___________________, smartphones have had a big role in dating. Apps have made it easier to (2) ___________________ partner. However, dating app companies (3) ___________________. The two biggest companies have lost $40 billion (4) ___________________ 2021. Workers in these companies are losing their jobs. This is because young people do not want to (5) ___________________ to use the apps. Instead, they are using free platforms like TikTok. Companies need subscriptions (6) ___________________.

In 2017, a (7) ___________________ by 2040, 70 per cent of couples would meet online. However, (6) ___________________. Younger people have less (9) ___________________. A newspaper asked young people about dating apps. An 18-year-old said she preferred to meet (10) ___________________, or through social media. She said dating apps were "(11) ___________________". None of her friends paid for the apps. She (12) ___________________ for them was a no-no.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Foralongtime,smartphoneshavehadabigroleindating.Appshavemad
eiteasiertomeetanewpartner.However,datingappcompaniesareintr
ouble.Thetwobiggestcompanieshavelost$40billioninvaluesince202
1.Workersinthesecompaniesarelosingtheirjobs.Thisisbecauseyoun
gpeopledonotwanttopaytosubscribetousetheapps.Instead,theyare
usingfreeplatformslikeTikTok.Companiesneedsubscriptionstomake
money.In2017,apollfoundthatby2040,70percentofcoupleswouldme
etonline.However,timesarechanging.Youngerpeoplehavelessmone
ytospend.Anewspaperaskedyoungpeopleaboutdatingapps.An18-y
ear-oldsaidshepreferredtomeetpeopleinperson,orthroughsocialme
dia.Shesaiddatingappswere"likeagame".Noneofherfriendspaidforth
eapps.Shethoughtthatpayingforthemwasano-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.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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