Presentation Skills：Telling a Love Story
Work in pairs. Watch the video clip and tell if the hero touched you with his story.
If your answer is yes, try to figure out the ways in which the hero made it.
If your answer is no, give some suggestions on how to improve the story.
Setting the scene / Ending the story
This is a story about …
Once upon a time, there was / lived …
The story takes place in …
And they lived happily ever after.
Talking about romantic love
He fell (madly / deeply) in love with her.
It was love at first sight.
She lost interest in him.
Creating suspense
Guess what!
You’ll never believe this.
But then, what do you think happened next?
Work in Pairs and Discuss the Questions
1. Why do people use the Internet to find a partner?
2. Do you think Internet dating is a good way to meet a partner? Why / Why not?
3. Do you think people always give a true picture of themselves on Internet dating sites? Why / Why not?
Directions:
1. Think about your answers to each question and think of a comment (ie an extra personal idea which not just an answer but a thought which follows, elaborates or critically evaluates an answer).
2. In pairs, with each question, student A gives an answer and B gives a comment; then you change roles to go through the questions a second time.
3. One or two pairs share their answers and comments with the class.
Example Answers
Q1
Student A They might find it more efficient, as you can look at a lot of profiles in a short period of time. For busy people, this is very helpful. Traditional dating is very slow by comparison as it can take weeks to meet just one person.
Student B That’s true, and I think online dating also helps less confident people, because you can send an email or have a web chat first, and only meet up if you know you have things in common. When you finally meet, you have something to talk about.
Q2
Student A I think it is. I have a friend who met her partner over the Internet, and they lived in different countries. Dating sites give you plenty of opportunities to find out things about a person: their background, likes and dislikes, what they look like …
Student B I agree up to a point. It’s a good way to introduce yourself to someone, but after that you might find you have nothing in common. It could be very awkward! I think it’s better to meet someone through school, work, sport or some other social activities. Then you really do have something in common and you also know each other a little bit before you start dating.
Q3
Student A Some people are certainly very honest, but most people like to present themselves in a positive way to attract more responses. They might exaggerate their positive traits, leave out certain personal details, or use an old photo to make themselves look younger.
Student B I think it’s worse than that! Some people actually lie about who they are. You can’t be sure how old they are, what they look like or what their name is. It’s natural to want to present yourself well, but some people take it much further than that.
Developing Critical Thinking
Work in pairs and discuss the following questions. For each question, you should give a brief explanation to your answer.
1. Which piece of advice on online dating do you think is the most important? Why?
2. Why are people often disappointed when they meet someone they know from the Internet for the first time?
3. Which do you prefer: traditional matchmaking or online dating? Why?
Example Answers
Q1
Actually, it’s rather difficult to pick out just one piece of advice here. Perhaps we can pick out the idea of only going ahead if you feel comfortable, because if you feel uncomfortable it’s not a good sign for a relationship and in any case you won’t enjoy meeting the other person.
Q2
Some people will lie about their age, job etc, or use an old photo to make them seem more attractive, so when it comes to meeting in person, people dating them will often feel disappointed.
Q3
• I prefer online dating, as it makes the process of finding someone much easier. You can see the profiles of thousands of people and choose what characteristics are important to you. When you meet someone you like, you can chat and send emails before meeting in person.
• I still like the traditional ways of meeting people. I met my partner through a friend who thought we would be good together. He knew us both well and we trusted his judgement. The personal touch is better than a computer algorithm and I worry that many people on online dating sites aren’t honest.
