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IELTS-GENERAL-READING-WRIT-TEST 6_•TEST1pp4-21-NEW-TB-NEW-Layout.qxd 18/2/2015 2:24 µµ Page 94

IELTS

General Module

Reading

est 6 SECTION 1 Questions 1-14

Practice T Read the text below and answer Questions 1-8.
Questions 1-8

Tired of returning to an empty home, after work? Fed up with being single? Maybe speed dating is
for you then. Try one of our speed dating events and follow these tips to meet your dream partner!

1. Do your research. Go on Internet sites to check out where speed dating venues are in your town.

2. Select a venue that is to your liking. You’re more likely to end up meeting like-minded individuals
choosing somewhere you feel more at home.

3. Take a friend if necessary. It’s always best to take a friend for moral support; especially if you are
a novice speed dater. Friends can be a shoulder to cry on if things don’t turn out well!

4. Dress appropriately. Dress in keeping with your personality, but the general rule of thumb is to not
dress up too much; try to adopt a fairly low-key approach.

5. Decide on what you want. Before you go into a session, draw up a list of deal-breakers, such as
drinking and smoking, so you can filter out incompatible partners.

6. Have a list of conversation topics ready. When a conversation dries up, especially with a stranger,
it can be embarrassing, so have a few conversational gambits up your sleeve.

7. Prepare how you want to present yourself. Remember: each speed date is only 3 minutes, so decide
what aspects of your personality you would like to emphasise.

8. Go into it with the right mindset. View speed dating as an ice-breaker and a first meeting; not a
replacement for the entire dating cycle.

9. Have fun. Approach speed dating in a light-hearted way; you will have more fun and maybe meet
a compatible partner.

10. Keep notes. Keep brief notes on daters’ clothes and certain outstanding characteristics, like height,
smile etc, to avoid confusion over dates!

11. Mingle after the event. This way you can further gauge reactions of potential partners towards you
and make a more informed decision about them, too.

12. Use feedback positively. If a chosen date failed to pick you, review what went wrong. Maybe you
need to change your approach or maybe they were just unsuitable.

13. Forewarned is forearmed. If you weren’t successful first off, check your speed dating website for
further dating advice and good luck next time!

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