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Finding a partner has always been a complicated process. It is a ritual which

has evolved over the centuries; from a man taking food to a prospective
partner in the Stone Age to young couples having tea together __________(1)
Victorian times (under the watchful eye of an unmarried aunt), to dancing in
a club to deafening music in the twenty-first century.
But now busy men and women who dont have the __________(2) for a slow,
gentle courtship have a quicker way to find a partner: speed dating, where
single people have exactly three minutes to decide if the person they are
talking to could be Mr or Ms Right. The idea, which started __________(3) the
USA, involves bringing together people for an evening of frenzied, quickfire dating. This is how it works.
Small tables __________(4) placed in a __________(5) and the women sit down
at the one which has been given to them. They stay at their table all
evening. The men take it in turns to sit next to each woman and have a very
quick conversation. After three minutes a bell rings and, even __________(6)
__________(7) are in mid-sentence, it is time for the __________(8) to move to
the next table. If you like the person you have just spoken to, you put a tick
in the __________(9) box on a scorecard. If the other person chooses you as
well, this is called a match, and the organizers will send you the other
persons email address a couple __________(10) days later and they
__________(11) be sent yours too.
Three minutes is enough time to talk to someone, says Adele Testani, who
runs a speed dating company, because you can get __________(12) idea of
what a person is like in that time and you __________(13) eliminate them
__________(14) you see immediately that theyre not your type. Britains
largest ever __________(15) evening took place this week at the Hydro Bar in

London, so I decided to go along and see what it was all about. I pretended
to be a single 24-year-old lawyer...

Finding a partner has always been a complicated process. It is a ritual which

has evolved over the centuries; from a man taking food to a prospective
partner in the Stone Age to young couples having tea together in Victorian
times (under the watchful eye of an unmarried aunt), to dancing in a club to
deafening music in the twenty-first century.
But now busy men and women who dont have the time for a slow, gentle
courtship have a quicker way to find a partner: speed dating, where single
people have exactly three minutes to decide if the person they are talking to
could be Mr or Ms Right. The idea, which started in the USA, involves
bringing together people for an evening of frenzied, quick-fire dating. This
is how it works.
Small tables are placed in a line and the women sit down at the one which
has been given to them. They stay at their table all evening. The men take it
in turns to sit next to each woman and have a very quick conversation. After
three minutes a bell rings and, even if you are in mid-sentence, it is time for
the man to move to the next table. If you like the person you have just
spoken to, you put a tick in the yes box on a scorecard. If the other person
chooses you as well, this is called a match, and the organizers will send
you the other persons email address a couple of days later and they will be
sent yours too.
Three minutes is enough time to talk to someone, says Adele Testani, who
runs a speed dating company, because you can get an idea of what a
person is like in that time and you can eliminate them if you see
immediately that theyre not your type. Britains largest ever speed-dating
evening took place this week at the Hydro Bar in London, so I decided to go
along and see what it was all about. I pretended to be a single 24-year-old
lawyer...

When I arrived at the Hydro Bar, the women, who were wearing fashionable
dresses __________(1) smart suits, were giggling nervously as they put on
badges with a __________(2) on them. Maybe my jeans are a bad idea, I
thought. I chatted to other people while we waited. __________(3) I spoke to
said they had doubled the __________(4) __________(5) dates they had in a
year with just one night of speed dating. The men included a chef, a banker,
a __________(6), an engineer, a management consultant, and a novelist. They
were just pleased they could stop having to try to chat up strangers in bars:
Its so hard to meet girls in London. With speed dating you meet 20 or 30
single girls in one night, said one man. You cant talk to __________(7) at
salsa classes, said another. Matt, 28, said, After doing this once, I got
several dates. Theres a good atmosphere; its safe and its really good. Its
like being at a party with lots of single women.
Then it started. I made __________(8) contact with the girl next to me
__________(9) we could compare our opinions of the men; we raised
__________(10) eyebrows for a possibility, exchanged a smile if the man was
good looking, and made a grimace if he made three minutes feel like three
hours.
I thought it was __________(11) just to ask questions like What do you do? or
Where are you from? so I tried to think of more interesting __________(12)
imaginative questions to ask, like If __________(13) could be __________(14)
animal, what animal would you be and why?
In the end I ticked six boxes. A couple of days later, I was told that four of
the men had ticked me too. Four new dates. Not bad in 66 __________(15).

When I arrived at the Hydro Bar, the women, who were wearing fashionable
dresses and smart suits, were giggling nervously as they put on badges with
a number on them. Maybe my jeans are a bad idea, I thought. I chatted to
other people while we waited. People I spoke to said they had doubled the
number of dates they had in a year with just one night of speed dating. The
men included a chef, a banker, a photographer, an engineer, a management
consultant, and a novelist. They were just pleased they could stop having to
try to chat up strangers in bars: Its so hard to meet girls in London. With
speed dating you meet 20 or 30 single girls in one night, said one man. You
cant talk to girls at salsa classes, said another. Matt, 28, said, After doing
this once, I got several dates. Theres a good atmosphere; its safe and its
really good. Its like being at a party with lots of single women.
Then it started. I made eye contact with the girl next to me so we could
compare our opinions of the men; we raised our eyebrows for a possibility,
exchanged a smile if the man was good looking, and made a grimace if he
made three minutes feel like three hours.
I thought it was boring just to ask questions like What do you do? or Where
are you from? so I tried to think of more interesting and imaginative
questions to ask, like If you could be an animal, what animal would you be
and why?
In the end I ticked six boxes. A couple of days later, I was told that four of
the men had ticked me too. Four new dates. Not bad in 66 minutes.

Your signature is the part of your handwriting that says the most about your
personality. It is quite normal for your signature to change during your life,
as your signature reflects how you __________(1) as a person. It is also
common to have several signatures, for example a more formal signature
(name and surname) when you sign a credit card or passport, and an
informal signature (just your first name) when you sign a birthday card.
Your formal signature A signature usually contains either a first name and
a surname, or initials and a surname, or, less frequently a __________(2)
name and initials. Your first name represents your private or family self, and
your surname represents __________(3) public self, how you are socially and
at work. If your first name is more prominent in your signature, this implies
that you have positive feelings about __________(4) childhood __________(5)
that your private self is more important to you than your public self.
If your surname is more prominent, this means that your public self is more
important to you. The more space there is between your name and
surname, the more you wish to keep your public and your private self
separate. If you use only initials either for your first name or your surname
in your signature, this means that you are more secretive about this part of
__________(6) personality (your private or public persona).
Legibility A legible signature, where names can be clearly read, implies
that you are a person with clear ideas and objectives. The more illegible
your signature is, __________(7) less assertive you are as a person, and the
more you tend to avoid conflict.
Angle Most signatures are horizontal, rising, or descending. A rising
signature means that you are the kind of person who, when faced with
problems, will work to overcome them. Usually optimistic, you are in control
and ambitious. A descending signature means that you have a tendency to
get depressed __________(8) give up when faced with problems, and lack
self-confidence. Some peoples signatures go through a temporary phase
where they go down, which shows that they are going through a hard time
or an illness. A horizontal signature __________(9) an emotionally stable

person who is well-balanced __________(10) generally satisfied with the way

their life is going.
Size If __________(11) signature is bigger __________(12) the rest of the
letter or document you have written, that means that you are self-confident
and have quite a high opinion of yourself. Some people actually sign in
capital letters, which suggests they are arrogant rather than self-confident.
People whose __________(13) is __________(14) than __________(15) rest of the
text may be insecure and have low self-esteem.

Your signature is the part of your handwriting that says the most about your
personality. It is quite normal for your signature to change during your life,
as your signature reflects how you evolve as a person. It is also common to
have several signatures, for example a more formal signature (name and
surname) when you sign a credit card or passport, and an informal signature
(just your first name) when you sign a birthday card.
Your formal signature A signature usually contains either a first name and
a surname, or initials and a surname, or, less frequently a first name and
initials. Your first name represents your private or family self, and your
surname represents your public self, how you are socially and at work. If
your first name is more prominent in your signature, this implies that you
have positive feelings about your childhood and that your private self is
more important to you than your public self.
If your surname is more prominent, this means that your public self is more
important to you. The more space there is between your name and
surname, the more you wish to keep your public and your private self
separate. If you use only initials either for your first name or your surname
in your signature, this means that you are more secretive about this part of
your personality (your private or public persona).
Legibility A legible signature, where names can be clearly read, implies
that you are a person with clear ideas and objectives. The more illegible

your signature is, the less assertive you are as a person, and the more you
tend to avoid conflict.

Angle Most signatures are horizontal, rising, or descending. A rising

signature means that you are the kind of person who, when faced with
problems, will work to overcome them. Usually optimistic, you are in control
and ambitious. A descending signature means that you have a tendency to
get depressed and give up when faced with problems, and lack selfconfidence. Some peoples signatures go through a temporary phase where
they go down, which shows that they are going through a hard time or an
illness. A horizontal signature suggests an emotionally stable person who is
well-balanced and generally satisfied with the way their life is going.
Size If your signature is bigger than the rest of the letter or document you
have written, that means that you are self-confident and have quite a high
opinion of yourself. Some people actually sign in capital letters, which
suggests they are arrogant rather than self-confident. People whose
signature is smaller than the rest of the text may be insecure and have low
self-esteem.

For decades doctors have warned us about the dangers of stress and have
given us advice about how to cut down our stress levels. Everyone agrees
that long-term stress, for example having to look after someone who has a
chronic illness, or stressful situations where there is nothing we can do, for
example being stuck in a traffic jam, is bad for our health and should be
avoided whenever possible. However, some medical experts now believe
that certain kinds of stress may actually be good for us.
Dr Marios Kyriazis, an anti-ageing expert, claims that what __________(1) calls
good stress is beneficial to our health and may, in fact, help us stay young
and attractive and even live longer. Dr Kyriazis says that good stress can
strengthen our natural defences which protect us from __________(2)
common among older people, such as Alzheimers, arthritis, and heart
problems. He believes that good stress __________(3) increase the
production of the proteins that help to repair the bodys cells, including
brain cells.
According to Dr Kyriazis, running for a bus __________(4) having to work
__________(5) a deadline __________(6) examples of good stress, that is
situations with short-term, low or moderate stress. The stress usually makes

us react quickly and __________(7), and gives us a sense of achievement we

did it! However, in both these situations, the stress damages the cells in our
body or brain and they start to break down. But __________(8) the cells own
repair mechanism switches on and it produces proteins which repair the
damaged cells and remove harmful chemicals that can gradually cause
disease. In fact, the bodys response is greater __________(9) is needed to
repair the damage, so it actually makes the __________(10) stronger
__________(11) they were before.
As the body gets older, this self-repair mechanism of the cells starts to slow
down, says Dr Kyriazis. The __________(12) way to keep the process working
efficiently is to exercise it, in the same way you would exercise your
muscles __________(13) keep them strong. This means having a certain
amount of stress in our lives. Other stressful activities that Kyriazis
recommends as being __________(14) stress include redecorating a room in
your house over a weekend, packing your suitcase in a hurry to reach the
airport on time, shopping for a dinner party during your lunch break or
programming your DVD or video recorder by following the instruction
manual.
So next time your boss tells you that she wants to see that report finished
and on her desk __________(15) 45 minutes, dont panic; just think of it as
good stress which will have benefits for your long-term health!

Finding a partner has always been a complicated process. It is a ritual which

has evolved over the centuries; from a man taking food to a prospective
partner in the Stone Age to young couples having tea together in Victorian
times (under the watchful eye of an unmarried aunt), to dancing in a club to
deafening music in the twenty-first century.
But now busy men and women who dont have the time for a slow, gentle
courtship have a quicker way to find a partner: speed dating, where single
people have exactly three minutes to decide if the person they are talking to
could be Mr or Ms Right. The idea, which started in the USA, involves
bringing together people for an evening of frenzied, quick-fire dating. This
is how it works.
Small tables are placed in a line and the women sit down at the one which
has been given to them. They stay at their table all evening. The men take it

in turns to sit next to each woman and have a very quick conversation. After
three minutes a bell rings and, even if you are in mid-sentence, it is time for
the man to move to the next table. If you like the person you have just
spoken to, you put a tick in the yes box on a scorecard. If the other person
chooses you as well, this is called a match, and the organizers will send
you the other persons email address a couple of days later and they will be
sent yours too.
Three minutes is enough time to talk to someone, says Adele Testani, who
runs a speed dating company, because you can get an idea of what a
person is like in that time and you can eliminate them if you see
immediately that theyre not your type. Britains largest ever speed-dating
evening took place this week at the Hydro Bar in London, so I decided to go
along and see what it was all about. I pretended to be a single 24-year-old
lawyer...