UNI EVANGÉLICA LANGUAGE CENTER

ADVANCED CONVERSATION

50 WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR LOVER

Introduction: Look at the back cover information of a

new book. Then discuss the questions below. Why is
the book called Love by Numbers?

Part I: LISTENING [T 2.13]

a. Listen to some extracts from Love by Numbers,

in which the author talks about the research
which has been done into the above topics.
According to the research what are the correct
answers to questions in the book cover?

b. Listen again and answer the questions below. Is your relationship unlikely to succeed if your friends dislike
your partner?
1. What two examples are given to show how Where is the most common place for couples to have an
friends can strengthen a couple’s argument?
relationship? Do opposites really attract?
2. What three causes of dispute in a car are How successful is Internet dating?
mentioned? Which one is becoming less Should you try to get back in touch with an ex?
common? Does taking revenge on an ex-partner make you feel better?
3. What do psychologists say about ‘love being
blind’? There is academic research out there that can answer these
4. What are the main advantages and questions: Dr. Luisa Dillner, author of the Guardian column
‘Love by Numbers’, has sifted through it to give you the facts
disadvantages of online dating? What three
about flirting, dating, marrying, cheating and much more…
pieces of advice are given about posting a
profile on a dating site?
5. What percentage of people still thought
about their first loves? What percentage of
people already in a relationship got involved
with their first love again after having got
back in touch?
6. According to the Canadian study, what are the most popular
ways of taking revenge?

c. Were you surprised by any of the statistics? Which ones?

d. [T 2.14] Listen again to some extracts and complete the expressions with two words. What do you
think the expressions mean?

1. When friends tell a couple that they are a ___________ ___________ and how much they
enjoy going out with them…
2. … suggesting that you can ___________ ___________ anyone, should you get the chance
to meet them.
3. Most people also __________ _________ someone as good-looking or as plain as they are.
4. After three months you can ‘see’ again, and then you usually ___________ ___________
the person.
 5. A study in the US of over 3,000 adults found that 15% knew someone in a ___________ -
___________ relationship that had started online.
6. The biggest ___________-___________, apparently, is profiles with poor spelling.
7. 80% of these people finished up ___________ ___________ with their lost love again.
8. Another study by Stephen Hoshimura at the University of Montana asked people what act of
revenge they had ___________ ___________...

Breaking up: Read 10 top break-up lines from a website. Which one do you think is the best/worst way of
starting a break-up conversation?

get questionnaire
‘We need to talk.’
‘I think we should take a break.’
‘It’s not you; it’s me.’
□ Are you the kind of person who‘When regularly
I saidgets ridworking
I was of old clothes or do
late, I was you tend to keep things for ever?
lying.’
‘Do you remember
□ Did you use to get into trouble a lot when you were a child? when I said that everything was all right…?’
‘You are like a brother / sister to me.’
□ Do you consider yourself a person who usually gets their own way? Why (not)?
‘I think we’re headed in different directions.’
□ Do you tend to keep up to date ‘Iwith your
think we’dwork or studies
be better off asorfriends.’
do you often get behind?
□ Do you think young drivers get stopped
‘I don’t lovebyyouthe
anypolice
more.’more than older drivers? Do you think this is
fair? ‘I need some time to be on my own.’
□ Have you ever got caught cheating ‘You’re a fantastic
in an person,
exam? Have butever
you you’re too good
cheated forexam
in an me.’ and got away with
‘Can I have my keys back, please?’
it?
‘You’re going to get through this.’
□ Do you think going on vacation together is a good way to really get to know people?
□ Have you ever got the wrong end of the stick when you were speaking to someone in English?
□ How often and where do you normally get your hair cut?
Watch a scene from the movie “Friends with Benefits.” Mark the sentences from the list above that were
□ If one of your gadgets or electrical appliances breaks down, do you normally try to fix it yourself first
used.
or do you immediately phone to get an expert to fix it?
□ If you are meeting someone, do you usually get there on time, or are you normally either early or late?
□ [TIf2.12]
Part II: you were
SONG able– to
50get just to
Ways oneLeave
room Your
in ourLover
house redecorated, which would it be and why?
□ Do you think women are better than men at getting presents for people?
If you were invited
□ EXPRESSIONS
Part III: to a karaoke
WITH “GET” evening, would you try to get out of going?
□ If you were supposed to get a flight the day after there had been a serious crash, would you cancel it?
□ a. IsLook
there at someinsentences
anyone your familyfrom the listening,
or group of friends which all have
who really gets the verbnerves?
on your get. Answer the questions.
□ What kind of things do/did your parents get you to do in the house?
□ What 1. Online
worries agencies advice
you most about getting
getting old? a photo taken where you look friendly, rather than seductive.
□ Where would you go if you really wanted to get away from everything and relax?
2. In another study by Dr. Nancy Kalish, California State University got randomly selected
American adults to agree to be interviewed about their first loves.

3. Also when a couple stays together for a while, their two groups of friends start to make
friends with each other, and as a result the couples relationship gets stronger.

In which sentence…? A. does get mean become

B. does get mean persuade
C. could you replace get with have with no change in meaning

b. Read the get questionnaire and tick ten questions you’d like to ask someone else. Ask and
answer in pairs.