Text 2 attractiveness in the dark

A student in an online college course remarked to me how he rarely had the confidence to speak out in regular, face-to-face classes. He confided he was not very attractive, and always hesitant to answer questions or engage in discussion. People usually ignored the comments he made in face-to-face classes, so he stopped making them after a while. But online, he found a place where people would not dismiss him because of his looks. The first time he joined in the text-based group discussion, he included some humor along with a thoughtful remark about the topic. Several people responded within a day or two, agreeing with his views and taking his side in the debate. “This never happened to me in the classroom,” he said — not wistfully, but with wide-eyed pleasure. Perhaps the Internet’s level playing field with respect to physical attributes will bring out his best and give him confidence to show his qualities — even in real life.

In some interactions, the Internet pulls the rug out from under our tendency to rely on good looks in interpersonal attraction, at least initially. This gives people an opportunity to get to know one another without the weight of all the physical attractiveness stereotypes. If interactive video and voice become more accessible and widely used,

the equation will change again. But for the time being, perhaps just for this fleeting moment in history, beauty’s power is restrained. Without the physical appearance crutch, how do you decide whether the person on the other side of the screen could be a friend, a romantic partner, or your future spouse?

1. Find English equivalents for the following words and expressions.

Чувствовать себя уверенным; обычные занятия; при непосредственном общении; в сети; принимать чью-либо сторону в споре; физические особенности.

2. Give Russian equivalents for the following words and expressions.

Interpersonal attraction; to rely on smth.; to become more accessible; to change an equation; a romantic partner; a future spouse.

3. Rearrange the statements as they occur in the text. (Give numbers.)

1. But for the time being, perhaps just for this fleeting moment in history, beauty’s power is restrained.

2. The Internet gives people an opportunity to get to know one another without the weight of all the physical attractiveness stereotypes.

3. But online, he found a place where people would not dismiss him because of his looks.

4. A student in an online college courses remarked to me how he rarely had the confidence to speak out in regular, face-to-face classes.

5. “This never happened to me in the classroom, ” he said — with wide-eyed pleasure.

6. He confined he was not very attractive.

7. People usually ignored the comments he made, so he stopped making them after a while.

8. If interactive video and voice become more accessible and widely used, the equation will change again.

Text 2 attractiveness in the dark

A student in an online college course remarked to me how he rarely had the confidence to speak out in regular, face-to-face classes. He confided he was not very attractive, and always hesitant to answer questions or engage in discussion. People usually ignored the comments he made in face-to-face classes, so he stopped making them after a while. But online, he found a place where people would not dismiss him because of his looks. The first time he joined in the text-based group discussion, he included some humor along with a thoughtful remark about the topic. Several people responded within a day or two, agreeing with his views and taking his side in the debate. “This never happened to me in the classroom,” he said — not wistfully, but with wide-eyed pleasure. Perhaps the Internet’s level playing field with respect to physical attributes will bring out his best and give him confidence to show his qualities — even in real life.

In some interactions, the Internet pulls the rug out from under our tendency to rely on good looks in interpersonal attraction, at least initially. This gives people an opportunity to get to know one another without the weight of all the physical attractiveness stereotypes. If interactive video and voice become more accessible and widely used,

the equation will change again. But for the time being, perhaps just for this fleeting moment in history, beauty’s power is restrained. Without the physical appearance crutch, how do you decide whether the person on the other side of the screen could be a friend, a romantic partner, or your future spouse?