A fair maiden is guarded by a dragon. A handsome prince must slay the dragon to save her . Then ,magically, they fall in love and live happily ever after. Traditional stories tend to emphasize the fantastic, magical side of love .Fate plays matchmaker. Strangers see each other from across a room and instantly know that they are destined to be together.

fair 英 [feə(r)]  美 [fer] adj. 公平的;合理的;恰当的;适当的;(按法律、规定)平等待人的，秉公办事的，公正的;(数量、大小)相当大的;相当好的;浅色的;晴朗的;顺风的;美丽的

maiden英[ˈmeɪdn]美[ˈmeɪdn] n.少女; 处女; 未婚女子; 未得分的一轮投球; adj.首次的; 初次的;

slay 英[sleɪ]美[sleɪ] vt.(在战争或搏斗中)杀，杀死; 杀害; 残害; 谋杀; 深深打动; 迷住;

tend 英[tend]美[tend] v.倾向; 往往会; 常常就; 趋向; 走向; 趋于; 照料; 照管; 护理; 招待，侍候，照顾，照料;

emphasize 英[ˈemfəsaɪz]美[ˈemfəsaɪz] v.强调; 重视; 着重; 使突出; 使明显; 重读，强调(词或短语); 加强…的语气;

fantastic 英[fænˈtæstɪk]美[fænˈtæstɪk] adj.好极了; 极好的; 了不起的; 很大的; 大得难以置信的; 怪诞的; 荒诞不经的; 富于想象的; 不切实际的; n.古怪的人;

fate 英[feɪt]美[feɪt] n.命中注定的事(尤指坏事); 命运的安排; 命运; 天数; 定数; 天意; v.注定;

matchmaker 英[ˈmætʃmeɪkə(r)]美[ˈmætʃmeɪkər] n.媒人; 牵线搭桥的人; 红娘;

instantly 英[ˈɪnstəntli]美[ˈɪnstəntli] adv.立刻; 立即; 马上; conj.一…就;

It isn't difficult to imagine two strangers coming together and falling in love despite their differences.

It suggests that love is challenging, uncertain , and incomprehensible.

But with more people using online dating services, a very different kind of love has emerge:one that is scientific, convenient ,and choice ,like on a menu.

There is anonymity and the avoidance of immediate rejection .

Meeting term are negotiated online.

Online dating also allows the setting of preconditions

Computer algorithms exclude undesirable traits such as the wrong hair color , race ,or age.

But they also exclude randomness

They reduce the chances of meeting someone different, or someone who could challenge one's romantic ideals .

incomprehensible 英[ɪnˌkɒmprɪˈhensəbl]美[ɪnˌkɑːmprɪˈhensəbl] adj.无法理解的; 难懂的;

emerge 英[iˈmɜːdʒ]美[iˈmɜːrdʒ] v.浮现; 显现; (从隐蔽处或暗处)出现; 露出; 暴露; 露出真相; 被知晓; 露头; 显露; 幸存下来，摆脱出来;

anonymity 英[ˌænəˈnɪməti]美[ˌænəˈnɪməti] n.匿名; 不知姓名; 名字不公开; 无特色; 无个性特征;

avoidance 英[əˈvɔɪdəns]美[əˈvɔɪdəns] n.避免; 防止; 回避; 避开;

algorithms 英[ˈælgərɪðmz]美[ˈælgəˌrɪðəmz] n.算法; 计算程序;

exclude 英[ɪkˈskluːd]美[ɪkˈskluːd] vt.排除(…的可能性); 不包括; 不放在考虑之列; 防止…进入; 阻止…参加; 把…排斥在外; 认为…不可能;

undesirable 英[ˌʌndɪˈzaɪərəbl]美[ˌʌndɪˈzaɪərəbl] adj.不受欢迎的; 不想要的; 不得人心的; 易惹麻烦的; n.不受欢迎的人; 不良分子;

trait 英[treɪt]美[treɪt] n.特质; (人的个性的)特征，特性，特点;

randomness 英[ˈrændəmnəs]美[ˈrændəmnəs] n.随机性; 随意，无安排;

ideal 英[aɪˈdiːəl]美[aɪˈdiːəl] adj.完美的; 理想的; 最合适的; 想象的; 不切实际的; n.理想; 看似完美的思想(或标准); 完美的人(或事物);

Instead , they find the partner we think we want and exclude everyone else.

As a result, we could be missing the opportunity of a lifetime, to meet someone we would never have expected to fall in love with.

Perhaps this new way represents a more efficient form of romance.

Traditional ideas of love may be enchanting -but are they useful?

Loneliness and boredom are less exciting than chances encounters, but they represent the more realistic side of love .

All too often people have suffered through bad dates and humiliations

If they could just choose what they wanted, wouldn't it save time and reduce suffering ?

represent 英[ˌreprɪˈzent]美[ˌreprɪˈzent] v.代表，表示; 代理（个人或团体）; 代表（个人或团体）出席; （在竞赛或体育赛事中）代表（国家或地区）; 象征; 使有代表性，使有代表作; 作为……的代表（代言人）; 表述; 描绘，（形象地）表现，描写; 使呈现; 集中地体现; 典型地反映; 陈述，诉说; 抗议说; 演出，扮演; （标志或符号）意味着，代表着，标志着; 相当于，相等于; 想象，设想; 回想; 提出异议，提出抗议; 再赠送; 再呈现; 再提出; 再递交; 再上演，再演出; 维护……的利益; 成为……实例，成为典型; 作为……的象征; 展示;

efficient 英[ɪˈfɪʃnt]美[ɪˈfɪʃnt] adj.有效率的; 效率高的; 有能力的;

enchant 英[ɪnˈtʃɑːnt]美[ɪnˈtʃænt]vt.使陶醉; 使着迷; 使中魔法; 对…用魔法(或念咒语);

boredom 英[ˈbɔːdəm]美[ˈbɔːrdəm] n.厌烦; 厌倦; 无聊;

encounter 英[ɪnˈkaʊntə(r)]美[ɪnˈkaʊntər] vt.遭遇; 遇到(尤指令人不快或困难的事); 偶然碰到; 意外地遇见; 与…邂逅; n.(意外、突然或暴力的)相遇; 邂逅; 遭遇; 冲突; (体育)比赛; 交锋;

humiliation 英[hjuːˌmɪliˈeɪʃn]美[hjuːˌmɪliˈeɪʃn] n.羞辱; 屈辱; 耻辱; 蒙羞; 丢脸; 丢脸的事; 尴尬的场合;

However ,by choosing partner based on our preconceived ideas, we may be indulging in our illusions .

Instead of letting ourselves grow with someone, love becomes more about looking for ourselves in the other .

What if we don't know ourselves as well we think.

Perhaps love isn't about knowing what we want .

Perhaps it's about being open to unimagined possibilities.

preconceive [,pri:kәn'si:v] 预想; 事先认为;

indulge 英[ɪnˈdʌldʒ]美[ɪnˈdʌldʒ] v.沉湎，沉迷，沉溺(于…); 满足(欲望、兴趣等); 放纵; 听任; 参加，参与（尤指违法活动）;

illusion 英[ɪˈluːʒn]美[ɪˈluːʒn] n.幻觉; 错觉; 幻想; 错误的观念; 幻想的事物;