Sixteen is a special age in the United States.There’s often a special celebration for a girl’s 16th birthday---a big party called Sweet-16. It is like a wedding reception(结婚晚宴) in the number of guests and gifts handed out.

About a month before the party, the girl’s family sends out invitations to the guests. They must buy a special present for the birthday girl and the girl guests find good dresses to wear. A sweet-16 present usually costs $40 to $60. This is about $20 more than the usual-cost of a birthday present.

The party itself is not held at someone’s house. The hostess rents(租赁) a reception hall for the event. Food, cake and a DJ are provided. Around 6’clock, guests arrive and meet the birthday girl. Then the girl and her father have a special father-daughter dance. After that, guests dance for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Then there is the most important part of the Sweet-16 party, the candle-lighting ceremony.

The sweet-16 hostess stands behind 16 unlit(未点燃的) candles and dedicates(献给) each candle to her friends, family, and anything that she feels is important to her. A lot of crying and hugging goes on at this time.

Afterwards, people sit and eat. Most guests begin leaving around 11 o’clock.

This school year, I have been to two Sweet-16s. I am one of the youngest students in my grade (My birthday is in December). I’ll have to wait another year before I can have my own special Sweet-16 party. I can’t wait for it!

1.Why is sixteen a special age for an American girl?

2.How much does a usual birthday present for a teenager cost in the USA?

3.What is the most important part of the Sweet-16 party?

4.How old is the writer?

5.What do you think of the Sweet-16 party in the USA? (请自拟一句话作答)

Learning to save money when you’re young is an important lesson. All good habits begin early, and saving is a skill that everyone needs. Many people— adults included do not have a good sense of saving for the long run.

I have been lucky to learn this lesson early because I have had a grass-cutting business since I was 10 years old. Of the money I make I spend about 10 percent and save the other 90.

Making sure you save and don’t spend too much is a good way to build up wealth (财富). I have put my earnings in a bank. Many teens I know spend all the money they earn so it never has a chance to grow. Young people should realize that their teenage years are a great time to begin saving.

At high school many parents pay for almost everything, so your expenses can be small. If you have a job, you should have fun with some of the money. But you should also save some so that it will grow. Then you can begin planning for your future. When you spend money, you not only lose that money, but also lose the interest you could have earned by saving it.

After high school, college is expensive and then “real” life begins, with expenses such as food and rent. If you can hold onto a good percentage of the money you earn as a teen, going to college and buying a house will be much easier. If you are in your teen without any savings, you will always have to struggle. The earlier you begin saving, the easier it is to create a nest egg.

Later in life it can be hard to start saving because general costs of living are more expensive and you may only have enough to pay your bills. If you want to buy a house and have a family, you need money to start with, which comes from saving.

Many say money cannot make you happy, and this is true. But money can help you to lead a secure life.

Saving early will mean you will have to work for fewer years when you are older. It will also allow you to spend time doing the things that you want to do.

In addition to this, it will mean you can live the way you want to without worrying.

1.Why does the writer think he has been lucky to learn the lesson early?

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2.How can we build up wealth?

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3.Who pays for almost everything when you are at the high school?

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4.When does your real life begin?

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5.What can you learn from this passage? (请自拟一句话回答)

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