When you put down your pens at the end of the college entrance exam, 12 hard years of study will have come to an end. Forget your studies for a while. It's time to enjoy yourselves!

　　There are many ways to celebrate this special month of graduation. You can have photos taken with your classmates and teachers, or dine out together and exchange gifts.

　　High school students in Western countries such as the United States and Canada usually have a prom to mark their graduation. It's to mark the time kids turn into young men and women. After the prom, teenagers either go to college or find a job. It means they are no longer as dependent on their parents as they were before.

　　At the prom, boys usually dress in dinner jackets and bow ties, though many different types of formal clothes are worn. Traditionally, girls give boys matching boutonnieres (a small collection of flowers they pin to their jackets). Girls traditionally wear formal dresses, or dress to shock or be noticed, in shiny or brightly colored materials.

　　Common prom activities include dining, dancing, the crowning of a Prom King and Queen, and just talking to friends. In some cases, high school students collect funds for their class prom through the four years of their high school. High schools in or near large cities may rent ballrooms at expensive hotels or, to be unusual, on a pleasure cruise boat (游船). But often costs are cut by simply using the school gym. Students make a lot of effort to decorate the gym to make the event special. The music played at the prom will be the most popular kinds, like rock and hip­hop.

　　The students elect the Prom Queen. She is partnered with a Prom King who is elected similarly. These are great honors that the pair take very seriously. The two dance with each other to celebrate their election.

　　Sometimes teachers and parents also go to the prom. But others like to go with friends, to whom they are soon going to be saying goodbye.

　　If you like the idea of a prom, why don't you and your classmates organize one for your graduation?

　　5．What does the word "prom" probably mean in the passage?

　　A．A dancing competition.

　　B．A party held to celebrate graduation.

　　C．A fashion show.

　　D．An election.

　　6．Why do the students hold a prom?

　　A．To be elected as the Prom King or Queen.

　　B．To relieve themselves from the study pressure.

　　C．To say goodbye to their friends.

　　D．To mark the graduation and their independence.

　　7．Which of the following clearly indicates that the prom is very important to students?

　　A．They take pictures at the prom.

　　B．They wear formal clothes or special clothes.

　　C．Music is played at the prom.

　　D．Teachers and parents attend it.

　　8．Which of the following is an economical way to hold the prom?

　　A．Renting a ballroom.

　　B．Taking a cruise boat.

　　C．Holding it in the school gym.

　　D．Dining in a famous restaurant.

　　C

As a senior, I realised it was time to make one of the biggest decisions of my life, but I was absolutely short of talent. My friends were applying to schools like Tufts and Berkeley, while the only planning I had done was for the coming weekend. I wasn't ready for college. I was frightened