The high school prom is the first formal social event for most American teenagers. It has also been a ceremony of passage for young Americans for nearly a century.

The word “prom was first used in the 1890s, referring to formal dances in which the guests of a party would display their fashions and dancing skills during the evening’s grand march. In the United States, parents and educators have come to regard the prom as an important lesson in social skills. Therefore, proms have been held every year in high schools for students to learn proper social behavior.

The first high school proms were held in the 1920s in America. By the 1930s, proms were common across the country. For many older Americans, the prom was a modest, home-grown affair in the school gymnasium. Prom-goers were well dressed but not fancily dressed up for the occasion: boys wore jackets and ties and girls their Sunday dresses. Couples danced to music provided by a local music band or a record player. After the 1960s, and especially since the 1980s, the high school prom in many areas has become a serious exercise in too much consumption, with boys renting expensive tuxedos and girls wearing designer gowns. Expensive cars were hired to drive the prom-goers to expensive restaurants or discos for an all-night entertainment.

Whether simple or abundant, proms have always been more or less unpleasant events for adolescents who worry about self-image and fitting in with their fellow teenagers. Prom night can be a dreadful experience for teens who are not good at social skills or for those who do not secure dates. Since the 1990s, alternative proms have been organized in some areas to meet the needs of particular students. For example, proms organized by and for homeless youth were reported. There were also “couple-free proms to which all students are welcome.

It was a cold winter night in New York. I was a little scared because I had just moved into a new house; I had seen a mouse. I’m scared of mice. However, the really bad thing about shifting was that I didn’t have even one friend. There was something good, though. In the former house, I had to share a bathroom with other people, which I didn’t like. In this house, I have my own bathroom.

Today was my first day of school, and the streets to school were very nice; they were like ice rinks(溜冰场)covered with snow. When I reached school, I felt nervous as I was entering middle school without a friend. At first there was a history class in which I knew a girl named Alice. Alice had yellow hair, skin which was as white as milk, and eyes as blue as the sky. She looked at me and asked me if I would like to be her friend. She looked sweet and friendly, so I said “yes”. I was enthusiastic, but when we left for break, I saw something that I did not like—some guys were threatening and bullying(欺负)Alice.

On seeing this, I told the guys, “Don’t say that to her. ”

“Who are you to tell me what to say? ” one of the guys said.

Alice felt extremely bad and went running and crying. When she ran away, I tried to follow her, but I could not catch up and lost her. She disappeared into one of the many rooms. After a while of searching, I thought to look in the cafeteria and saw her sitting and crying. Just when I was going to try to calm her, the bell rang, and she hurried away.

The next day when I arrived at school, I didn’t find Alice.

When the police arrived, the guys who were bulling Alice were caught.

Erie was a little boy who was raised in an orphanage (孤儿院). He had always wished that he could fly like a bird. It was very difficult for him to understand why he could not fly. There were birds at the 200 that were much bigger than him, and they could fly.

“Why can’t I?” he thought. “Is there something wrong with me?” he wondered.

Jerry was another little boy who was crippled (瘸). He had always wished that he could walk and run like other kids.

“Why can’t I be like them?” he thought.

One afternoon Eric ran away from the orphanage. He came upon a park where he saw Jerry playing in the sandbox. Eric noticed that Jerry was crippled. He ran over to Jerry and asked him if he had ever wanted to fly like a bird.

“No,“ said Jerry, ” But I have wondered what it would be like to walk and nun like other kids.”

“That is very sad,” said Erie, “But do you think we could be friends?”

“Sure.” Jerry said excitedly.

The two little boys played for hours. They made sand castles and made really funny sounds with their mouths. Sounds made them laugh really hard. Then Jerry’s father came with a wheelchair to pick him up. Eric instantly ran over to Jerry’s father and whispered something into his ear.

“That would be OK,” said Jerry’s father.

Eric ran over to his new friend, Jerry.

Carrying Jerry on his back, Eric ran faster and faster.