The 18-year-old Hope from Arlington, Virginia has a lot of reasons to be happy. Her high school graduation is just days away. She goes to Guatemala in the summer to work there with her church. Then, in the fall, she will head to Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania.
But that is not why she is smiling right now. Tonight, in a beautiful long dress, with her hair perfectly curled, she is excited to be going to prom. A prom is a formal dance for high school students that’s usually at the end of the year.
Prom was born in the United States more than 100 years ago and has spread to other parts of the world. In America, it has become an industry similar to the wedding business. A study done by the American financial company, Visa, found that, on average, an American family spends more than 900 dollars on prom.
Much of it is spent on what the young adults wear to the formal dance. Gowns (礼服) often cost hundreds of dollars. And then there are costs linked to hair and makeup, flowers for prom dates, dinner and transportation.
It adds up. But some students find ways to make the event less expensive. “I borrowed my dress,” says Maggie Kinnett. Like Hope, Maggie is a senior at Yorktown High School in Arlington. She got her makeup done without cost by a professional who is a family friend.
Hope also cuts costs. She bought her dress online for far less than she would have paid in the stores. She also did her own hair. Besides, many girls choose to get ready for the prom with friends. They might get their hair done at a beauty shop together. They might hire a professional make-up artist for a few hours to share the costs.
Probably the least costly thing about prom is the ticket to the dance. Yorktown held its event at a hotel in Arlington. The tickets were $ 45.
【小题1】What makes Hope cheerful at present?| A．The coming college life. |
| B．The ball of high school graduation. |
| C．Her attractive dress and curled hair. |
| D．Her coming high school graduation. |
| A．To save money. |
| B．To get the best effect. |
| C．To win a prize in the ball. |
| D．To compete with other students. |
| A．She shared the cost of makeup with others. |
| B．She rented her dress online. |
| C．She did her hair by herself. |
| D．She got the ticket for free. |
| A．Renting gowns online for prom has become a trend. |
| B．Prom has become a heavy burden for most families. |
| C．The author is against prom due to the high cost. |
| D．Prom has grown as a rising economy as wedding business. |
