美國青少年

Many American youngsters earn their own allowance by doing odd jobs1 for their neighbors. Babysitting2 is one of the common of these jobs. Most couples do not have maids or relatives3 living with them， and they need to have someone watch the children if they want to go out.

Another way is by mowing4 lawn5 in summer and clearing snow from sidewalks and driveways in winter.

Many people mow their own lawns， but often people prefer to give the job to a neighbor’s child. In winter， snow clearing from streets and highways is the government’s responsibility6.

Homeowners or tenants7， however， must clear sidewalks and driveways. Since clearing snow is very tiring， many people prefer to hire teenagers for this job rather than do it themselves.

Besides， many American teenagers usually work two or three hours after school and all day on Saturday or Sunday at the local supermarket. They work as cashiers8 or stockroom clerks， or they help customers carry things to their cars. Other favorite jobs are waiting on tables in restaurants or working part－time at stores or gas stations.

By earning their own allowance， teenagers acquire a feeling of independence9 and a sense of responsibility， which prepares them for a productive life in society.

許多美國小孩通過幫他們的鄰居做零活來掙自己的零花錢。看小孩是這類工作中最常見的。大多數夫婦沒有女傭人或是親戚和他們一起生活，因此，當他們想出門的時候，他們需要一個能夠照看小孩的人。

另一種方法是在夏天修剪草坪或者在冬天清掃人行道和車行道上的積雪。

盡管許多人是自己修剪草坪，但人們通常喜歡讓鄰居家小孩來做。在冬天，清掃街道和公路上的積雪是政府的職責所在。

不過，房主和租客，無論如何都要清掃自己家門前的人行道和車行道。由于掃雪是件苦差，于是許多人寧可雇用十多歲的青少年，也不自己打掃。

還有，許多美國少年，利用放學后的兩三個小時和整個雙休日去當地的超市打工。他們常做出納員或倉庫保管員，或者幫助顧客把東西搬到他們的車上。其他較受歡迎的工作還有到飯店當服務生，或者到百貨商店、加油站做兼職工。

在掙零花錢的同時，這些青少年還獲得了獨立感和責任感，這為他們以后在社會中生存發展做了準備。

1. odd job 零活，零工

2. babysitting n. 代人臨時照看小孩

3. relative n. 親屬，親戚

4. mow vt. (用鐮刀或機器)割（草、谷類植物等）

5. lawn n. 草地，草坪

6. responsibility n. 責任，職責，義務

7. tenant n. 租戶，房客

8. cashier n. 出納員

9. independence n. 自主，自立，獨立