自選網頁翻譯/施馨檸
Big dresses, huge cars, smart suits and lots of fun ... What exactly is a school prom and how is it taking over from the school disco?
盛大的裝扮、大車、帥氣的西裝以及歡樂…到底什麼是學校舞會以及如何接管學校舞廳….
Proms are big news in Britain these days. A school prom is a formal party to celebrate an important date at school such as the end of secondary school or after completing school exams in Year 11 (aged 15-16) and in Year 13 (aged 17-18). Some pupils also have a school prom when they finish primary school. A secondary school prom often involves a big party, big dresses and huge cars.
舞會是這幾天在英國很大的新聞。學校舞會是一個正式的舞會來慶祝學校的重要節日，像是中學畢業或完成11年級和13年級的考試。有一些小學生畢業也會有舞會。中學的畢業舞會往往包含著盛大的派對、穿著以及車子。
Prom parties
Proms are held in June or July, around the end of exam time or the end of term. The idea is to have fun with your school friends and celebrate your time and achievements at school. Some schools hold a luxury party in a five-star hotel. Others have a more basic dinner in the school hall. The school can organise the prom or they can pay a professional organisation to arrange it. A prom organiser provides everything for the special event including the party location, balloons, food, music, cars and clothes.
舞會都舉行在六七月，考試結束或學期結束的期間。這個想法目的是要讓同學玩的開心以及慶祝你在學校的成就。有一些學校會在五星級飯店舉辦豪華派對，其他的則是在學校的禮堂有簡單的晚宴。學校可以自己組織舞會或是請專業的機構來安排。舞會組織的人會提供很多特別活動，包括舞會的場所、氣球、食物、音樂、車以及衣物。
Clothes and beauty
Young people like to dress up for their prom. Many teenagers wear school uniform in the UK but on prom night lots of girls swap their uniform for an elegant evening dress and high heels. Boys that are usually only seen in jeans and trainers when not at school dress up in a suit with a tie and smart shoes.
The right hairstyle and make-up are important too. Some beauty salons offer a special ‘prom deal’ which includes hair, make-up, eyelashes, nails and a spray tan. A tan is fashionable with both boys and girls.
年輕人都喜歡在舞會上打扮。許多在英國的青少年都穿學校制服，但在晚上的舞會許多女孩會把制服換上優雅的晚禮服以及高跟鞋。通常只穿牛仔褲或培訓不在學校的男生，則會穿上西裝領帶以及帥氣的鞋子。
對的髮型以及妝容也是很重要的。有些美容沙龍店會提供專門給舞會的打扮流程，包括髮型、化妝、睫毛、指甲還有皮膚噴霧。褐色皮膚對男孩女孩們來說都很時髦。
Cars
Arriving at your prom by chauffeur-driven limousine is very popular! Other young people like to travel by truck or in large 4x4 vehicles. The party can start on the way to the dinner or dance. Part of the fun for some prom-goers is to drive around town in their best clothes and make sure that everyone sees them.
Two sixteen-year-old girls with a sense of humour arrived at their school prom in Somerset both dressed as Barbie. Did they arrive in a limo? No, they travelled in a more original style. Their mothers made each girl a life-sized Barbie box and the friends arrived at the prom party in their boxes on the back of a trailer!
搭著有司機接送的豪華轎車到舞會現場非常的流行！另外一部分的年輕人喜歡開著卡車或是很大的四輪傳動車。派對可以是晚餐或跳舞，有趣的一部份是有些出席舞會的人會穿著他們最好的衣服開車繞著小鎮讓大家都看到他們。
兩個16歲的女孩帶著幽默的芭比裝抵達在薩默賽特的學校舞會。他們有坐豪華轎車去嗎？沒有，他們用更獨創的方式前往。他們的媽媽給兩個女孩各有個真人大小的芭比盒，他們倆就在芭比盒內並用拖車載到舞會！
Money
The school prom is big business. According to a recent newspaper report the average prom costs parents over £200 per teenager. Many pay much, much more. The cost can include a ticket for the prom party (which is often a three-course dinner followed by dancing) as well as new clothes, shoes, a visit to the hairdressers, a spray tan and probably car hire.
學校舞會是一個很重大的工作。根據最近的新聞報導，舞會平均讓家長花超過兩百英鎊在小孩上。甚至更多更多。這些花費就是舞會的票(像是跳舞之後會有的三道主菜)，還有新衣服、新鞋，去給髮型師用造型，皮膚噴霧還有租車上。
Not all families have money to spend on their teenager’s prom of course. How do less wealthy pupils find a way to look good at the school prom? Some teenagers work part-time to cover their prom expenses. Popular jobs include babysitting, shop work and working as a waiter or waitress.
不是所有家庭都有錢給他們的小孩做這些打扮。這些比較不富裕的學生如何找到方法讓他們在舞會能好看一點？有些學生在空閒時間兼職來存舞會要用的錢。比較多去照顧小孩、商店工作或服務員。
An American tradition
Ten years ago most British schools didn’t have school proms. They probably had a simple school disco at the end of term. Now more than 85% of schools in Britain have a prom. The modern British school prom is not popular with some parents of teenagers. Many adults see the prom is an import from the USA. They say that American TV programmes and films such as ‘High School Musical’ have a big influence on their kids.
十年前大多數的英國學校都沒有舞會。可能在學期結束時會有簡單的迪斯科。現在英國有超過85%的學校都有舞會。有些比較現代的英國學校不受家長們的歡迎。很多成年人覺得舞會是從美國進來的。他們說美國節目和電影，例如歌舞青春，對他們的小孩有很大的影響。
