the second semester（注：semester
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    n.（主美）学期）15～18星期））of each school year.Studentslook forward to it as it is seen a s a time of fun, a timefor hanging out （注：hang out［俚］闲荡）with your friendsor tak ing a road trip.This is especially true for those whosetime in school is nearing an end ,that i s ,the seniors. AfterSpring Break,they will only have a month and a half or so ofclasses left
    before they finish this level of education andmove onto the rest of their lives, be it colle ge or family orcareer.This is an exciting and bittersweet（注：bittersweet
    附图{图}adj.又苦又甜的，又苦又乐的） time for these people.SpringBreak is also the beginni ng of saying good-bye to childhoodand childhood friends, though few seniors would st illconsider themselves children.
    Many seniors take a road trip for their last Spring Break.This means that they hop（注：hop
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    vi. ［口］跳上（汽车）， 得到（搭乘）） in a car withsome friends and driver somewh ere, often somewhere warm ifthey live in the north where it's been cold and snowy forsome m onths.Florida is a popular destination（注：destination
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    n.目标，目的（地））. During this time,they will hang outwith their friends, go to parties ,and meet new people.It's aperiod of relaxation（注：relaxation
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    n. 放松， 松驰） before the final push to finish their basic education. Then again, fo r some seniors,it marks theserious onset（注：onset
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    n.开始）of something that teachers call "senioritis ."Thisis not a real disease（注：disease
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    n. 疾病）, but it is a word that describes（注：describe[dis｀kraib]vt.描写，描述） a group
    of problems seen in many seniors in their last days in school. The main issue isa lack
    of desire to do anything other than have fun.Schoolwork becomes less and less importan t.After Spring Break, there are a couple of other activities that occur forseniors only.A t the high school I attended, we had a seniorbreakfast. This was a gathering of all the seniors in theschool for a breakfast. Some teachers came,too.At this event,we gave out awards on which the senior class had voted.These awards included "Best Smile "and "Most Likely to S ucceed,"among others.Each school has its own set of special awards.Another event for seniors
    only is called "Senior Skip Day." In some schools, this is an official event, one which t heschool administration OKs.In others,it is not .This is a daywhen all the seniors skip（注： skip[skip]n.［口］ 有意缺席）school . " To skip school" means not to come to school , to be abse nt. I think it is fairly obvious why some schooladministrations might not OK this activ ity. There is anotheractivity that,in some schools, is for seniors only, but inothers it may be for seniors and juniors or for all students.This is called Prom（注：prom
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    n.［美］班级舞会）.It is a formal dance generally preceded（注：precede
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    vt.先于）by a dinner. The dinner may be held directlyin conjunction with（注：in conju nction with 连同）the danceso that all the people attending the dance eat together in ahall,o r often,the couples go to dinner at a restaurant oftheir choice before the dance.The you ng men who attend promusually rent a tuxedo（注：tuxedo
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    n.［美］（男子的）无尾礼服）for the event.The young womenbuy or rent a formal or semi-
    formal dress.It's a magicalevening of dinner, dancing ,music,and friendship,and one morestep o n the path of good-bye.The last event for seniors onlyis graduation. Most schools seem to try to hold this eventoutside, usually at the football stadium. Depending on theschool, this
    may happen early or late in June,so the weatheris often quite nice. If it rains,though,i t must be heldinside, usually in the high school gymnasium（注：gymnasium
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    n.体操馆，体育馆）or theater .When the audience of family members, teachers,and friends is all seated,the seniors marchin to the sound of the high school band playing "Pomp andCircum stance" in their caps and gowns.They sit and listen tospeeches from the principal of t he school and the superintendent （注：superintendent
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    n. 监管人）of the school system. The valedictorian（注：valedictorian
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    n] n. ［美］致告别辞的毕业生代表）and salutatorian（注：salutatorian
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    n. ［美］致开幕词的学生） and class president also give speeches. Then, as the name of
    each senior is called, theywalk across the stage and receive their diploma. It's a proud
    moment. After the graduation ceremony,there is often a party for seniors only,too.
    During the month of June and sometimes into July, collegeopen-houses（注：open-house n. ［ 美］（学校等的）接待日）willbe held.Families who have a graduating senior will have a bigparty so that friends and family can gather to congratulatethe senior and give him or her presents to get started on thenext phase（注：phase[feiz]n.阶段，时期）of life.Then at theend of the s ummer,it's off to college or career or family, theculmination（注：culmination
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    n.完成， 结果）of a long good-bye.
    现在正值4月，是美国大部分公立学校放春假的时候。 春假有一个星期，安排在每个学年的第二学期。学 生们都向往春假，这对他们意味着快乐，意味着可以和朋友一起出去玩或去旅行。这对要告别学生时代的高中 毕业班学生来说尤其是如此。春假之后，只剩下一个半月左右的上课时间。此后他们这一阶段的教育便告结束 ，然后他们将踏上人生之旅的下一段行程——或上大学，或成家，或就业。所以，对这部分人来说，这是一段 令人激动、既甜蜜又苦涩的日子。春假也是开始告别童年和童年朋友的时候，尽管极少高中毕业班学生仍把自 己看成是孩子。
    在这最后一个春假期间，许多毕业班学生出去旅游。也就是说，他们和朋友结伴驾车而行。如果他们在寒 冷下雪的北方住久了的话，他们便会找一个气候温暖的去处。许多人都选择佛罗里达。在此期间，他们和朋友 一起出门，参加晚会或结交新友。在完成他们的基础教育的最后关头之前，这是段轻松愉快的时光。之后，对 有的毕业班学生来说，便是被老师称之为“毕业班学生综合症”的正式开始。这并不是真正的疾病，只是用来 形容在许多毕业班学生中离校前出现的一些问题的一个词儿。其中一个主要问题是他们除了玩耍之外，对别的 毫无兴趣。作业变得越来越无关紧要。春假之后，会有一些只有毕业班学生参加的活动。在我上的学校里，我 们享用了毕业班学生早餐。全校所有的毕业班学生都来参加早餐聚会。有的老师也来了。席间，我们颁发了毕 业班投票选出的一些奖项，包括“最迷人的微笑”和“最可能成功的人”。每个学校都有自己一套奖项。还有 一项专为毕业班学生安排的活动是“毕业班学生集体缺勤日”。在有的学校，这是个正式的、为校方认可的活 动，在有的学校则不然。在这一天全体毕业班学生不去上学。显而易见，为什么有的学校不批准此项活动。还 有一项活动有的学校只有毕业班学生参加，而有的学校则是毕业班学生和十一年级学生一起参加，或全体学生 都可参加。这项活动叫做“正式舞会”——包括晚餐和随后的正式舞会。晚餐可能与舞会直接衔接，便于所有 参加舞会的人在大厅里一起用餐。更常见的情形是舞伴们在跳舞前去他们挑选的餐馆吃饭。参加舞会的年轻男 子都特意为此租一套小礼服，而姑娘们则购买或租一件正式或半正式的裙子。这是个融晚宴、舞会、音乐和友 情为一体的美妙夜晚，距离别又近了一步。毕业班学生的最后一项活动是毕业典礼。许多学校都选择在室外， 一般是在足球场举行这项活动。随学校的不同，举行的时间也不一样，可能在6月初，也可能在6月末，这时天 气一般都很宜人。但如果碰上下雨天，便只好改在室内——一般在学校体育馆或剧院举行。等所有的观众—— 他们的亲人、老师和朋友——都入座后，毕业生们即戴着方帽，穿着长袍，在学校乐队演奏的“盛况空前”的 乐声中步入会场。之后，他们就座聆听校长和督导的发言。两名毕业生代表（通常是学业成绩第一、二名）和 毕业班主席发表演说。之后，被叫到名字的毕业生走到台上，接受毕业证书。这是个令人自豪的时刻。毕业典 礼之后，通常还有一个专为毕业生举办的聚会。
    6月份，有时一直到7月份，大专院校会设立“接待日”。有孩子毕业的家庭会举行聚会，邀请亲友聚在一 起，共同向毕业生庆贺、并赠送礼物，祝贺他／她迈向人生的下一个阶段。当夏天快要过完时，就该去上大学 、就业或成家了，这标志着对中学阶段最后的告别。