129 Do you still have photos from your very first school day? What were you wearing? How did you feel? Talk about anything you can remember with a partner. How do you want to remember your last school day? Tell your partner. Read the short info text on the right. Can you think of ‘Most Likely to…’ awards for your classmates? Remember to keep it light and give reasons for your choices. Share your ideas and see if the class can agree. Here are a few to get you started. The end of the beginning SPEAKING 19 a In the USA, high school graduates have a yearbook filled with photos of all the students. They may ask each other to sign and write memorable messages in them. One light-hearted and fun tradition is to award ‘Most Likely to…’ titles to one another. b 20 Who is most likely to … invent something useful? give all their money to charity? become a multimillionaire? do a bungee jump? win a Nobel/an Ig Nobel prize? be on a reality show? survive a zombie apocalypse? become a stand-up comedian? be a world traveller? be Austrian Chancellor? win an Olympic Medal? write a bestseller? By the way: Ready for the prom? How will you be marking your graduation from high school? Perhaps a Maturaball? If you were in the USA, you’d be attending the world-famous American high school prom. A prom is a formal dance for high school students that usually takes place towards the end of the senior (final) year. Short for the word ‘promenade’ – a verb that means ‘to show yourself in a public place to meet or be seen by others’ – high school proms are just that: an occasion to get dressed up, socialise with best friends and dance the night away. Much of the pre-prom excitement comes in figuring out who your prom date will be, and it’s become something of a competition to come up with a unique way to ask someone out – known as a ‘promposal’. Whether it’s a group of friends going together or someone asking out their BFF, a promposal often means surprising your date with a sign, balloons, flowers or a little gift. After getting dressed in their finery, usually tuxedos for the boys, prom dresses and wrist corsages for the girls, students have photos taken, and families or groups of friends may go out for a meal. A cool ride to the venue in a fancy car such as a stretch limo takes the party-goers to the prom in the school gymnasium, a local banquet hall or other event space. Although it’s an important milestone in a student’s school life, prom is becoming an increasingly expensive event. With the costs of many of the current prom traditions like elaborate dresses and formal wear, transportation, tickets, flowers, dinner, photos, etc., the price tag can really add up. One thing that won’t feature formally at the event is alcohol as the legal age for alcohol consumption in the USA is still 21. Research the history of the US prom from its rather conservative beginnings and share your findings with the class. Did you find out anything interesting or unexpected? Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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