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 wayis bymowing4 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 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.

注釋

1. odd job 零活，零工

2. babysitting n. 代人臨時(shí)照看小孩

3. relative n. 親屬，親戚

4. mow vt. (用鐮刀或機(jī)器)割（草、谷類植物等）

5. lawn n. 草地，草坪

6. responsibility n. 責(zé)任，職責(zé)，義務(wù)

7. tenant n. 租戶，房客

8. cashier n. 出納員

9. independence n. 自主，自立，獨(dú)立

許多美國(guó)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(shù)夫婦沒有女傭人也沒有親戚和他們生活在一起，因此，當(dāng)他們想出門的時(shí)候，他們需要一個(gè)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屬政府的職責(zé)。不過，房主和承租房子的人，無論如何都要清掃自己家門前的人行道和車行道。既然掃雪是件苦差，于是許多人寧可雇用十多歲的青少年，也不自己掃。

還有，許多美國(guó)少年，利用放學(xué)后的兩三個(gè)小時(shí)和整個(gè)雙休日去當(dāng)?shù)氐某写蚬ぁＫ麄兂Ｗ龀黾{員或倉(cāng)庫(kù)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(dāng)服務(wù)生，或者到百貨商店、煤氣站做兼職工。

在掙零花錢的同時(shí)，這些青少年還獲得了獨(dú)立感和責(zé)任感，這為他們以后在社會(huì)中生存發(fā)展做了準(zhǔn)備。