◎管淑平
Parents used to save for their children’s weddings but now there’s another major rite of passage to fund before they even leave home--the school formal or prom, a booming industry which seems recession-proof.
父母向來都會為子女存結婚基金，但現在就算他們還沒離家獨立，還有另一項重要儀式要贊助：學校舞會，一項似乎不怕經濟衰退、正蓬勃發展的產業。
Parties or balls to celebrate the end of school have become increasingly glitzy affairs in a list of countries from Britain, to Singapore, to India and Australia, emulating U.S.-style proms glamorized in the hit Disney movie "High School Musical". And parents are left with the dilemma of whether or not to splash out on their children’s big night.
慶祝從學校畢業的派對或舞會越來越成為一件炫耀的事，在英國、新加坡、到印度和澳洲一些國家，都流行仿效迪士尼人氣電影「歌舞青春」中盛裝打扮的美式畢業舞會。父母則面臨要不要為他們孩子的重要夜晚花大錢的兩難。
Figures from Elk and Sons Consolidated Ptd Ltd, which organizes school proms, show that in Australia the high school formal market grew nine percent in the past year to be worth $170 million （US$ 155 million） in the city of Sydney alone.
畢業舞會籌辦公司艾克父子聯合公司數據顯示，澳洲光是在雪梨，高中舞會市場去年成長9%，市值1.7億澳幣（1.55億美元）。
A survey of nearly 2,000 Australian students aged between 15 and 18 found that on average girls were spending $1,330 each on the big night while boys were spending an average of $840.
一項針對將近2000名澳洲15到18歲學生所做的調查，發現平均每位女孩為這重要夜晚花1330澳幣，男孩平均花840元。
Author Amy Best who studied the trend of upscaling proms found that the rising purchasing power of youth culture had made the prom into an industry in its own right.
研究這股高消費畢業舞會潮流的作者貝斯特發現，消費力上升的年輕人文化讓畢業舞會自成一種產業。
新聞辭典：
glam-up：動詞片語，盛裝打扮。例句：She glammed herself up with fancy dress for the big night.（她為這重要一夜穿著華服盛裝打扮。）
rite of passage：名詞，（象徵進入人生新階段的）儀式或事件。Bearing children is a rite of passage for many women.（對許多婦女來說，生孩子象徵人生邁入新階段。）
in one’s own right：名詞片語，依靠本身的能力或條件而達到某種成就。例句：He got that position in his own right.（他靠自己的能力得到那個地位。）
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