The Age of Adulthood
In the United States, 16, 18, and 21 are significant ages
in a person's life. A person can do new things at each
age to show that he or she is no longer a child. These
are all part of the transition to adulthood.
After turning 16 in the United States, a person can be
employed, get a driver's license, and leave home. Many
high school students learn to drive and get part-time
jobs soon after celebrating their 16th birthday. At 18,
people in the United States can vote in government
elections and join the military, but they are prohibited from going into
nightclubs, buying alcohol like beer or wine, or gambling until they are 21.
In many Latin American1 countries, a young woman's
15th birthday is 'important. At this age, she is no
longer considered to be a girl, but a woman. To mark
this special day, families with 15-year-old daughters
have a celebration called a quinceañera. The day
begins with the young woman and her family going to
church.' Later, there is a party to which many guests
are invited.
In Japan, boys and girls are considered to be adults at the
age of 20. At this age, they are allowed to vote and drink
alcohol. The second Monday in January is a national holiday
called coming-of-Age Day. On this day, 20-year-olds celebrate
by first going to a shrine2 with their families. Later, they listen
to speeches3 given by city and school leaders. After that, many celebrate with family and friends late into the night.
In many countries, celebrations do not stop at adulthood.
people like to celebrate what they consider to be important ages such as their
50th or 60th birthdays, or significant events such as the birth of their first child,
or their retirement.
1 Latin America is Central and South America.
2 A shrine is a kind of religious building.
3A speech is a talk given to a group of people.
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