I had my first job at the age of thirteen, when a friend of my mother’s who owned a book shop 　36　me for six hours a week to help her in the shop. I was very 　37　to earn my own pocket money and my parents 　38　interfered with how I spent it, even when I was spending it 　39　. They believed that by earning money, spending it, and learning from the 　40　, I would become more mature and 　41　 about how to handle work, relationships with others, and money.
　　Like many 　42　parents, my parents also let me and my brothers do things over which they 　43　a great deal. When I was sixteen, for example, after I finished high school and before I entered university, I wanted to spend the summer months traveling around 　44　. My mother was against the idea of my traveling alone at such a young age, but my father felt that it would be a great 　45　for me. In the end, my father won the 　46　on the condition that I limited my traveling to France, my mother’s home, where I had many uncles, aunts and cousins 　47　through the country who could 　48　shelter and help if I needed them.
　　Three years later, my younger brother decided to 　49　a year off after his first year in university and travel through the United States and the Caribbean. Again my mother was very worried and not 　50　to see my brother leave school, but my father encouraged him and my brother had a(n) 　51　year working his way on trains and ships to 　52　passage to different ports and cities, and discovering many fascinating places and people.
　　These kinds of experiences are probably rare for children in many countries but in the US they are fairly 　53　. Most parents start 　54　their children at a young age to do small things by themselves. By the time they have finished high school, many American kids have already had part-time jobs, traveled around the US or other countries on their own, have 　55　the university they plan to attend and maybe even decided on their future career, and so on.
　　36. A. taught　　　　 B. allowed　　　　C. treated　　　　 D. hired
　　37. A. anxious　　　　B. content　　　　C. proud　　　　　 D. hopeful
　　38. A. never　　　　　B. ever　　　　　 C. always　　　　　D. even
　　39. A. quickly　　　　B. foolishly　　　C. seriously　　　 D. honestly
　　40. A. work　　　　　 B. mistakes　　　 C. others　　　　　D. books
　　41. A. strict　　　　 B. reasonable　　 C. polite　　　　　D. responsible
　　42. A. American　　　 B. Japanese　　　 C. Chinese　　　　 D. British
　　43. A. helped　　　　 B. supported　　　C. shared　　　　　D. worried
　　44. A. Asia 　　　　　B. Africa　　　　 C. Europe　　　　　D. Oceania
　　45. A. journey　　　　B. experience　　 C. chance　　　　　D. possibility
　　46. A. argument 　　　B. game　　　　　 C. discussion　　　D. plan
　　47. A. send out 　　　B. give out　　　 C. carry out　　　 D. spread out
　　48. A. promise　　　　B. afford　　　　 C. provide　　　　 D. serve
　　49. A. leave　　　　　B. make　　　　　C. take　　　　　　D. prepare
　　50. A. angry　　　　　B. eager　　　　　C. sorry 　　　　　D. sad
　　51. A. unusual　　　　B. hard　　　　　 C. strange　　　　 D. busy
　　52. A. accept　　　　 B. earn　　　　　 C. find　　　　　　D. search
　　53. A. welcome　　　　B. fit　　　　　　C. necessary　　　 D. common
　　54. A. bringing　　　 B. forcing　　　　C. pushing　　　　 D. protecting
　　55. A. selected　　　 B. admired　　　　C. afforded　　　　D. left