Many children first learn the value of money by receiving an allowance (零用錢). The purpose is to let
children learn from experience at an age when financial mistakes are not very costly.
The amount of money that parents give to children to spend as they wish differs from family to family.
Timing is another consideration. Some children get a weekly allowance. Others get a monthly allowance.
In any case, parents should make clear what, if anything, the child is expected to pay for with the money.
At first, young children may spend all of their allowance soon after they receive it. If they do this, they
will learn the hard way that spending must be done with a budget (預算). Parents are usually advised not to
offer more money until the next allowance.
The object is to show young people that a budget demands choices between spending and saving. Older
children may be responsible enough to save money for larger costs, like clothing or electronics.
Many people who have written on the subject of allowance say it is not a good idea to pay your child for
work around the home. These jobs are a normal part of family life.
Paying children to do extra work around the house, however, can be useful. It can even provide an
understanding of how a business works.
Allowances give children a chance to experience the three things they can do with money. They can share
it in the form of gifts or giving it to a good cause. They can spend it by buying things they want. Or they can
save it.
1. What is special about children's learning financial management by experience?
A. They learn more quickly.
B. They are not as likely to make-mistakes.
C. Their mistakes won't matter too much.
D. They have plans made by their parents.
2. When the writer says some young children will learn the hard way that..., he means ____.
A. they will know a budget is hard to carry out
B. they will have a hard time learning the lesson
C. what they will learn is absolutely true
D. their parents will teach them a hard lesson
3. Judging from the article, it is all right if a couple gives their son an allowance ____.
A. regularly twice every month
B. whenever he has run out of money
C. telling him to ask for permission before spending
D. without telling him what to spend on
4. The writer would agree to encourage the kids to ____ to deal with a tight budget.
A. borrow money from others
B. ask their parents for more money
C. get paid for their good exam results
D. earn money by extra work at home
5. When a kid donates some of his allowance to wild animal protection, he is ____.
A. sharing it with others
B. giving it to a good cause
C. buying things for himself
D. saving for his future spending
