Students in the US don’t begin their spring break at the same time. It depends on where they live. While students from one town are on vacation, their neighbors in the next town may have classes as usual.
You may have heard of it from many hit US TV shows and movies. It’s usually in the middle of March, when characters on shows like Gossip Girl get a week off from classes, go to the beach and throw big parties. It’s spring break – or, “party time!”
Unlike our semester, which starts in late February or early March this year, American schools begin as early as January. So in late March and April, most American schools, ranging from kindergartens to colleges, give students one to two weeks off school.
College students often take planes to places like Florida or Cancun, Mexico. They relax on the beach, enjoy cold drinks and get a tan.
Younger kids take trips with their parents, visiting a new state or even a new country. Sometimes teachers lead overseas trips for groups of students. On a ten-day trip, for example, students may go on a tour through Spain, France, and Italy, which gives them a great chance to see different parts of the world.
Having a “staycation”, which means being a tourist in your own city, is another popular trend (趋势). You can visit local art galleries (美术馆), museums or have a big meal in a nice restaurant.
For those who are not in the mood to go out, spring break is a good time to catch up with hit TV series or play video games.
There are also students who want a different kind of spring break experience. Instead of partying, they choose to do community service, help with disaster-hit areas and do other volunteering work.
No matter how they’ve spent the break, one thing is for sure – students return to school feeling refreshed (恢复活力的) and ready to finish the school year.

Students in the US begin their spring break at a different time, don’t they?
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How long does the spring break usually last?
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Where do college students often go during the spring break?
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According to the passage, how can students spend the spring break differently?
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What’s the advantage of having a spring break?
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If you are given the spring break, how will you spend it? Why?
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