The pressure for a teenager to work is great,” said Roxanne Bradshaw, educator and officer of the National Education Association. “Much of it is peer pressure to have a little bit of freedom . . . and to have their own spending money. The concern we have is when the part time work becomes the primary focus.” Many people argue that working can be a valuable experience for the young. However, working more than about fifteen hours a week is harmful to teens for several reasons.
First, schoolwork and after-school activities tend to be neglected when students work long hours. As more and more teens have filled the part-time jobs offered by restaurants and malls, teachers have faced increasing difficulties. They must keep the attention of tired pupils. They must give homework to students who don’t have time
to do it. In addition, teachers have noticed less involvement in activities that many consider a healthy influence on young people. School bands and athletic teams are losing players to work. Sports events are not usually attended by working students. Those teens who try to do it all may find themselves exhausted and prone to illness. A recent newspaper story described a girl who became ill as a result of aiming for good
grades, playing on two school sports teams, and working thirty hours a week.
Another drawback of too much work is that it may promote a love of material things and an unrealistic lifestyle. Some parents claim that working helps teach teens the value of a dollar. Undoubtedly that can be true. It’s also true that some teens work to help out with the family budget or to save for college. However, surveys have shown that most working teens use their earnings for luxuries—video games, CD players, even cars. These young people, some of whom earn $400 or more a month, don’t worry about spending wisely. They can just about have it all. In many cases, experts point out, they are becoming used to a lifestyle they won’t be able to afford several years down the road. Then they will no longer have parents paying for car insurance, food, lodging, and so on. At that point, they’ll be hard-pressed to pay for necessities as well as luxuries.
Finally, teens who work a lot are more likely than others to get involved with alcohol and drugs. Those who put in long hours may seek a quick release from stress. Also, teens who have money are more likely to experiment with drugs

Teenagers can enjoy the benefits of work while avoiding its drawbacks by limiting their work hours during the school year. As is often the case, a moderate approach is the most healthy and rewarding.

A. Working more than about fifteen hours a week is harmful to teens.

B. School work and after-school activities suffer when students work long hours.

C. Students who work long hours present teachers with difficulties.

D. Working too many hours can lead to an unrealistic lifes