Imagine trying to keep your mouth shut for one whole day. Then add another 364 days. That's what 18-year-old Brett Banfe is planning to do. On August 31st, the college-bound teen will speak his final words before he begins a one-year vow of silence.

Brett's yearlong commitment began as a friendly conversation. He told his friend that people talk too much, and that he might benefit from just listening for a while - maybe even an entire year. Things snowballed from there. A family friend took on the job of publicist and spread the word of Brett's silent vow. The response has been enormous.

Talk, Talk, Talk
In his last couple of weeks as a speaking teenager, Brett has been talking up a storm with reporters all over the globe. He's been interviewed by radio stations in California, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

Silence is Golden?
Since he's taken his message to the media, offers of encouragement have been streaming in. Motorola, a company that makes communication devices, has promised Brett and his closest friends and family the use of wireless, two-way messaging devices to help them stay in touch. A Web site called Dare for Dollars has also promised to pay Brett $20 for every day he does not speak, plus a $5,000 bonus if he makes it the whole year, which would come to a total of more than $12,000. Brett says he will give the money to underprivileged inner-city kids.

Brett isn't counting the money yet. He realizes that there will be plenty of people who will try to trick him into talking. Brett thinks he can remain silent, but whatever happens, he says he expects to learn from the experience. "If you can take a day to stop speaking, you can really get focused and in tune with everything that's around you…and that's pretty cool."

You can follow Brett's progress on his own Web site, http://www.notspeaking.com. By Carolyn R. Buchanan, Time for Kids

Learn the underlined words and expressions, please! And use the text in some other way, too, please! Greger