VOA慢速英语:Welcome to Julissa’s Quinceañera!

短语讲解：

1. Ms. Lopez says she did not have a quinceañera herself. She has two sisters close to her own age.

close to 离…近; 与…关系密切; 近乎; 临近
例句：Today it is close to zero.
当今，利率接近于零。

2. They were settling in the United States about the time when their 15th birthday celebrations took place.

take place 发生，举行
例句：Elections take place every four years.
选举四年举行一次。

3. She took part in a ceremony confirming her beliefs.

take part in 参加…，参与…活动
例句：The community members who take part in the study circles.
参与这项研究会一部分工作的社区成员。

4. To help plan for the party, the parents visited a number of possible places to hold the event and made a decision.

a number of 许多的; 一些
例句：A number of foreign governments condemned the army coup.
一些外国政府谴责马里发生的军事政变。

5. She looked very grown up as she and her partner went around and around in the center of a circle of dancers.

grow up 向上生长; 长大
例句：But what happens when they grow up?
可是他们长大了会是什么样呢？

6. But Julio Meza notes that in the customs of his birthplace, the family of the girl does not pay for her marriage ceremony.

pay for 赔偿; 为…付钱
例句：How will you pay for your event?
你打算如何支付此次活动的费用？