Quinceañera... A Spanish Rite of Passage Celebration...

What does it mean to be a quinceañera?

The meaning
In many Latin-American countries, 14-year-old girls can hardly wait for their next birthday. They look forward to their quinceañera (KEEN-say-ahn-YEH-ruh), a special 15th-birthday celebration for girls. On this day, a girl becomes a young woman in the eyes of her family and friends.

The origin

 The quinceañera tradition goes back hundreds of years. It probably began with the Aztecs, in an area that is now part of Mexico. At that time, a girl of 15 was considered an adult, old enough to get married. Since then, the tradition has changed and spread. 

Today, quinceañeras are celebrated in most of Latin America, and in the United States. Modern quinceañeras are big events. The girl wears a fancy dress, and sometimes even a crown. Friends and relatives bring special gifts. There is delicious food, a beautiful cake, and dancing late into the night. A quinceañera is more than just a party. It includes ceremonies to show that the girl is growing up. For example, during the event, the girl’s father takes off her flat slippers and places high-heeled shoes on her feet instead. A quinceañera is a goodbye to childhood. It’s a day to celebrate the future. For many girls, it’s the best day of their lives.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vocabulary
Hardly (adverb): used to qualify a statement by saying that it is true to an insignificant degree
Look Forward (phrasal verb): to anticipate with eagerness or pleasure
To become (verb): to begin to be
Young (adjective): having lived or existed for only a short time.
Tradition (noun): the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way.
to spread (verb): extend over a large or increasing area.
Fancy (adjective): elaborate in structure or decoration
relatives (noun): a person connected by blood or marriage.
Slippers (noun): a comfortable slip-on shoe that is worn indoors
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Grammar Notes: Descriptive Adjectives
Descriptive adjectives are words that we use to describe the appearance of a noun. It is the largest among all the types of adjectives. They describe the noun in detail by assigning an attribute to that noun. In English, unlike other languages, the adjectives are commonly placed before the noun that they describe.
For example:
 The White House ------) White is the adjective that describes the house. 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Let's practice!
Underline the adjective and circle the nouns in the following phrases:


1) Special celebration 
2) Young woman 
3) Modern Quinceañeras
4) Big events
5) Fancy dress
6) Delicious food
7) Beautiful cake
8) Flat shoes
9) High-heeled shoes
10) Best day