The path around the hill
A text in Arabic at level B1. The translation sits next to it for checking, not for support: at this level the text is read whole, and an unknown word is usually guessed from the sentence. In the morning we set out with friends on the way to the hill. In the middle of the road we found an obstacle: the…
Text
- خرجنا صباحا مع الأصدقاء في طريق إلى التلة. في منتصف الطريق وجدنا العقبة: الطريق الأمامي مسدود. قررنا أن نلتف حول التلة، لكن الطريق الجديد كان معوجا وضيقا. تقدم صديقي نحو المقدمة وتراجع من بعد، لأن الطريق صار ضيقا. بعد ساعة ونصف وصلنا إلى أعلى التلة ورأنا النهر بعيدا. في النهاية نزلنا من التلة قبل الغروب، ولم يضل أحد منا الطريق.хараджна сабаахан маʿ аль-асдикааʾ фи таарик иля ат-талля. фи васат ат-таарик ваджадн аль-ʿакаба: ат-таарик аль-амами масдуд. карарна ан нялтаффа хауваль ат-талля, лякинн ат-таарик аль-джадид кян муʿваджан ва-дайикан. такаддама садики нахв аль-мукаддама ва-тарааджаба мин баʿд, ли-анн ат-таарик саар дайикан. баʿд сааʿа ванисф васальна иля аʿля ат-талля ва-раʾайна ан-нахр баиидан. фи ан-нихайа назальна мин ат-талля кябля аль-гурууб, ва-лям йадальль ахад мина ат-таарик.In the morning we set out with friends on the way to the hill. In the middle of the road we found an obstacle: the forward path is closed. We decided to go around the hill, but the new path was crooked and cramped. My friend advanced forward, and then drew back, because the path became narrow. In an hour and a half we reached the top of the hill and saw the river in the distance. At the end we went down the hill by sunset, and none of us lost the way.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- What did the friends find in the middle of the road?
- What was the new path around the hill like?
- How long did they walk to the top?
- What did they see in the distance from the top?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Arabic?
B1. That means: everyday topics are behind you, you know about three thousand words, and an unknown word is more often guessed from the sentence than looked up.
How to read a text in an unfamiliar language usefully?
First all the way through without peeking at the translation — just to catch the familiar words. Then with the translation. Then all the way through again: the second pass brings noticeably more, and that feeling matters more than any rule.