Help at the station
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. Once I was waiting at the station for a train that was very late. Just then an elderly lady asked me where the second…
Text
- ذات يوم انتظرت في المحطة قطارا تأخر كثيرا. تماما حينها سألتني سيدة كبيرة في السن أين الرصيف الثاني. شرحت لها أن الرصيف يتغير كل أسبوع. كادت تفوت القطار، فمشينا بسرعة إلى الرصيف ووصلنا في تلك اللحظة. عندما جلست، شكرتني وقالت إن باب بيتها مفتوح لي. ما زلت أتذكر وجهها عند النافذة، وإن القصة كلها كانت في دقائق معدودة.заат йаум интазарту фи аль-махатта гитааран таʿаххара кясиран. тааман хиннаха саʾалтани саййида кябира фи ас-санн айна ар-расыф ас-саани. шархту ляха анн ар-расыф йятагхаййар куль усбууʿ. кяадат тафут аль-гитаар, фа-машийна би-сурʿа иля ар-расыф ва-васальна фи тилька аль-ляха. ʿиндама джаласат, шакаратни ва-гаалат инн бааб байтиха мафтуух ли. ма зальту атзаккар ваджхаха ʿинд ан-наафиза, ва-инн аль-кысса кульха кянат фи дагааʾик маʿдууда.Once I was waiting at the station for a train that was very late. Just then an elderly lady asked me where the second platform is. I explained to her that the platform changes every week. She almost missed the train, and we walked quickly to the platform and made it that instant. When she sat down, she thanked me and said that the door of her house is open to me. I see her face at the window as if now, although the whole story happened within a few minutes.
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 lady ask?
- Why did she not find the platform?
- What did they do?
- What did she say at parting?
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.