The river returns
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. For ten years the wastewater from the factory went straight into the river below the village. The fish disappeared, and…
Text
- عشر سنوات كانت مياه الصرف من المصنع تذهب مباشرة إلى النهر تحت القرية. السمك اختفى، وبقي في الطين السخام والملوثات. عندما عرف الناس بما يحدث، فرضوا على المصنع تغيير الوضع. الشباب نظفوا الضفة ثلاث سنوات وزرعوا أشجارا جديدة. النهر عاد إلى الحياة، وإن بعض أنواع السمك لم تعد. اليوم الوادي محمية، وعند مدخله لوحة: لا ترم النفايات.ʿашр санауаат кянат мийаах ас-сарф мин аль-маʿмаль тазхаб мубаашаратан иля ан-нахр тахт аль-гарья. ас-самак ихтафа, ва-бакийя фи ат-тииин ас-саххаам ва-ль-муляувисаат. ʿиндама ʿариф ан-нас би-ма йяхдус, фарадуу ʿаля аль-маʿмаль тагйиир аль-вадʿ. аш-шабааб наззафуу ад-диффа саляс санаат ва-зараʿуу ашджаран джадида. ан-нахр ʿаад иля аль-хаят, ва-инн баʿд анвааʿ ас-самак лям таʿуд. аль-йаум аль-ваади мухимийя, ва-ʿинд мадхалихи лаух: ля тарми ан-нафайаат.For ten years the wastewater from the factory went straight into the river below the village. The fish disappeared, and in the silt there remained soot and harmful admixtures. When people learned what was happening, they made the factory change the situation. The young cleaned the bank for three years and planted new trees. The river came back to life, although some kinds of fish did not return. Today the valley is a reserve, and at the entrance there is a sign: do not litter.
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 flowed into the river?
- What remained in the silt?
- How many years did the young clean the bank?
- What is the sign at the entrance to the reserve?
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.