The shortcut that was not a shortcut
A short in Spanish text at level B1. The translation sits next to it: reading with a dictionary is still too early at this level, and without support it will not happen at all. On the map the village was four kilometers away in a straight line and almost ten by the road. It seemed obvious to me…
Text
- En el mapa la distancia hasta el pueblo era de cuatro kilómetros en línea recta, y por la carretera casi diez. Me pareció evidente que había que ir por el monte, así que dejé el coche y me metí por un camino de tierra. Al principio todo iba bien: el sendero subía suavemente y a lo lejos se veía el campanario, un punto de referencia perfecto. Media hora después el camino torcía a la derecha, se hacía cada vez más estrecho y acababa en un callejón sin salida entre zarzas. Volví atrás, rodeé la parcela de una granja y me perdí del todo, porque desde abajo el campanario ya no se veía. Llegué al pueblo dos horas más tarde que si hubiera ido por la carretera, con las botas empapadas y de muy mal humor. Ahora, cuando alguien me dice que en línea recta se tarda menos, le pregunto si el mapa incluye las zarzas.On the map the village was four kilometers away in a straight line and almost ten by the road. It seemed obvious to me that I should go over the hill, so I left the car and turned onto a dirt track. At first everything went well: the path climbed gently, and in the distance you could see the bell tower — a perfect landmark. Half an hour later the path turned right, kept getting narrower and ended in a dead end among thorny bushes. I went back, went around the plot of some farm and got completely lost, because from below the bell tower was no longer visible. I reached the village two hours later than if I had taken the road, in soaked boots and in a foul mood. Now, when someone tells me the direct way is faster, I ask whether the map includes the thorny bushes.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- Why did the narrator go over the hill?
- What served as his landmark?
- How did the path end?
- How much did he lose in the end?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Spanish?
B1. That means: you know the letters and have a stock of everyday words — about two or three hundred.
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.