The washing machine from the apartment above
A short in Spanish text at level A2. 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. The washing machine first started making a strange noise during the spin cycle, and a week later it was already moving…
Text
- La lavadora empezó haciendo un ruido raro al centrifugar y a la semana ya se movía sola por el baño. Llamé al servicio técnico y me dijeron que el diagnóstico costaba treinta euros y se descontaba de la reparación. Vino un técnico muy paciente que revisó los cables, abrió la máquina y encontró un tornillo suelto y una pieza rota. El repuesto tardaba dos semanas en llegar y el precio de la reparación era casi el de una lavadora nueva. Al final la compramos de segunda mano a unos vecinos que se mudaban, y todavía funciona tres años después.The washing machine first started making a strange noise during the spin cycle, and a week later it was already moving around the bathroom by itself. I called the service center, and they told me the diagnostic cost thirty euros and was deducted from the repair. A very patient technician came, checked the cables, opened the machine and found a loose screw and a broken part. The spare part took two weeks to arrive, and the cost of the repair was almost that of a new machine. In the end we bought a secondhand one from neighbors who were moving, and it still works three years later.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- How did the breakdown begin?
- What did the service center say about the diagnostic?
- What did the technician find?
- How did it all end?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Spanish?
A2. 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.