If I had known
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. Six years ago I was offered a position in another city, and within two days I turned it down without thinking too much.…
Text
- Hace seis años me ofrecieron un puesto en otra ciudad y dije que no en dos días, sin pensarlo demasiado. Si me lo hubieran ofrecido ahora, seguramente diría que sí, pero entonces mi madre estaba enferma y no me pareció el momento. Durante mucho tiempo pensé que había perdido la oportunidad de mi vida, y lo pensaba sobre todo los domingos por la tarde. Un compañero aceptó aquel puesto, se mudó, y a los dos años la empresa cerró la oficina entera y él se quedó sin nada y sin casa. No cuento esto para decir que acerté: si la empresa no hubiera cerrado, hoy estaría contando otra historia con la misma seguridad. Lo que aprendí es que las decisiones no se juzgan por cómo acabaron, porque eso no se sabía cuando había que decidir. Ahora, cuando alguien me pide consejo, le digo lo que hago yo: escribir en un papel las ventajas y los inconvenientes, y no mirarlo hasta el día siguiente.Six years ago I was offered a position in another city, and within two days I turned it down without thinking too much. If it were offered now I would probably accept, but at the time my mother was ill and the moment did not seem right. For a long time I thought I had missed the chance of a lifetime, and I thought it mostly on Sunday evenings. My colleague took that position, moved, and two years later the firm closed the whole office there, and he was left without a job and without a home. I am not telling this to say I guessed right: if the firm had not closed, today I would be telling a different story with the same confidence. What I learned is this: decisions are not judged by how they ended, because nobody knew that at the moment of choosing. Now, when someone asks me for advice, I tell them what I do myself: write the pros and cons on a piece of paper and not look at it until the next day.
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 turn down the position?
- What happened to the colleague who took the position?
- What does the narrator say about his choice?
- What advice does he give now?
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.