The first week with the car
A text in Persian 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. On Monday I bought a second-hand car, and on Wednesday I had the technical inspection. On the way, at rush hour, I…
Text
- دوشنبه یه ماشین دست دوم خریدم و سه‌شنبه معاینه فنی داشتم. سر راه، تو ساعت شلوغی بیست دقیقه جلوی همون چهارراه موندم. مکانیک گفت ترمزها خوبه، ولی چراغ جلو واسه تونل کم نوره. چهارشنبه لاستیک پنچر شد و یدک‌کش صدا کردم. پنجشنبه صبح ماشین اصلاً روشن نشد، با اینکه باتری نو بود. جمعه همه‌چی درست شد و اولین بار راحت تا محل کار رانندگی کردم.dâshânbe ye mâshin dast dâvm kharidâm va se-shânbe mâayâne fanni dâshtam. sar râh, tâ sââte shâlugi bist dige dzhâlu-ye hamân châhârrâh mândâm. mekânik gâft termâzhâ khube, vali cherâge dzhâlâ vâse tunel kam nure. châhârshânbe lâstik pencher shâd va yâdâk-kesh sâdâ kerdam. pandzhshânbe sâbh mâshin âslân rushân nashâd, ba inke bâtri nâ bud. dzhâme hâmechi dârâst shâd va avvalin bâr râhat tâ mahale kâr rânândzhi kerdam.On Monday I bought a second-hand car, and on Wednesday I had the technical inspection. On the way, at rush hour, I stood twenty minutes before the same crossroads. The mechanic said the brakes were in order, but the headlights shine weakly for the tunnel. On Wednesday a tire went flat, and I called the tow truck. On Thursday morning the car would not start at all, though the battery was new. On Friday everything got fixed, and for the first time I reached work calmly.
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 awaited the storyteller on Wednesday?
- What did the mechanic say about the headlights?
- Why did he call the tow truck?
- What happened on Thursday morning?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Persian?
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.