The shoes that didn't fit
A short in Armenian 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. Last week I bought shoes at the mall. In the display they were very beautiful, made of natural leather and of good…
Text
- Անցյալ շաբաթ առևտրի կենտրոնում կոշիկ գնեցի: Ցուցափեղկում շատ գեղեցիկ էին, բնական կաշվից և որակյալ: Գանձապահը չեկը տվեց և ասաց՝ չեկը պահեք տասնչորս օր: Տանը հագա և հասկացա, որ չափսը չեկավ՝ մատերս սեղմվում էին: Հաջորդ օրը հետ տարա և խնդրեցի ապրանքը փոխանակել: Իմ չափսը սև գույնով առկա էր, բայց շագանակագույնով՝ ոչ: Վաճառողն առաջարկեց կամ սևը վերցնել, կամ վերադարձ ձևակերպել: Սևը վերցրի, ավել չվճարեցի, և հիմա ամեն օր հագնում եմ:Antsyal shabat' arrevtri kentronum koshik gnetsi. Tsutsap'eghkum shat geghetsik ein, bnakan kashvits yev vorakyal. Gandzapahə chekə tvets yev asats — chekə pahek' tasnchors or. Tanə haga yev haskatsa, vor chap'sə chekav — maters seghmvum ein. Hajord orə het tara yev khndretsi aprank'ə p'okhanakel. Im chap'sə sev guynov arka er, bayts shaganakaguynov — voch. Vacharroghn arrajarkets kam sevə vertsnel, kam veradardz dzevakerpel. Sevə vertsri, avel chvcharetsi, yev hima amen or hagnum em.Last week I bought shoes at the mall. In the display they were very beautiful, made of natural leather and of good quality. The cashier gave the receipt and said: keep the receipt for fourteen days. At home I put them on and realized the size didn't fit — my fingers were being squeezed. The next day I took them back and asked to exchange the item. My size was in stock in black, but not in brown. The seller offered either to take the black ones or to process a refund. I took the black ones, paid no extra, and now I wear them every 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.
- What were the shoes made of?
- What did the cashier say about the receipt?
- Why didn't the shoes fit?
- How did the story end?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Armenian?
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.