Four days by car
A short in Western Armenian 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. In summer we rented a car for four days and drove around Armenia. On the first day we went to Gyumri, and the road was…
Text
- Ամառան ինքնաշարժ վարձեցանք չորս օրով եւ Հայաստանով շրջեցանք: Առաջին օրը Կիւմրի երթացանք, եւ ճանապարհը հանգիստ էր: Երկրորդ օրը ես արագութիւնը գերազանցեցի եւ տուգանք ստացայ: Ճանապարհային ոստիկանը բացատրեց, որ այնտեղ սահմանափակումը յիսուն է: Այդմէ հետո միշտ նշաններուն կը նայէի: Երրորդ օրը անիւը ծակուեցաւ, բայց բեռնախցիկին մէջ պահեստային անիւ կար, ուստի կիս ժամուայ մէջ ամեն ինչ կարգաւորեցինք: Վերջին օրը ինքնաշարժը լիքը բաքով վերադարձուցինք եւ ժամանակին հասանք օդանաւակայան:amarran ink'nasharzh vartsetsank' chors orov yev Hayasdanov shrchetsank' Arrachin orə Gyumri yert'atsank', yev janabarhə hankisd er Yergrort orə yes arakut'yunə kerazantsetsi yev dukank' sdatsay Janabarhayin vosdiganə patsadrets, vor ayndegh sahmanap'agumə yisun e Aytme hedo mishd nshannerun gə nayei Yerrort orə anyuə dzaguetsav, payts perrnakhtsigin mech bahesdayin anyu gar, usdi gis zhamuay mech amen inch garkavoretsink' Verchin orə ink'nasharzhə lik'ə pak'ov veratartsutsink' yev zhamanagin hasank' otanavagayanIn summer we rented a car for four days and drove around Armenia. On the first day we went to Gyumri, and the road was calm. On the second day I exceeded the speed and got a fine: a traffic policeman explained that the limit there is fifty. After that I always looked at the signs. On the third day a tire went flat, but there was a spare one in the trunk, so in half an hour we settled everything. On the last day we returned the car with a full tank and reached the airport in time.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- For how many days did they rent the car?
- What did the narrator get a fine for?
- What happened on the third day?
- In what condition was the car returned?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Western Armenian?
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.