The shoes that didn't fit
A short in Western 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 shop window they were very beautiful, of natural leather and of good…
Text
- Անցյալ շաբաթ առեւտրի կենտրոնում կոշիկ գնեցի: Ցուցափեղկում շատ գեղեցիկ էին, բնական կաշվից եւ որակյալ: Գանձապահը չեկը տուեց 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 առնել, կամ վերադարձ ձեւակերպել: Սեւը վերցրի, ավել չվճարեցի, եւ այժմ ամեն օր կը հագնեմ:antsyal shapat' arrevdri gendronum goshig knetsi Ts'utsap'eghgum shad keghetsig ein, pnagan gashvits yev voragyal Kantsabahə chegə duets yev asats chegə bahek' dasnchors or Danə haka yev hasgatsa, vor chap'sə chegav maders seghmvum ein Hachort orə hed dara yev khntretsi abrank'ə p'okhanagel Im chap'sə sev kuynov arrga er, payts shakanagakuynov voch Vajarroghn arrachargets gam sevə arrnel, gam veratarts tsevagerbel Sevə vertsri, avel chvjaretsi, yev ayzhm amen or gə haknemLast week I bought shoes at the mall. In the shop window they were very beautiful, of natural leather and of good quality. The cashier gave the cheque and said: keep the cheque for fourteen days. At home I put them on and realized the size didn't fit — my fingers were 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 return. I took the black ones, paid no extra, and now 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 cheque?
- Why didn't the shoes fit?
- How did the story end?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Western 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.