If I had known
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. On Friday evening I decided to go to Gyumri, although the weather was spoiling. A friend said: "In your place I would…
Text
- Ուրբաթ երեկոյեան որոշեցի երթալ Գիւմրի, չնայած որ եղանակը վատանում էր: Ընկերս ասաց. «Քո տեղը լինեի, կսպասեի, ամենայն հաւանականությամբ ձիւն կգա»: Ես համառեցի, եւ արդիւնքում երկու ժամ կանգնած մնացինք փակ ճանապարհին: Եթե իմանայի, ամեն դեպքի համար կվերցնեի վերմակ եւ ջուր, բայց դա միայն հետո մտածեցի: Հիմա, նախքան ճանապարհ ընկնելը, միշտ կը նայեմ եղանակին. մէկ սխալը բաւական էր:urpat' yeregoyean voroshetsi yert'al Kyumri, chnayadz vor yeghanagə vadanum er Əngers asats. «k'o deghə linei, gsbasei, amenayn havanaganut'yamp tsyun gka» Yes hamarretsi, yev artyunk'um yergu zham ganknadz mnatsink' p'ag janabarhin Yet'e imanayi, amen tebk'i hamar gvertsnei vermag yev chur, payts ta miayn hedo mdadzetsi Hima, nakhk'an janabarh əngnelə, mishd gə nayem yeghanagin. meg skhalə pavagan erOn Friday evening I decided to go to Gyumri, although the weather was spoiling. A friend said: "In your place I would wait; most probably it will snow." I insisted on my own, and as a result we stood two hours on a closed road. If I had known, I would have taken a blanket and water just in case, but I thought of it only afterwards. Now, before setting out, I always look at the weather: one mistake was enough.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- Where did he decide to go?
- What did the friend advise?
- What happened as a result?
- What does he do now before a trip?
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.