LingoflyMy first marathon
A short text in Western Armenian 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. I signed up for my first marathon at forty. For three months I trained every morning: after a warm-up I ran for an…
Text
- Առաջին մարաթոնիս քառասուն տարեկանիս գրանցուեցայ։ Երեք ամիս ամէն առաւօտ կը մարզուէի, տաքացումէն ետք մէկ ժամ կը վազէի։ Մեկնարկը եղաւ ժամը իննին, եւ առաջին քիլօմեթրերուն բոլորը արագ կը վազէին։ Կէսին մկաններս կը ցաւէին, բայց երկրպագուները փողոցին երկայնքին կեցած էին եւ կը պոռային։ Ֆինիշին չորս ժամէն հասայ, մետալ ստացայ եւ հասկցայ, որ դիմացկունութիւնը դանդաղ կու գայ։arrachin marat'onis k'arrasun dareganis krantsvetsa Yerek' amis amen arravod gə marzuei, dak'atsumen yedk' meg zham gə vazei Megnargə yeghav zhamə innin, yev arrachin k'ilomet'rerun polorə arak gə vazein Gesin mganners gə tsavein, payts yergrbakunerə p'oghotsin yergaynk'in getsadz ein yev gə porrayin Finishin chors zhamen hasa, medal sdatsa yev hasgtsa, vor timatsgunut'yunə tantagh gu kayI signed up for my first marathon at forty. For three months I trained every morning: after a warm-up I ran for an hour. The start was at nine o'clock, and in the first kilometers everyone ran fast. In the middle my muscles ached, but the fans stood along the street and shouted. I reached the finish in four hours, received a medal and understood that endurance comes slowly.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- At what age did he sign up for the marathon?
- How did he train?
- What happened in the middle of the distance?
- How long did it take him to reach the finish?
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.