LingoflyThe story I often tell
A text in Georgian at level B1. The translation sits next to it for checking, not for support: at this level the text is read whole, and an unknown word is usually guessed from the sentence. Once in winter I happened to be returning from a village to the city at night. The bus broke down on the way, and the…
Text
- ერთხელაც ზამთარში სოფლიდან ქალაქში ღამით დაბრუნება მომიხდა. ავტობუსი გზაში გაფუჭდა და მძღოლმა თქვა, რომ დახმარება ორ საათში მოვა. გარეთ ციოდა, სამი კილომეტრის იქით კი პატარა სოფელი ჩანდა. ფეხით წავედი და მოკლე გზით მინდვრებში გავიარე, თუმცა ბოლოს კინაღამ გზა ავიბენი. ერთმა ოჯახმა კარი გამიღო, ჩაი დამალევინა და დილამდე დამტოვა — მათი სახელიც არ ვიცოდი. ამ ამბავს ხშირად ვჰყვები და ყოველთვის ერთნაირად ვამთავრებ: ეს რომ არ მომხდარიყო, უცხო ადამიანების სიკეთე ასე კარგად ვერასდროს გავიგებდი.ertkhelats zamtarshi soplidan kalakshi ghamit dabruneba momikhda. avtobusi gzashi gapuchda da mdzgholma tkva, rom dakhmareba or saatshi mova. garet tsioda, sami kilometris ikit ki patara sopeli chanda. pekhit tsavedi da mokle gzit mindvrebshi gaviare, tumtsa bolos kinagham gza avibeni. ertma ojakhma kari gamigho, chai damalevina da dilamde damtova — mati sakhelits ar vitsodi. am ambavs khshirad vhqvebi da qoveltvis ertnairad vamtavreb: es rom ar momkhdariqo, utskho adamianebis sikete ase kargad verasdros gavigebdi.Once in winter I happened to be returning from a village to the city at night. The bus broke down on the way, and the driver said help would come in two hours. It was cold outside, and three kilometers away a small village could be seen. I went on foot and crossed straight through the fields, though at the end I nearly got lost. One family opened their door to me, gave me tea and let me stay till morning — I didn't even know their name. I tell this story often and always end it the same way: had this not happened, I would never have understood the kindness of strangers so well.
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 happened to the bus?
- How did the narrator reach the village?
- What did the family do?
- How does he always end the story?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Georgian?
B1. That means: everyday topics are behind you, you know about three thousand words, and an unknown word is more often guessed from the sentence than looked up.
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.