The Sunday meal
A short in Kazakh 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. On Sundays I cook at home, because the whole family gathers. First I wash the vegetables, chop the onion and carrot…
Text
- Жексенбіде үйде тамақ дайындаймын, өйткені бүкіл отбасы жиналады. Алдымен көкөністі жуамын, пияз бен сәбізді ұсақтап турап, майға қуырамын. Кәстрөлге су құйып қайнатамын да, ет пен картопты саламын: сорпа екі сағат пісуі керек. Тұзды соңында саламын, ал дәмдеуішті аз саламын — балалар өткір тағамды жемейді. Дастарқанға тәрелке, қасық және майлық қоямын, шәйнекке шай демдеймін.On Sundays I cook at home, because the whole family gathers. First I wash the vegetables, chop the onion and carrot finely and fry them in oil. I pour water into a pot and bring it to a boil, then add the meat and potatoes: the soup must simmer for two hours. I add salt at the end, and little spice — the children do not eat spicy food. I set plates, spoons and napkins on the table, and brew tea in the teapot.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- Why does the narrator cook on Sundays?
- What does he do with the onion and carrot?
- When does he add the salt?
- Why does he add little spice?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Kazakh?
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.