A day in the city
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 Saturday I went into the city, because I needed to make it to both the hairdresser and the workshop. I stood a long…
Text
- Сенбіде қалаға түстім, себебі шаштараз бен шеберханаға бірден үлгеру керек еді. Автобус аялдамасында ұзақ тұрдым, өйткені жол кептелісі бар болатын. Алдымен шаш қиып алдым, содан кейін сағатымды жөндеп беруін сұрадым: шебер жарты сағат алады деді. Күте тұрып, көрші саябақта серуендедім және мұражайдың қасынан кәдесый дүкенін таптым. Кешке жол жүру картасын толтырып, үйге қайттым.On Saturday I went into the city, because I needed to make it to both the hairdresser and the workshop. I stood a long time at the bus stop, because there was a traffic jam. First I had my hair cut, then asked to have my watch repaired: the repairman said it would take half an hour. While waiting, I strolled in the neighboring park and found a souvenir shop near the museum. In the evening I topped up my travel card and went home.
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 did the narrator go into the city?
- Why did he stand long at the stop?
- How much time did the repairman ask for?
- What did he do in the evening?
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.