The monthly budget
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. Having received my salary, first I pay the utility bill and the monthly loan payment. I divide the remaining money in…
Text
- Жалақымды алған соң, алдымен коммуналдық шотты және несиенің айлық төлемін төлеймін. Қалған ақшаны екіге бөлемін: біраз бөлігін азық-түлікке жұмсаймын, біраз бөлігін жинаймын. Былтырдан бері бағалар өсті, сондықтан бұрынғыдай үнемдей алмай жүрмін. Өткен айда ақша жетпеді және ағамнан қарызға ақша алдым, бірақ оны бір аптада қайтардым. Егер жинағым жеткілікті болса, келесі жылы пәтерге бастапқы жарна саламын.Having received my salary, first I pay the utility bill and the monthly loan payment. I divide the remaining money in two: part I spend on food, part I save. Since last year prices have risen, so saving as before is not working out. Last month the money ran short, and I borrowed from my elder brother, but returned it within a week. If my savings are enough, next year I will make the down payment on a flat.
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 does the narrator pay first?
- Why has it become harder to save?
- What happened last month?
- What is he saving for?
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.