On the road
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. Last Sunday we rented a car and set off toward the mountains. First we filled up, then I watched the road signs…
Text
- Өткен жексенбіде көлік жалдап, тауға қарай шықтық. Алдымен жанармай құйдық, сосын жол белгілерін қарап отырдым, себебі жол таныс емес еді. Бір жерде жылдамдықты шектеу қырық болатын, ал досым елу шақырыммен келе жатты. Жол полициясы бізді тоқтатып, құжаттарды көрсетуді сұрады және хаттама толтырды. Айыппұл көп болмады, дегенмен қалған жолда досым әрқашан жылдамдықты бақылап отырды.Last Sunday we rented a car and set off toward the mountains. First we filled up, then I watched the road signs, because the road was unfamiliar. In one place the speed limit was forty, and my friend was driving fifty. The traffic police stopped us, asked to show the documents and drew up a report. The fine was not big; nevertheless, for the rest of the way my friend kept watching the speed.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- How did the narrator and his friend get to the mountains?
- Why did the narrator watch the signs?
- What did the traffic police do?
- How did the trip end?
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.