At the mall
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 our day off we went to the mall, because our son needed a jacket. The jacket in the shop window looked of good…
Text
- Демалыс күні сауда орталығына бардық, себебі ұлыма күртке керек еді. Витринадағы күртке сапалы көрінді, бірақ табиғи теріден жасалғандықтан қымбатырақ болды. Базарда арзанырақ, сол себепті мен ұзақ ойландым: қалтам көтере ме, жоқ па. Ақыры бонустық картамен алдық, ал кассир чекті сақтап қоюды өтінді. Үйде өлшеп көрсек, өлшемі келмеді — ертең айырбастауды рәсімдейміз.On our day off we went to the mall, because our son needed a jacket. The jacket in the shop window looked of good quality, but because of the genuine leather it turned out more expensive. It is cheaper at the bazaar, so I thought for a long time: could I afford it or not. In the end we bought it with a bonus card, and the cashier asked us to keep the receipt. At home we tried it on — the size did not fit; tomorrow we will arrange an exchange.
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 they go to the mall?
- Why did the jacket turn out more expensive?
- What did the cashier ask for?
- What turned out at home?
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.