The dispute in the yard
A short in Kazakh text at level B1. 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. The dispute in our yard dragged on for a year. One group of residents wanted the road repaired; the other demanded a…
Text
- Біздің ауладағы дау бір жыл созылды. Бір топ тұрғын жолды жөндегісі келді, екіншісі балалар алаңын талап етті. Жиналыста дауысты көтергендер де болды, бірақ ешкім ешкімді қорламады. Кеңес мүшесі сауалнама жүргізуді ұсынды: сол кезде барлығы дерлік жолды таңдады. Соның нәтижесінде жол бірінші жөнделді, ал алаңға келесі жылы ақша бөлінді. Қазір екі топ та шешімді құптайды. Менімше, ең жақсысы — дауды дауыс беріп шешу: сонда әркім өз пікірін білдіре алады.The dispute in our yard dragged on for a year. One group of residents wanted the road repaired; the other demanded a playground. At the meeting there were also those who raised their voices, but no one insulted anyone. A council member suggested a survey: almost everyone chose the road then. As a result the road was repaired first, and money was allocated for the playground the next year. Now both groups approve of the decision. The way I see it, the best thing is to settle a dispute by vote: then everyone can voice their opinion.
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 did the second group of residents want?
- What happened at the meeting?
- What did the survey show?
- What does the author consider the best way to settle a dispute?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Kazakh?
B1. 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.