LingoflyMy own business
A text in Kazakh at level B1. The translation sits next to it for checking, not for support: at this level the text is read whole, and an unknown word is usually guessed from the sentence. Two years ago I worked at a factory; then I quit and opened a small workshop. In the first months there was only one…
Text
- Екі жыл бұрын мен зауытта істедім; содан кейін жұмыстан шығып, кішкене шеберхана аштым. Алғашқы айларда бір ғана клиент болды, өндіріс аз еді, әр ай шығынға ұшырадық. Кейін жақсы жеткізуші таптым, материалды арзанға алдым және бағаны қайта есептедім. Қазір үш адамды жұмысқа алдым, айына бір рет презентация жасаймын, дүкен кішкентай болса да пайда әкеледі. Ең қиыны ақша емес, төзімділік болды: сұраныс бір жылда қалыптасты, бір күнде емес.Eki zhyl būryn men zauytta istedim; sodan keiin zhūmystan shyğyp, kishkene sheberkhana ashtym. Alğashqy ailarda bir ğana klient boldy, öndiris az edi, är ai shyğynğa ūshyradyq. Keiin zhaqsy zhetkizushi taptym, materialdy arzanğa aldym zhäne bağany qaita eseptedim. Qazir üsh adamdy zhūmysqa aldym, aiyna bir ret prezentatsiya zhasaimyn, düken kishkentai bolsa da paida äkeledi. Eñ qiyny aqsha emes, tözimdilik boldy: sūranys bir zhylda qalyptasty, bir künde emes.Two years ago I worked at a factory; then I quit and opened a small workshop. In the first months there was only one client, production was small, and every month we ran at a loss. Then I found a good supplier, began buying material cheaper and recalculated the prices. Now I have hired three people, once a month I give a presentation, and the shop, small as it is, brings profit. The hardest thing was not money but endurance: demand took a year to form, not a day.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- Where did he work two years ago?
- What was it like in the first months?
- What helped cut the costs?
- What does he call the hardest thing?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Kazakh?
B1. That means: everyday topics are behind you, you know about three thousand words, and an unknown word is more often guessed from the sentence than looked up.
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.