LingoflyMaking a decision
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. I was offered a job in another city, and making the decision was not easy. The salary is twice as high, but the…
Text
- Маған басқа қаладан жұмыс ұсынды, және шешім қабылдау оңай болмады. Жалақысы екі есе жоғары, бірақ балалар мектепті ауыстыруы керек еді. Артықшылығы да, кемшілігі де көп болды, сондықтан бәрін бір параққа жазып шықтым. Досым: сенің орныңда болсам, келісер едім, деді. Апам, әйтпесе өкінесің, деді. Ақыры бір жыл пәтер жалдау шартымен көшуді таңдадық: егер ұнамаса, қайтып ораламыз. Шынымды айтсам, бірінші реттен дұрыс шешім шығару қиын, бірақ сақтық үшін қайтар жолды ашық қалдырған жөн.Mağan basqa qaladan zhūmys ūsyndy, zhäne sheshim qabyldau oñai bolmady. Zhalaqysy eki ese zhoğary, biraq balalar mektepti auystyruy kerek edi. Artyqshylyğy da, kemshiligi de köp boldy, sondyqtan bärin bir paraqqa zhazyp shyqtym. Dosym: seniñ ornyñda bolsam, keliser edim, dedi. Apam, äitpese ökinesiñ, dedi. Aqyry bir zhyl päter zhaldau shartymen köshudi tañdadyq: eger ūnamasa, qaityp oralamyz. Shynymdy aitsam, birinshi retten dūrys sheshim shyğaru qiyn, biraq saqtyq üshin qaitar zholdy ashyq qaldyrğan zhön.I was offered a job in another city, and making the decision was not easy. The salary is twice as high, but the children would have to change schools. There were many advantages and many disadvantages, so I wrote everything out on one sheet. A friend said: in your place I would agree. My sister said: otherwise you will regret it. In the end we chose moving on the condition of renting a flat for a year: if we do not like it, we will come back. To tell the truth, making the right decision the first time is hard, but it is better to leave the road back open, just in case.
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 was the decision not easy?
- What did he do to sort things out?
- On what condition did they choose to move?
- What conclusion does the narrator draw?
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.