Forty minutes at the station
A text in Polish 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. Once I was waiting at the station for a train that was forty minutes late. Just then an elderly lady came up to me and…
Text
- Pewnego dnia czekałem na dworcu na pociąg, który się spóźniał czterdzieści minut. Akurat wtedy podeszła do mnie starsza pani i zapytała, gdzie jest drugi peron. Wyjaśniłem, że perony zmienili numery w poprzednim tygodniu. Omal nie spóźniła się na swój pociąg, więc pobiegliśmy po schodach razem. Kiedy usiadła, podziękowała mi i poprosiła, żebym kiedyś wpadł do niej na herbatę. Pamiętam jak dziś jej twarz przy oknie, choć wszystko zaczęło się i skończyło w kilka minut.Once I was waiting at the station for a train that was forty minutes late. Just then an elderly lady came up to me and asked where the second platform was. I explained that the platforms had changed numbers last week. She nearly missed her train, so we ran up the stairs together. When she sat down, she thanked me and asked me to drop in for tea some day. I remember her face at the window as if it were now, although it all began and ended in a matter of minutes.
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 lady ask?
- Why could she not find the platform?
- What did they do to make it in time?
- What did she say at parting?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Polish?
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.