The first shift
A short text in Polish 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. Two shifts work in our shop floor, and I went into the morning one for the first time. First there was an induction…
Text
- W naszej hali produkcyjnej pracują dwie zmiany, a ja po raz pierwszy wszedłem na poranną. Najpierw był instruktaż, potem dostałem odzież roboczą ze znakiem firmy. Moja praca to sprawdzić każdy wyrób, zanim pójdzie do opakowania. Kiedy widzę usterkę, odkładam ten egzemplarz i zapisuję numer partii towaru. W południe stanęła obrabiarka i mieliśmy dwie godziny przestoju. Technik ją naprawił, a normę i tak wykonaliśmy przed trzecią.Two shifts work in our shop floor, and I went into the morning one for the first time. First there was an induction, then I received work clothes with the firm's sign. My job is to check every item before it goes to packaging. When I see a defect, I set that copy aside and write down the batch number. At noon the machine stopped, and we had two hours of downtime. The technician fixed it, and we met the quota by three o'clock anyway.
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 was there at the beginning of the shift?
- What does he do with an item with a defect?
- What happened at noon?
- Did they meet the quota?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Polish?
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.