The quiet neighbour
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. Our neighbour is withdrawn and does not talk with anyone for too long. At first we thought he was too vain, but it…
Text
- Nasz sąsiad jest zamknięty w sobie i z nikim nie rozmawia zbyt długo. Najpierw myśleliśmy, że jest zbyt samouwielbiony, ale wyszło na jaw, że jest tylko nieśmiały. Kiedy zimą pękła nam rura, o piątej rano był już pod ręką z narzędziami. Nigdy się nie chwalił i nie oczekiwał, że ktoś go pochwali. Ludzie z bloku kiedyś obgadywali go, dziś mają go za człowieka, który dotrzymuje słowa. Z żoną szybko się z nim dogadaliśmy i teraz rozmawiamy jak równy z równym.Our neighbour is withdrawn and does not talk with anyone for too long. At first we thought he was too vain, but it turned out he is simply shy. When our pipe burst in winter, at five in the morning he was already at hand with tools. He never bragged and never waited for praise. People from the building used to gossip about him; today they consider him a man who keeps his word. My wife and I got on well with him quickly and now talk as equals.
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 neighbour seem like at first?
- What did he turn out to be in fact?
- What did he do when the pipe burst?
- What does the whole building consider him now?
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.