The village over half a century
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. My grandma was born in a village which had lived off the land from time immemorial. In those years there were thirty…
Text
- Moja babcia urodziła się we wsi, która od zawsze żyła z ziemi. W tamtych latach było tam trzydzieści domów, dziś jest ich ponad sto. Przełomowy moment przyszedł, kiedy po raz pierwszy zbudowali drogę do miasta. Młodzi najpierw jeździli do pracy, potem zaczęli się przeprowadzać na stałe. Stara szkoła zestarzała się, dziesięć lat później zamienili ją w przedszkole. Babcia mówi, że życie we wsi toczy się swoim torem i że trzeba się przystosować do zmian.My grandma was born in a village which had lived off the land from time immemorial. In those years there were thirty houses there; today there are more than a hundred. The turning point came when a road to the city was built for the first time. At first the young commuted to work, then they began to move away for good. The old school became outdated, and a decade later it was remade into a kindergarten. Grandma says that life in the village goes on as usual, and one must adapt to changes.
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 village live off before?
- What became the turning point?
- What became of the old school?
- What does grandma say?
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.