The path straight across
A text in Russian 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 brother and I went to the lake straight across, over the meadow. At the fork we lost the only landmark — the old…
Text
- Мы с братом пошли к озеру напрямик, через луг. На развилке мы потеряли единственный ориентир — старый дуб. Вдали был виден дым, и мы повернули к нему. Тропа спустилась в тесную долину и кончилась тупиком. Назад мы вышли другой дорогой, вдоль реки, и до дома добрались в сумерках. С тех пор мы всегда берём с собой карту.My s bratom poshli k ozeru napryamik, cherez lug. Na razvilke my poteryali edinstvennyy orientir — staryy dub. Vdali byl viden dym, i my povernuli k nemu. Tropa spustilas v tesnuyu dolinu i konchilas tupikom. Nazad my vyshli drugoy dorogoy, vdol reki, i do doma dobralis v sumerkakh. S tekh por my vsegda beryom s soboy kartu.My brother and I went to the lake straight across, over the meadow. At the fork we lost the only landmark — the old oak. Smoke was visible in the distance, and we turned toward it. The path went down into a narrow valley and ended in a dead end. We went back another way, along the river, and reached home at dusk. Since then we always take a map along.
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 did they go over the meadow?
- What made them lose their way?
- What was visible in the distance?
- How did the path end in the valley?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Russian?
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.