An old friend
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. I had a friend, Vera. Once we had a conflict — a silly misunderstanding, not a real quarrel. I took offense and kept…
Text
- У меня была подруга Вера. Однажды у нас случился конфликт — глупое недоразумение, а не ссора по-настоящему. Я обиделась и молчала неделю. Потом я поняла: дружба дороже гордости. Мы помирились и снова пьём чай по вечерам.U menya byla podruga Vera. Odnazhdy u nas sluchilsya konflikt — glupoe nedorazumenie, a ne ssora po-nastoyashchemu. Ya obidelas i molchala nedelyu. Potom ya ponyala: druzhba dorozhe gordosti. My pomirilis i snova pyom chay po vecheram.I had a friend, Vera. Once we had a conflict — a silly misunderstanding, not a real quarrel. I took offense and kept silent for a week. Then I understood: friendship is worth more than pride. We made up, and again we drink tea in the evenings.
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 the friend's name?
- What happened between the friends?
- How long did the narrator keep silent?
- How did it all end?
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.