The first race
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. A year ago I almost did no sports and got tired fast. I started going to the gym: at first only a warm-up and light…
Text
- Год назад я почти не занимался спортом и быстро уставал. Начал ходить в спортзал: сначала только разминка и лёгкие тренажёры. Через три месяца я пробежал первые десять километров без перерыва. Осенью записался на марафон, хотя старое растяжение в ноге напоминало о себе. На старте было три тысячи спортсменов и столько же болельщиков, что я забыл о страхе. До финиша добрался за четыре часа — без медали, но с рекордом для себя.God nazad ya pochti ne zanimalsya sportom i bystro ustaval. Nachal khodit v sportzal: snachala tolko razminka i lyogkie trenazhyory. Cherez tri mesyatsa ya probezhal pervye desyat kilometrov bez pereryva. Osenyu zapisalsya na marafon, khotya staroe rastyazhenie v noge napominalo o sebe. Na starte bylo tri tysyachi sportsmenov i stolko zhe bolelshchikov, chto ya zabyl o strakhe. Do finisha dobralsya za chetyre chasa — bez medali, no s rekordom dlya sebya.A year ago I almost did no sports and got tired fast. I started going to the gym: at first only a warm-up and light machines. Three months later I ran my first ten kilometers without a break. In autumn I signed up for a marathon, though the old strain in my leg reminded me of itself. At the start there were three thousand athletes and just as many fans, so that I forgot about fear. I reached the finish in four hours — without a medal, but with a record for myself.
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 he start with?
- What was wrong with his leg?
- How many athletes were at the start?
- How did the race 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.