Sunday at grandma's
A short text in Russian at level A2. The translation sits next to it: reading with a dictionary is still too early at this level, and without support it will not happen at all. My grandmother lives in a village with only one church. Every Sunday the bell rings earlier, so that people make it in…
Text
- Моя бабушка живёт в деревне, где всего одна церковь. Каждое воскресенье колокол звонит раньше, чтобы люди успели прийти. Бабушка молится тихо, а дедушка стоит снаружи и говорит с соседями. После службы все идут к ним на обед — это старый семейный обычай. За обедом бабушка ставит на стол торт и говорит, что гости — праздник.Moya babushka zhivyot v derevne, gde vsego odna tserkov. Kazhdoe voskresene kolokol zvonit ranshe, chtoby lyudi uspeli priyti. Babushka molitsya tikho, a dedushka stoit snaruzhi i govorit s sosedyami. Posle sluzhby vse idut k nim na obed — eto staryy semeynyy obychay. Za obedom babushka stavit na stol tort i govorit, chto gosti — prazdnik.My grandmother lives in a village with only one church. Every Sunday the bell rings earlier, so that people make it in time. Grandma prays quietly, and grandpa stands outside talking with the neighbors. After the service everyone comes to them for dinner — it is an old family custom. At dinner grandma puts a cake on the table and says that guests are a holiday.
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 is there in grandma's village?
- What does grandpa do during the service?
- Why does everyone come to grandma for dinner?
- What does grandma say at dinner?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Russian?
A2. That means: you know the letters and have a stock of everyday words — about two or three hundred.
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.