The first year
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. Olya began studying history at the university. Her schedule is full: lectures four times a week, plus a seminar and…
Text
- Оля начала изучать историю в университете. Расписание у неё плотное: лекции четыре раза в неделю, а ещё семинар и работа в библиотеке. Самый трудный предмет — химия: много надо выучить наизусть. Учебники она взяла в библиотеке, потому что новые слишком дорогие. Стипендии пока нет, поэтому Оля ищет подработку.Olya nachala izuchat istoriyu v universitete. Raspisanie u neyo plotnoe: lektsii chetyre raza v nedelyu, a eshchyo seminar i rabota v biblioteke. Samyy trudnyy predmet — khimiya: mnogo nado vyuchit naizust. Uchebniki ona vzyala v biblioteke, potomu chto novye slishkom dorogie. Stipendii poka net, poetomu Olya ishchet podrabotku.Olya began studying history at the university. Her schedule is full: lectures four times a week, plus a seminar and work at the library. The hardest subject is chemistry: there is a lot to learn by heart. She took the textbooks from the library, because new ones are too expensive. There is no scholarship yet, so Olya is looking for a part-time job.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- Where does Olya study history?
- Which subject is hardest for her?
- Why did she take the textbooks from the library?
- What is Olya looking for?
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.