The box from the attic
A short in Serbian text 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. In the attic I found a box that nobody had opened for twenty years. The wrapping was dusty, and the cardboard was damp…
Text
- На тавану сам нашао кутију коју нико није отварао двадесет година. Омот је био прашњав, а картон влажан и мек на додир. Унутра су биле старе фотографије, избледеле по ивицама, и један зарђао кључ. Испод свега је лежало огледало, још увек читаво, само са мрљом у углу. Садржај кутије нисам бацио: разложио сам све по столу и гледао до вечери.Na tavanu sam našao kutiju koju niko nije otvarao dvadeset godina. Omot je bio prašnjav, a karton vlažan i mek na dodir. Unutra su bile stare fotografije, izbledele po ivicama, i jedan zarđao ključ. Ispod svega je ležalo ogledalo, još uvek čitavo, samo sa mrljom u uglu. Sadržaj kutije nisam bacio: razložio sam sve po stolu i gledao do večeri.In the attic I found a box that nobody had opened for twenty years. The wrapping was dusty, and the cardboard was damp and soft to the touch. Inside were old photographs, faded at the edges, and one rusty key. Beneath it all lay a mirror, still whole, only with a stain in the corner. I didn't throw away the contents of the box: I laid everything out on the table and looked at it until evening.
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 cardboard of the box like?
- What was with the photographs?
- What state was the mirror in?
- What did the narrator do with the contents?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Serbian?
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.