The river we forgot
A short in Serbian text at level B1. 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. For years the river behind the settlement took wastewater from the workshop, and nobody checked it. The bank turned…
Text
- Река иза насеља је годинама примала отпадне воде из погона, и нико то није проверавао. Обала се претворила у дивљу депонију: једнократна пластика, амбалажа и стари делови машина. Кад су мерења показала штетне примесе, испоставило се да су рибе одавно нестале, а птице се одселиле. Општина је прогласила подручје заштићеним и почела да разврстава отпад, а мештани су кренули у озелењавање обале. Три године касније вратило се јато патака и једно гнездо на старој врби: равнотежу је могуће повратити, само треба стрпљења.Reka iza naselja je godinama primala otpadne vode iz pogona, i niko to nije proveravao. Obala se pretvorila u divlju deponiju: jednokratna plastika, ambalaža i stari delovi mašina. Kad su merenja pokazala štetne primese, ispostavilo se da su ribe odavno nestale, a ptice se odselile. Opština je proglasila područje zaštićenim i počela da razvrstava otpad, a meštani su krenuli u ozelenjavanje obale. Tri godine kasnije vratilo se jato pataka i jedno gnezdo na staroj vrbi: ravnotežu je moguće povratiti, samo treba strpljenja.For years the river behind the settlement took wastewater from the workshop, and nobody checked it. The bank turned into a wild dump: single-use plastic, packaging and old machine parts. When measurements showed harmful impurities, it came out that the fish had long disappeared and the birds had flown away. The municipality declared the territory a protected area and began sorting waste, and the residents took on greening the bank. Three years later a flock of ducks returned, and one nest on the old willow: balance can be restored, you only need patience.
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 the river take in for years?
- What did the bank turn into?
- What did the measurements show?
- What happened three years later?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Serbian?
B1. 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.