The contract I didn't read
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. I got my first job quickly and signed the contract the same day, barely reading it. Only later did I see that it said…
Text
- Први посао сам добио брзо и потписао уговор истог дана, готово без читања. Тек касније сам видео да пише смена, а не радно време од девет до пет. Обавезе су биле шире него што ми је шеф рекао на разговору за посао. Прековремени рад су плаћали, али само ако га пријавиш пре, а то нико није радио. Сада сваки уговор прочитам два пута и питам за све што ми није јасно.Prvi posao sam dobio brzo i potpisao ugovor istog dana, gotovo bez čitanja. Tek kasnije sam video da piše smena, a ne radno vreme od devet do pet. Obaveze su bile šire nego što mi je šef rekao na razgovoru za posao. Prekovremeni rad su plaćali, ali samo ako ga prijaviš pre, a to niko nije radio. Sada svaki ugovor pročitam dva puta i pitam za sve što mi nije jasno.I got my first job quickly and signed the contract the same day, barely reading it. Only later did I see that it said 'shift work', not working hours from nine to five. The duties were broader than the boss had told me at the interview. Overtime was paid, but only if declared in advance, and nobody did that. Now I read every contract twice and ask about everything that is unclear to me.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- When did the narrator sign the contract?
- What did the contract say about working hours?
- What about the duties?
- What does the narrator do now?
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.