The road to the sea
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. We left at five in the morning to avoid the traffic jam at the border. The speed limit on the highway is a hundred and…
Text
- Кренули смо у пет ујутру да избегнемо гужву на граници. Ограничење брзине на ауто-путу је сто тридесет, али сам возио спорије јер је падала киша. На једном скретању нас је зауставила саобраћајна полиција и тражила документа на увид. Све је било у реду, само ме је полицајац подсетио да се деца увек везују и позади. После тога смо стали на бензинској пумпи, напунили резервоар до врха и попили кафу.Krenuli smo u pet ujutru da izbegnemo gužvu na granici. Ograničenje brzine na auto-putu je sto trideset, ali sam vozio sporije jer je padala kiša. Na jednom skretanju nas je zaustavila saobraćajna policija i tražila dokumenta na uvid. Sve je bilo u redu, samo me je policajac podsetio da se deca uvek vezuju i pozadi. Posle toga smo stali na benzinskoj pumpi, napunili rezervoar do vrha i popili kafu.We left at five in the morning to avoid the traffic jam at the border. The speed limit on the highway is a hundred and thirty, but I drove slower because it was raining. At one turn the road police stopped us and asked for documents. Everything was in order; the officer only reminded me that children must be buckled up in the back too. After that we stopped at a gas station, filled the tank to the brim and had coffee.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- Why did they leave at five in the morning?
- Why did the narrator drive slower than the limit?
- What did the road police ask for?
- What did the officer remind him of?
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.