The bank of our river
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. The bank of the river behind the district had been piled with waste for years. The local authorities promised, but…
Text
- Обала реке иза насеља годинама је била пуна отпада. Локална власт је обећавала, али ништа се није мењало, па су се људи организовали сами. Волонтери су скупили новац за вреће и рукавице, а општина је послала камион. Дошло је четрдесетак људи, међу њима и двоје деце из сваке зграде, и радили смо наизменично цео дан. Сада тамо има клупа и знак који каже да је ово почетак заштићеног подручја.Obala reke iza naselja godinama je bila puna otpada. Lokalna vlast je obećavala, ali ništa se nije menjalo, pa su se ljudi organizovali sami. Volonteri su skupili novac za vreće i rukavice, a opština je poslala kamion. Došlo je četrdesetak ljudi, među njima i dvoje dece iz svake zgrade, i radili smo naizmenično ceo dan. Sada tamo ima klupa i znak koji kaže da je ovo početak zaštićenog područja.The bank of the river behind the district had been piled with waste for years. The local authorities promised, but nothing changed, and people organized themselves. Volunteers collected money for bags and gloves, and the municipality sent a truck. About forty people came, including two children from each house, and we worked in turns all day. Now there are benches and a sign saying that a protected area begins here.
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 people take on the riverbank themselves?
- What did they collect money for?
- How many people came?
- What stands on the bank now?
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.