The renovation
A short in Turkish 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 started renovating the kitchen in February and thought we'd finish in two weeks. First there was a hitch in the…
Text
- Mutfağı yenilemeye şubatta giriştik ve iki haftada bitireceğimizi sanıyorduk. Önce su tesisatında bir aksaklık çıktı, sonra malzeme gecikti ve iş uzadı. Bir ara her şeye boş verip bırakmayı düşündüm, ama eşim pes etmedi. Ustayı değiştirdik, planı yeniden başlattık ve masrafları göz önünde bulundurarak yürüdük. Nisanda işi tamamına erdirdik: dolaplar duvara bitişik, yüzeyler pürüzsüz, her şey usulüne uygun.We started renovating the kitchen in February and thought we'd finish in two weeks. First there was a hitch in the plumbing, then the material was delayed, and the work dragged on. At some point I thought of waving it all off and quitting, but my wife didn't give up. We changed the contractor, restarted the plan, and moved forward keeping the expenses in mind. In April we brought the job to completion: the cabinets flush against the wall, the surfaces smooth, everything by the book.
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 they start the work?
- What happened first?
- Who didn't give up?
- How did it all end?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Turkish?
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.