The village's history
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. Our village was founded in the nineteenth century; our ancestors came here from the other side of the mountain. Under…
Text
- Köyümüz on dokuzuncu yüzyılda kurulmuş; atalarımız buraya dağın öbür yüzünden gelmiş. Camiye giden yolun altında antik kalıntılar var, geçen yaz orada kazı başladı. Köyün eski bir efsanesi de var: göl bir gecede oluşmuş, çobanın biri suyu görünce inanamamış. Manastırın yıllığı bugüne ulaşmış, orada o yılların kuraklığı yazıyor. Günümüzde köyde otuz hane kaldı, ama yazın herkes geri dönüyor.Our village was founded in the nineteenth century; our ancestors came here from the other side of the mountain. Under the road leading to the mosque there are ancient ruins, and last year in summer excavations began there. The village also has an old legend: the lake, they say, came into being in one night, and a certain shepherd, seeing the water, couldn't believe it. The monastery's chronicle has come down to our days; the drought of those years is recorded in it. Nowadays thirty houses remain in the village, but in summer everyone comes back.
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 was the village founded?
- What began last summer?
- What does the legend say?
- How many houses remain in the village?
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.