LingoflyI started my own business
A text in Turkish at level B1. The translation sits next to it for checking, not for support: at this level the text is read whole, and an unknown word is usually guessed from the sentence. Two years ago I worked at a factory; then I quit and opened a small workshop. In the first months I had one client…
Text
- İki yıl önce fabrikada çalışıyordum; sonra işten çıktım ve küçük bir atölye açtım. İlk aylarda tek müşterim vardı, üretim azdı ve her ay zarar ettim. Bir tedarikçi buldum, malzemeyi ucuza aldım ve fiyatları yeniden hesapladım. Şimdi üç kişiyi işe aldım, ayda bir sunum yapıyorum ve dükkân küçük de olsa kâr ediyor. En zor kısmı para değil, sabırdı: talep bir yılda oluştu, bir günde değil.Two years ago I worked at a factory; then I quit and opened a small workshop. In the first months I had one client, production was small, and every month I operated at a loss. I found a supplier, started buying material cheaper, and recalculated the prices. Now I've hired three people, I give a presentation once a month, and the shop, small as it is, makes a profit. The hardest part wasn't money but patience: demand took a year to build, not a day.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- Where did he work two years ago?
- What was it like in the first months?
- What did he do after finding a supplier?
- What turned out to be the hardest?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Turkish?
B1. That means: everyday topics are behind you, you know about three thousand words, and an unknown word is more often guessed from the sentence than looked up.
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.