LingoflyThe courtyard that changed
A text in Ukrainian 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. There used to be nothing in our courtyard: a broken bench, a garbage bin and weeds. Then the residents got together and…
Text
- Раніше в нашому дворі не було нічого: розбита лава, сміттєвий бак і бурʼян. Потім мешканці зібралися й вирішили змінити це самі. Зібрали гроші, найняли будівельників, посадили дерева. Волонтери зробили дитячий майданчик за два тижні. Тепер тут гамірно від дітей, і ніхто не шкодує про витрати.Ranishe v nashomu dvori ne bulo nichoho: rozbyta lava, smittievyi bak i burian. Potim meshkantsi zibralysia y vyrishyly zminyty tse sami. Zibraly hroshi, nainialy budivelnykiv, posadyly dereva. Volontery zrobyly dytiachyi maidanchyk za dva tyzhni. Teper tut hamirno vid ditei, i nikhto ne shkoduie pro vytraty.There used to be nothing in our courtyard: a broken bench, a garbage bin and weeds. Then the residents got together and decided to change it themselves. They collected money, hired builders, planted trees. Volunteers built a playground in two weeks. Now it is noisy with children here, and no one regrets the expense.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- What was in the courtyard before?
- Who decided to change everything?
- How long did the playground take?
- How do people feel about the expense?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Ukrainian?
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.