LingoflyThe decision I feared
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. If I had decided earlier, it would have been easier. But I kept putting it off: I thought the time had not come yet.…
Text
- Якби я вирішив раніше, було б легше. Але я відкладав: думав, що ще не час. Скоріш за все, я просто боявся помилитися. Урешті-решт я виписав переваги й недоліки на аркуш і зрозумів, що недоліків майже немає. Виявилося, що найважче було не вирішити, а зізнатися собі.Yakby ya vyrishyv ranishe, bulo b lehshe. Ale ya vidkladav: dumav, shcho shche ne chas. Skorish za vse, ya prosto boiavsia pomylytysia. Ureshti-resht ya vypysav perevahy y nedoliky na arkush i zrozumiv, shcho nedolikiv maizhe nemaie. Vyiavylosia, shcho naivazhche bulo ne vyrishyty, a ziznatysia sobi.If I had decided earlier, it would have been easier. But I kept putting it off: I thought the time had not come yet. Most likely I was simply afraid of making a mistake. In the end I wrote out the advantages and disadvantages on a sheet and saw that there were almost no disadvantages. It turned out the hardest part was not deciding but admitting it to myself.
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 the narrator put it off?
- What did he do in the end?
- What did he understand about the disadvantages?
- What was the hardest?
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.