LingoflyA year without bad habits
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. A year ago I quit smoking. The first two weeks were the hardest: everything irritated me, and insomnia would not let me…
Text
- Рік тому я кинув палити. Перші два тижні були найважчі: дратувало все, і безсоння не давало спати. Потім стало легше. Лікар сказав, що легені відновлюються повільно, зате точно. Тепер я більше ходжу пішки й уникаю жирної їжі. Здоровʼя не купиш, але його можна берегти.Rik tomu ya kynuv palyty. Pershi dva tyzhni buly naivazhchi: dratuvalo vse, i bezsonnia ne davalo spaty. Potim stalo lehshe. Likar skazav, shcho leheni vidnovliuiutsia povilno, zate tochno. Teper ya bilshe khodzhu pishky y unykaiu zhyrnoi yizhi. Zdorovia ne kupysh, ale yoho mozhna berehty.A year ago I quit smoking. The first two weeks were the hardest: everything irritated me, and insomnia would not let me sleep. Then it got easier. The doctor said the lungs recover slowly but surely. Now I walk more and avoid fatty food. You cannot buy health, but you can take care of it.
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 the narrator quit smoking?
- What troubled him in the first two weeks?
- What did the doctor say about the lungs?
- What does the narrator avoid?
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.