The neighbour who keeps his word
A text in Urdu 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. Our neighbour speaks little; people call him a loner. At first we thought him vain, but he is simply bashful. In…
Text
- ہمارے پڑوسی کم بولتے ہیں، لوگ انہیں تنہا پسند کہتے ہیں۔ پہلے ہم سمجھتے تھے کہ وہ خود پسند ہیں، مگر وہ صرف شرمیلا ہیں۔ سردیوں میں جب ہمارے گھر کا پانی بند ہو گیا تو وہ صبح ہی ہاتھ بٹانے آ گئے۔ وہ کبھی شیخی نہیں بگھارتے اور نہ کسی کی چغل خوری کرتے ہیں۔ لوگ اب مانتے ہیں کہ یہ وعدہ نبھاتے ہیں۔humare parosi kam bolte hain, log inhen tanha psand kehte hain. pehle hum samjhte the ke wo khud psand hain, magar wo sirf sharmila hain. sardion main dzhab humare ghar ka pani band ho gaya to wo subah hi hath batane a gae. wo kabhi shikhi nahin bagharte aur na kisi ki chughli khori kerte hain. log ab mante hain ke ye wada nikhbhate hain.Our neighbour speaks little; people call him a loner. At first we thought him vain, but he is simply bashful. In winter, when the water in our house was cut off, he came in the morning to lend a hand. He never boasts and never gossips. People now admit: he keeps his word.
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 do the neighbours consider the newcomer?
- What did he turn out to be in fact?
- What did he do in winter?
- Why is he respected now?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Urdu?
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.