The first marathon
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. A year ago I was far from exercise. Then I began going to the gym — at first only a light warmup. In November I took…
Text
- سال بھر پہلے میں ورزش سے دور رہتا تھا۔ پھر جم جانا شروع کیا، پہلے صرف ہلکی ورزش۔ نومبر میں میراتھن میں حصہ لیا، پرانے موچ کے باوجود۔ اسٹارٹ پر تین ہزار دوڑنے والے اور اتنے ہی حامی تھے۔ منزل تک چار گھنٹے میں پہنچا، تمغہ نہ ملا، مگر اپنا ریکارڈ بن گیا۔sal bhar pehle main warzish se dur rehta tha. phir dzhim dzhana shuru kiya, pehle sirf halki warzish. nombar main merathan main hissa liya, prane moch ke bawdzhud. start per tin hazar dorne wale aur atne hi hami the. manzil tak char ghante main pahuncha, tamgha ne mila, magar apna rikard ban gaya.A year ago I was far from exercise. Then I began going to the gym — at first only a light warmup. In November I took part in a marathon, despite an old strain. At the start there were three thousand runners and as many fans. I reached the finish in four hours: no medal, but a record for 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.
- What did he begin with?
- What was wrong with his leg?
- How many runners were at the start?
- How did the run end?
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.