The exam, first try
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. I passed the driving-licence exam at nineteen. The instructor said: drive calmly, otherwise there will be a mistake. At…
Text
- ڈرائیونگ لائسنس کا امتحان میں نے انیس برس کی عمر میں دیا۔ انسٹرکٹر نے کہا کہ آرام سے چلو، ورنہ غلطی ہوگی۔ امتحان میں معلوم ہوا کہ سب سے مشکل کام پارکنگ نکلی۔ پہلی ہی بار میں گاڑی درست جگہ کھڑی کر لی۔ مجھے جتنا معلوم ہے، آدھے لوگ امتحان پہلی بار میں نہیں پاس کرتے۔ میرا پاس ہونا معلوم ہوا تو خاندان نے مٹھائی بانٹی۔draiwing laisens ka imtihan main ne unais baras ki umr main diya. instraktar ne kaha ke aram se chalo, warna ghalti hogi. imtihan main malum hua ke sab se mushkil kam parking nikli. pehli hi bar main gari darast dzhaga khari kar li. mujhe dzhitna malum hai, adhe log imtihan pehli bar main nahin pas karte. mera pas hona malum hua to khandan ne mithai banti.I passed the driving-licence exam at nineteen. The instructor said: drive calmly, otherwise there will be a mistake. At the exam it turned out that the hardest thing is parking. On the very first try I set the car in the right spot. As far as I know, half of people do not pass the first time. When it became known that I had passed, the family handed out sweets.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- At what age did he pass the exam?
- What did the instructor advise?
- What turned out hardest?
- What did the family do when he passed?
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.