Contents Истории из моего детства Stories From My Childhood Истории из моей школьной жизни

Brief Description and Useful Recommendations

The text is broken up into small excerpts. The adapted excerpt with inserted literal English translation and brief lexical comments comes first. The original text follows untranslated with no prompts.

Those who have just begun learning a foreign language can first read the text with the prompts and later on, the same text without any prompts. If they forget the meaning of some word but understand the text in general, it is unnecessary to look for a translation in the adapted excerpt. They will come across this word more than once in the future. The exact purpose of the untranslated passage is that for some amount of time, no matter how short, the reader is “swimming on his own”. When he has finished reading the original (unadapted) text, he should move on to the next adapted excerpt. And so on. There is no need to go back to review the material. One is just supposed to keep on reading.

Naturally, at first you will be overwhelmed by the torrent of unknown words and forms. Don’t be discouraged: no one is testing anyone here.. As you read (it may happen in the middle of the book or as you’re approaching the end) everything will “fall right into place” and you’ll probably be surprised: “Why do they provide the translation and the dictionary form of the word again when it’s already clear!” When you reach the “underderstood without saying” level, it’s worth changing the order in which you read: the unadapted excerpt first and the translated part second. (The same recommendation may be made to those who do not start learning a foreign language from scratch).

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Our memory is closely related to what we are feeling at a particular moment; it depends on what condition our inner world is in, how “awake” we are right now (and not, for example, how many times we repeat a certain expression or how many exercises we do).

In order to remember we don’t need to be frantically memorizing something, while half-asleep, or polishing certain skills. What we need is novelty of impressions. Instead of pronouncing the same word several times, it would be better if we saw it in different collocations and various contexts of meaning. The largest part of the most frequently used vocabulary will be memorized naturally, if you utilize the suggested reading method, due to the frequency of words. That’s the reason why, having read the text, one doesn’t have to try to memorize the new words. The “I won’t move on until I’ve digested it” approach doesn’t work here. The more intense the reading, the faster the person races ahead, the better. In this case, the more superficial, the more relaxed the manner of reading is, the better, strange as it may seem. Then the very volume of material starts to work for you; quantity turns into quality. Thus, the only thing that’s required from a reader is reading not thinking about a foreign language as something that for some reason should be learned, but thinking about the content of the book.

If you read really intensively, the method should work. The biggest mistake anyone makes when studying a foreign language is that they do it little by little, not jumping into it head first. Language is not mathematics; one doesn’t need to learn it, one needs to get accustomed to it. It’s not about logic or memory; it’s about experience and skill. It rather resembles a sport that one should practice according to a certain schedule, because otherwise there’ll be no result. If you start reading in a foreign language at once and do it a lot, then fluency is only a matter of three or four months (for beginners). If you read little by little, it’s just agonizing and slow. Language, in this sense, is akin to an icy hill – you have got to move fast if you want to get to the top of it. As long as you can’t reach the top you’ll be sliding down each time. If a person attains fluency in reading, they will never lose that skill or forget the vocabulary, even if they don't use it for several years.

2. Я `очень люб`ила кат`аться на своём трёхколёсном велосип`еде (I liked riding my three-wheeled bicycle very much). Мне б`ыло пять лет, и я уж`е сам`а ход`ила гул`ять во двор (I was five and could already go for a walk outdoors by myself), но велосип`ед был ещё сл`ишком тяжёлым для мен`я (but the bicycle was still too heavy for me). По`этому кт`о-нибудь из взр`ослых вынос`ил ег`о на `улицу (that's why one of the adults would carry it out; улица — street), когд`а я шла с ним на прог`улку (when I was going outside for a walk). А на н`ашей площ`адке жил`а ещё одн`а д`евочка (on the same floor with us lived another girl: «on our platform»; площадка — stand, platform; лестничная площадка — resting-place, entry, landing, space between two flights of stairs), её зв`али К`атя, и был`а он`а на год мл`адше мен`я (her name was Katya and she was one year younger than I). Я её терп`еть не могл`а (I couldn't stand her; терпеть — tolerate, endure), так как он`а всегд`а пыт`алась со мной подр`аться (as she was always bullying me: «trying to pick a fight with me») или отн`ять как`ую-нибудь игр`ушку (or take away one of my toys). И вот одн`ажды я сто`яла на сво`ей л`естничной площ`адке уж`е с велосип`едом и ждал`а (so once upon a time I was standing on my floor and waiting), когд`а м`ама в`ынесет ег`о во двор (for my mother to carry the bicycle out). Тут щёлкнула сос`едская дверь (at that moment I heard the sound of the adjacent door clicking: «here the neighbor's door snapped»; щёлкать — snap, click, crack) и я понял`а, что сейч`ас в`ыйдет Кат`я и б`удет отбир`ать у мен`я велосип`ед (and I realized that now Katya would come out and try to take my bicycle away from me). А м`ама что-то задерж`алась д`ома (but my mother got delayed: «overstayed») и всё ник`ак не выход`ила из кварт`иры (and wouldn't come out of the apartment)! Тогд`а я взял`а свой велосип`ед и побеж`ала вниз по ступ`енькам (then I took my bicycle and ran downstairs). Мы ж`или на п`ервом этаж`е, и на л`естнице б`ыло всег`о шесть ступ`енек (we lived on the first floor and the stairs had only six steps), но я споткн`улась почт`и ср`азу же (but I stumbled almost immediately), ост`аток пут`и прод`елала уж`е на кол`енках и приземл`илась р`ядом с велосип`едом (made the rest of the trip on my knees and landed next to the bicycle). На мой крик в`ыскочила исп`уганная м`ама (upon hearing me scream, my frightened mother rushed out) и стал`а мен`я утеш`ать (and started to comfort me). С`амое об`идное (the saddest thing was that: «the most offensive thing/the biggest pity»), что из сос`едней кварт`иры выход`ила в`овсе не К`атя, а её м`ама (from the neighboring apartment it wasn't Katya who came out but her mother), кот`орая шла по как`им-то сво`им дел`ам (who was going out on some business).

3. М`ама науч`ила мен`я чит`ать, когд`а мне б`ыло три г`ода (my mom taught me how to read when I was three years old). Снач`ала я, как и все д`ети, чит`ала т`олько вслух (at first, like all children, I could only read aloud). Но как-то произошёл так`ой сл`учай (but once something happened; случай — occasion, happening, occurence) — я чит`ала вслух как`ую-то кн`ижку (I was reading some book outloud), а род`ители и б`абушка смотр`ели телев`изор (but my parents and my grandmother were watching TV). Нав`ерное, б`ыла интер`есная перед`ача (the program must have been interesting; наверное — probably, possibly, likely), и на моё чт`ение он`и не обращ`али вним`ания (and no one was paying attention to my reading). И я под`умала (and I thought): «Зач`ем я стар`аюсь (why am I trying /so hard/), ч`итаю, мен`я ведь всё равн`о н`икто не сл`ушает (nobody's listening to me anyway: «all the same»)! Не б`уду чит`ать вслух, б`уду м`олча (I'm not going to read outloud anymore, I'll read to myself)». Получ`илось (it worked; получаться — work out, be a success)! Оказ`алось (it turned out), что это так зд`орово — чит`ать «про себ`я» (that it's so great to read «to yourself»), яз`ык не устаёт, и гор`аздо быстр`ее получ`ается (your tongue doesn't get tired and you can read more quickly).

4. Когд`а я немн`ожко подросл`а и большинств`о д`етских кн`ижек в н`ашем д`оме б`ыло проч`итано не од`ин раз (when I had grown up a little and most of the books in our home had been read more than once), м`ама запис`ала мен`я в д`етскую библиот`еку (my mom got me to join a children’s library; записать — enroll smb., sign smb. up for smth., make smb. a member of smth.). Мне `очень нр`авилось ход`ить туд`а, выбир`ать кн`ижки и пот`ом чит`ать их д`ома (I liked going there very much, choosing books, and then reading them at home). В библиот`еке б`ыло `очень мн`ого интер`есных д`етских книг для люб`ого в`озраста (there were many very interesting children's books in the library for all ages). Взять за од`ин раз м`ожно б`ыло м`аксимум три кн`иги (the maximum number of books one could borrow at one time was five). П`омню, как я одн`ажды взял`а очередн`ые три кн`ижки и пошл`а дом`ой (I remember once taking out my regular three books and going home), а пр`ямо по дор`оге начал`а чит`ать одн`у из книг — так интер`есно б`ыло (but right on the way I started reading one of them — that's how interesting it was)! И сам`а не зам`етила, как потер`яла одн`у кн`ижку (I didn't even notice losing one of the books). Я `очень бо`ялась, что библиот`екарь б`удет мен`я руг`ать (I was very afraid that the librarian would scold me), но м`ама дал`а мне две мо`их кн`ижки, кот`орые я уж`е прочит`ала не од`ин раз, и сказ`ала мне, чт`обы я отдал`а эти кн`иги в библиот`еку вм`есто той, кот`орую потер`яла (but my mom gave me two books that I had read more than once and told me to give them to the library in exchange for the one I lost). Я так и сд`елала, и мен`я, кон`ечно, не руг`али (I did so and, of course, was not scolded).

5. Одн`ажды п`апа сд`елал мне кач`ели (once my dad made a swing for me) и пов`есил их на верёвках в дверн`ом проёме м`ежду двум`я к`омнатами (and hung it in the doorway between two rooms). Я `очень полюб`ила кач`аться на `этих кач`елях (I liked swinging on that swing very much)! `Утром кто-ниб`удь из взр`ослых в`ешал их, а в`ечером сним`ал (in the morning one of the adults would hang it and in the evening /they would/ take it off). Ещё я люб`ила сл`ушать м`узыку и ск`азки (I also liked listening to music and fairy tales), у нас был про`игрыватель, и м`ожно б`ыло ст`авить пл`астинки (we had a record-player and one could put on records). Мо`им люб`имым певц`ом был Сальват`оре Адам`о (my favorite singer was Salvatore Adamo), я посто`янно ст`авила больш`ую пласт`инку с ег`о п`еснями (I would constantly listen to a big record of his songs; ставить — put on). А `если совмест`ить кач`ание на кач`елях и просл`ушивание п`есен Адам`о, то получ`алось пр`осто зд`орово (and if swinging on the swing and listening to Adamo's songs /could be/ combined, that was just great)! Я сейч`ас д`умаю, что, нав`ерное, род`ители и б`абушка наиз`усть в`ыучили все `эти п`есни, хот`я не зн`али франц`узского (I now think that my parents and my grandmom learned all those songs by heart although they didn’t speak French; знать — know). `Я-то т`очно могл`а их все повтор`ить (as far as I am concerned, I could definitely sing along to all of them; повторить — repeat), а б`ольше все`го мне нр`авилась п`есня «Tombe la neige» (and most of all I liked «Tombe la neige»).

6. Мне ч`асто вспомин`ается од`ин смешн`ой сл`учай (I often recall one funny occasion). Когд`а мне б`ыло `около трёх-четырёх лет (when I was about three or four), м`ама взял`а мен`я в хоз`яйственный магаз`ин (my mom took me to a hardware store). В `этом магаз`ине м`ожно б`ыло куп`ить м`ыло, сп`ички, стир`альный порош`ок, р`азную пос`уду и пр`очие тов`ары, необход`имые в хоз`яйстве (in that store one could buy soap, matches, washing powder, various kitchen utensils/dishes/crockery, and other things necessary for a household). А я прист`ала к м`аме (I was nagging my mom): «М`ама, куп`и мне что-ниб`удь (mom, buy me something)!» Мне б`ыло нев`ажно, что к`упят, хот`елось люб`ую вещь (it didn't matter what to buy, I just wanted any thing). Но в магаз`ине н`е было ни конф`ет, ни игр`ушек (but the shop had neither sweets nor toys). Б`едная м`ама (poor mother), не могл`а же он`а куп`ить ребёнку м`ыло или кастр`юлю (what was she supposed to do — buy her child a /a bar of/ soap or a saucepan = «she couldn't have bought...»)! В результ`ате (in the end; результат — result) он`а куп`ила мне пластм`ассовый подстак`анник, в кот`орый м`ожно б`ыло ст`авить стак`ан и пить (she bought me a plastic glass-holder into which a glass could be inserted to drink from). Подстак`анник был пох`ож на ч`ашку, т`олько дна у нег`о н`е было (the glass looked like a cup, only it had no bottom). Он стал одн`ой из мо`их игр`ушек (it became one of my toys), но я д`олго не могл`а пон`ять, почем`у у ч`ашки нет дна (but for a long time I couldn't understand why the cup had no bottom)! Ч`ерез н`есколько лет (several years later), когд`а я п`ервый раз по`ехала в п`оезде (when I took my first train ride), я ув`идела там подстак`анник и понял`а, что за шт`уку мне куп`ила в д`етстве м`ама (I saw a glass-holder and realized what kind of thing my mom had bought me).

7. В н`ашем д`оме жил д`ядя Абл`ет, кот`орый раб`отал в как`ой-то организ`ации шофёром (in our house live uncle Ablet who worked as a driver in some district organization). А ещё у нег`о был больш`ой мотоц`икл с кол`яской (he also had a motorcycle with a sidecar). Иногд`а он чин`ил ег`о пр`ямо во двор`е (sometimes he was repairing it right in the yard), раскл`адывал вокр`уг р`азные инструм`енты и запч`асти (with various tools and spare parts lying around; раскладывать — lay/spread out, display). `Это б`ыло так интер`есно (it was so interesting)! Д`ядя Абл`ет ч`асто кат`ал нас на своём мотоц`икле (uncle Ablet often gave us a ride on his motorcycle), иногд`а к нем`у забир`алось д`аже д`есять реб`ят (sometimes as many as ten children got in). Д`ети сид`ели в кол`яске, на запасн`ом колес`е, сз`ади и сп`ереди вод`ителя (the children would sit in the sidecar, on the spare wheel, behind the driver and in front of him), кор`оче, весь мотоц`икл облепл`яли (in brief, they would cling to the motorcycle from all sides; весь — whole, entire)! И `эта весёлая комп`ания с в`изгом и х`охотом к`аталась вокр`уг д`ома (and this merry company would ride around the house screaming and laughing), прос`ила прок`атить ещё раз`очек, пот`ом ещё раз`очек (asking for one more ride, and then one more)... Д`ядя Абл`ет был д`обрым челов`еком и люб`ил дет`ей (uncle Ablet was a kind man and loved children), по`этому он ч`асто нас кат`ал и вообщ`е игр`ал с н`ами (that's why he often gave us rides and generally played with us).

8. В Ташк`енте в н`ашем рай`оне по `улицам ч`асто `ездил од`ин дед на `ослике (in Tashkent in our district an old man: «grandfather» often went around on a neddy), а `ослик вёз тел`ежку (and the neddy was pulling a cart behind it). Дед гр`омко крич`ал (the oldman was shouting loudly): «Шар`а-бар`а! Шар`а-бар`а! (shara-bara)» Усл`ышав `этот крик (upon hearing him; крик — cry, shout, call /noun/), все д`ети двор`а беж`али снач`ала дом`ой и прос`или у мам пуст`ые бут`ылки из-п`од молок`а, п`ива и лимон`ада (all children would first rush home and ask their mothers for empty milk, beer, and lemonade bottles), а пот`ом беж`али к д`еду с `этими бут`ылками (and then would run to the old man with these bottles). Дед мен`ял бут`ылки на игр`ушки или поп-корн (the old man exchanged them for toys and popcorn). Игр`ушки б`ыли р`азные (there were different toys), наприм`ер, за одн`у бут`ылку м`ожно б`ыло получ`ить надувн`ой ш`арик (for instance, for one bottle one could get an inflatable balloon), за две — получ`ить расписн`ую гл`иняную свист`ульку (for two — a painted whistle made of clay), за три — ш`арик на рез`иночке (for three — a balloon on a rubber string). Но с`амыми дорог`ими «тов`арами» б`ыли пластм`ассовый водян`ой пистол`ет и кауч`уковый м`аленький м`ячик, кот`орый `очень д`олго и далек`о пр`ыгал (but the most expensive «goods» were a plastic water gun/pistol and a caoutchouc ball that could jump very long and far). Так`ой м`ячик м`ожно б`ыло запуст`ить и пот`ом за ним беж`ать, беж`ать, беж`ать (one could set such a ball going and then keep on running and running after it; запускать — launch, start smth. up)... Пистол`ет и м`ячик ст`оили по двен`адцать бут`ылок, и м`ало кто из дет`ей мог позв`олить себ`е так`ую р`оскошь (the pistol and the ball cost twelve bottles each and few of the children could afford such a luxury)!