(see post below for Heidi Ch. 1 for speakers of Russian)
Chapter 1. Up the Mountain to Alm Uncle
On a clear sunny morning in June, Heidi and her Aunt[1] Dete climbed[2] the narrow[3] mountain path[4] from Mayenfeld to the village of Dorfli. Heidi, who was just five years old, looked like she was dressed for winter. On top of her summer dress, she wore her winter dress, and over that, a thick red woolen shawl. Heidi struggled[5] to walk as fast as Aunt Dete as they passed quickly through the village.
As they passed the last house in Dorfli, Aunt Dete stopped as she heard a voice cry out, “Wait, Dete, if you are going any further, I will come with you.”
An old, stout woman stepped out of the house and smiled adoringly at Heidi, although Heidi did not know this woman.
“Are you tired sweetie?” she asked.
“No, just hot,” replied Heidi.
“You have done very well so far,” Aunt Dete told Heidi, kindly, “Now, just one hour more and we will be at Grandfather’s hut[6].”
The older woman gasped, “You are taking her to Alm Uncle’s hut?” Alm Uncle was what everyone in Dorfli called Heidi’s grandfather, who lived alone near the top of the mountain. He was a very mean man, and never spoke to anybody.
“Yes,” replied Dete, “He is her grandfather, after all. I cannot go on living like this. I have taken care of her ever since my sister died when she was just an infant, and now it is time for me to find my own life. I have found a job in Frankfurt and will return for Heidi when I can.”
The older woman continued to look horrified.
“But surely she will die, living with him!” She exclaimed.
“He raised Heidi’s father just fine all alone up there, and I am sure he will not harm[7] the child.” And with that, Dete took Heidi’s arm and started up the mountain.
Halfway between Dorfli and Heidi’s Grandfather’s house, Aunt Dete and Heidi passed an old, brown house. Here lived eleven year old Peter, the goatherd[8]. Just beyond the house, Aunt Dete could see Peter with the herd of goats[9] from the village. Every morning, Peter went down to the village and summoned the goats, who were led to him by their owners. He then spent the day alone on the mountainside with the goats, returning them to the village at nightfall. Peter lived with his mother and his grandmother. His father had been a goatherd also, but had died many years before.
As Aunt Dete and Heidi got nearer to Grandfather’s hut, they could see him sitting in a chair[10] on the side looking towards the valley. He looked peacefully out into the valley.
When Heidi saw her grandfather, she rushed up the hill. She went straight up to the old man, put out her hand, and said, “Good evening, Grandfather.”
“So, so, what is the meaning of this?” He asked gruffly, as he gave the child an abrupt shake of the hand and scrutinized her from under his thick eyebrows. Before Heidi could reply, Aunt Dete came up behind her.
“I wish you good day, Uncle,” said Dete, as she walked towards him, “And I have brought you Tobias and Adelheid’s child.”
“And why have you brought the child to me?” asked the old man.
“The child will stay with you. I have, I think, done my duty for these four years, and now it is time for you to do yours.”
“That’s it, is it?” said the old man in an angry voice. “And when the child begins to cry for you, what should do with her then?”
“That is for you to decide,” replied Dete. “I had to put up with her without complaining[11] for four years. Now I need to go and start my own life, and you are her grandfather. If you cannot keep her, then do what you want with her. Although I don’t think that you would do anything bad to your own grandchild.”
Aunt Dete, feeling bad herself about what she was doing with Heidi, had said more than she needed to. Uncle rose from his seat, and looked at her angrily[12]. He then shouted[13], “Go away!”
Aunt Dete did not wait to be told twice. “Goodbye to you then, and to you too, Heidi.” And with that, she turned quickly away and rushed[14] down the mountain.
Flashcards
With English definitions: http://www.flashcardmachine.com/p/y65r5y
For speakers of Russian: http://www.flashcardmachine.com/p/w4s93b
[1] Aunt (noun): Sister of one’s mother or father.
[2] To climb (verb): To move upward
[3] Narrow (adjective): Being not very wide, small
[4] Path (noun): A small road
[5] To struggle (verb): To find it difficult to do something, to do something with difficulty.
[6] Hut (noun): A small house
[7] To harm (verb): To injure, damage, or abuse.
[8] Goatherd (noun): A person who watches goats while they eat in the fields during the day.
[9] Goat (noun): An animal related to sheep with horns that gives milk.
[10] Chair (noun): A piece of furniture with a back, for one person to sit on
[11] To complain (verb): To express dissatisfaction, such as with pain or something that is wrong.
[12] Angrily (adverb): To act or say something In a way that shows negative emotion.
[13] To talk using a loud, angry voice
[14] To rush (verb): To move quickly
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Heidi Chapter 1 for Speakers of Russian
Chapter 1. Up the Mountain to Alm Uncle (for speakers of Russian)
On a clear sunny morning in June, Heidi and her Aunt[1] Dete climbed[2] the narrow[3] mountain path[4] from Mayenfeld to the village of Dorfli. Heidi, who was just five years old, looked like she was dressed for winter. On top of her summer dress, she wore her winter dress, and over that, a thick red woolen shawl. Heidi struggled[5] to walk as fast as Aunt Dete as they passed quickly through the village.
As they passed the last house in Dorfli, Aunt Dete stopped as she heard a voice cry out, “Wait, Dete, if you are going any further, I will come with you.”
An old, stout woman stepped out of the house and smiled adoringly at Heidi, although Heidi did not know this woman.
“Are you tired sweetie?” she asked.
“No, just hot,” replied Heidi.
“You have done very well so far,” Aunt Dete told Heidi, kindly, “Now, just one hour more and we will be at Grandfather’s hut[6].”
The older woman gasped, “You are taking her to Alm Uncle’s hut?” Alm Uncle was what everyone in Dorfli called Heidi’s grandfather, who lived alone near the top of the mountain. He was a very mean man, and never spoke to anybody.
“Yes,” replied Dete, “He is her grandfather, after all. I cannot go on living like this. I have taken care of her ever since my sister died when she was just an infant, and now it is time for me to find my own life. I have found a job in Frankfurt and will return for Heidi when I can.”
The older woman continued to look horrified.
“But surely she will die, living with him!” She exclaimed.
“He raised Heidi’s father just fine all alone up there, and I am sure he will not harm[7] the child.” And with that, Dete took Heidi’s arm and started up the mountain.
Halfway between Dorfli and Heidi’s Grandfather’s house, Aunt Dete and Heidi passed an old, brown house. Here lived eleven year old Peter, the goatherd[8]. Just beyond the house, Aunt Dete could see Peter with the herd of goats[9] from the village. Every morning, Peter went down to the village and summoned the goats, who were led to him by their owners. He then spent the day alone on the mountainside with the goats, returning them to the village at nightfall. Peter lived with his mother and his grandmother. His father had been a goatherd also, but had died many years before.
As Aunt Dete and Heidi got nearer to Grandfather’s hut, they could see him sitting in a chair[10] on the side looking towards the valley. He looked peacefully out into the valley.
When Heidi saw her grandfather, she rushed up the hill. She went straight up to the old man, put out her hand, and said, “Good evening, Grandfather.”
“So, so, what is the meaning of this?” He asked gruffly, as he gave the child an abrupt shake of the hand and scrutinized her from under his thick eyebrows. Before Heidi could reply, Aunt Dete came up behind her.
“I wish you good day, Uncle,” said Dete, as she walked towards him, “And I have brought you Tobias and Adelheid’s child.”
“And why have you brought the child to me?” asked the old man.
“The child will stay with you. I have, I think, done my duty for these four years, and now it is time for you to do yours.”
“That’s it, is it?” said the old man in an angry voice. “And when the child begins to cry for you, what should do with her then?”
“That is for you to decide,” replied Dete. “I had to put up with her without complaining[11] for four years. Now I need to go and start my own life, and you are her grandfather. If you cannot keep her, then do what you want with her. Although I don’t think that you would do anything bad to your own grandchild.”
Aunt Dete, feeling bad herself about what she was doing with Heidi, had said more than she needed to. Uncle rose from his seat, and looked at her angrily[12]. He then shouted[13], “Go away!”
Aunt Dete did not wait to be told twice. “Goodbye to you then, and to you too, Heidi.” And with that, she turned quickly away and rushed[14] down the mountain.
[1] Aunt (noun): Тетя
[2] To climb (verb): влезть (на гору)
[3] Narrow (adjective): узкий
[4] Path (noun): путь
[5] To struggle (verb): с трудом
[6] Hut (noun): домик
[7] To harm (verb): наносить ущерб
[8] Goatherd (noun): козий пастух
[9] Goat (noun): козел
[10] Chair (noun): стул
[11] To complain (verb): Жаловаться
[12] Angrily (adverb): Сердито
[13] To shout (verb): кричать
[14] To rush (verb): Спешать
On a clear sunny morning in June, Heidi and her Aunt[1] Dete climbed[2] the narrow[3] mountain path[4] from Mayenfeld to the village of Dorfli. Heidi, who was just five years old, looked like she was dressed for winter. On top of her summer dress, she wore her winter dress, and over that, a thick red woolen shawl. Heidi struggled[5] to walk as fast as Aunt Dete as they passed quickly through the village.
As they passed the last house in Dorfli, Aunt Dete stopped as she heard a voice cry out, “Wait, Dete, if you are going any further, I will come with you.”
An old, stout woman stepped out of the house and smiled adoringly at Heidi, although Heidi did not know this woman.
“Are you tired sweetie?” she asked.
“No, just hot,” replied Heidi.
“You have done very well so far,” Aunt Dete told Heidi, kindly, “Now, just one hour more and we will be at Grandfather’s hut[6].”
The older woman gasped, “You are taking her to Alm Uncle’s hut?” Alm Uncle was what everyone in Dorfli called Heidi’s grandfather, who lived alone near the top of the mountain. He was a very mean man, and never spoke to anybody.
“Yes,” replied Dete, “He is her grandfather, after all. I cannot go on living like this. I have taken care of her ever since my sister died when she was just an infant, and now it is time for me to find my own life. I have found a job in Frankfurt and will return for Heidi when I can.”
The older woman continued to look horrified.
“But surely she will die, living with him!” She exclaimed.
“He raised Heidi’s father just fine all alone up there, and I am sure he will not harm[7] the child.” And with that, Dete took Heidi’s arm and started up the mountain.
Halfway between Dorfli and Heidi’s Grandfather’s house, Aunt Dete and Heidi passed an old, brown house. Here lived eleven year old Peter, the goatherd[8]. Just beyond the house, Aunt Dete could see Peter with the herd of goats[9] from the village. Every morning, Peter went down to the village and summoned the goats, who were led to him by their owners. He then spent the day alone on the mountainside with the goats, returning them to the village at nightfall. Peter lived with his mother and his grandmother. His father had been a goatherd also, but had died many years before.
As Aunt Dete and Heidi got nearer to Grandfather’s hut, they could see him sitting in a chair[10] on the side looking towards the valley. He looked peacefully out into the valley.
When Heidi saw her grandfather, she rushed up the hill. She went straight up to the old man, put out her hand, and said, “Good evening, Grandfather.”
“So, so, what is the meaning of this?” He asked gruffly, as he gave the child an abrupt shake of the hand and scrutinized her from under his thick eyebrows. Before Heidi could reply, Aunt Dete came up behind her.
“I wish you good day, Uncle,” said Dete, as she walked towards him, “And I have brought you Tobias and Adelheid’s child.”
“And why have you brought the child to me?” asked the old man.
“The child will stay with you. I have, I think, done my duty for these four years, and now it is time for you to do yours.”
“That’s it, is it?” said the old man in an angry voice. “And when the child begins to cry for you, what should do with her then?”
“That is for you to decide,” replied Dete. “I had to put up with her without complaining[11] for four years. Now I need to go and start my own life, and you are her grandfather. If you cannot keep her, then do what you want with her. Although I don’t think that you would do anything bad to your own grandchild.”
Aunt Dete, feeling bad herself about what she was doing with Heidi, had said more than she needed to. Uncle rose from his seat, and looked at her angrily[12]. He then shouted[13], “Go away!”
Aunt Dete did not wait to be told twice. “Goodbye to you then, and to you too, Heidi.” And with that, she turned quickly away and rushed[14] down the mountain.
[1] Aunt (noun): Тетя
[2] To climb (verb): влезть (на гору)
[3] Narrow (adjective): узкий
[4] Path (noun): путь
[5] To struggle (verb): с трудом
[6] Hut (noun): домик
[7] To harm (verb): наносить ущерб
[8] Goatherd (noun): козий пастух
[9] Goat (noun): козел
[10] Chair (noun): стул
[11] To complain (verb): Жаловаться
[12] Angrily (adverb): Сердито
[13] To shout (verb): кричать
[14] To rush (verb): Спешать
Welcome to Learn English through Reading!
Welcome!
In addition to doing a weekly podcast during which I will read the chapter of the week, I will be posting the story and the vocabulary here. I recommend that you listen to the podcast, as well as taking the time to study and words you don’t know. If you have any questions, feel free to post them below.
The story we are reading now is Heidi, which I have adapted for intermediate learners of English with a vocabulary of between 1000-2000 words. I am just getting started, and will eventually make stories available with a larger vocabulary.
Thanks for reading!
In addition to doing a weekly podcast during which I will read the chapter of the week, I will be posting the story and the vocabulary here. I recommend that you listen to the podcast, as well as taking the time to study and words you don’t know. If you have any questions, feel free to post them below.
The story we are reading now is Heidi, which I have adapted for intermediate learners of English with a vocabulary of between 1000-2000 words. I am just getting started, and will eventually make stories available with a larger vocabulary.
Thanks for reading!
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