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A1 RussianBilingual Reader

Последняя булочка с корицей

On Saturday morning, Anna steps into a small bakery on Vasilyevsky Island. Inside, the air smells of rye bread and cinnamon, and the windows are fogged with warmth.

Anna chooses a warm apple pastry after the last cinnamon bun is sold at a Saint Petersburg bakery.

What you'll learn

  • Bilingual graded story
  • Native narration
  • 7 useful words
  • 2 comprehension questions

Then shadow

Borrow the narrator’s rhythm

Pause after this line and repeat it aloud without translating. Aim for three clean repetitions.

1Listen first

Hear the whole story

Native Russian narration of this exact text. Keep the transcript visible on the first pass.

0:00–:––
Playback speed: Natural

2Then shadow

В субботу утром Анна заходит в маленькую пекарню на Васильевском острове.

Your speaking goal

Ask what is still available and order one pastry with tea.

  • “А что ещё тёплое есть?”
  • “Один пирожок с яблоком и чай, пожалуйста”
  • “Анна садится у окна”

Warm-up vocabulary

Preview 3 optional words before reading
А что ещё есть?
What else is there?
“Кофе нет. А что ещё есть?”
Один пирожок с яблоком, пожалуйста
One apple pastry, please
“Один пирожок с яблоком, пожалуйста.”
сесть у окна
sit by the window
“Можно сесть у окна?”

Your Russian story

Read along with the narration, and tap any highlighted word for its meaning

В субботу утром Анна заходит в маленькую пекарню на .

On Saturday morning, Anna steps into a small bakery on Vasilyevsky Island.

Внутри пахнет ржаным хлебом и корицей, а от тепла.

Inside, the air smells of rye bread and cinnamon, and the windows are fogged with warmth.

Покупатель перед Анной берёт с корицей.

The customer ahead of Anna takes the last cinnamon bun.

Анна вздыхает и спрашивает продавщицу: «А что ещё тёплое есть?»

Anna sighs and asks the clerk, “What else do you have that’s warm?”

«Один и чай, пожалуйста».

“One apple pastry and tea, please.”

Продавщица кладёт горячий пирожок на синюю тарелку.

The clerk places the hot pastry on a blue plate.

Анна садится у окна, слышит хруст теста и улыбается: новый выбор ей нравится.

Anna sits by the window, hears the pastry crackle, and smiles: she likes her new choice.

Reading Comprehension Exercise

A1 Russian Reading Comprehension Exercises

1. Why does Anna change her order?

2. What suggests that Anna enjoys the replacement?

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