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A1 RussianBilingual Reader

Карта у Ленинградского вокзала

Maria leaves Leningradsky Station with a small suitcase. Announcements echo at the metro entrance as people hurry toward the gates.

Maria asks a station employee for help at a crowded metro ticket machine near Leningradsky Station.

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

Мария выходит с Ленинградского вокзала с маленьким чемоданом.

Your speaking goal

Ask where to buy a transit card and confirm the correct machine.

  • “Подскажите, пожалуйста, где купить карту?”
  • “Нажмите синюю кнопку”
  • “Этот автомат принимает банковские карты?”

Warm-up vocabulary

Preview 3 optional words before reading
Подскажите, пожалуйста
Could you tell me, please
“Подскажите, пожалуйста, где метро.”
Где купить билет?
Where can I buy a ticket?
“Где купить билет?”
Этот автомат работает?
Does this machine work?
“Извините, этот автомат работает?”

Your Russian story

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

Мария выходит с с маленьким чемоданом.

Maria leaves Leningradsky Station with a small suitcase.

У входа в метро громко звучат объявления, и люди спешат .

Announcements echo at the metro entrance as people hurry toward the gates.

На экране автомата Мария видит много разных билетов.

On the machine’s screen, Maria sees many different tickets.

Она подходит к сотруднику: «Подскажите, пожалуйста, где купить карту?»

She approaches an employee. “Could you tell me where to buy a card, please?”

Сотрудник показывает на : «Вот здесь. Нажмите синюю кнопку».

The employee points to the next machine. “Right here. Press the blue button.”

Мария уточняет: «Этот автомат принимает банковские карты?»

Maria checks, “Does this machine accept bank cards?”

Через минуту новая карта лежит , и турникет открывается.

A minute later, the new card rests in her palm and the gate opens.

Reading Comprehension Exercise

A1 Russian Reading Comprehension Exercises

1. What confuses Maria at first?

2. What does Maria verify before paying?

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