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Day 43 · Culture & Free Time · A2 Level

What I Could and Couldn't Do

Daily Reading Practice · Elementary passage

⏱ Time target: 4-5 minutes 📖 Reading + Vocabulary ✅ 10 True / False questions
How to use this page: Highlighted words are key vocabulary. On a computer, hover your mouse over a highlighted word — on phone or tablet, tap the word — to see its English definition, a synonym, and its Uzbek 🇺🇿 and Russian 🇷🇺 meaning. Tap 🇬🇧 UK or 🇺🇸 US to hear it pronounced in either accent.
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Reading Passage

"Could you swimswim (verb)To move through water using arms and legs.Synonym: bathe🇺🇿UZ: suzmoq🇷🇺RU: плавать when you were youngyoung (adj)In an early period of life.Synonym: youthful🇺🇿UZ: yosh🇷🇺RU: молодой?" Umida asks her friend Botir. "I could swim by the ageage (noun)The number of years someone has lived.Synonym: years🇺🇿UZ: yosh (yil)🇷🇺RU: возраст of six," Botir says proudlyproudly (adverb)In a way that shows satisfaction with achievement.Synonym: with pride🇺🇿UZ: faxr bilan🇷🇺RU: гордо, "but I couldn't rideride (verb)To travel on a bicycle or animal.Synonym: cycle🇺🇿UZ: minmoq🇷🇺RU: кататься a bikebike (noun)A two-wheeled vehicle pedalled with the feet.Synonym: bicycle🇺🇿UZ: velosiped🇷🇺RU: велосипед until I was ten."

"That's funnyfunny (adj)Causing laughter or amusement.Synonym: amusing🇺🇿UZ: kulgili🇷🇺RU: смешной," Umida laughs. "I could ride a bike really earlyearly (adverb)Before the usual time.Synonym: soon🇺🇿UZ: erta🇷🇺RU: рано, but I couldn't swim at all until I was thirteen. I was terrifiedterrified (adj)Extremely afraid.Synonym: very scared🇺🇿UZ: juda qo'rqqan🇷🇺RU: напуганный of deepdeep (adj)Extending far down.Synonym: far below the surface🇺🇿UZ: chuqur🇷🇺RU: глубокий waterwater (noun)A clear liquid essential for life.Synonym: liquid🇺🇿UZ: suv🇷🇺RU: вода."

"Could you stay outstay out (phrasal verb)To remain away from home, especially late.Synonym: remain outside🇺🇿UZ: tashqarida qolmoq🇷🇺RU: оставаться на улице latelate (adverb)After the usual or expected time.Synonym: not early🇺🇿UZ: kech🇷🇺RU: поздно as a childchild (noun)A young person.Synonym: kid🇺🇿UZ: bola🇷🇺RU: ребёнок?" Botir asks. "Not at all," Umida says. "I couldn't stay out after six o'clock, even in summersummer (noun)The warmest season of the year.Synonym: summertime🇺🇿UZ: yoz🇷🇺RU: лето. My parentsparent (noun)A mother or father.Synonym: mother and father🇺🇿UZ: ota-ona🇷🇺RU: родители were very strictstrict (adj)Expecting rules to be obeyed; not allowing exceptions.Synonym: firm🇺🇿UZ: qattiqqo'l🇷🇺RU: строгий."

"I couldn't eithereither (adverb)Used to add a negative statement after another.Synonym: also not🇺🇿UZ: ham (inkorda)🇷🇺RU: тоже (в отриц.)," Botir admitsadmit (verb)To agree that something is true.Synonym: confesses🇺🇿UZ: tan oladi🇷🇺RU: признаёт. "But I could watchwatch (verb)To look at something for a period of time.Synonym: view🇺🇿UZ: tomosha qilmoq🇷🇺RU: смотреть as much televisiontelevision (noun)A device for receiving broadcast programmes.Synonym: TV🇺🇿UZ: televizor🇷🇺RU: телевизор as I wanted on weekends. Could you?" "Definitelydefinitely (adverb)Without doubt; certainly.Synonym: certainly🇺🇿UZ: albatta🇷🇺RU: определённо not," Umida laughs. "I could only watch for one hourhour (noun)A period of sixty minutes.Synonym: sixty minutes🇺🇿UZ: soat🇷🇺RU: час a day."

"Could you speakspeak (verb)To talk using words.Synonym: talk🇺🇿UZ: gapirmoq🇷🇺RU: говорить any otherother (adj)Different from the one already mentioned.Synonym: additional🇺🇿UZ: boshqa🇷🇺RU: другой languageslanguage (noun)Systems of communication used by people.Synonym: tongues🇺🇿UZ: tillar🇷🇺RU: языки as a child?" Umida asks. "I could speak a littlelittle (determiner)A small amount of.Synonym: a bit of🇺🇿UZ: biroz🇷🇺RU: немного Russian," Botir says, "but I couldn't speak any English until secondarysecondary school (noun)A school for older children, after primary school.Synonym: high school🇺🇿UZ: o'rta maktab🇷🇺RU: средняя школа school."

"Same heresame here (phrase)Used to say you feel or experienced the same.Synonym: me too🇺🇿UZ: menda ham xuddi shunday🇷🇺RU: то же самое," Umida nodsnod (verb)To move the head down and up to show agreement.Synonym: agrees with a gesture🇺🇿UZ: bosh irg'aydi🇷🇺RU: кивает. "I couldn't understandunderstand (verb)To know the meaning of something.Synonym: comprehend🇺🇿UZ: tushunmoq🇷🇺RU: понимать a wordword (noun)A single unit of language.Synonym: term🇺🇿UZ: so'z🇷🇺RU: слово of English until I was twelve. Now look at us — we could probablyprobably (adverb)Likely to happen or be true.Synonym: likely🇺🇿UZ: ehtimol🇷🇺RU: вероятно have a whole conversationconversation (noun)A talk between two or more people.Synonym: chat🇺🇿UZ: suhbat🇷🇺RU: разговор in three languages."

"Truetrue (adj)In accordance with fact; correct.Synonym: correct🇺🇿UZ: to'g'ri🇷🇺RU: верно," Botir smiles. "We couldn't do everything as children, but we've clearlyclearly (adverb)In a way that is easy to see or understand.Synonym: obviously🇺🇿UZ: aniq ravishda🇷🇺RU: явно learnedlearn (verb)To gain knowledge or a skill.Synonym: acquired🇺🇿UZ: o'rgangan🇷🇺RU: выучили a lot since then."

◆ Micro-task Write what this text is mainly about.

Check Your Understanding — True / False