Daily Reading Practice · Nonfiction passage
Any word, any time — right from this page.
Today, books are everywhere — in homes, schools, librarieslibrary (noun)Buildings containing collections of books for reading or borrowing.≈ Synonym: book collections🇺🇿UZ: kutubxona🇷🇺RU: библиотека, and shops. But there was a time when books were rarerare (adj)Not common; unusual.≈ Synonym: scarce🇺🇿UZ: noyob🇷🇺RU: редкий and expensive. Before the inventioninvention (noun)A thing created or designed for the first time.≈ Synonym: creation🇺🇿UZ: ixtiro🇷🇺RU: изобретение of the printing pressprinting press (noun)A machine for printing books and newspapers.🇺🇿UZ: bosmaxona dastgohi🇷🇺RU: печатный станок, books had to be copiedcopy (verb)Reproduced writing or a design exactly.≈ Synonym: reproduced🇺🇿UZ: ko'chirmoq, nusxa olmoq🇷🇺RU: копировать, переписывать by hand, usually by monksmonk (noun)Men who live in a religious community.≈ Synonym: friars🇺🇿UZ: rohib🇷🇺RU: монах or skilledskilled (adj)Having the ability to do a job well.≈ Synonym: expert🇺🇿UZ: malakali, mohir🇷🇺RU: квалифицированный, умелый writers. This took a very long time. A singlesingle (adj)Only one.≈ Synonym: one🇺🇿UZ: bitta, yagona🇷🇺RU: единственный, один book could take months or even years to completecomplete (verb)To finish making or doing something.≈ Synonym: finish🇺🇿UZ: tugatmoq, yakunlamoq🇷🇺RU: завершать. As a resultas a result (phr)Because of this.≈ Synonym: consequently🇺🇿UZ: natijada🇷🇺RU: в результате, only rich people or religiousreligious (adj)Relating to religion or belief in a god.≈ Synonym: spiritual🇺🇿UZ: diniy🇷🇺RU: религиозный leaders could affordafford (verb)To have enough money to pay for something.≈ Synonym: manage to pay for🇺🇿UZ: (pul jihatdan) qurbi yetmoq🇷🇺RU: позволить себе to own books.
That all changed in the 15th century when a man named Johannes Gutenberg inventedinvent (verb)Created or designed something for the first time.≈ Synonym: created🇺🇿UZ: ixtiro qilmoq🇷🇺RU: изобретать the printing press. Gutenberg was a German goldsmithgoldsmith (noun)A person who makes items from gold.≈ Synonym: metalworker🇺🇿UZ: zargar🇷🇺RU: ювелир, золотых дел мастер who had the idea of using small piecespiece (noun)A part of something.≈ Synonym: part🇺🇿UZ: bo'lak🇷🇺RU: кусок, часть of metalmetal (noun)A hard, shiny material such as iron or gold.≈ Synonym: alloy🇺🇿UZ: metall🇷🇺RU: металл with lettersletter (noun)Written symbols representing sounds of speech.≈ Synonym: characters🇺🇿UZ: harf🇷🇺RU: буква on them. These letters, called movable typemovable type (noun)Reusable pieces of type used for printing text.≈ Synonym: printing letters🇺🇿UZ: harakatlanuvchan shrift🇷🇺RU: подвижный шрифт, could be arrangedarrange (verb)Put in a particular order or position.≈ Synonym: organised🇺🇿UZ: tartib bilan joylashtirmoq🇷🇺RU: расставлять, располагать to form words and sentences. Once the letters were in place, inkink (noun)A coloured liquid used for writing or printing.≈ Synonym: printing fluid🇺🇿UZ: siyoh🇷🇺RU: чернила was added, and the press was used to print many copiescopy (noun)Reproductions of an original document or book.≈ Synonym: duplicates🇺🇿UZ: nusxa🇷🇺RU: экземпляр, копия of a page in a short time.
The first majormajor (adj)Very important or large.≈ Synonym: main🇺🇿UZ: asosiy, yirik🇷🇺RU: крупный, главный book Gutenberg printed was the Bible. This became known as the Gutenberg Bible, and it showed how the printing press could produce beautiful, high-qualityhigh-quality (adj)Of a very good standard.≈ Synonym: excellent🇺🇿UZ: yuqori sifatli🇷🇺RU: высококачественный books. For the first time, books could be made in large numberslarge numbers (phr)Big quantities of something.≈ Synonym: great quantities🇺🇿UZ: ko'p sonli, katta miqdorda🇷🇺RU: большое количество. This meant that books became cheapercheap (adj)Costing less money.≈ Synonym: less expensive🇺🇿UZ: arzon🇷🇺RU: дешёвый and easier to get. More people were able to learn to read because they could now afford to buy books or borrowborrow (verb)To take something with the intention of returning it.≈ Synonym: loan🇺🇿UZ: qarzga olmoq, vaqtincha olmoq🇷🇺RU: брать взаймы them from others.
The printing press had a huge effecteffect (noun)A change caused by an event or action.≈ Synonym: impact🇺🇿UZ: ta'sir🇷🇺RU: влияние, эффект on educationeducation (noun)The process of teaching or learning.≈ Synonym: schooling🇺🇿UZ: ta'lim🇷🇺RU: образование and society. Knowledgeknowledge (noun)Information and understanding you have.≈ Synonym: learning🇺🇿UZ: bilim🇷🇺RU: знание that was once limitedlimited (adj)Restricted in amount or extent.≈ Synonym: restricted🇺🇿UZ: cheklangan🇷🇺RU: ограниченный to a small group of people could now be sharedshare (verb)Given to or used by more than one person.≈ Synonym: distributed🇺🇿UZ: baham ko'rmoq, tarqatmoq🇷🇺RU: делиться, распространять widelywidely (adv)By many people; in many places.≈ Synonym: broadly🇺🇿UZ: keng miqyosda🇷🇺RU: широко. Science, art, and ideasidea (noun)Thoughts or suggestions.≈ Synonym: concepts🇺🇿UZ: g'oya, fikr🇷🇺RU: идея spread more quicklyquickly (adverb)At a fast speed.≈ Synonym: fast🇺🇿UZ: tez🇷🇺RU: быстро across Europe and later the world. The printing press helped start major changes, such as the RenaissanceRenaissance (noun)The period of European cultural revival, 14th-17th century.≈ Synonym: cultural rebirth🇺🇿UZ: Uyg'onish davri🇷🇺RU: эпоха Возрождения and the ReformationReformation (noun)The 16th-century movement reforming the Christian church.≈ Synonym: religious reform🇺🇿UZ: Reformatsiya (diniy islohot)🇷🇺RU: Реформация, because it allowed new ideas to reach more people.
In a way, the printing press was the internet of its time. Just as the internet connectsconnect (verb)Joins or links things together.≈ Synonym: links🇺🇿UZ: bog'lamoq🇷🇺RU: соединять people today, the printing press connected people in the past by sharing informationinformation (noun)Facts or details about something.≈ Synonym: data🇺🇿UZ: ma'lumot🇷🇺RU: информация and ideas. It gave people the chancechance (noun)An opportunity to do something.≈ Synonym: opportunity🇺🇿UZ: imkoniyat🇷🇺RU: шанс, возможность to learn, think, and questionquestion (verb)To express doubt about something; to ask about it.≈ Synonym: query🇺🇿UZ: shubha ostiga olmoq🇷🇺RU: подвергать сомнению the world around them.
In your own words, write a short summary of what you just read (90–120+ words). Don't copy sentences — explain the main ideas.
Every highlighted word from this story with its meaning in Uzbek 🇺🇿 and Russian 🇷🇺, and an example. Tap 🇬🇧 or 🇺🇸 to hear the word or the sentence in a British or American accent.
| # | 🇬🇧 | 🇺🇿 | 🇷🇺 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | librarynoun | kutubxona | библиотека | I borrowed this book from the school library. |
| 2 | rareadjective | noyob | редкий | It's rare to see snow in Tashkent in April. |
| 3 | inventionnoun | ixtiro | изобретение | The invention of the car changed cities forever. |
| 4 | printing pressnoun | bosmaxona dastgohi | печатный станок | The printing press made books much cheaper. |
| 5 | copyverb | ko'chirmoq, nusxa olmoq | копировать, переписывать | Don't copy your friend's answers. |
| 6 | monknoun | rohib | монах | The monks live a simple life in the mountains. |
| 7 | skilledadjective | malakali, mohir | квалифицированный, умелый | We need skilled workers for this project. |
| 8 | singleadjective | bitta, yagona | единственный, один | I didn't make a single mistake! |
| 9 | completeverb | tugatmoq, yakunlamoq | завершать | Please complete the form in black ink. |
| 10 | as a resultphrase | natijada | в результате | It rained all week. As a result, the match was cancelled. |
| 11 | religiousadjective | diniy | религиозный | Eid is an important religious holiday. |
| 12 | affordverb | (pul jihatdan) qurbi yetmoq | позволить себе | We can't afford a new car this year. |
| 13 | inventverb | ixtiro qilmoq | изобретать | Who invented the light bulb? |
| 14 | goldsmithnoun | zargar | ювелир, золотых дел мастер | The goldsmith made a beautiful ring for her wedding. |
| 15 | piecenoun | bo'lak | кусок, часть | Can I have a piece of cake? |
| 16 | metalnoun | metall | металл | The chairs are made of metal. |
| 17 | letternoun | harf | буква | The English alphabet has 26 letters. |
| 18 | movable typenoun | harakatlanuvchan shrift | подвижный шрифт | Movable type made printing much faster. |
| 19 | arrangeverb | tartib bilan joylashtirmoq | расставлять, располагать | She arranged the books by colour. |
| 20 | inknoun | siyoh | чернила | My pen has run out of ink. |
| 21 | copynoun | nusxa | экземпляр, копия | The novel sold two million copies. |
| 22 | majoradjective | asosiy, yirik | крупный, главный | Tashkent is a major business centre. |
| 23 | high-qualityadjective | yuqori sifatli | высококачественный | The shop sells high-quality leather bags. |
| 24 | large numbersphrase | ko'p sonli, katta miqdorda | большое количество | Large numbers of tourists visit Khiva every spring. |
| 25 | cheapadjective | arzon | дешёвый | Train tickets are cheaper than plane tickets. |
| 26 | borrowverb | qarzga olmoq, vaqtincha olmoq | брать взаймы | Can I borrow your pen? |
| 27 | effectnoun | ta'sir | влияние, эффект | The medicine had no effect. |
| 28 | educationnoun | ta'lim | образование | She wants a good education for her children. |
| 29 | knowledgenoun | bilim | знание | Knowledge is power. |
| 30 | limitedadjective | cheklangan | ограниченный | We have only a limited amount of time. |
| 31 | shareverb | baham ko'rmoq, tarqatmoq | делиться, распространять | She shared the video with all her friends. |
| 32 | widelyadverb | keng miqyosda | широко | Russian is still widely spoken in Uzbekistan. |
| 33 | ideanoun | g'oya, fikr | идея | That's a great idea! |
| 34 | quicklyadverb | tez | быстро | The news spread quickly. |
| 35 | Renaissancenoun | Uyg'onish davri | эпоха Возрождения | Leonardo da Vinci was a great Renaissance artist. |
| 36 | Reformationnoun | Reformatsiya (diniy islohot) | Реформация | The Reformation divided the Christian church in Europe. |
| 37 | connectverb | bog'lamoq | соединять | The new bridge connects the two parts of the city. |
| 38 | informationnoun | ma'lumot | информация | This website has a lot of useful information. |
| 39 | chancenoun | imkoniyat | шанс, возможность | This is your chance to show what you can do. |
| 40 | questionverb | shubha ostiga olmoq | подвергать сомнению | Good students question what they read. |