Daily Reading Practice · Nonfiction passage
Any word, any time — right from this page.
More than two thousand years ago, traderstrader (noun)A person who buys and sells goods, often traveling to different places to do so.≈ Synonym: merchant🇺🇿UZ: savdogar🇷🇺RU: торговец began to travel along a huge networknetwork (noun)A large system of connected roads, lines, or paths.≈ Synonym: system🇺🇿UZ: tarmoq🇷🇺RU: сеть of roads that connected China to Europe and the Middle East. This network became known as the Silk Road, named after the valuablevaluable (adj)Worth a lot of money or very useful.≈ Synonym: precious🇺🇿UZ: qimmatbaho🇷🇺RU: ценный silk clothsilk cloth (noun)A smooth, valuable fabric made from the threads produced by silkworms.≈ Synonym: silk fabric🇺🇿UZ: ipak mato🇷🇺RU: шёлковая ткань that merchantsmerchant (noun)People who buy and sell goods for profit, usually in large amounts.≈ Synonym: traders🇺🇿UZ: savdogarlar🇷🇺RU: купцы carried from China to the West. The routeroute (noun)A path or way that is followed to get from one place to another.≈ Synonym: path🇺🇿UZ: yo'nalish🇷🇺RU: маршрут was not a single road but a web of pathsweb of pathsA complicated network of many connected routes or trails.≈ Synonym: network of routes🇺🇿UZ: yo'llar tarmog'i🇷🇺RU: сеть путей that crossed desertsdesert (noun)A large, dry area with very little rain.🇺🇿UZ: cho'l, sahro🇷🇺RU: пустыня, mountains, and rivers, stretchingstretch (verb)Extending or reaching over a long distance.≈ Synonym: extending🇺🇿UZ: cho'zilib🇷🇺RU: простираясь for thousands of kilometers.
Merchants used the Silk Road to transporttransport (verb)To carry goods or people from one place to another.≈ Synonym: carry🇺🇿UZ: tashimoq🇷🇺RU: перевозить many goods besidesbesides (prep)In addition to.≈ Synonym: apart from🇺🇿UZ: ...dan tashqari🇷🇺RU: кроме silk. They carried spicesspice (noun)Strong-tasting plant substances used to flavor food.≈ Synonym: seasonings🇺🇿UZ: ziravorlar🇷🇺RU: специи, tea, precious stonesprecious stone (noun)Rare and valuable natural stones, such as diamonds or rubies.≈ Synonym: gems🇺🇿UZ: qimmatbaho toshlar🇷🇺RU: драгоценные камни, and metals such as gold and silver. In returnin return (phr)As a way of giving something back.≈ Synonym: in exchange🇺🇿UZ: evaziga, javob tariqasida🇷🇺RU: взамен, traders brought glass, woolwool (noun)Soft hair from sheep, used to make clothes.🇺🇿UZ: jun🇷🇺RU: шерсть, and horses back to China. Along the way, caravanscaravan (noun)Groups of traders and animals traveling together, especially across deserts.≈ Synonym: convoys🇺🇿UZ: karvonlar🇷🇺RU: караваны of camels moved slowlyslowly (adv)Not quickly.🇺🇿UZ: sekin🇷🇺RU: медленно across harsh landscapesharsh landscape (noun)Difficult and unwelcoming areas of land, such as deserts or mountains.≈ Synonym: difficult terrain🇺🇿UZ: og'ir landshaftlar🇷🇺RU: суровые ландшафты, stopping at busy trading posts and oasis townsoasis town (noun)Small towns built around a fertile spot with water in a desert.≈ Synonym: desert settlements🇺🇿UZ: voha shaharchalari🇷🇺RU: оазисные городки to rest and exchange goods.
The Silk Road was much more than a trade routetrade route (noun)A path regularly used by merchants to carry and exchange goods.≈ Synonym: trading path🇺🇿UZ: savdo yo'li🇷🇺RU: торговый путь for goods. It also allowed ideas, religionsreligion (noun)A belief in a god or gods.≈ Synonym: faith🇺🇿UZ: din🇷🇺RU: религия, and inventions to spread between distantdistant (adj)Far away.≈ Synonym: faraway🇺🇿UZ: uzoq🇷🇺RU: далёкий cultures. Buddhism traveled from India into China through these paths, while papermakingpapermaking (noun)The process of making paper by hand or machine.≈ Synonym: paper production🇺🇿UZ: qog'ozchilik🇷🇺RU: производство бумаги and gunpowdergunpowder (noun)An explosive powder originally invented in China.≈ Synonym: explosive powder🇺🇿UZ: porox🇷🇺RU: порох, both invented in China, eventuallyeventually (adv)In the end, after a long time.≈ Synonym: finally🇺🇿UZ: oxir-oqibat🇷🇺RU: в конце концов reached Europe. Scholarsscholar (noun)People who study a subject deeply and have great knowledge of it.≈ Synonym: academics🇺🇿UZ: olimlar🇷🇺RU: учёные, artists, and travelers exchangedexchange (verb)Gave and received something in return, such as goods or ideas.≈ Synonym: traded🇺🇿UZ: almashdilar🇷🇺RU: обменивались knowledge, which helped shapeshape (verb)To influence or form the way something develops.≈ Synonym: form🇺🇿UZ: shakllantirmoq🇷🇺RU: формировать the history of many civilizationscivilization (noun)Large, organized societies with their own culture, government, and history.≈ Synonym: societies🇺🇿UZ: sivilizatsiyalar🇷🇺RU: цивилизации.
Traveling the Silk Road was not easy. Merchants faced extreme weatherextreme weather (noun)Very harsh or dangerous weather conditions, such as intense heat or cold.≈ Synonym: severe weather🇺🇿UZ: og'ir ob-havo🇷🇺RU: экстремальная погода, banditsbandit (noun)Armed robbers who attack travelers, often in remote areas.≈ Synonym: robbers🇺🇿UZ: qaroqchilar🇷🇺RU: разбойники, and long stretchesstretch (verb)Extending or reaching over a long distance.≈ Synonym: extending🇺🇿UZ: cho'zilib🇷🇺RU: простираясь without water. Some journeys lasted for months or even years, and many travelers never reached their destinationdestination (noun)The place someone is traveling to.≈ Synonym: endpoint🇺🇿UZ: manzil🇷🇺RU: пункт назначения. Despitedespite (prep)Without being affected by something; in spite of.≈ Synonym: in spite of🇺🇿UZ: -ga qaramay🇷🇺RU: несмотря на these dangers, the promisepromise (noun)A sign or hope that something good will happen.≈ Synonym: hope🇺🇿UZ: va'da, umid🇷🇺RU: обещание, надежда of profitprofit (noun)Money gained from selling goods for more than they cost.≈ Synonym: gain🇺🇿UZ: foyda🇷🇺RU: прибыль and the desiredesire (noun)A strong wish or wanting to do or have something.≈ Synonym: wish🇺🇿UZ: istak🇷🇺RU: желание to exploreexplore (verb)To travel through a place to learn or discover new things about it.≈ Synonym: discover🇺🇿UZ: kashf qilmoq🇷🇺RU: исследовать new lands kept merchants moving along the route for centuriescentury (noun)Periods of one hundred years.≈ Synonym: hundreds of years🇺🇿UZ: asrlar🇷🇺RU: века.
By the fifteenth century, sea travel became faster and cheaper, and the Silk Road slowly lost its importance. Still, its legacylegacy (noun)Something important that remains from the past and affects the present.≈ Synonym: heritage🇺🇿UZ: meros🇷🇺RU: наследие remains strong today. It reminds us how trade can connect people from different parts of the world and how the exchange of goods and ideas can shape entireentire (adj)Whole; complete.≈ Synonym: whole🇺🇿UZ: butun🇷🇺RU: весь, целый cultures for generations.
In your own words, write a short summary of what you just read (70–100 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 | tradernoun | savdogar | торговец | Traders from India sold spices in Bukhara. |
| 2 | networknoun | tarmoq | сеть | The city has a large network of bus routes. |
| 3 | valuableadjective | qimmatbaho | ценный | Keep your valuable things in the hotel safe. |
| 4 | silk clothnoun | ipak mato | шёлковая ткань | Margilan is famous for its beautiful silk cloth. |
| 5 | merchantnoun | savdogarlar | купцы | The merchant sold carpets to travellers. |
| 6 | routenoun | yo'nalish | маршрут | We took the mountain route to Fergana. |
| 7 | web of paths | yo'llar tarmog'i | сеть путей | A web of paths runs through the old park. |
| 8 | desertnoun | cho'l, sahro | пустыня | The Kyzylkum desert is very hot in summer. |
| 9 | stretchverb | cho'zilib | простираясь | The Kyzylkum desert stretches across several countries. |
| 10 | transportverb | tashimoq | перевозить | Lorries transport goods across the country every day. |
| 11 | besidespreposition | ...dan tashqari | кроме | Besides English, he is learning Chinese. |
| 12 | spicenoun | ziravorlar | специи | Cumin is the most important spice in plov. |
| 13 | precious stonenoun | qimmatbaho toshlar | драгоценные камни | The crown was decorated with precious stones. |
| 14 | in returnphrase | evaziga, javob tariqasida | взамен | I helped him with maths, and in return he taught me chess. |
| 15 | woolnoun | jun | шерсть | My grandmother knitted me a wool scarf. |
| 16 | caravannoun | karvonlar | караваны | A caravan of camels crossed the desert at night. |
| 17 | slowlyadverb | sekin | медленно | Please speak more slowly. |
| 18 | harsh landscapenoun | og'ir landshaftlar | суровые ландшафты | Few plants can grow in such a harsh landscape. |
| 19 | oasis townnoun | voha shaharchalari | оазисные городки | Khiva was once an important oasis town. |
| 20 | trade routenoun | savdo yo'li | торговый путь | Samarkand was a key city on the ancient trade route. |
| 21 | religionnoun | din | религия | People of many religions live in this city. |
| 22 | distantadjective | uzoq | далёкий | They travelled to distant countries. |
| 23 | papermakingnoun | qog'ozchilik | производство бумаги | Samarkand was famous for papermaking in the Middle Ages. |
| 24 | gunpowdernoun | porox | порох | Gunpowder was first used to make fireworks. |
| 25 | eventuallyadverb | oxir-oqibat | в конце концов | We eventually found the hotel after an hour. |
| 26 | scholarnoun | olimlar | учёные | Ulugbek was a great scholar and astronomer. |
| 27 | exchangeverb | almashdilar | обменивались | Students exchanged ideas during the conference. |
| 28 | shapeverb | shakllantirmoq | формировать | Our childhood experiences shape who we become. |
| 29 | civilizationnoun | sivilizatsiyalar | цивилизации | Egypt is home to one of the oldest civilizations. |
| 30 | extreme weathernoun | og'ir ob-havo | экстремальная погода | Extreme weather closed the mountain pass. |
| 31 | banditnoun | qaroqchilar | разбойники | In the past, bandits attacked travellers on lonely roads. |
| 32 | destinationnoun | manzil | пункт назначения | Samarkand is a popular destination for tourists. |
| 33 | despitepreposition | -ga qaramay | несмотря на | Despite the rain, the match continued. |
| 34 | promisenoun | va'da, umid | обещание, надежда | The promise of a better job brought him to Tashkent. |
| 35 | profitnoun | foyda | прибыль | The shop made a small profit this month. |
| 36 | desirenoun | istak | желание | She has a strong desire to travel the world. |
| 37 | exploreverb | kashf qilmoq | исследовать | We spent the afternoon exploring the old city. |
| 38 | centurynoun | asrlar | века | The mosque was rebuilt in the sixteenth century. |
| 39 | legacynoun | meros | наследие | Navoi's poetry is an important part of Uzbekistan's legacy. |
| 40 | entireadjective | butun | весь, целый | We spent the entire day at the beach. |