Simply translate into English and scroll down for suggested solutions.
Wir fahren morgen nach Paris.
Wir sind bei Freunden untergebracht.
Freunde, die wir letztes Jahr im Urlaub auf The Isle of Sky kennengelernt haben.
Marlene und Jean.
Wir waren auf einem Bauernhof untergebracht.
Übernachtung mit Frühstück.
Ein schönes bequemes Bett.
Sehr gutes Essen.
Marlene und Jean waren zelten.
Es war billig.
Das Wetter war schrecklich.
Starker Regen.
Nach einem netten Drink in der Pub gingen wir zurück zur Farm.
Marlene und Jean gingen zurück in ihr Zelt.
Eiskalt und nass.
We're going to Paris tomorrow. We are staying with friends. Friends we met on holiday last year on the Isle of Sky. Marlene and Jean. We were staying on a farm. Bed and breakfast. A nice comfortable bed. Very good meals. Marlene and Jean were camping. It was cheap. The weather was terrible. Heavy rain. After a nice drink at the pub, we went back to the farm. Marlene and Jean went back to their tent. Freezing cold and wet.
The Farm at Lane's End - Chapter 16
Key Words and Phrases
Inseparable - always together - impossible to seperate.
Out of the blue - this means something happened unexpectedly (not planned)
To keep in touch - to stay in contact.
In this neck of the woods - in this area. What's happening in your neck of the woods.
There is more than meets the eye - there is more to this story or situation than is obvious.
To take one's leave means to politely leave.
To drift apart - to gradually seperate or lose contact.
Questions
When did the old friends drift apart?
Where did collin go to university?
What did Collin study at university?
Where did Collin become a lawyer?
Is Jean a very nosy woman?
What did the old friends do together when they were young?
Is Bill Guthrie the mayor of Tootenhoe?
What is Bill Guthrie's legal problem?
At what time did Collin leave?
Anita Enichmair
Anita
Enichmair was born and grew up in Austria. But, things could have
been different.
Shortly
after the First World War, a large part of Western Hungary voted to
become part of Austria. Overnight, very many people – Anita
Enichmair’s ancestors included – stopped being Hungarian and
became Austrian instead. And, the changes of then have become the
questions of now.
What
if the people had voted to remain Hungarian? The answer is simple.
Anita Enichmair would have been Hungarian not Austrian, and, she
would have grown up speaking Hungarian not German. And, there would
have been other differences, too. Instead of having her eyes to
the west, Anita Enichmair would have looked east. Budapest, not
Vienna, for weekend shopping.
And,
one more thing, too! Anita Enichmair, if she had been Hungarian and
not Austrian, would still be just as happy in the little Hungarian
village of Nagypeterfalva as she is in the little Austrian village of
Großpetersdorf. They are, after all, the very same place.
And, people, on the whole, never change.
We
are how we are – and not the flag we were born to. Some people walk
into change, whilst for others, it comes in in the night.
Simply translate into English, then scroll down for suggested solutions.
Können Sie mir bitte helfen, den Tisch zu decken?
Die Teller sind im Schrank über dem Kühlschrank.
Die Butter ist im Kühlschrank.
Das Salz und der Pfeffer sind auf dem Regal neben dem Radio.
Der Wein ist im Keller.
Die Messer und Gabeln sind in der oberen Schublade.
Die Platzdeckchen sind in der unteren Schublade.
Die Gläser bewahren wir im Schrank in der Ecke auf.
Wo sind die Servietten?
Welche Servietten?
Die roten Servietten oder die weissen Servietten?
Soll ich die Servietten falten?
Wo sitzt das Baby?
Neben mir.
Um wieviel Uhr ist das Mittagessen?
Solutions
Können Sie mir bitte helfen, den Tisch zu decken? Can you help me lay the table, please?
Die Teller sind im Schrank über dem Kühlschrank. The plates are in the cupboard above the fridge.
Die Butter ist im Kühlschrank. The butter is in the fridge.
Das Salz und der Pfeffer sind auf dem Regal neben dem Radio. The salt and pepper are on the shelf beside the radio.
Der Wein ist im Keller. The wine is in the cellar.
Die Messer und Gabeln sind in der oberen Schublade. The knives and forks are in the top drawer.
Die Platzdeckchen sind in der unteren Schublade. The place mats are in the bottom drawer.
Die Gläser bewahren wir im Schrank in der Ecke auf. We keep the glasses in the cupboard in the corner.
Wo sind die Servietten? Where are the napkins?
Welche Servietten? Which ones?
Die roten Servietten oder die weissen Servietten. The red napkins or the white ones?
Soll ich die Servietten falten? Shall I fold the napkins?
Wo sitzt das Baby? Where is the baby sitting?
Neben mir. Next to me.
Um wieviel Uhr ist das Mittagessen? What time is lunch?
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Peter Rosegger and Old Kramer Teresa - A Mountain Childhood Story
People enjoy looking forward to things that are special. Birthdays, Christmas, and other meaningful days. And, these moments of joy always involve other people. People who are special. And, in his book, *As I was still a Forest Farmer's Son, Peter Rosegger, the Austrian author, thinks kindly back to old Kramer Teresa. She was a very kind old lady and her visits to the Rosseger's farm in the mountains of Austria were moments that were never forgotten.
Old Kramer Teresa came twice a year. Once in the winter and again in the spring. Old Kramer Teresa came selling her goods. And, she carried on her back a kind of chest of drawers in the form of a ruck-sack. And, this chest of drawers on her back was a pack of surprises. And, arriving at the Rosseger's farm house, Old Kramer-Thresel would unpack her wares on the old kitchen table. The children's eyes then opened wide with delight. It was the same every time. This was a moment that didn't come often.
There were sweets to suck and enjoy, mouth-organs to play, brightly painted wooden spoons, tobacco to smoke, pocket knives for carving, small wooden horses on wheels, toy soldiers in colourful uniforms, and, many other things as well. Something for everyone. And, because each boy and girl had kept their promises to behave and be good, the rewards were not long in coming. Each child was given a gift of their very own choice. And, the children were happy and joyful.
And, everyone else was happy as well. Then, after a fine simple meal of sausage and bread, Teresa Kramer went on her way. Into the freshness of green in the spring, and, into the snow and the ice in the winter. And, as Old Kramer Teresa waved happily goodbye the waiting began once again.
Peter Rosegger was born in 1843 and died in 1918. In his book, “As I was still a Forest Farmer's Son”, Peter Rosegger describes his childhood in the mountains of Austria, His book is packed full of interesting stories and is a must for everyone interested in Austrian history.
Moments of magic always involve other people. People who are special. And, in those days, Teresa Kramer was a very special person in the mountains of Austria. A lady who called twice a year with her bag of surprises.
Peter Rosegger - As I was still a Forest Farmer's Son. A book that's well worth the read.
Peter Rosegger and Teresa Kramer – Growing up in the mountains of Austria
*German title – Als ich noch der Waldbauernbub war – Peter Rosegger.
The Farm at Lane's End - Chapter 15 Key words and phrases
Pigsty - a place where pigs are kept.
To fancy something- If you fancy something is something you want or something you want to do. I fancy going out this evening. I fancy a yoghurt for breakfast.
At least- This is the minumum. We haven't seen Sally for at least a year. To stay healthy, one must drink at least 2 litres of water a day.
Something has come up - This means something has happened and you can't come. I'm sorry, something's come up and I must cancel our meeting.
At my place - this means at my house or where I live. Let's meet at my place at seven.
To bump into someone means to meet someone by chance (unplanned). I bumped into Chris this morning.
To spill the beans means to tell all. Come on, tell us what happened. Spill the beans.
Have fun and translate the following into English. Solutions at the bottom. Good luck!
Sollen wir heute Abend Essen ausgehen?
Ich kenne da ein tolles kleines Gasthaus.
Hoffentlich ist es noch da.
Ich war das letzte Mal vor 2 Jahren dort.
Da gab es einen wunderbaren Schweinsbraten.
Es ist lange her, dass wir ausgegangen sind.
Ich habe Gregor letzten Mittwoch gesehen.
Es war der Geburtstag seiner Frau.
Er hat ihr ein wunderbares Geschenk gemacht.
"Malen nach Zahlen".
Gregors Frau ist eine Künstlerin.
Stillleben sind ihr bestes.
Ihr Haus hat viele Stillleben an den Wänden.
Sie sind alle gleich.
Schalen mit Obst und Blumensträuße.
Gregors Frau hat an der VHS malen gelernt.
Shall we go out for dinner this evening? I know a great little guest house. Hopefully, it's still there. I last went there 2 years ago. They used to do a wonderful Schweinsbraten. It's been a long time since we've been out. I saw Gregor last Wednesday. It was his wife's birthday. He gave her a wonderful present. Painting by Numbers. Gregor's wife is an artist. Still lifes are her best. Their house has many still lifes on the walls. They are all the same. Bowls of fruit and bunches of flowers. Gregor's wife learned to paint at the VHS.
Advent in Vienna
Advent is a wonderful time and the Viennese love it. The city is dotted with small Advent markets, and all, more-or-less, exactly the same. A beautifully decorated tree, hot spicy wine, Christmassy things one can buy, a wonderful Advent feeling, and, of course, Advently seasonal music. And, about ten years ago, I was at just such a market, and this is what happened.
I was having a wonderful time. Everything was great and everything Advently perfect. But, it was the choir that provided the spirit of the evening. And, singing mainly in English, they were very, very good. But, the evening went quicker than expected and soon came the very last song.
The conductor turned to the people, thanked them, and wished them a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. And then, after turning back to the choir, closed his eyes, and started conducting the very last number. And, the choir started singing, and the crowd started humming and singing along. It was all very magic.
And, then came the the very last line of this very last song. And, just like a half dying swan in great pain, the conductor, with still tightly closed eyes, raised his arms in an arch, paused for a second, then flutteringly and dramatically brought them back down again for the expected well practised majestic conclusion. But, the choir didn't stop. They simply carried on singing! The last line had not been the last line at all. The singers had been singing from their song sheets and not even looking at the conductor. And, the conductor, because of his tightly closed eyes, had not even noticed he was being ignored.
But, all's well that ends well. With a very red face, the conductor conducted hard to catch up, and, of course, brought the concert to a triumphant conclusion. And, the applause was fantastic. The audience had had a wonderful evening.
And, that's how it was. An evening of magic with with more than one or two glasses of hot spicy wine, and, of course, some Christmassy songs sung by a very fine choir.
Advent. A wonderful time that the Viennese love – and, I love it as well.
Vocabulary
attention - Aufmerksamkeit
conclusion - Schluss
embarrassing – peinlich
expectantly - erwartungsvoll
goes without saying – selbstverständlich
imitating - nachahmen
spirit – Geist
The Farm at Lane's End - Chapter 14
Key Words
Something has come up. This means one must cancel.
I'm sorry, something has come up, I must cancel our meeting this afternoon.
Time on one's hands. This means that one has time to do something. I had time on my hands, so I went to a museum.
Your Poison? This means your prefered drink. What's your poison? I'll have a beer, please.
Questions
Are Paul and Dave going to the Queens for a drink?
Who bought the first round?
Who sent Dave her best regards?
Did Dave and Paul play a round of darts?
Who did they see in the pub?
Who was Sally with?
Does Lionel Foxely come from a very poor family?
Why is Sally interested in Lionel Foxely?
Why did Sally cancel her singling lesson with Dave?
Simply translate into English, then scroll down for suggested solutions. Good Luck!
Ich war letzte Woche im Zoo.
Ich mag Tiere sehr.
Vor allem Löwen und Tiger.
Gregors Frau arbeitet im Zoo.
In der Gorilla-Abteilung.
Gregors Frau hat einen sehr guten Job.
Sie beginnt jeden Morgen um 6 Uhr.
Gregors Frau verkleidet sich dann als Gorilla.
Sie hat ein schönes Gorillakostüm.
Gregors Frau sieht genauso aus wie ein echter Gorilla.
Der Job von Gregors Frau ist ein sehr einfacher Job.
Sie muss nur in einem Käfig sitzen und den Leuten zuwinken.
Die Menschen winken zurück.
Fütterungszeit ist jeden Tag um 4 Uhr.
Viele Leute sehen gerne zu, wie Gregors Frau gefüttert wird.
Jeden Tag das Gleiche.
Ein riesiges Bündel Bananen.
Alle lieben Gregors Frau.
Der beste Gorilla der Welt
I went to the zoo last week. I really like animals. Espeacially lions and tigers. Gregor's wife works in the zoo. In the gorilla department. Gregor's wife has a very good job. She starts every morning at 6. Gregor's wife then dresses up as a gorilla. She has a beautiful gorilla costume. Gregor's wife looks just like a real gorilla. Gregor's wife's job is a very easy job. All she has to do is sit in a cage and wave to the. people. The people wave back. Feeding time is at 4 every day. Many people enjoy watching Gregor's wife being fed. The same every day. A giant bunch of bananas. Everyone loves Gregor's wife. The best gorilla on earth
- - -
The Farm at Lane's End - Chapter 13
Key Words
How about you? What would you like (to drink)?
Elevenses - A short coffee break at around 11 a.m. Usually with a biscuit.
A stick in the mud is a very boring and dull person.
Glued to the box. This is about a person who spends all their time watching TV.
For some strange reason is the same as saying I don't understand the reason.
As poor as a church mouse talks about someone who is very, very poor. (idiom)
Questions
Where are Ken, Jean, and Dave having elevenses?
What will happen if Dave has too many chocolate biscuits?
Who did Jean want to invite for Sunday lunch?
What has Sydney become?
What does Sydney spend most of his time doing?
What was the worst thing for Sydney?
What was Syd's job?
How was Dave's singing lesson?
What is Sally interested in?
What has Farmer Ken ordered?
Why did Farmer Ken order a helicopter?
Is Farmer Ken as poor as a church mouse?
Collecting Time
Time is something that never stops still. Sometimes it crawls and sometimes it races. But, for Andrew J. Roberts, time is a wonderful hobby. His collection of clocks is the finest I've seen.
In his collection, which numbers almost 1000, Andrew J. Roberts has many interesting chronometers. He has grandfather clocks, grandmother clocks, mantelpiece clocks, kitchen clocks, and many other fascinating clocks from all over the world. And, all together, they're worth a small fortune. But, Andrew J. Roberts's favourite time keeping device has neither hands nor a digital display. Andrew J. Roberts's favourite time keeping device is something he couldn't do with out. It's an egg-timer. An hourglass from Egypt with Saharian sand.
When Andrew J. Roberts moved into his very first house, his granny was the first to come calling. And, being a sensible woman, the egg-timer was the present she gave him. And, Andrew J. Roberts found it easy to use. He soon got the hang of it. No winding up and no batteries to change. All very simple. Just a flick of the wrist, that's all. And, after 35 years, this wonderful very old device still keeps perfect time. And, thanks to advanced Egyptian technology, Andrew J. Roberts's soft boiled eggs are always delicious. Never too hard and never too soft. Just perfect.
Andrew J. Roberts is a collector of clocks. He has much time on his hands. But, most people say he has a bit of a tick! He gets wound up very quickly. Just like his clocks. But, just like his egg timer,
Andrew J. Roberts keeps perfect time. He never comes late. And, just like his eggs, he's neither too soft nor too hard. Just right for cracking. And, a pinch of salt is all that is needed.
And, do you have a tick, too? Do you collect stamps?
Collecting's a wonderful way of passing one's time. Just ask Andrew J. Roberts, he has time on his hands and, of course, on his walls. And, time never stands still.
Simply translate into English then scroll down for suggested solutions.
Am Donnerstagmorgen besuchte ich Lisl.
Wir saßen in Lisls wunderschönem Garten.
Wir plauderten über alles und jedes.
Wir genossen eine schöne Tasse Kaffee und einen Kuchen.
Der Garten von Lisl ist sehr interessant.
Sie hat viele verschiedene Pflanzen und Bäume.
Wir saßen im Schatten eines alten Apfelbaums.
Lisl liebt Tiere.
Sie hat zwei sehr alte Katzen.
Dieses Jahr ist Ivan, Lisls alter rothaariger Kater, fast gestorben.
Ivan war fast zwei Wochen lang in einem Keller eingesperrt.
Ivan hat Glück, dass er noch am Leben ist.
In Lisl's Garten lebt auch ein Fuchs.
Der Fuchs und die Katzen sind sehr gute Freunde.
Sie spielen oft zusammen in der Sonne.
Natürlich gibt es auch viele andere Tiere.
Schnecken und Nacktschnecken.
Mäuse und Ratten.
Eichhörnchen und Wiesel.
Lisl hat auch drei Bienenstöcke.
Ihr Honig ist köstlich.
On Thursday morning, I went to see Lisl. We sat in Lisl's wonderful garden. We chatted about everything and anything. We enjoyed a nice cup of coffee and a cake. Lisl's garden is very interesting. She has many different plants and trees. We sat in the shade of an old apple tree. Lisl loves animals. She has two very old cats. This year Ivan, Lisl's old ginger cat nealy died. Ivan was locked in a cellar for almost two weeks. Ivan is lucky to be alive. A fox also lives in Lisl's garden. The fox and the cats are very good friends. They often play together in the sun. Of course, there are many other animals, too. Slugs and snails. Mice and rats. Squirels and weasels. Lisl has three bee hives as well. Her honey is delicious.
The Farm at Lane's End Chapter 12
Key Words
Tasty - delicious A tasty piece of cake. A delicious meal.
Decide - to make a decision. To say what you want.
To go for - (idiom) - A decision To decide on something. I'm going for a beer.
A dead heat - (idiom) Competition, race, comparison - When two players have the same chance. The race was a dead heat between John and Simon.
The sky's the limit- no limits - you can do what you want.
Questions
In which tearoom are Ken, Jean, and Dave?
How many tearooms are in Tootenhoe?
Is the Bluebird better than the Happy Snake?
Are scones served with plumb jam?
Is Dave enjoying his singing lessons?
What is Sally teaching Dave next week?
Is Dave a talented singer?
How many people are on Jean's invitation list for grandma's birthday party?
Who is England playing in the European cup?
Which team is going to win?
Is Jean sure about England's victory?
Has Austria a good football team?
Hansi Seiler
One day, Hansi Seiler, a good friend of mine, decided to move. He'd had enough of the view and fancied a change. And, then, after some looking, Hansi Seiler found a nice flat in a nice part of town, Vienna's 3rd district.
And so, Hansi Seiler moved flat. And, 3 months later decided to have a house-warming party. A select dinner for close drinking friends and his mother. And, the invitations went out.
Now, dinner parties involve organization. Hansi made lists, borrowed chairs from his brother, and the Gasthaus where he went everyday lent him the glasses and plates. And, then the great day arrived.
Hansi got up and went shopping, and his afternoon was spent making salads, peeling potatoes, putting beer and wine in the bath tub to cool, and generally doing what had to be done. And, then at 8 on the dot, we arrived.
But, there was no smell of cooking and no drink to say welcome. Hansi told us to keep our coats on. We were all going out! Why, we all wanted to know!
The reason was simple. The time had arrived for Hansi to put the meat in the oven and the rice on to cook. So far – so good. But, then came the surprise. It was then, 3 months after moving in, that Hansi discovered his stove didn't work. A tragedy?
Not really. Hansi gave the food to his mother to freeze and off we all went to the Gasthaus. And there we stayed and had fun for the rest of the evening. Full circle again! There are places one can't get away from.
But, of course, Hansi bought a new stove and was happy. But, Hansi still hasn't used it. Cooking was never for Him. But, who knows? Celebrations can sometimes come out of the blue, and, maybe, one day, Hansi will need his new stove. But, there will be a difference. Hansi's stove definitely works! But, will he know how? Which knob for this and which knob for that? And, the oven?
The Gasthaus will always be better. We are, after all, creatures of habit!
Hansi Seiler, a man of good heart who moved flat and tried to cook a nice meal. But, never again. The Gasthaus will always be better!
Hansi and his party - An evening that was never meant to be!
Simply translate into English and scroll down for suggested solutions. Good luck!
Ich brauche dringend ein paar neue Hemden.
Meine Frau ist auf den Markt gegangen.
Ich kaufe alle meine neuen Hemden auf dem Markt.
Ich brauche auch ein paar neue Socken.
Der Markt ist auch der beste Platz für Socken.
Die meisten Menschen tragen jeden Tag zwei Socken.
Eine am linken Fuß.
Und eine am rechten Fuß.
Manche Leute tragen im Sommer nie Socken.
Am Strand ist es meistens zu heiß.
Ich war letztes Jahr in Griechenland.
Die einzigen, die am Strand Socken trugen, waren die Briten.
Das ist nicht sehr überraschend.
Die Briten haben keine wirkliche Vorstellung davon, wie man sich richtig anzieht.
An der Spitze der Liste stehen die Franzosen.
An zweiter Stelle stehen die Italiener.
Und die Österreicher?
Die Österreicher machen den besten Wein und das beste Bier.
Und wer macht die besten Schnitzel?
Das müssen Sie selbst beantworten.
I badly need some new shirts. My wife has gone to the market, I get all my new shirts from the market. I also need some new socks. The market is also the best place for socks. Most people wear two socks every day. One on the left foot. One on the right foot. Some people never wear socks in the summer. It is usually too hot on the beach. I went down to Greece last year. The only people wearing socks on the beach were the British. That's not very surprising. The British have no real idea of good dressing. At the top of the list are the French. The Italians are second. And, the Austrians? The Austrians make the best wine and beer. And, who makes the best Schnitzels? This you must answer yourself.
Paris Maderna
In those days, Paris Maderna was a colourful character. He was young, and not so much an inventor but a reinventor of things that had already been invented. And, when I got to know him he was busy reinventing the bike. And, one of his new ideas was not only brilliant, but rather unusual as well.
Paris Maderna's new bike looked more like a bed with three wheels than a bike. And, to ride it, one had to lie in it, not sit on it, and the pedals were up at the front and coupled to the front single wheel. And, riding it, Paris Maderna promised, was not only simple, but comfortable, too. And, I will never forget the day that I saw it in action.
To begin with, Paris Maderna explained how it worked. To steer to the right, one had to lean to the right, and vice-versa for left. There was no other way. The bike had neither steering wheel norhandlebars and to stop, one had to simply stop pedalling. It was all very simple. And, then with a smile and a grin Paris Maderna lowered himself into his bike and got ready for action.
And soon he was moving at speed. And then, at just the right distance from the fast approachingconcrete wall, Paris Maderna leaned to the right. Nothing. The bike kept on going. Paris Maderna then leaned to the left. Again nothing. And then, with one last desperate effort, Paris Maderna leaned again to the right. And, the bike started turning. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Too late! The wall had been quicker than Paris Maderna, and the sound of the crash told it all. All we had to do was help Paris Maderna out of the wreckage and take him up the road for a beer.
But, of course, Paris Maderna didn't give up and soon he was back on the road with another idea. And now, all these years later, his range of products is not only exciting, but varied as well. The new age of cycling is with us and the hard work and peddling has been done by Paris Maderna! Persistence pays off and Paris Maderna has peddled to the top in a colourful way.
Paris Maderna – a colourful person with a range of colourful products.
