Work Lights

Arbeitslampen

B215 minAudio

"Mr Lloyd signs releases once a fortnight, and his signing day remains Monday the fourteenth," I read aloud. "He thanks you for your letter."

How it begins

EnglishGerman

"Mr Lloyd signs releases once a fortnight, and his signing day remains Monday the fourteenth," I read aloud. "He thanks you for your letter."

„Mr Lloyd unterschreibt Freigaben alle zwei Wochen, und sein Unterschriftstag bleibt Montag, der vierzehnte", las ich vor. „Er dankt Ihnen für Ihren Brief."

I was standing in the shop between the rice and the newspapers, at four o'clock on Tuesday, and my father was serving a woman who wanted stamps. My letter had been a very good letter, two pages long, polite and slightly frightening. It had asked the head of licensing to make an emergency exception and release the huts early, so that thirty of them could be mended before a hearing in ten days. His assistant had needed six hours to say no.

Ich stand am Dienstag um vier Uhr im Laden zwischen dem Reis und den Zeitungen, und mein Vater bediente eine Frau, die Briefmarken wollte. Mein Brief war ein sehr guter Brief gewesen, zwei Seiten lang, höflich und ein bisschen beängstigend. Er hatte den Amtsleiter gebeten, eine Ausnahme zu machen und die Hütten früher freizugeben, damit dreißig von ihnen vor einer Anhörung in zehn Tagen repariert werden konnten. Seine Assistentin hatte sechs Stunden gebraucht, um Nein zu sagen.

"He thanks you," said my father. "That is nice of him."

„Er dankt Ihnen", sagte mein Vater. „Das ist nett von ihm."

The opening paragraphs, as the reader shows them. Read on

Languages

Work Lights · English (original)B2 Intermediate · 2,353 words · ~15 min · Audio
Arbeitslampen · GermanB2 Intermediate · 2,332 words · ~15 min · Audio
Φώτα εργασίας · GreekB2 Intermediate · 2,315 words · ~15 min
Luces de trabajo · SpanishB2 Intermediate · 2,330 words · ~15 min · Audio
Les lampes de chantier · FrenchB2 Intermediate · 2,684 words · ~20 min · Audio
काम की रोशनियाँ · HindiB2 Intermediate · 2,529 words · ~15 min
Lampu Kerja · IndonesianB2 Intermediate · 2,108 words · ~15 min
Le luci da lavoro · ItalianB2 Intermediate · 2,275 words · ~15 min
作業灯 · JapaneseB2 Intermediate
작업등 · KoreanB2 Intermediate · 1,615 words · ~10 min
Werklampen · DutchB2 Intermediate · 2,389 words · ~15 min
Lampy robocze · PolishB2 Intermediate · 1,971 words · ~15 min
Luzes de Obra · PortugueseB2 Intermediate · 2,383 words · ~15 min
Lămpile de lucru · RomanianB2 Intermediate · 2,324 words · ~15 min
Çalışma Işıkları · TurkishB2 Intermediate · 1,601 words · ~10 min
Đèn làm việc · VietnameseB2 Intermediate · 2,555 words · ~15 min
工作灯 · ChineseB2 Intermediate

Questions

Which languages can I read Work Lights in?

English, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese. Pick the language you want to read and the one to keep beside it: every paragraph sits next to its translation, so you can check a sentence without losing your place.

What level is it?

The original English is B2 Intermediate. In translation, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese are B2 Intermediate. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from Pre-A1 (starter) to C2.

How long is it?

About 2,353 words: around 5–20 min of reading, with the translation beside it. The time depends on the edition's level: an easier edition is read more slowly.

Is it free?

Yes. Read it online with no account. The downloads (PDF, EPUB, and AZW3 and MOBI for Kindle) need a free account.

Can I read it on a Kindle or Kobo?

Yes. Download the EPUB for Kobo, Apple Books and most e-readers, or the AZW3 or MOBI for a Kindle, with each paragraph followed by its translation. There is also a side-by-side PDF to print, and each language on its own.

Work Lights

How it begins

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Questions

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