B1 · First read or listen without the translation. Then answer the questions.
Ötken aptada üige qonaq şaqyrdym. Dastarqanğa alty bırdei kese kerek boldy. Dükennıñ saitynan kök tüstı keselerdı körıp, altauyna tapsyrys berdım. Jetkızu jūma künı tüske deiın bolady dep körsetılgen. Qonaqtar senbıde keletındıkten, uaqyt jetkılıktı dep oiladym. Tapsyrystyñ nömırın telefonyma saqtap qoidym.
Translation
Last week I invited some guests to my home. I needed six matching cups for the table. I found blue cups on a shop's website and ordered six. Delivery was listed for Friday before noon. Since the guests were coming on Saturday, I thought there would be enough time. I saved the order number on my phone.
Kurer jūma künı uaqytynda keldı. Bıraq qorapty aşqanda, ışınde tört qana kese bar ekenın kördım. Onyñ ekeuı kök, ekeuı aq eken. Keseler synbağan, qorap ta bütın edı. Sondyqtan aldymen ışındegı zattardy suretke tüsırdım. Sodan keiın tapsyrys parağyn qaita qarap, özımnıñ qate tañdamağanyma köz jetkızdım.
Translation
The courier arrived on time on Friday. When I opened the box, however, I found only four cups: two blue and two white. None was broken, and the box was intact. First I photographed the contents. Then I checked the order page again to make sure I had not selected the wrong items myself.
Dükenge habarlasyp, tapsyrys nömırın aittym. Qyzmetkerge aşulanudyñ ornyna, ne alğanymdy jäne ne jetıspeitının tüsındırdım. «Alty kök kesege tapsyrys bergen edım. Tört kese keldı, ekeuınıñ tüsı basqa. Mūny qalai tüzetuge bolady?» dep sūradym. Qyzmetker surettı jıberuımdı ötındı. Jauap kütıp otyrğanda, kelgen keselerdı qoldanbai, qorabyna qaita saldym.
Translation
I contacted the shop and gave my order number. Rather than getting angry with the employee, I explained what had arrived and what was missing. 'I ordered six blue cups. Four arrived, and two are a different colour. How can we sort this out?' The employee asked me to send a photo. While waiting for a reply, I put the cups back in the box without using them.
Jarty sağattan keiın qyzmetker ekı nūsqa ūsyndy. Bırınşısı: barlyq kesenı kelesı aptada jetkızu. Ekınşısı: daiyn jiyntyqty bügın dükennen özım alyp ketu. Senbıge deiın kerek ekenın tağy aittym. Düken jūmysymnan alys emes bolğandyqtan, ekınşı nūsqany tañdadym. Qyzmetker kök keselerdıñ altauy da bar ekenın tekserdı.
Translation
Half an hour later, the employee offered two options: have all the cups delivered the following week, or collect a complete set from the shop that day. I repeated that I needed them before Saturday. The shop was not far from my workplace, so I chose the second option. The employee checked that all six blue cups were available.
Dükenge barmas būryn, qai bölımge keluım keregın naqtylap aldym. Qyzmetker tapsyrysty keşkı jetıge deiın saqtaitynyn jazdy. Men jūmystan altyda şyğatynymdy aityp, ülgeretınımdı rastadym. Osylaişa ekeuımız de qaşan jäne qai jerde kezdesetınımızdı bıldık.
Translation
Before going, I checked which department I needed to visit. The employee wrote that they would hold the order until seven that evening. I said I finished work at six and confirmed I could make it. We both knew when and where we would meet.
Keşke sol qorapty dükenge apardym. Qyzmetker ony alyp, basqa jiyntyq berdı. Būl joly ekeuımız qorapty bırge aştyq. Keselerdıñ sanyn, tüsın tekserıp, synbağanyna köz jetkızdık. Sodan keiın ğana üige qaittym. Qonaqtar kelgende bärı daiyn boldy. Bıraq osy jağdaidan tüsıngenım: mäselenı naqty aitsañ, şeşım tabu jeñıldeidı.
Translation
That evening I took the delivered box to the shop. The employee accepted it and gave me a different set. This time we opened the box together and checked the number, colour and condition of the cups. Only then did I head home. Everything was ready when the guests arrived. What I learned was that a clearly explained problem is easier to resolve.
Check your understanding
What was wrong with the delivered order?
- Two of the six cups were broken.
- Four cups arrived, two of them white.
- Six blue cups were delivered on Saturday.
- The order page listed white cups.
Answer and explanation
Four cups arrived, two of them white.
Six blue cups were ordered, but only four arrived: two blue and two white. The delivery was on time and nothing was damaged.
Why did the narrator choose to collect the set from the shop?
- The cups were cheaper in the shop.
- The guests moved their visit to the following week.
- The employee offered no other option.
- He needed the cups before Saturday, and the shop was nearby.
Answer and explanation
He needed the cups before Saturday, and the shop was nearby.
A replacement delivery would not arrive until the following week. Collecting on Friday meant being ready for the guests, and the shop was close to work. No discount is mentioned.
Why did they open the box together in the shop?
- To check that the replacement set was correct and undamaged.
- To choose which colour to buy for the first time.
- To use the cups in the shop.
- To set the table for the guests there.
Answer and explanation
To check that the replacement set was correct and undamaged.
The ending lists three checks: quantity, colour and condition. Checking together helped prevent taking another incorrect set home.