Bram Stoker - Bram Stoker

R. L. Stevenson - Wikiwand R. L. Stevenson

Washington Irving - Wikiwand Washington Irving

Fairy tales

If you are interested in this section of the site, it means that you have already made significant progress in learning English and are ready for an almost complete mastering of English texts in the original. "Almost" - because you will refer to the Russian translation as needed. The main goal of this technique is to read and understand the English text, as well as actively replenish vocabulary. You need to refer to the translation "as needed", trying as little as possible focus on Russian text. Remember that there is a danger of reducing the learning process to reading the Russian text, looking through the English text "in passing". The benefits of such reading are minimal.

The more you want to master reading English texts, the greater the effect of learning will be. At the same time, it is important that the content of the text you read be as interesting as possible to you, that is, that you focus as much as possible on the meaning of what you are reading. If you focus specifically on the content of the text, you will better perceive new words and grammatical structures and more naturally choose words to remember. Therefore, fascinating detective stories are offered as texts, because almost everyone is interested in reading them.

For successful reading, it is important to understand that your main task is to independently read the text in English and understand it. Translation is needed in order to clarify the nuances, to check whether you understood the passage correctly, to translate unfamiliar words.

Choose to read a piece of text of the length that you would be comfortable reading, perhaps first it will be one sentence, then two, then a paragraph, etc. Try to read it yourself first, then seek help from the Russian translation, clarifying unclear points, and then re-read this fragment again, consolidating the "grains of knowledge" received. Be patient, stock up on diligence and gradually a huge castle will grow from small grains.

Having trained to read parallel texts, proceed to reading texts with the possibility of "peeping" into the translation, and then to full reading of English texts without peeping. (All of these materials will be gradually uploaded to the site.)

Among the ways of learning English, the method of learning English from books with parallel translation is deservedly popular. There are many methods of learning foreign languages. One of the effective methods of learning a foreign language is immersion in the language environment. For various reasons, not every foreign language learner has the opportunity to immerse himself in the language environment. There is nothing wrong with this, since there is an equally effective way to learn English from books with parallel translation. Let's look at the advantages and find out ways to overcome these limitations with the help of the English language tutorial - the VoxBook audio course. The audio course is based on audio books in English, in which the audio material is synchronized with the text of the book, and provided with a parallel translation into Russian.

Parallel translation from English

Parallel text, bitext, bilingual, parallel text or parallel translation from English is a translation and the original text on one sheet. If you take two books, the original and its translation, then this will already be a parallel translation. Usually, both texts are placed on the same sheet or on adjacent sheets of the book, aligning the original text and its translation by paragraphs, sentences, or even words.

Reading parallel texts is the most accessible method of self-study of the English language. It is easy to understand the meaning of the sentences from the parallel text. By memorizing and repeating phrases from the text, you can effectively replenish your vocabulary and get used to the grammar of the language being studied.

Not all parallel translations are suitable as an English language tutorial. Only word-for-word translation with the addition of an explanatory literal translation is suitable for teaching. On the Internet, you can download parallel translations of books based on literary translation. Such bilingual books are suitable only for those who are very advanced in English and are not suitable for beginners to learn the language.

An example from a book with a literary parallel translation from English into Russian:

By reading books with parallel translation without listening to audio recordings of the text and without adhering to a special teaching method, you will only be able to increase your passive vocabulary. For the development of other skills, such as listening to the English language, increasing active and passive vocabulary, developing the correct pronunciation of words, developing speaking and writing, a special computer program has been developed - the trainer - the VoxBook English audio course and the method of learning the language using it. With the VoxBook audio course based on books with parallel translation, synchronized with an audiobook in English, you will receive highly effective training:

1. English listening,
2. learn the correct pronunciation of words and intonation of English sentences,
3. expand your active and passive vocabulary,
4. develop speaking,
5. learn to write without mistakes,
6. and you will also be able to start studying grammar based on non-adapted English literature.

Parallel translation in the VoxBook English simulator

The VoxBook English simulator uses books in English with parallel translation, which is based on a word-by-word translation to which an explanation can be added. Here is how a parallel translation of one of the Jack and the Beanstalk tales (Jack the beanstalk) from the audio course looks like:

So Jack jumped up and dressed himself and went to the window. And what do you think he saw [and what do you think he saw]? Why, the beans his mother had thrown out of the window into the garden had sprung up into a big beanstalk [some big stalk came up] which went up and up and up [who went up and up and up] till it reached the sky [until he reached the sky]. So the man spoke the truth after all [and so the man spoke the truth "after everything"].

(English Fairy Tales - "Jack and the Beanstalk")

Parallel translation is enclosed in square brackets, which may contain words in parentheses. Parentheses highlight a translation of a word that is not in the English text but is necessary for the meaning of the book to be understood. These words can be conjunctions, prepositions, verbs and other parts of speech:

...the beans his mother had thrown out of the window into the garden [beans (which) his mother threw out of the window into the garden]

Quotation marks "..." may appear in parallel translations of the book. They place an incomprehensible word-for-word translation of the text, followed by an understandable literary translation after the = sign.
(From the example above)
So Jack jumped up and dressed himself [so Jack jumped up and "dressed himself" = got dressed]

After a parallel translation of the text of the book from English, there may be grammatical and lexical explanations for the translation, which is highlighted in italics:
The beanstalk grew up quite close past Jack's window [a beanstalk grew very close outside Jack's window: grew up - grew;]

In this case, the phrasal verb grew up is explained. Such clarifications may relate to the lexical and grammatical difficulties of translation. Most often, such explanations relate to phrasal verbs of the English language, which are difficult to look for in Muller's English-Russian dictionary built into the audio course.

The appearance of the program (on the left is the text from the book in English with parallel translation, at the bottom of the audio player control button, on the right are all the texts from the book):

How to read books in English with parallel translation

In the English language tutorial, all texts from the book and their parallel translation are synchronized with the audio recording and divided into paragraphs. First comes a paragraph of the text of the book with a parallel translation, followed by the same text in English without translation. The study of educational material in the audio course goes by paragraphs. The methodology for learning English from books with parallel translation consists of a sequence of steps that are repeated for each new paragraph. Consistently completing them, you will learn English listening comprehension, learn the correct pronunciation of words and intonation in an English sentence, replenish your active and passive vocabulary, develop speaking and learn to write without errors. Let's take a closer look at these steps:

This concludes the study of the passage. You can move on to the next passage, the study of which again begins with the first step and ends with the seventh step, and so on, passage by passage, until the end of the text. At the end of the text, try to retell the entire text from memory. Such a retelling will further develop your speaking skills and consolidate your active vocabulary.

What are you today? Are you focused on success and self-development? Or do you want to be transported to the world of magic? Or maybe your life lacks a touch of romance? Choose your mood and a cool book in English with parallel translation that suits you.

We have compiled four selections of books in English for upper-intermediate levels: upper-intermediate and advanced. Make your choice, follow the link and indulge in reading with enthusiasm!

All you need is LOVE: books in English about love

1.by Stephenie Meyer

The world-famous vampire-human love saga that was a bestseller just a few years ago. The book is written in a fairly simple language, and anyone can master it. To consolidate the result, you can go on to reading the following parts or other books of a similar genre (which, by the way, are insanely many).

2. by Jojo Moyes

A romantic story that is gaining popularity ahead of the film adaptation with Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) and Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games). Since the book was published relatively recently, it perfectly reflects everyday English.

3.by Emily Bronte

The only novel by the English writer Emily Bronte and her most famous work. The plot will please fans of Victorian literature (with its inherent emotional description of nature), but you need to muster up the courage to start reading this work.

4. by Margaret Mitchell

Describe this book for the hundredth time does not make sense. All of us have ever watched the film adaptation or heard about this work. The book is very bright and large in volume, but, as they say, the road will be mastered by the walking one.

5. by Jane Austen

An ageless English classic filled with sophisticated expressions and really complex vocabulary. I have a special relationship with this work. It was not easy: I read half of the book in about a month and a half, but I struggled with the other half for six months! Omg.

But what was my happiness when I nevertheless marked the last page read in the Lingualeo app, and could proudly say that I read English literature of the 19th century. Join the proud army! 🙂

Magic is all around you: English fantasy texts

1. by J. R. R. Tolkien

Perhaps one of my favorite books in this genre, which has already become an English classic. Professor J. R. R. Tolkien wrote it for children, so you won't see complex alpha level turns here. Going on a journey with Bilbo Baggins, you will not notice how time flies while reading.

2. by C. S. Lewis

Books about the magical land of Narnia will forever remain in my heart. I suggest you start your acquaintance with the most famous part -. Get ready for adventure!

3. by J. K. Rowling

The first part of the book in English about Harry Potter can also be read by a high school student, armed with a dictionary for rare incomprehensible words. However, further the complexity of the language grows in the same way that the characters grow up. In you can find the entire Harry Potter epic in English with parallel translation.

4. by George R. R. Martin

The legendary series of books based on the series “Game of Thrones” will immerse you in the atmosphere of a real Middle Ages filled with magic. After reading the books, watching the series in the original will be unusually easy and interesting!

5. by J. R. R. Tolkien

Starting to read The Lord of the Rings in the original, even for me, an avid Tolkienist, is a difficult decision. Warning: this work is really huge, and you run the risk of getting "bogged down" in it for a long time (from several months to several years).

But it all depends on your desire to improve your vocabulary and travel to Middle-earth to fight Sauron.

Thinking out loud: books for learning English for those who like to brainstorm

1. by Paulo Coelho

A magnificent work by Paulo Coelho that literally guides you towards your dream. The book is written in such a way that, if desired, even a child can master it. Personally, it took me about two days to read The Alchemist, although I mostly read on the subway.

2.by A.Conan Doyle

One of Arthur Conan Doyle's four stories about Sherlock Holmes. If you are a fan of English detective stories, intellectual conversations and mysteries, then this book is here for you.

3. by Ray Bradbury

The world famous dystopia, which is, to some extent, required reading. The beautiful language of the work, ruthlessly focusing attention on the right things. After Fahrenheit 451, you can't help but love twentieth-century American literature.

4. by Jack London

A story that makes you tear your butt off the couch and start acting. Watching the hero of the work, you begin to overcome all the ups and downs with him. The book is replete with descriptions of the emotions of the characters, therefore, you will get to know the beauty of the English language even deeper.

5. by Anthony Doerr

Anthony Dorr's stunning Pulitzer Prize-winning novel has been on my wishlist for original books for months now. The action takes place in the 30-40s of the twentieth century and combines the touching stories of a young man and a girl, intertwined with the cruel reality of war.

The vocabulary in the novel is very complex, includes many specific names and scientific terms, so you need to approach the reading fully armed.

work hard. Dream big: motivational books for learning English on your own

1. Do the work by Steven Pressfield

An excellent book for those who need a kick to start learning English, run in the morning and do everything on time. It is hardly suitable for an easy level of English: self-development books are usually written at the upper-intermediate level. It all depends on your perseverance (to help you).

2. by Seth Godin

Many foreign entrepreneurs describe this book as life-changing, so we recommend it for a comprehensive “pumping” of yourself.

The described books, in general, can be read by the owner of the upper-intermediate and advanced levels. But we will not stop until all students (regardless of the level of language proficiency) get their favorite book in English! So next time we will. See you! 🙂

Recently, parallel reading in English and Russian has become popular, so our readers sometimes ask if it is as effective as the compilers of books with texts in two languages ​​write. In this article, we will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of this way of learning a language, as well as give tips on how to use the method of parallel reading in English as productively as possible.

Parallel reading is reading the same text in two languages: native and studied. As a rule, an adapted text is taken as a basis, for example, in English, and a literal or literary translation into Russian is written next to it. However, there is another variant of parallel reading, it was used by a polyglot. So, he first read the text in his native language, and then the unadapted text in the studied one. Today, people also use this method: they take a book in the original and its translation and learn the language in this way.

The Benefits of Parallel Reading

1. Development of a sense of language

2. "Total immersion" in English

The texts of the books in the original will allow you to create a language environment for learning English. You will be able to “immerse yourself” in the language being studied in its natural form while reading.

3. Learning English in an extensive way

Intensive ways of learning English, such as doing exercises, learning new words, or talking to a teacher, sometimes you want to replace it with something that requires less effort. The Parallel Reading method allows you to "learn without studying", that is, in fact, you are reading a book that interests you, and at the same time this activity benefits your English.

4. Study without grammar

Adherents of the method of parallel reading in English argue that this is a natural way of learning a language, similar to the principle by which children learn their native language. From the very first day, the kid is immersed in the language environment, and not just studying grammar. Thus, he learns to speak, mechanically repeating words and phrases after those around him, and only later goes directly to the study of grammatical rules. You are also invited to read the book without understanding the tenses of English and other intricacies of the language. According to linguists, this method is not suitable for everyone, but some people benefit from reading parallel texts in English.

5. Less distraction - more fun

When reading an ordinary book in English, you will resort to the help of a dictionary and get distracted from reading whenever you encounter an unfamiliar word and cannot understand its meaning from the context. With parallel reading, this need does not arise: you have a complete translation of the text in front of your eyes, so you will not be distracted by working with a dictionary.

6. Engaging visual memory

While reading, you use visual memory, which means that words and phrases that are often found in the text will be remembered well. If you are a visual person who finds it easier to perceive visual information, you may like this method of reading in English.

7. Remembering words in context

While reading the book, you will memorize frequently repeated words, as well as the principles of their use in speech. Moreover, you will learn new vocabulary, making almost no effort. And if, while reading, you also write out some words and memorize them, you will get even more benefit from parallel reading in English.

If you are familiar with the state of “I’ll finish reading you, the last chapter, and it doesn’t matter that it’s 3 o’clock in the morning,” then you will appreciate such a technique for learning English as reading parallel texts. And this activity will especially appeal to those who do not yet know English very well, but are eager to read any work by English-speaking authors in the original. In addition, it will be interesting for you to see how the translation differs from the original and how certain emotions are expressed in the native and studied language.

9. You can skip difficult passages

With parallel reading, you will not lose the thread of reasoning, even if you stumble upon a difficult passage in English. You will be able to read the translation and understand the text, or simply skip the misunderstood passage.

Disadvantages of Parallel Reading

1. Labor-intensive occupation that is not suitable for everyone

Since parallel reading of English texts is an extensive way of learning a language, it requires more time than intensive methods. You will have to read a lot and, moreover, every day. In addition, this technique will not work for everyone: you will have to force yourself to read a lot of unfamiliar words, and this is a rather tedious task.

2. Hard to find the right book

Although parallel reading is popular, it will take a long time to find interesting books, because compiling really high-quality material for parallel reading is a long and difficult task.

3. Big time investment

With parallel reading, you actually read the text 2 times: in your native language and in the studied one. It turns out that you spend a lot of time reading, and the effectiveness of this method of learning English remains in question.

4. Typos in the text

Often the quality of parallel texts leaves much to be desired, and typos and blunders, according to the “law of meanness,” are remembered better than correctly written words. Therefore, carefully select the literature for reading.

5. Problems with matching texts

If you are learning English quite recently, have not yet had time to deal with grammar, then it will be quite difficult for you to compare Russian and English texts. It must be understood that sentences will not be translated literally, and sometimes their structure will change in a completely radical way. And if you don’t understand why the sentence is built the way it is, and not otherwise, as the parts of speech are related, the benefit of reading is greatly reduced.

6. Constant switching from one language to another

It is not easy for everyone to adjust to reading in their native language, then in the studied one. You may have a "linguistic mess" in your head, and the storyline of the work will be lost.

7. Inconvenience in using the method

You can read two texts on paper only at home, and even then it is very inconvenient. Computer programs and applications for gadgets are a good alternative, but they also have nuances. So, such programs, as a rule, do not provide a wide selection of works, and texts often contain errors.

8. Obsolete words and expressions

Shakespeare and Dickens are not a very good choice for those who decide to take up parallel reading. There are many obsolete words in the texts of their works that you will never need in life. Therefore, if you decide to read a work in the original, give preference to more modern authors, although such texts are difficult to find.

9. Exclusively for lovers of reading

If you don't know what a "book hangover" is and have never sacrificed sleep for "just 20 more pages of this wonderful chapter," chances are you won't like this method. Everything is logical: reading should be used only by those who love to read. If this does not suit you, try learning, or.

How to Use the Parallel Reading Method Effectively

We decided to try whether the method of parallel reading of texts in English is right for you? In that case, we want to give you some tips on how to make this activity as useful as possible for your English.

1. Learn the basics first, then read

For those who have just started learning English, there is no point in reading parallel texts. You will not yet be able to compare grammatical constructions and parts of speech in different languages. Therefore, wait at least for a level, master the basics of grammar, and only then start reading.

2. It's too late after Intermediate

Once you have reached the level, move on to reading books entirely in English. It can be both adapted literature and books in the original. And to make it easy and pleasant for you to read the text, we have compiled for you a detailed table of works of art recommended for reading at different levels of knowledge. You will find this information in the article "". Fully English text is much more useful than parallel reading, so when you reach an intermediate level, put the parallel texts aside.

3. Learn the rules of reading

Knowledge of reading rules is a prerequisite for using the method of parallel texts. Otherwise, your classes will do more harm than good.

4. Self-interest comes first

Always choose the text that you would be happy to read or re-read in Russian. If you're interested in the plot, there's a good chance you'll make it to the end of the book instead of giving up after the first 10 pages.

5. Develop Other Skills

With parallel reading, you develop only one skill - reading itself, while listening, speaking and writing remain in their original form. However, if you do not work with the rest of the skills, then you will not feel progress in English. Do not forget to listen to audio materials, write short essays and be sure to find yourself an interlocutor, because you are learning English to speak it, and not just read texts.

6. Listen to the audio recording of the text

Do you want to get used to the sound of English speech and learn to understand it by ear? Then we advise you to find an audio recording for the English text and listen to each phrase you read. You can also use special programs with Text-To-Speech technology, such as neospeech.com. You can enter any phrase in the box, and the program will voice it in the voice of a native speaker with the correct pronunciation and intonation.

7. Read the phrase in Russian and match it with the sentence in English

In principle, you can do the opposite: read in English, and then in Russian, but if you want to understand the structure of the sentence, then the option we have proposed will be more convenient. So, you will read a phrase in Russian and will automatically match English words with Russian, understand the structure of the sentence, this will help you develop a sense of language and linguistic guess.

8. Read a lot and often

Parallel reading will only be beneficial if you read long and often, preferably daily. Therefore, if you like this method of learning English, give it at least 25-30 minutes a day, otherwise your efforts will be a waste of time.

9. Choose Convenient Resources

Of course, we cannot fail to mention in this article useful sites where you will find texts for parallel reading. We would like to recommend you 2 good resources:

• Aglona reader. The program for reading parallel text, as well as the application, can be downloaded for free. This is an interesting development that highlights relevant passages in parallel texts. In addition, the interface is very user-friendly and the program is easy to use. The only negative is a narrow selection of books, but if you have never tried to read such texts, we recommend that you try this particular resource, you will like it for its simplicity and ease of use.
• studyenglishwords.com. Also a free site where you can read parallel texts in English, save words from them in your own electronic dictionary and learn in your free time. The choice of books is quite large, so you can easily find an interesting text for yourself.

We think that now you will be able to evaluate for yourself the advantages and disadvantages of the parallel reading method, and our tips will help you make this lesson really useful. Do you want to receive author's advice and announcements of articles in a timely manner? We offer to subscribe to our newsletter, we promise to bother you only once a week and only on business!

Reading short stories and entertaining stories is the best way to start learning English. This book contains anecdotes and humorous stories that will turn language learning into an exciting experience.

The texts are not adapted, they are provided with Russian translations, which contributes to the effective assimilation of new vocabulary.

A Daughter of the Snows is Jack London's first novel in the genre, published in 1902. Its action takes place in the Yukon (Canada), the main character is Frona Welz. She is the daughter of a wealthy entrepreneur and Yukon veteran. After spending three years at the universities of Europe, Frona returns to her father in the north. Comprehensively educated, she at the same time retained sincerity and simplicity in dealing with people. The novel, among other things, tells about the life and adventures of gold prospectors during the gold rush in the Klondike. The work refers to the "northern" theme, which Jack London has repeatedly addressed in his work.

"The Catcher in the Rye" (in other translations - "Cliff at the edge of the rye field of childhood", "Catcher in the grain field", English The Catcher in the Rye - "Catcher in the Rye", 1951) is a novel by American writer Jerome Salinger. In it, on behalf of a 17-year-old boy named Holden, he frankly talks about his heightened perception of American reality and the rejection of the general canons and morals of modern society.

Forrest Gump is a 1986 novel by Winston Groom. Based on the novel, the film by Robert Zemeckis was released in 1994 and subsequently won 6 Oscars. The protagonist of the book is Forrest Gump, a kind and naive adult man who was born a mentally retarded child. Most people think he's a total idiot simply because he can't put together a couple of words. Despite the low intelligence, the guy has life experience, as well as abilities that are not available to other, it would seem, smarter and wealthier people.

Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog), 1889) is a humorous novel by Jerome K. Jerome. It is an account of a boat trip on the River Thames between Kingston and Oxford. One of the book's most remarkable features is its "eternal youth"; the jokes seem funny and witty even today. In the preface to the 1909 edition, Jerome confessed his own bewilderment at the book's continued popularity: "I think I've written funnier things." Nevertheless, it was this book that eventually came to be called "almost the funniest book in the world."

Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian science fiction novel by Ray Bradbury published in 1953. The epigraph of the novel states that the ignition temperature of paper is 451 °F (233 °C). The novel describes a society that relies on mass culture and consumerism, in which all books that make you think about life are to be burned; possession of books is a crime; and people who can think critically are outlawed. The protagonist of the novel, Guy Montag, works as a "fireman" (which in the novel means burning books), confident that he is doing his job "for the benefit of mankind." But soon he becomes disillusioned with the ideals of the society he is a part of.

The Great Gatsby is a novel by American writer Francis Scott Fitzgerald. It was published on April 10, 1925. The action of the novel, the main plot line of which is a love story with a detective and tragic denouement, develops near New York, on the "golden coast" of Long Island, among the villas of the rich. In the 1920s, following the chaos of the First World War, American society entered an unprecedented period of prosperity: in the Roaring Twenties, the US economy was developing rapidly. At the same time, Prohibition made many bootleggers millionaires and gave a significant boost to organized crime. Admiring the rich and their charms, Fitzgerald at the same time questions the unrestrained materialism and moral crisis of America of that era.

A Christmas Carol in Prose: A Christmas Ghost Story, commonly referred to simply as A Christmas Carol, is an 1843 short story by the British writer Charles Dickens. The main character is the old gloomy miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who has long loved no one and nothing but his own money. He does not understand the joy others feel about the approaching Christmas and Christmas time, and squeamishly declines his kind nephew's invitation to celebrate Christmas with him and his family.

"The Little Prince" (fr. Le Petit Prince) is an allegorical fairy tale story, the most famous work of Antoine de Saint-Exupery. First published on April 6, 1943 in New York. The pilot makes an emergency landing in the Sahara desert and meets one extraordinary and mysterious boy - the Little Prince from another planet - the asteroid B-612. The little prince talks about his adventures on Earth, talks about the amazing rose he left on his small planet, about his life on an asteroid... (English + Russian text)