Easy Arabic Reader
Easy Arabic Reader A Three-Part Text for Beginning Students
Mahmoud Gaafar & Jane Wightwick
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Contents
Introduction Part One: Jamal’s Journey 1 Jamal’s Family 2 The Restaurant 3 Cousin Zahra 4 Aunt Bahija 5 A Message from Jamal 6 Two Final Questions Review 1 7 Zahra at the Airport 8 Sounds of the City 9 History Everywhere 10 Two Rooms in Beirut 11 Many Accents
12 The Secret of Happiness Review 2 13 Jamal’s Blog: Day 1 14 Jamal’s Blog: Day 2 15 Jamal’s Blog: Day 3 16 Jamal’s Blog: Day 4 Review 3 17 Jamal’s Blog: Day 5 18 A Card from Egypt 19 On the Plane 20 The Pyramids 21 The Night of Travel 22 Packing the Case Review 4 Part Two: Arab Characters 1 Ahmed Shawqi
2 Haroun Al-Rashid 3 Omm Kalthoum 4 Ibn Battuta 5 Mai Ziyada Part Three: Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
(A modern interpretation) Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10
Answers Glossary
Introduction
Easy Arabic Reader has been designed to provide learners of Arabic with a bridge between textbooks and authentic material. Articles, blogs, stories, and novels written for native Arabic speakers can be challenging, except perhaps for more advanced students. On the other hand, material written for young Arab children learning to read is not always suitable for older learners of Arabic as a foreign or second language. Easy Arabic Reader can be used by learners studying independently or in a group and is suitable for a wide range of abilities. Beginning students will need a basic knowledge of the Arabic language and script but will then find the material accessible if they follow the strategies recommended in this Introduction. Intermediate and advanced students can plot their own course through the book, concentrating on texts and language of particular interest. Arabic has a long tradition of storytelling. Developing a feel for Arabic through stories will improve your understanding of the language, as well as help you appreciate the rythmn and style. Easy Arabic Reader will also help you to develop skills such as reading for gist or for specific information and guessing vocabulary in context or by connection to other familiar words. Easy Arabic Reader provides every learner of Arabic with a wealth of lively material written in simplified Modern Standard Arabic, together with illuminating explanatory notes, comprehension exercises, and a variety of activities designed to aid understanding and vocabulary retention. Our aim is to help learners of Arabic develop their knowledge of Modern Standard Arabic, while at the same time reading stories that are genuinely enjoyable and original in their own right. There are three parts to the text, and there is a basic progression in terms of language level through the parts. However, this progression is not as strict as in a more formal course, and it is not absolutely necessary to read the parts in the order they are presented. For a beginning student, however, we recommend reading the texts sequentially and completing the activities based on the texts. (It
is also possible to read the English comprehension questions before the Arabic text for additional help in anticipating the content.) Part One is the ficticious account of an Arab American college student, Jamal, who lives in California with his family. Jamal goes on his first trip to visit his relatives in Syria and to travel around the Middle East. Through his impressions of his visit and his travels through the different countries, we come to know more about life and popular culture in the Arab world. Part Two consists of five minibiographies of prominent figures in Arabic history and culture. The personalities are carefully chosen to reflect a range of different fields and eras in Arabic history. Part Three is a contemporary take on a traditional story from One Thousand and One Nights: Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. This has been written and illustrated especially for Easy Arabic Reader by Mahmoud Gaafar. The story, illustrations, and copious notes will help clarify the vocabulary and any concepts you may find unfamiliar. A very important advantage to Easy Arabic Reader is the linked audio available online at www.audiostudyplayer.com. The lively recordings not only help bring the stories to life, but also make the material far more accessible to lowerlevel learners who are still struggling with reading Arabic text fluently. After you have listened a few times to a passage while following the text, you will find you are more equipped to re-read the passages in detail by yourself. We have included in the text the short Arabic vowels that are essential for reading, especially when vocabulary is first encountered. However, if a word is very common or is repeated more than once or twice in the same section, the short vowels are dropped to encourage you to learn to recognize them. This way you will be more prepared to read authentic material, most of which does not display any of the short vowels because the reader is expected to know them. We have also made a conscious decision to generally not include the higherlevel, more formal grammatical endings that are sometimes seen in Arabic reading material for learners. The grammatical endings are not necessary for understanding and can add an extra barrier that affects the naturalness of the language and make these types of stories less accessible. Easy Arabic Reader is an entertaining way of learning about the Arabic
language, culture, and history while improving your understanding and fluency in reading. Easy Arabic Reader can continue to be a source of learning and amusem*nt as your language level improves. Every time you pick it up to reread a section, you will probably discover a new twist, angle, or expression that will enrich your grasp of Arabic.
Part One
Jamal’s Journey
1 Jamal’s Family
After reading
A Test your understanding. 1 How old is Jamal? 2 What are his parents’ names? 3 What feature is there in the garden of the family house? 4 What does Jamal have on the walls of his room? 5 What does Jamal study? 6 Whose signed photo hangs above Jamal’s desk? B Match the Arabic expressions from the reading passage to the English equivalents.
2 The Restaurant
After reading
A Test your understanding. 1 How many days a week is the restaurant open? 2 Which day is Adnan’s day off? 3 What does Adnan like doing on his day off? 4 Who is Carlos? 5 How does Basma help out in the restaurant? 6 What are her hobbies? 7 When does Jamal help out in the restaurant? 8 Who is Jamal planning to visit on his trip to the Middle East? B The expression (as for… then…) is a stylistic device used to change subject. Look at the example below from the text, then see if you can rephrase the other sentences in the same way.
3 Cousin Zahra
After reading A Test your understanding. 1 Where does Zahra live? 2 Whom does she live with? 3 What relation is Zahra’s mother to Jamal’s mother, Basma? 4 What four things are mentioned as being kept in the storage room? 5 What is Zahra’s profession? 6 Who is Dr. Safwan Halabi? 7 What hours does Zahra work? 8 What does she do in the mornings? B Decide if these Arabic sentences about the text are true or false.
4 Aunt Bahija
After reading A Test your understanding.
1 When she was a child, Bahija used to play… a the guitar. b the flute. c the piano. 2 She is trying to learn skills on. a the piano. b the computer. c the cell phone. 3 Bahija likes the computer because she can. a talk to her sister on it. b play games on it. c plan her holidays on it. 4 On some holidays, Bahija talks to Basma for… a half an hour. b a few minutes. c more than an hour. 5 Bahija taught Zahra how to. a cook. b use the computer. c play the piano. 6 Bahija suffers from health problems because of… a suffering from a backache. b being overweight. c smoking. B Match the two halves of the sentences.
5 A Message from Jamal
After reading A Test your understanding. 1 What is the Arabic equivalent of the English opening “Dear…”? 2 When is Jamal leaving California for his trip? 3 Is he travelling to Syria on a direct flight? 4 How long does he want to spend in the Middle East? 5 What other countries does he hope to visit? 6 When does Jamal’s mother, Basma, hope to visit Damascus? 7 Will his father, Adnan, travel with her? Why/why not? B Fill out this table with Jamal’s flight itinerary.
6 Two Final Questions
After reading A Test your understanding. 1 Jamal’s father has warned him about… a visiting sites. b taking photos. c going to the airport. 2 Jamal intends to take photos mainly of… a government buildings. b airports and bridges. c mosques and castles. 3 Jamal is asking Zahra if… a she can talk to his father. b she agrees with his father’s warning. c she can take pictures for him. 4 When dealing with the police, Jamal’s mother recommends… a manners, smiling, confidence. b patience, manners, smiling. c shouting, patience, smiling. 5 Jamal’s friend Daniel has mixed parentage from… a Greece and Egypt. b Greece and Syria. c Greece and Turkey. 6 Daniel wants Jamal to bring him… a a handmade backgammon set. b details of the best place to buy backgammon sets. c a photo of people playing backgammon.
Review 1
Vocabulary review
7 Zahra at the Airport
After reading
A Test your understanding. 1 How early did Zahra arrive at the airport? 2 What type of advertisem*nts did she read in the airport while waiting? 3 Who did she imagine the woman was waiting to greet? 4 Who did she imagine the young man was waiting for? Why? 5 And the businessman, whom did she think he was waiting for? Why? 6 Was the airport crowded? 7 What were the children doing? 8 Did Zahra get bored waiting for Jamal? Why not? B Complete these sentences about Zahra’s time at the airport.
8 Sounds of the City
After reading A Test your understanding. 1 Jamal has arrived at… a the hospital. b his aunt’s house. c a hotel. 2 The family stayed up until dawn… a working. b eating dinner. c laughing and talking. 3 Bahija noticed a strong resemblence between Jamal and… a her brother. b his father. c his grandfather. 4 Jamal thought his aunt Bahija is a carbon copy of… a his mother. b her daughter. c his grandmother. 5 Zahra concentrated on the resemblence between Jamal and… a her brother. b her father. c her uncle. 6 When Jamal went to bed he… a slept like a log. b took some photos. c was tired but couldn’t sleep.
B Find the Arabic phrases in the reading passage with the following meanings. 1 talking about different subjects 2 to sleep a little 3 the first breezes of dawn 4 (as) it begins a new day 5 an exact likeness [copy] of his mother 6 he was feeling tired 7 about 25 years ago 8 captivated the heart of her sister
9 History Everywhere
After reading
A Test your understanding. 1 Where was Jamal yesterday?
2 How many photos did he take? 3 Are the streets wide or narrow? 4 For how long does Jamal think the scene has remained unchanged? 5 What is the name of the market he visited? 6 Jamal writes that if a shop in California sells tennis rackets its neighbor will not do the same. How does he compare this to Damascus? B Find the plurals of the words below in Jamal’s letter.
10 Two Rooms in Beirut
After reading A Test your understanding. 1 What type of rooms did Zahra reserve in Beirut? 2 Why was it difficult to find rooms? 3 How did they travel from Damascus to Beirut? 4 What do people in the region call this method of transportation? 5 How long was their stay in Beirut? 6 Why don’t they know how long the journey will take? B Decide if these Arabic sentences about the text are true or false.
11 Many Accents
After reading A Test your understanding. 1 Zahra pointed out three examples of Arabic accents. Where did she say the
accents originated? 2 Fadi also pointed out people with different accents. Where were they from? 3 Could Jamal hear these differences? What phrases in the text tell you this? B Match the Arabic expressions from the reading passage to the English equivalents.
12 The Secret of Happiness
After reading A Test your understanding. 1 Did Jamal like Beirut? 2 What two examples does he give of the traditional and modern sitting happily side by side? 3 Fadi gives a number of reasons why the Lebanese have cause to be happy. Can you find three of these reasons? 4 What does Zahra think about the work ethic of the Lebanese? 5 What specific job does Zahra give as an example of this work ethic? B Make changes to phrases in the text to express the following in Arabic.
1 after two weeks in Beirut 2 I liked Damascus a lot 3 a city full of variety 4 traditional American dishes 5 their country is large in size 6 the delicious fruit 7 the best thing
8 the most important city 9 the girl who was preparing the sandwiches 10 in the fish restaurant 11 in our opinion 12 the people are happy with this success
Review 2
Vocabulary review
13 Jamal’s Blog: Day 1
After reading A Test your understanding. 1 Jamal is writing his blog from Amman in… a Jordan. b Syria. c Egypt. 2 Most of the houses in Amman are… a multicolored. b white. c large. 3 Jamal is reminded of houses he has seen in pictures of… a the Greek Islands. b Illinois. c the Arabian peninsula. 4 Jamal describes the relationship between Amman and Damascus as similar to that between… a sisters. b mother and daughter. c cousins. 5 Jamal tells us he has spent a lot of his time in Amman… a buying souvenirs. b hill climbing. c walking the streets. 6 Jamal prefers to drink coffee in… a traditional cafés. b American cafés. c European cafés.
7 Traditional Arabic tea is served… a in small glasses with a lot of sugar. b in small glasses with no sugar. c in small cups with milk.
14 Jamal’s Blog: Day 2
After reading A Test your understanding. 1 How does Jamal travel through the desert? 2 Jamal compares the dryness of the desert to the humidity of which town? 3 What time did he wake up today? Why? 4 What does Jamal say you can read about or see on the Internet? 5 How does he feel when he finally reaches Petra? B Identify the adjectives in the blog and make sure you know what they mean. Then see if you can use them to put the following into Arabic. (Remember to use a feminine singular adjective to describe non-human plurals.)
1 a pink shirt 2 a historic town 3 narrow streets 4 a desert road 5 beautiful caves 6 towering mountains 7 clear information 8 distant hills 9 a small-sized
house 10 Roman ruins
15 Jamal’s Blog: Day 3
After reading A Test your understanding. 1 The road from Petra to the Gulf of Aqaba is one long incline… a west. b south. c north. 2 The Gulf of Aqaba is part of… a the Mediterranean. b the Suez Canal. c the Red Sea. 3 Jamal passes mines producing… a fossil fuel. b phosphate. c silver. 4 Wadi Rum is popular as a movie location because… a the desert has unusual features. b it looks like Hollywood. c it is in the tourist guides. 5 Jamal descibes Aqaba as being like… a a busy traffic junction. b a different country. c a crossing point between continents. 6 The next day Jamal is taking the ferry heading to… a Asia. b Sinai. c Sana’a.
16 Jamal’s Blog: Day 4
After reading A Test your understanding. 1 What is Jamal’s immediate impression of Nuweiba? What gave him this impression? 2 What four types of loads does Jamal mention seeing on top of the cars on the ferry? 3 What three specific household appliances does Jamal mention? 4 Jamal mentions five Gulf countries that the Egyptian passengers are returning from. What are they? 5 Which country does he say most of them are returning from? B Match the Arabic expressions from the reading passage to the English equivalents.
Review 3
Vocabulary review
17 Jamal’s Blog: Day 5
After reading A Test your understanding. 1 Where is Jamal writing this blog from? 2 What did he see roaming in the desert? 3 What color is the men’s clothing among the Bedouin? 4 What about the women’s clothing? 5 Who did he link up with to climb Mount Moses? 6 What time did they set out for the climb? 7 What were they hoping to witness from the summit? 8 Who else was on the mountain? B Decide if these Arabic sentences about the text are true or false.
18 A Card from Egypt
After reading A Test your understanding. Answer the questions in Arabic.
B Put the following sentences into Arabic, using the text as a model. 1 I drank Syrian juice. 2 It is a mixture of summer fruits. 3 Tomorrow I will take the train to Cairo. 4 I spent two days in Sharm El-Sheikh. 5 I will return to Cairo in the morning. 6 I will spend half a day there in which I will visit the Pyramids. 7 My visit is nearing its completion, unfortunately. 8 I would have liked to buy some gifts.
19 On the Plane
After reading A Test your understanding. 1 Jamal travelled from Sharm el-Skeikh to Cairo by… a plane. b bus. c ferry. 2 He sat next to… a an Egyptian. b a young tourist. c a middle-aged tourist. 3 The tourist was… a young but heavily built. b bald and heavily built. c bald and thin. 4 The text speculates that Jamal’s neighbor was sunburned because… a he has no hair. b he fell asleep in the sun. c he forgot his sun cream. 5 The man had sunburn cream on… a his nose. b his bald patch. c his upper lip. 6 Jamal was uncomfortable because the tourist kept… a poking him when he moved. b adjusting Jamal’s seat. c adjusting his own seat.
B The following parts of the body are mentioned in the text. Can you find the Arabic words?
1 nose 2 chest 3 neck 4 arm 5 shoulder 6 ribs 7 lip 8 elbow
20 The Pyramids
After reading A Test your understanding. Answer the questions in Arabic.
21 The Night of Travel
After reading A Test your understanding.
1 Who is Jamal sitting with? 2 When is he flying back to America? 3 Did he feel lonely while he was on vacation? 4 What was the one thing that bothered him and why? 5 Name at least four things Jamal mentions that he liked about his trip. 6 What two characteristics does Jamal like about the people in the region? B What is the meaning of these phrases that appear in the text?
22 Packing the Case
After reading A Test your understanding. 1 Jamal thinks that, compared to America, the prices in the Middle East are… a about the same. b more expensive. c less expensive. 2 The earrings Jamal bought are made of… a silver. b gold. c copper. 3 The hat is made of… a Egyptian wool. b Egyptian silk. c Egyptian cotton. 4 In Sharm El-Sheikh Jamal bought a lot of… a sandals. b postcards. c T-shirts. 5 During his trip Jamal took… a a few photos. b a lot of photos. c no photos. B Fill out the table with the details of the gifts Jamal is taking back with him.
Review 4
Vocabulary review
Part Two
Arab Characters
1 Ahmed Shawqi Language and Historical Notes = poet (plural = = poetry/poem (plural = linguistic prowess generally, and the ability to write poetry specifically, have been highly valued in Arab culture for centuries
Ahmed Shawqi Test your understanding. 1 What did Ahmed Shawqi’s fellow poets call him? 2 What were the ethnic origins of his father and mother? 3 Where exactly was Ahmed Shawqi brought up and why? 4 What is Shawqi’s house now used for? 5 Where are the two statues of the poet mentioned in the text? 6 To which country was Shawqi exiled and why? 7 How did Shawqi spend his time in exile?
2 Haroun Al-Rashid Language and Historical Notes Dates are often expressed using two different calendars: (“Christian”), abbreviated to the Gregorian calendar familiar throughout the world (“flight”), abbreviated to the lunar Islamic calendar, which starts at the year 622 AD with the prophet Mohammed’s flight from Mecca to Madina. The date is 170 (lunar) years after this flight.
= caliph (plural =
caliphate
= Abbasid; = the Abbasid era; the Abbasid caliphs ruled a large Islamic empire from their base in modern-day Iraq for much of the early Middle Ages
= [he] was famous (for)
= [he] encouraged/was encouraging = people of knowledge;
the greeting
suggests welcoming someone to a family-like group
= wisdom
= [he] founded
= role
is also used for family members;
= charitable foundations = digging water wells
Haroun Al-Rashid Test your understanding. 1 When was the caliphate of Haroun Al-Rashid? 2 Can you find the specific words on page 73 that mean “poets,” “translators,” “artists,” linguists,” “literary figures,” “engineers,” “scientists/learned men”? 3 What was the name of the establishment where Haroun Al-Rashid gathered all these minds together? 4 How far did the Abbasid state extend under Haroun Al-Rashid? 5 What were his outstanding attributes as caliph? 6 How did the Abbasid state become rich under his rule?
3 Omm Kalthoum Language and Historical Notes
= upper layers; here used to mean “upper layers of society” or “upper classes”; can also be used in geology for layers of the earth or atmospheric strata, and in music for the higher octaves;
= multilayered
Omm Kalthoum Test your understanding. 1 Where and when was Omm Kalthoum born? 2 What was her father’s role in the village? 3 How old was Omm Kalthoum when her father realized her talent? 4 What disguise did she wear on stage when she was young? 5 What two inventions increased her fame? 6 What did Omm Kalthoum always hold in her right hand while singing? 7 What details of Omm Kalthoum’s appearance does the text mention?
4 Ibn Battuta Language and Historical Notes
Tangiers; = Maghreb (literally “place where the sun sets,” i.e., the west); this refers to the northwest of Africa, and is also the Arabic name for modern-day Morocco Mecca and Medina are two cities in western Saudi Arabia, in the area known as Hijaz They have a special religious significance in Islam. Mecca is home to the holy shrine, the Ka’ba
and it is where Muslims go
for the annual pilgrimage known as Hajj It is the duty of every able Muslim to “perform the obligation of the pilgrimage” at least once in his or her lifetime. Medina is where Prophet Muhammad is buried.
Ibn Battuta Test your understanding. 1 Where and when was Ibn Battuta born? 2 How old was he when he started to travel? 3 In what order did Ibn Battuta visit these countries? China, Syria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, India 4 Name three conveniences available to modern travelers that were not available to travelers in Ibn Battuta’s time? 5 What did travelers in the time of Ibn Battuta use for navigation? 6 What means of transportation does the text mention were used by pilgrims in the time of Ibn Battuta?
5 Mai Ziyada Language and Historical Notes
Mai Ziyada Test your understanding. 1 What combination of nationalities did Mai consider herself to be?
2 Which languages did she study, and which did she teach? 3 How did she become famous? 4 What did she study in order to improve her grasp of Arabic language and writing style? 5 What instrument did she play? 6 Where did Mai set up her literary salon? 7 What day of the week was the salon held?
Part Three
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
Chapter 1 Language and Culture Notes
= editorial department;
is the word generally used for a
company or government department; also
= police station
= The Honey Hill Publishing & Distribution House; two functions that usually appear together readers’ letters; is the plural of
(reader)
is the plural of
(letter), and
= Captain Reesha’s Corner; a young man connected to sports may often be referred to as “captain”; is literally “feather” and
is one of the weights in boxing and wrestling;
corner, also a boxing term Abul Dhahab;
= sapphire;
=
= Dr. Yaqoot = gold
= bride (plural
= (literally meaning “door”) can also be used to refer to a column or section in a newspaper or magazine, and sometimes a chapter of a book = Aunt Narjis;
= Narcissus;
= selfish,
narcissistic = cartoonists, caricaturists; = drawers, illustrators; the of the plural ending has disappeared because the word is in an idaafa construction (“drawers of the caricatures”)
Chapter 1 Test your understanding. 1 How many rooms are there in the apartment where Ali Baba and his parents live? 2 How does Ali Baba get to work every day? 3 What is his job? 4 What three assumed names does Ali Baba use for his newspaper and magazine columns? 5 How much money does the mystery e-mail say is available daily? 6 What is the name of the bank where the account is held? 7 What is the PIN for the account? 8 What is the password?
Chapter 2 Language and Culture Notes
Chapter 2 Test your understanding. 1 Why did Ali Baba call his bank at 5 AM? 2 What was the balance given to him by the automatic service? 3 What did he expect his balance to be? 4 How did he decide to make completely sure of his current balance after checking twice on the telephone? 5 What time did he arrive at his bank in the morning? 6 What did Ali Baba do as soon as he arrived at his office?
Chapter 3 Language and Culture Notes
Chapter 3 Test your understanding. 1 From where did Ali Baba bring the following for his new palace: steam bath; sauna; personal trainer; barber; piano teacher? 2 Who was Murjana, and what did she win four years running? 3 Why was Ali Baba afraid to approach Murjana in the past? 4 Murjana discovered that the gang leader, “The Black Glove,” was wanted by 37 police forces and by which other organizations? 5 What examples did Murjana give of thefts the gang carried out? 6 What three theories did she relate to Ali Baba as to why the leader might be known as “The Black Glove”?
Chapter 4 Language and Culture Notes
= Qasim and Umm Batata were [both] sitting; the dual ending is added only to the verb after the subject; if the subject is put first, both verbs have the dual ending:
Chapter 4 Test your understanding. 1 What specifically was Qasim’s job in The Honey Hill Publishing & Distribution House? 2 How did Qasim’s attitude toward Ali Baba change when he became rich? 3 Who are Batata and Umm Batata? 4 Why does Umm Batata secretly place a camera in Ali Baba’s kitchen?
5 What does the camera record? 6 What do Qasim and Umm Batata do with the information?
Chapter 5 Language and Culture Notes
= toying with; the basic verb simply means playing, whereas this form (VI) carries the meaning of playing confidently with something, as a cat would with a mouse
Chapter 5 Test your understanding. 1 What is the function of “Bunduq al-Ajeeb” in the gang? 2 What is his favorite crime and why? 3 What is his secret hobby? 4 Which magazine does he read for information about his hobby? 5 How did Bunduq end up sending the details of the secret bank account to Ali Baba?
Chapter 6 Language and Culture Notes
= dough, paste; The Black Glove has changed the final letter of
(extraordinary), threatening to turn “Bunduq the Extraordinary” into “Bunduq the Dough”
dancing around, jumping around; the basic verb simply means dancing, whereas this form (VI) carries the meaning of dancing or jumping around randomly, as lights and shapes might do when the eyes
are closed
abandoned it;
= a beach ball whose owners had (plural =
is a flexible word that can mean
“owner,” “master,” “friend,” or “one who has” (followed by an attribute)
Chapter 6 Test your understanding. 1 What did Bunduq think that The Black Glove is planning in Honey Hill? 2 Why did The Black Glove react with horror and anger when Bunduq told him about the withdrawals from the secret bank account? 3 What were the three things he orders Bunduq to find out immediately? 4 What happened to Qasim’s daughter, Batata, when she opens the door? 5 Why did Qasim point the finger at Ali Baba? 6 How many trucks were in the convoy? 7 Where was the convoy heading?
Chapter 7 Language and Culture Notes
Chapter 7 Test your understanding. 1 What excuse did the visitor give for knocking at Ali Baba’s door? 2 Where did he say he is heading? What does the name of the town mean literally? 3 What kind of conference did the visitor say he is attending there? 4 Why did Ali Baba pretend to have heard of the destination and the conference? 5 What did the visitor say is in the trucks? 6 Why did he say he is worried about leaving his cargo in the trucks? 7 What did Ali Baba offer the visitor and his cargo? 8 What was Murjana going to prepare for the guest and Ali Baba?
Chapter 8 Language and Culture Notes
= “one [tomato] fruit”; (plural = ) is a word that can be used for a single unit of many items in the natural world, for example grain, seed, kernel, berry, etc.
“switch”
= the main light switch;
can mean “key” or
= it hadn’t been used; an example of the passive, formed by
changing the vowel pattern of the verb: be used (passive)
= use (active),
= official occasions
=
The gang members have various noms de guerre: of the Morning);
(Butcher of the Desert);
(Fangs of the Night);
(Rivers of Blood)
(Dagger
Chapter 8 Test your understanding. 1 Why was Murjana suspicious of the guest? 2 Why did she go to the banquet hall? 3 What was the first thing she heard while searching for the light switch? 4 Which of the thieves was hard of hearing? 5 Why does one of the thieves tell the others to be quiet? 6 How does Murjana leave the room?
Chapter 9 Language and Culture Notes
Chapter 9 Test your understanding. 1 What two calls did Murjana’s father make when she told him what happened? 2 Who kicked down the door? 3 How long did the police chief say that The Black Glove and his gang are
likely to spend in Honey Hill prison? 4 What is the prisoner’s nickname for Honey Hill prison? 5 What did the chief say will happen to the gang after that? 6 Why did Bunduq mention Azerbaijan? 7 What question did Ali Baba ask Murjana while they were standing outside his palace watching the thieves being taken away? 8 How did Murjana answer?
Chapter 10 Language and Culture Notes
Chapter 10 Test your understanding. 1 What time were Ali Baba and Murjana waiting at the bank? 2 Why did they go there? 3 Where did they meet the police chief?
4 What rewards did the chief get for his arrest of the gang? 5 Why is he a little upset about his picture in the newspaper? 6 What was being offered for information leading to the arrest of the gang? 7 What work do Murjana and Ali Baba do now? 8 How many children do they have and what are their names?
Answers Part 1 1A 1 22 2 Adnan and Basma 3 a small swimming pool 4 photographs of California landmarks 5 architecture 6 the actor Clint Eastwood 1B
2A 1 7 days a week 2 Monday 3 plays tennis or goes fishing with his friends 4 the Mexican chef in the restaurant 5 she helps Adnan in buying the fruit, vegetables, and fish 6 music and learning languages 7 in the summer months 8 his aunt and her children (his cousins) 2B
3A 1 in Damascus 2 her mother, Bajiha, and her brother, Fadi 3 they are sisters 4 bags, Fadi’s bike, wooden boxes, and an ancient black piano with three legs 5 manager of a dental practice 6 the Syrian dentist in the practice 7 from 5 PM until 10:30 PM, Saturday through Wednesday 8 helps her mother with the housework 3B
4A 1 c 2 b
3 a 4 c 5 a 6 b 4B
5A 1
(to a female);
(to a male) 2 Thursday afternoon
3 no (via London) 4 two months (July and August) 5 Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt 6 next year 7 no, because he cannot leave the restaurant for a long period 5B
6A 1 b 2 c
3 b 4 b 5 a 6 a Review 1
7A 1 an hour early 2 advertisem*nts for perfume, drinks, car rental companies, and airlines 3 her husband 4 his fiancée, because he was very elegant and was carrying a bouquet of red flowers 5 his manager at work, because he was wearing formal clothes and
carrying papers and files 6 yes 7 running and shouting 8 no, because it was as if she was watching scenes from a movie 7B
8A 1 b 2 c 3 b 4 a 5 a 6 c 8B
9A 1 in the old part of Damascus 2 more than sixty 3 narrow 4 for hundreds of years 5 Souk Al-Hamideyya (Al-Hamideyya market) 6 in Damascus, all the shops in a street sell the same items (e.g., tennis rackets) 9B
10A 1 two rooms in a 3-star hotel: one double room for Jamal and Fadi, and one single room for herself 2 because there were many families from the Gulf
States spending the summer vacation in Lebanon 3 by (shared) taxi 4 “service” taxi 5 two days 6 due to the traffic on the road between Damascus and Beirut, at the border crossing, and in Beirut itself 10B
11A 1 a man who was a native of Beirut, a Palestinian woman, some young people from the South of Lebanon 2 an Iraqi boy, a girl from the countryside, a young man from the mountains 3 no, he could not hear the differences:
11B
12A 1 yes, he liked it very much (“a city full of life”) 2 girls walking together, some wearing the Hijab and some wearing jeans; fast food restaurants side by side with traditional Lebanese restaurants 3 the sea, mountains, sunshine, blue skies, good fruit, delicious food 4 they always perform their work to the best of their ability 5 the boy making sandwiches in the (spit-roast) restaurant wants his sandwiches to be the tastiest ones in the city 12B
Review 2
13A 1 a 2 b 3 a 4 c 5 c 6 a 7 a 14A 1 by train 2 Beirut
3 5:30 AM, because he wanted to have two or three hours of walking in Petra before it became too hot 4 you can read about Petra and the Roman era; you can see pictures of the caves and tombs 5 like a small [insignificant] human standing in front of a giant achievement 14B
15A 1 b 2 c 3 b 4 a 5 c 6 b 16A 1 it seemed much the same as Aqaba because of the traffic, the noise, and the number of cars competing for space 2 bags/cases, boxes/chests, large plastic bags, cardboard boxes 3 a Japanese fan, a Chinese television, a Korean refrigerator 4 Kuwait, the Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi [Arabia] 5 Saudi 16B
Review 3
17A 1 Saint Catherine’s Monastery (in Sinai) 2 some camels 3 white 4 black
5 two boys from Sweden, another boy from Argentina, and two girls from Scotland 6 about 2 AM 7 the sunrise 8 a lot of young people from around the world who also had the same plan 17B
18A
18B
19A 1 a 2 c 3 b 4 b 5 c 6 a 19B
20A
21A 1 Bahija, Zahra, and Fadi 2 tomorrow 3 no, never 4 the way people drive very fast and use the horn a lot 5 the food, the old architecture, the monuments, the weather, the sense of history all around, the people 6 their generosity in spite of of hardship and how they laugh and solve problems between themselves 21B 1 after dinner 2 every minute 3 many things 4 actually 5 the old architecture 6 I didn’t feel lonely 7 the thing you liked the most 8 they use the horn(s) a lot
9 despite the difficulties of life 10 as if life [is going to] end tomorrow 22A 1 c 2 a 3 c 4 c 5 b 22B
Review 4
Part 2 1 Ahmed Shawqi 1 “the Prince of Poets” 2 his father was Iraqi, his mother was mixed Turkish and Greek 3 in the royal palace in Cairo because his grandmother worked there 4 a museum containing some of his papers and books 5 in the museum garden in Cairo, and in the park of [Villa] Borghese in Rome 6 to Spain because the political content of some of his poems caused problems with the royal palace and the British government 7 learning Spanish and studying the monuments of the Islamic civilization in Andalusia 2 Haroun Al-Rashid 1 763-809 AD (170-193 AH) 2 poets =
translators =
artists =
linguists = literary figures = scientists/learned men =
engineers =
3 House of Wisdom 4 from central Asia in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west 5 outstanding military leader, talented politician 6 tax income increased because of the power of the state 3 Omm Kalthoum 1 in a small village in the Egyptian countryside in 1898 2 he was the village muezzin 3 about six years old 4 she wore boy’s clothes 5 the radio and the television 6 a handkerchief 7 elegant, mindful of her appearance, very thick dark hair (as black as the night), small hands and feet, slight build 4 Ibn Battuta 1 in Tangiers in the 14th century AD 2 about twenty years old 3 Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, India, China 4 fourwheel drive vehicles, trucks to carry provisions, airplanes, trains, cellphones, Internet, hotel rooms, restaurants, car and motobike rental 5 the stars at night; the position of the sun in the day 6 camels, donkeys, mules, horses, on foot 5 Mai Ziyada 1 Palestinian, Lebanese and Egyptian 2 she studied Latin, German, Spanish and Italian; she taught English and French 3 through her poetry, writings in literary magazines and newspapers, speeches, lectures, and novels 4 philosophy, Islamic history, and Arabic literature 5 the piano 6 in Cairo 7 on Tuesdays Part 3
Chapter 1 1 two rooms 2 he walks 3 he is an employee in the editorial department of The Honey Hill Publishing & Distribution House 4 Captain Reesha, Dr. Yaqoot Abul Dhahab, Aunt Narjis 5 a million dinars 6 Al-Najah International Bank 7 584600 8 Open Sesame Chapter 2 1 to check whether the transfer of a million dinars had gone through to his personal account 2 one million and ninty-nine dinars 3 ninty-nine dinars 4 to go personally to his bank 5 8:20 AM 6 he transfered another million dinars from Al-Najah International Bank and then called the automatic telephone banking service again to check if his personal balance had increased by another million Chapter 3 1 steam bath from Turkey; sauna from Finland; personal trainer from Sweden; barber from France; piano teacher from Italy 2 the beautiful daughter of a rich neighbor, an important vegetable wholesale trader. She won the title of “Honey Hill Beauty Queen” four years running. 3 because he was poor and he was afraid that Murjana would reject his approaches 4 the International Bank, the United Nations, the White House, Interpol, Scotland Yard 5 half a ton of gold from the Central Bank in South Africa, ten bags of diamonds from a warehouse in Belgium, jewels from one of the ruling families in the Gulf, three Picasso paintings from a steel safe buried under the mansion of a Texas millionaire 6 1, because he doesn’t leave finger prints; 2, because his father forced him to work in his leather business and he hated the smell of the leather; 3, because he likes to strangle his enemies with his bare hands, rather than using guns or daggers Chapter 4 1 to chase late subscriptions
2 Qasim became friendly, always calling him on his cell phone and inviting him around 3 Batata is Qasim’s daughter; Umm Batata is her mother (Qasim’s wife) 4 to record what he does on his computer 5 it recorded Ali Baba logging onto the website of the Al-Najah International Bank to collect another million dinars 6 they entered the same PIN and password into the website of the Al-Najah International Bank and collected a million dinars Chapter 5 1 the accountant 2 money laundering, because he thinks it is a superior crime that does not suit ordinary criminals 3 he is interested in wedding dress design 4 Honey Hill Bride magazine 5 he was sending an e-mail to the Black Glove about the new secret bank account and accidentally sent the e-mail to “Aunt Nirjis” at the magazine Chapter 6 1 a major intensive crime spree that required a lot of cash 2 because he didn’t know anything about the withdrawals and hadn’t taken any money himself 3 1, who is stealing from him; 2, where can he find this person; 3, how did it happen 4 the Black Glove immediately tried to strangle her 5 to save himself 6 five trucks 7 to Ali Baba’s mansion Chapter 7 1 he was lost and the navigation systems in the trucks had broken down 2 to the town of Ra’s Al-feel, literally Elephant’s Head 3 a conference for tomato farmers, traders, and owners of factories producing tomato paste, ketchup, and juice 4 so as not to embarrass the stranger 5 forty barrels of tomatoes 6 in case they went bad in the heat of the night 7 he offered to let the stranger stay the night and to put the barrels of tomatoes in the large air-conditioned function room 8 pizza Chapter 8 1 1, because it was unlikely that all the navigation systems would break down at once; 2, because she had never heard of Ra’s Al-feel or its tomato conference; 3, because someone who dedicates his life to good works didn’t
usually boast about it; 4, because the name “The White Glove” sounded familiar 2 because she could not find any tomatoes in the kitchen 3 a sneeze 4 Fangs of the Night 5 because one of the servants might hear them, and so that they could hear the signal to attack 6 she backed out quietly and very slowly, shut the door, then ran as fast as she could Chapter 9 1 1, to the police; 2, to his friends in the vegetable market 2 a policeman 3 30 or 40 years 4 Scorpion’s Tail Hotel 5 they would be passed to the other countries that wanted them 6 because the police chief had speculated that the countries would be in alphabetical order, starting with wanted in to marry him
(Australia), but Bunduq pointed that they were also (Azerbaijan), which comes earlier in the Arabic alphabet 7
8 yes, but on condition that Ali Baba gave away all his money to the orphans, poor, widows, and hospitals in Honey Hill Chapter 10 1 8:20 AM 2 to give away the money 3 outside the bank 4 a medal from the king and a promotion to a top position 5 because it was an old one from the archive 6 several generous rewards of many millions 7 Murjana became a rich businesswoman, and Ali Baba became a children’s presenter on satellite television 8 two: a boy called Murjan, and a girl called Aliya
Glossary Note that the Arabic–English Glossary runs in the Arabic direction, i.e., from right to left. It starts on page 223 and runs toward the middle of the book until page 200. The Arabic–English Glossary contains all the key vocabulary in Easy Arabic Reader in Arabic alphabetical order for easy reference. You can look up a word in the Glossary if you need to remind yourself of its meaning. The Glossary and notes next to the main text should give you most of the vocabulary that you need to understand the passages. However, the Glossary does not contain elementary Arabic words that you should be able to recognize; nor does it include alternative meanings not covered in Easy Arabic Reader. For these you will need to use a more comprehensive Arabic–English dictionary such as A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic (Hans Wehr). Note the following: • The Arabic words are in strict alphabetical order, rather than in order of their root letters. • Arabic nouns are followed by their plurals in brackets, if appropriate: e.g., island……………….. • Arabic verbs are shown in the past tense followed by the present tense and are indicated in English using the infinitive (“to”) form: e.g., to think/believe…………………………
Glossary Note that the Arabic–English Glossary runs in the Arabic direction, i.e., from right to left. It starts on page 223 and runs toward the middle of the book until page 200. The Arabic–English Glossary contains all the key vocabulary in Easy Arabic Reader in Arabic alphabetical order for easy reference. You can look up a word in the Glossary if you need to remind yourself of its meaning. The Glossary and notes next to the main text should give you most of the vocabulary that you need to understand the passages. However, the Glossary does not contain elementary Arabic words that you should be able to recognize; nor does it include alternative meanings not covered in Easy Arabic Reader. For these you will need to use a more comprehensive Arabic–English dictionary such as A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic (Hans Wehr). Note the following: • The Arabic words are in strict alphabetical order, rather than in order of their root letters. • Arabic nouns are followed by their plurals in brackets, if appropriate: e.g., island……………. • Arabic verbs are shown in the past tense followed by the present tense and are indicated in English using the infinitive (“to”) form: e.g., to think/believe………………………
