In this fictional reading group, Omar and Mazin compare a short novel with a collection of travel accounts. They consider members’ interests and limited reading time.
01Read the Arabic conversation
اِخْتِيَارُ كِتَابٍ لِمَجْمُوعَةِ الْقِرَاءَةِ
عُمَرُ: لَدَيْنَا كِتَابَانِ مُقْتَرَحَانِ لِمَجْمُوعَةِ الْقِرَاءَةِ: رِوَايَةٌ قَصِيرَةٌ وَمَجْمُوعَةُ رِحْلَاتٍ. أَيُّهُمَا تَرَاهُ أَنْسَبَ لِلشَّهْرِ الْقَادِمِ؟
مَازِنٌ: أَمِيلُ إِلَى الرِّوَايَةِ، لِأَنَّنِي أُحِبُّ مُتَابَعَةَ الشَّخْصِيَّاتِ مِنَ الْبِدَايَةِ إِلَى النِّهَايَةِ. وَهِيَ قَصِيرَةٌ أَيْضًا.
عُمَرُ: أَفْهَمُ رَأْيَكَ. الرِّوَايَةُ مِئَةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ صَفْحَةً، أَمَّا كِتَابُ الرِّحْلَاتِ فَهُوَ مِئَةٌ وَثَمَانُونَ صَفْحَةً.
مَازِنٌ: إِذَنْ الرِّوَايَةُ أَقْصَرُ مِنْ كِتَابِ الرِّحْلَاتِ. أَلَا يُسَاعِدُ ذَلِكَ الْأَعْضَاءَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ وَقْتًا كَثِيرًا؟
عُمَرُ: بَلَى، لَكِنَّ كُلَّ فَصْلٍ فِي كِتَابِ الرِّحْلَاتِ مُسْتَقِلٌّ. يُمْكِنُنَا مُنَاقَشَةُ فَصْلٍ وَاحِدٍ فِي كُلِّ لِقَاءٍ.
مَازِنٌ: هَذِهِ نُقْطَةٌ مُهِمَّةٌ. إِذَا غَابَ عُضْوٌ عَنْ لِقَاءٍ، فَهَلْ يَسْتَطِيعُ فَهْمَ الْفَصْلِ التَّالِي مُبَاشَرَةً؟
عُمَرُ: نَعَمْ، لِأَنَّ كُلَّ فَصْلٍ يَحْكِي رِحْلَةً مُخْتَلِفَةً. لَا تَحْتَاجُ إِلَى قِرَاءَةِ الْفَصْلِ السَّابِقِ لِفَهْمِهِ.
مَازِنٌ: لَكِنَّنِي أَخْشَى أَنْ تَكُونَ الْفُصُولُ مُجَرَّدَ أَوْصَافٍ لِلْأَمَاكِنِ. أُفَضِّلُ أَحْدَاثًا نَسْتَطِيعُ مُنَاقَشَتَهَا.
عُمَرُ: قَرَأْتُ الْفَصْلَ الْأَوَّلَ. فِيهِ يَفْقِدُ الْمُسَافِرُ حَقِيبَتَهُ، ثُمَّ يَطْلُبُ الْمُسَاعَدَةَ وَيُغَيِّرُ خُطَّتَهُ.
مَازِنٌ: إِذَنْ يُمْكِنُنَا مُنَاقَشَةُ قَرَارَاتِهِ، وَلَيْسَ وَصْفَ الْمَدِينَةِ فَقَطْ. هَذَا يَجْعَلُ الْكِتَابَ أَكْثَرَ جَاذِبِيَّةً لِي.
عُمَرُ: بِالضَّبْطِ، وَبَعْضُ الْأَعْضَاءِ قَالُوا إِنَّهُمْ يُحِبُّونَ الْقِرَاءَةَ عَنْ تَجَارِبِ السَّفَرِ وَمُقَارَنَتَهَا بِتَجَارِبِهِمْ.
مَازِنٌ: وَمَاذَا عَنِ اللُّغَةِ؟ لَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ يَقْضِيَ الْأَعْضَاءُ كُلَّ الْوَقْتِ فِي الْبَحْثِ عَنِ الْكَلِمَاتِ.
عُمَرُ: الْجُمَلُ فِي الْفَصْلِ الَّذِي قَرَأْتُهُ وَاضِحَةٌ، مَعَ بَعْضِ الْكَلِمَاتِ الْجَدِيدَةِ. يُمْكِنُنَا تَجْرِبَةُ صَفْحَةٍ مَعًا.
مَازِنٌ: أُوَافِقُ. قِرَاءَةُ نَمُوذَجٍ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الْحُكْمِ عَلَى الْكِتَابِ مِنْ عَدَدِ صَفَحَاتِهِ وَحْدَهُ.
عُمَرُ: لِنُرْسِلْ صَفْحَةً مِنْ كُلِّ كِتَابٍ إِلَى الْمَجْمُوعَةِ، وَنَسْأَلْهُمْ عَنِ الْمَوْضُوعِ وَاللُّغَةِ.
مَازِنٌ: وَنُوَضِّحُ أَنَّ خُطَّةَ الرِّحْلَاتِ هِيَ فَصْلٌ وَاحِدٌ أُسْبُوعِيًّا، حَتَّى يَقَارِنُوا الْخِيَارَيْنِ بِوُضُوحٍ.
عُمَرُ: هَلْ نَقْتَرِحُ كِتَابَ الرِّحْلَاتِ لِلشَّهْرِ الْقَادِمِ، وَنَنْتَظِرُ آرَاءَ الْأَعْضَاءِ قَبْلَ تَأْكِيدِ الْاِخْتِيَارِ؟
مَازِنٌ: نَعَمْ، وَسَأَشْرَحُ أَنَّنِي غَيَّرْتُ رَأْيِي بَعْدَ أَنْ فَهِمْتُ طَبِيعَةَ الْفُصُولِ، لَا لِأَنَّ الرِّوَايَةَ سَيِّئَةٌ.
عُمَرُ: سَأُرْسِلُ النَّمُوذَجَيْنِ الْيَوْمَ، وَأَطْلُبُ الرُّدُودَ قَبْلَ الْجُمُعَةِ. بَعْدَهَا نُؤَكِّدُ الْكِتَابَ وَخُطَّةَ الْقِرَاءَةِ.
مَازِنٌ: جَيِّدٌ. سَنَخْتَارُ كِتَابًا يُنَاسِبُ اِهْتِمَامَاتِ الْمَجْمُوعَةِ وَوَقْتَهَا، بَعْدَ سَمَاعِ آرَاءِ الْجَمِيعِ.
Show English translationHide English translation
Omar: We have two books suggested for the reading group: a short novel and a collection of travel accounts. Which do you think is more suitable for next month?
Mazin: I lean towards the novel because I enjoy following the characters from beginning to end. It is short too.
Omar: I understand your view. The novel is one hundred and twenty pages, while the travel book is one hundred and eighty pages.
Mazin: So the novel is shorter than the travel book. Does that not help members who do not have much time?
Omar: Yes, but each chapter in the travel book stands on its own. We can discuss one chapter at each meeting.
Mazin: That is an important point. If a member misses a meeting, can they understand the next chapter straight away?
Omar: Yes, because each chapter tells of a different journey. You do not need to read the previous chapter to understand it.
Mazin: But I worry that the chapters might be only descriptions of places. I prefer events we can discuss.
Omar: I read the first chapter. In it, the traveller loses his bag, then asks for help and changes his plan.
Mazin: Then we can discuss his decisions, not just the description of the city. That makes the book more appealing to me.
Omar: Exactly, and some members said they enjoy reading about travel experiences and comparing them with their own.
Mazin: And what about the language? I do not want members to spend all their time looking up words.
Omar: The sentences in the chapter I read are clear, with some new words. We can try a page together.
Mazin: I agree. Reading a sample is better than judging the book only by its number of pages.
Omar: Let us send the group a page from each book and ask them about the topic and the language.
Mazin: And we will explain that the travel-book plan is one chapter weekly, so they can compare the two options clearly.
Omar: Shall we suggest the travel book for next month and wait for members’ views before confirming the choice?
Mazin: Yes, and I will explain that I changed my mind after understanding the nature of the chapters, not because the novel is bad.
Omar: I will send the two samples today and ask for replies before Friday. Afterwards, we will confirm the book and reading plan.
Mazin: Good. We will choose a book that suits the group’s interests and time, after hearing everyone’s views.
02Useful words and expressions
| Arabic in the conversation | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| رِوَايَةٌ قَصِيرَةٌ | a short novel |
| أَمِيلُ إِلَى | I lean towards |
| مُتَابَعَةَ الشَّخْصِيَّاتِ | following the characters |
| مُسْتَقِلٌّ | stands on its own; independent |
| مُجَرَّدَ أَوْصَافٍ | only descriptions |
| قَرَارَاتِهِ | his decisions |
| جَاذِبِيَّةً | appeal; attractiveness |
| قِرَاءَةُ نَمُوذَجٍ | reading a sample |
| الْخِيَارَيْنِ | the two options |
| تَأْكِيدِ الْاِخْتِيَارِ | confirming the choice |
03Check your understanding
Choose one answer for each question. Look back at the Arabic conversation for evidence. Open the English question support or a hint when you need help.
What to remember
- Support a preference with reasons about content, reading time, and members’ interests.
- Respond to another person’s reasons and compare samples before confirming a choice.
Explore the Arabic in this conversation
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this conversation.
Arabic Comparatives: Bigger Than and Better Than
الرِّوَايَةُ أَقْصَرُ مِنْ كِتَابِ الرِّحْلَاتِ
Place min after a comparative to name the other book in a comparison of length.
Because in Arabic: Give a Reason with Lianna
لِأَنَّنِي أُحِبُّ مُتَابَعَةَ الشَّخْصِيَّاتِ
Use liannani to give a personal reason for preferring one option.
Amma and Fa in Arabic: As For This Topic
أَمَّا كِتَابُ الرِّحْلَاتِ فَهُوَ مِئَةٌ وَثَمَانُونَ صَفْحَةً
Use amma to turn to the second book, then fa to introduce the comment about it.
