Day 123: Debating the Other Side
At a school in Tomsk, two members of the debate team get their side for the regional final and talk it over with their coach, Denis Igorevich.
How to study this lesson 3 steps
- Read the situation under the title.
- Read the dialogue and its translation. The audio for this lesson is coming soon.
- Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native Russian audio, for example from the Resources page. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.
Dialogue
Audio for this lesson is coming soon. For now, read the dialogue and its translation.
Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day
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A
По жеребьёвке нам досталась позиция «за отмену домашних заданий». Я такое защищать не буду, я в это не верю.
In the draw we got the side "for abolishing homework". I'm not defending that, I don't believe in it.
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B
Ну и что? В прошлом году мы выиграли, защищая школьную форму, а ты её терпеть не можешь.
So what? Last year we won defending school uniforms, and you can't stand them.
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C
Как раз хорошо, что не веришь, Артём: ты знаешь доводы соперника наизусть, значит, сможешь заранее их разбить.
It's actually good that you don't believe it, Artyom: you know the other side's arguments by heart, so you can knock them down in advance.
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A
Денис Игоревич, но как убеждать жюри в том, во что сам не веришь? Даже если выиграем, это нечестно.
Denis Igorevich, but how can you persuade the judges of something you don't believe yourself? Even if we win, it's not honest.
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C
А ты продаёшь не убеждения, а логику. Допустим, домашка полезна, но, во-первых, кому: всем или тем, у кого дома тихий угол и помощь родителей?
You're not selling your convictions, you're selling logic. Let's grant that homework is useful, but firstly, useful to whom: everyone, or only those with a quiet corner at home and parents to help?
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B
А во-вторых, кому помогают родители, те сдают, по сути, чужую работу. Более того, учителя это прекрасно знают.
And secondly, the ones whose parents help are basically handing in someone else's work. What's more, the teachers know it perfectly well.
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A
Допустим. Тем не менее сильный соперник спросит, откуда тогда возьмутся навыки самостоятельной работы.
Let's say so. Even so, a strong opponent will ask where the skill of working on your own is supposed to come from then.
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C
Вот, уже думаешь как их капитан. Спросят, а ты в ответ: самостоятельная работа полезна, но на уроке, а не на кухне в полночь.
There you go, you're already thinking like their captain. If they ask, you come back with: working on your own is useful, but in class, not at the kitchen table at midnight.
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A
Страшно признаться, но это меня почти убедило. Только учительнице по алгебре ни слова, ладно?
It's scary to admit, but that almost convinced me. Just not a word to our algebra teacher, okay?
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