Is “Das reicht nicht” a yes or a no?

A yes: someone who says a measure does not go far enough wants more of it. Check what follows. If the writer asks for something additional, it stays a yes; if the writer proposes something quite different instead, it is a no.

How do I spot a concession?

Look for words like “zwar”, “natürlich” or “ich verstehe, dass …”, followed by “aber”, “doch” or “trotzdem”. What stands before the “aber” is the side the writer wants to understand; what stands after it is the writer's opinion.

What about a comment that only tells a story?

A story has a stance too. Someone who writes that their child was nearly hit outside the school says what they are for, even without the word “dafür”. Look for sentences with “deshalb”, “darum” or “seitdem”: they show what the writer makes of the story.

Goethe-Zertifikat B1 · Lesen · Teil 4

Goethe B1 — Ja oder Nein.

Leserinnen und Leser schreiben zu einem Vorschlag, eine Person ist das Beispiel. Bei jeder der anderen sieben entscheiden Sie: Ist sie dafür – ja oder nein?

30 exercises
2 free to try
7 questions · 15 min each

All Teile of this module Try this Teil inside a full test

Goethe B1 Lesen Teil 4: one question, seven comments

A sentence names a proposal — a ban, a duty, a novelty — that a magazine has reported, and eight short reader comments follow, each signed with name, age and town from Germany, Austria or Switzerland; one is the example. For the other seven you answer one question, “Ist die Person für …?” — Ja or Nein. Fifteen minutes are recommended. What you look for is a stance, not a topic: imagine a vote and ask where this person would put the cross. Your own opinion does not count.

Say the question is about Tempo 30 on all streets of a city. “Für Autofahrer klingt das zwar lästig, und ich fahre selbst jeden Tag zur Arbeit. Aber vor der Schule meiner Tochter ist es seit der Tempo-30-Zone ruhiger geworden.” is a Ja: the concession comes before the “aber”, the opinion after it. “Und wer soll das alles kontrollieren? Die Polizei hat doch jetzt schon zu wenig Leute.” is a Nein: the question wants no answer, it is an argument against, put as a question.

Three more patterns. “Das reicht nicht” is still for the measure: the writer wants more of it, not less. A writer who proposes something else instead of the measure is against it. And some comments start with the other side's argument and then answer it, so read to the last sentence before you decide.

Ja oder Nein questions

Is “Das reicht nicht” a yes or a no?
A yes: someone who says a measure does not go far enough wants more of it. Check what follows. If the writer asks for something additional, it stays a yes; if the writer proposes something quite different instead, it is a no.
How do I spot a concession?
Look for words like “zwar”, “natürlich” or “ich verstehe, dass …”, followed by “aber”, “doch” or “trotzdem”. What stands before the “aber” is the side the writer wants to understand; what stands after it is the writer's opinion.
What about a comment that only tells a story?
A story has a stance too. Someone who writes that their child was nearly hit outside the school says what they are for, even without the word “dafür”. Look for sentences with “deshalb”, “darum” or “seitdem”: they show what the writer makes of the story.