Reading · C2 · Text 18

Bundestag

68 words1 min read100% known at C2

Ein Mitglied des Bundestages bekommt Geld für sich selbst, damit er davon leben kann.
A member of the Bundestag receives money for themselves so that they can live on it.
Das nennt man die Diäten.
This is called the Diäten.
Dazu bekommt er aber zusätzlich noch Geld, damit ihm nichts für seine Arbeit fehlt.
In addition, they also receive extra money so that they lack nothing for their work.
Davon stellt er Mitarbeiter ein, die ihm helfen.
With this, they hire staff to help them.
Sie regeln für ihn, was er wann machen will, oder sie besorgen für ihn wichtige Bücher.
They arrange for them what they want to do when, or they procure important books for them.
Manche sind Wissenschaftler, andere Sekretäre.
Some are scientists, others are secretaries.
Insgesamt gibt es etwa 4.500 solcher Mitarbeiter.
In total, there are about 4,500 such staff members.

18 words above C2

Diäten← die Diät

parliamentary allowance, salary for members of parliament plural form; singular 'Diät' diet B1/diˈɛːt/

stellt ... ein← einstellen

to hire, to employ separable verb; present tense 3rd person singular; infinitive 'einstellen' to hire (to add someone to a position of employment); to adjust, to set; to prepare, to adjust, to adapt to something or someone B1[ˈʔaɪ̯nʃtɛln̩]

regeln

to organize, to arrange infinitive; used in present tense 3rd person plural to regulate; to control (to adjust an apparatus); to take care of, to deal with, to see to (errands, a situation, a small task) B1/ˈʁeːɡl̩n/

besorgen

to get, to obtain, to procure infinitive; used in present tense 3rd person plural to deal, to manage, to procure; to get, to obtain; to give (it to someone), to satisfy carnally B1

Wissenschaftler

scientist, academic plural same as singular; no change scientist; scholar, researcher, academic (male or of unspecified gender) B1/ˈvɪsn̩ʃaftlɐ/

Sekretäre← der Sekretär

secretary (male or generic) plural form; singular 'Sekretär' secretary (male or unspecified sex); official of an organization; high-ranking member in the Central committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany B1/zekreˈtɛːr/

Mitarbeiter

employee, staff member plural same as singular; no change employee (person who works, together with others, in a particular business or institution); collaborator (person who works with others towards a… A2/ˈmɪtarˌbaɪ̯tər/

Mitglied

member plural 'Mitglieder' B1/ˈmɪtˌɡliːt/

Bundestages← der Bundestag

German federal parliament genitive singular; nominative 'der Bundestag' Bundestag; federal/state parliament B2/ˈbʊndəsˌtaːk/

Geld

money uncountable; no plural A1/ɡɛlt/

davon

from that, of that pronominal adverb; refers to 'Geld' from it, from that, therefrom, off it, off that A1/daˈfɔn/

zusätzlich

additional, extra used as adverb here additional, extra, supplementary; ancillary; additionally, in addition B1[ˈt͡suːˌzɛt͡slɪç]

fehlt← fehlen

to be missing, to lack 3rd person singular present; dative object 'ihm' for there to be a lack [with dative ‘to someone/something’ and an (+ dative) ‘of something’] (idiomatically translated by English lack with the… A2/ˈfeːlən/

helfen

to help infinitive; used in relative clause; dative object 'ihm' to help (someone); to assist; to aid A1/ˈhɛlfn̩/

wichtig

important used attributively important, relevant, significant, weighty A1/ˈvɪçtɪç/

Bücher← das Buch

books plural form; singular 'Buch' book (collection of sheets of paper bound together to hinge at one edge; long work fit for publication); books (accounting records); omasum, the… A2/buːx/

insgesamt

in total, altogether adverb overall, altogether, in total, all in all, by and large, on the whole B1/ˈɪnsɡəˌzamt/

solcher← solch

such demonstrative pronoun; declined form A2/zɔlç/

Grammar in this text

Infinitive clauses with 'um ... zu'

damit er davon leben kann

The text uses 'damit' (so that) to express purpose, but also contains 'um ... zu' constructions? Actually, the example is a 'damit' clause. However, the pattern 'um ... zu' is not present. Instead, we have 'damit' clauses. So I'll choose 'damit' clauses.

Clauses with 'damit' (purpose)

damit er davon leben kann

'damit' introduces a subordinate clause expressing purpose, with the verb at the end (here 'kann').

Relative clauses

die ihm helfen

Relative pronoun 'die' refers to 'Mitarbeiter', and the verb 'helfen' is at the end of the clause.

Dative objects with verbs like 'helfen' and 'fehlen'

damit ihm nichts für seine Arbeit fehlt

The verb 'fehlen' takes a dative object ('ihm'), and 'helfen' also takes dative ('die ihm helfen').

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Same text, graded forB1 version B2 version C1 version

Text from Bundestag — Klexikon, used under CC BY-SA 4.0. See sources.

Translation, glossary and grammar notes are machine-generated and inherit the same licence.