Session 9: Writing Exercise

Transcriptions are to be prepared using a brailler emulation program (Mac/PCBrailler, Duxbury, Edgar, Megadots, etc.). Files must be submitted electronically. No hardcopy braille will be accepted.

Files done with brailler emulation programs (Mac/PCBrailler, Duxbury, Edgar, Megadots, etc.) should be emailed as text files to Feedback Form (we are no longer accepting submissions) Make sure you put your name in electronic braille as a part of the file itself. Please do not send files titled "braille" or "session9".  If you are sending your work as an email attachment, you should name your files as something unique, such as the first six (6) characters of your email address, and then the characters "S9", followed by the three letter code (.dxb, .acn, etc.) that your braille software produces. For example, Duxbury files sent by rbroadnax@shodor.org would be titled "broadnaxS9.dxb", where ".dxb" is the three letter code Duxbury uses for its files. The limit on the part of the file before the dot is eight (8).

Format:

The exercises are designed for a 40-cell braille line with 25 lines per page. If you must work with something other than a 40-cell braille line, a note should be included as part of your file telling the instructor the number of cells across you are using.

The first line of the first page should carry a centered heading, such as Session 3, Session 4, and so on. The heading should be followed by a blank line. Consecutive page numbers should be shown at the right margin on the first line of each page.

Each sentence, that is, each sentence number, should begin in cell 3 with sentence runovers in cell 1. No blank lines should be left between sentences.

The maximum number of spaces on a braille line should be utilized. Therefore, wherever there is room on a line for one or more syllables and a hyphen, even on the last line of a braille page, as many syllables should be written on that line as space will permit.

At the end of the exercise leave one blank line and braille your full name.

1. He sent a letter to himself reminding himself that he had paid the invoice to the contractor, and had received a copy of the necessary paperwork.
2. Today is a good day to do things: don't procrastinate until tomorrow, or you will find yourself always trying to play catch-up!
3. Braille is the name of the code used to represent print materials for blind people; it is not a language by itself.
4. Although his behavior was above-board, perhaps his attitude towards the workload was perhaps a little less than satisfactory.
5. "Behind every successful man is a woman," is a favorite saying of many, but perhaps in today's culture it is beneath women to continue to declare it as being true.
6. Harold is not much of a friend to his sister; perhaps if they spent more time together, the relationship would be good or great!
7. In the late afternoon, towards 5 o'clock, most people start forgetting about today and start thinking about tomorrow.
8. You should not deceive yourself into thinking that braille is harder than it is. All that is necessary is steady work and thoughtful effort.
9. Joshua could not believe the aftereffect of a night's drinking. He said he would be fine tomorrow, but perhaps he was a little too quick to come to that judgment.
10. You must get behind the person in line before you can mail your letter, according to the sign in the hallway.
11. Melissa said she will either take herself to the mall now, or wait until later in the afternoon when it's almost time to close up the shop.
12. The postal office has a rule about paying for goods that are damaged in the mail.
13. Children can learn most things, such as braille, more quickly than grown-ups can, because their brains aren't as full of unnecessary information!
14. In the Navy, commissioned officers who were enlisted persons first are known as "mustangs", which is quite a badge of distinction!
15. The song "Roundabout", by Yes, is probably the song behind the phenomenal success of this great musical entourage.
16. The hurricane made the furniture quite wet, giving it a musty odor, according to the insurance report we received in the mail today.
17. Inasmuch as he is depending upon us for a complete report, we mustn't overlook even the littlest detail.
18. The Goodyear blimp is always present at big games, although I don't think it adds much to how the game is perceived or received by the children watching.
19. The Declaration of Independence is probably one of the greatest literary documents ever lettered in the history of humankind.
20. Sherman Little's mother has five grandchildren altogether, all of whom are almost grown, according to the family genealogy.