Braille Challenge
2015 Preliminary
Sophomore
Speed & Accuracy
Passage 1
NOTES: Blue numbers at left margin are line numbers
(sp) word was spelled out in narration
(2 words) score as separate words
1 Robert Louis(sp)Stevenson (sp)3
2 The author was born Robert 5
3 Louis Balfour(sp)Stevenson in 4
354 Edinburgh,(sp) Scotland, on 3
5 November 13, 1850 to Margaret 5
6 Isabella(sp) Balfour and Thomas 4
7 Stevenson, a leading lighthouse 4
8 engineer. Lighthouse design was the 5
9 family profession. 2
10 Stevenson had many coughs and 5
11 fevers, which became worse when the 6
12 family moved to a damp, chilly 6
13 house in 1851. The family moved 6
14 again to the sunnier 17 Heriot(sp) Row 7
6415 when Stevenson was six years old, 6
16 but the tendency to keep getting sick 7
17 in winter remained with him until he 7
18 was eleven. Illness was chronic 5
19 throughout his adult life and left him 7
20 very thin.2
21 Stevenson's parents were both 4
22 Presbyterians,(sp) but the household 4
23 was not strict about religion. His 6
24 nurse, Alison(sp) Cunningham (sp)3
25 (known as Cummy),(sp) was much more 6
26 religious. Her Calvinism(sp) and 4
9927 folk beliefs gave Stevenson 4
28 nightmares when he was a child, and he 8
29 showed an early concern for religion. 6
30 But his nurse also cared for him 7
31 tenderly in illness, reading to him from 7
32 Bunyan and the Bible as he lay7
33 sick in bed, and telling tales of the 8
34 Covenanters.(sp) Stevenson recalled 3
35 this time of sickness in "The Land of 8
36 Counterpane" in (dblital)A Child's Garden 6
37 of(sngl ital.)Verses (1885), dedicating the 4
38 book to his nurse. 4
39 An only child, strange in look 6
40 and manner, Stevenson found it hard 6
41 to fit in when he was sent to a nearby 10
42 school at age six, a problem 6
43 repeated at age eleven when he 6
44 went on to the Edinburgh Academy. 6
45 But he mixed well in lively 6
46 games with his cousins in summer 6
47 holidays at Colinton.(sp) His 4
48 illnesses often kept him away from his 7
14849 first school, so he was taught for long 8
50 stretches by private tutors. He 5
51 was a late reader, first learning at 7
52 age seven or eight, but even before this 8
53 he dictated stories to his mother and 7
54 nurse. He wrote stories throughout 5
55 his childhood. His father was proud of this 8
56 interest; he had also written 5
57 stories in his spare time until his 7
58 own father found them and told him to 8
59 "give up such nonsense and mind your 7
60 business." He paid for the printing of 7
61 Robert's first publication. 3
62 (dblital)A Child's Garden of (snglital)Verses5
63 is a collection of poetry for children. 7
64 It contains about 65 poems including 6
3765 the cherished classics "Foreign 4
66 Children," "The Lamplighter," "The 4
67 Land of Counterpane," "Bed in 5
68 Summer," "My Shadow" and "The 5
69 Swing."1
70 Learn more about Robert Louis 5
1271 Stevenson's life and work on the 6
72 Internet. 1
395Total for Passage 1
Braille Challenge
2015 Preliminary
Sophomore
Speed & Accuracy
Passage 2
1 To Alison Cunningham (cell-5 heading)3
2 From Her Boy (cell-5 heading)3
3 For the long nights you lay awake7
44 4 And watched for my unworthy sake: 6
5 For your most comfortable hand 5
6 That led me through the uneven land: 7
7 For all the story-books you read: (2 words)7
8 For all the pains you comforted: 6
(blank line here)
9 For all you pitied, all you bore, 7
10 In sad and happy days of yore:-- (dash)7
11 My second Mother, my first Wife, 6
41 12 The angel of my infant life-- (dash)6
13 From the sick child, now well and old, 8
14 Take, nurse, the little book you 6
15 hold! 1
(blank line here)
16 And grant it, Heaven, that all who 7
17 read 1
18 May find as dear a nurse at 7
19 need, 1
43 20 And every child who lists my rhyme, 7
21 In the bright, fireside, nursery 5
22 clime, (sp)1
23 May hear it in as kind a voice 8
24 As made my childish days rejoice! 6
(blank line for cell-5 heading)
25 Escape at Bedtime (cell-5 heading)3
26 The lights from the parlor and kitchen 7
27 shone out 2
71 28 Through the blinds and the windows and bars; 8
29 And high overhead and all moving about, 7
30 There were thousands of millions of 6
31 stars.1
32 There ne'er (sp)were such thousands of leaves 7
33 on a tree, 3
34 Nor of people in church or the Park, 8
35 As the crowds of the stars that looked 8
36 down upon me, 3
37 And that glittered and winked in the dark 8
(blank line here)
38 The Dog, and the Plough,(sp) and the 7
39 Hunter, and all, 3
40 And the star of the sailor, and Mars, 8
41 These shown in the sky, and the pail by the 10
42 wall 1
74 43 Would be half full of water and 7
44 stars.1
45 They saw me at last, and they chased 8
46 me with cries, 3
47 And they soon had me packed into bed; 8
48 But the glory kept shining and bright in 8
49 my eyes, 2
50 And the stars going round in my head. 8
(blank line for cell-5 heading)
51 The Lamplighter (cell-5 heading)2
52 My tea is nearly ready and the sun 8
53 has left the sky; 4
54 It's time to take the window to see 8
4755 Leerie(sp) going by; 3
56 For every night at teatime and before you 8
57 take your seat, 3
58 With lantern and with ladder he comes 7
59 posting up the street.4
(blank line here)
60 Now Tom would be a driver and 7
61 Maria go to sea, 4
62 And my papa's a banker and as rich 8
4963 as he can be; 4
64 But I, when I am stronger and can 8
65 choose what I'm to do, 5
66 O Leerie, I'll go round at 6
67 night and light the lamps with you! 7
(O spelled out so they know it isn’t Oh; no letter sign.)
(blank line here)
68 For we are very lucky, with a lamp before 9
69 the door, 2
70 And Leerie stops to light it as he 8
4571 lights so many more; 4
72 And O, before you hurry by with ladderand with 10
73 light, 1
74 O Leerie, see a little child and nod 8
75 to him to-night! 3
(to-night should be tn contraction)
414Total for Passage 2
809Total for Passages 1 and 2