Six Dots: The Story of Young Louis Braille

What did Lous Braille invent?

• "night writing," a code that allows soldiers to communicate in the dark
• the modern piano and the organ
• the awl, a tool that is used to punch holes in leather
• an alphabet that allows blind people to read with their fingers

What does the author describe in the passage?

• the founding of the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris
• how Louis Braille overcame the challenges posed by his blindness
• the history of blind people in France
• how Valentin Hauy created the first book for the blind

Louis Braille did not let his blindness hold him back in life. What evidence from the text supports this statement?

• "For Louis, going to the school meant leaving his family and the village he knew well, where he felt safe."
• "To help him navigate the village, his father made him canes."
• "Louis became an accomplished pianist and organist. He even got a paid job as an organist, playing in a small church near the institute."
• "Louis Braille died at the young age of 43 from tuberculosis, a devastating respiratory disease."

Based on the passage, what might be one reason that Louis proved to be a gifted musician?

• Priests trained him to sing as a boy.
• He inherited musical talent from his father, who was also a musician.
• The Royal Institute for Blind Youth is a strong music school.
• he had to rely on his hearing after going blind.

What is this passage mostly about?

• the invention of braille
• the use of the awl in leatherworking
• the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris
• Captain Barbier and "night writing"

Read the following sentence: "Who invented this elaborate setup of bumps and dots that comprise an entire alphabet and numerical system that allows blind people to read with their fingers?" What does "elaborate" mean?

• simple
• decorated
• complicated
• educated