Clickable dictation at various speeds is available at the bottom of this page. The transcript of the dictation appears here as well.

    Happy new year! This has been the strangest year ever in my recollection. Let's hope that things improve dramatically and rapidly so we can all get back to the things and people we love.

Shorterhand Skills for the Future, Pitman Publishing Corporation, 1974, p 165, 171, and 176

Speed Building Practice

Gentlemen:  We must inform you that your mortgage will have to be renewed at this time.  In order to obtain a renewal of the mortgage, it will be necessary for you to make a minimum payment of $10,000 and to make some improvements in the building itself.  These improvements in the building would include mechanical work as well as several items that are necessary because of neglect on the part of the previous owners.
            We are sending you by messenger a complete list of the improvements that will have to be made in the building in order to obtain a renewal of the mortgage.  Very truly yours,

* * * * *
Gentlemen:  We have received a complaint from a passenger on one of your buses who says that he was injured because of the negligence of our driver.  The circumstances in this case seem peculiar because of the fact that this person had sent in a complaint like this before, notwithstanding the fact that we were able to prove that there had been no negligence on our part.  Nevertheless, we shall follow up this matter so as to avoid any difficulty at a later date.
            At this time we would like to have a statement from the driver of the bus so that we can get together the full story of what happened.  In this way, we shall not have to rely on the impressions of the other passengers on the bus.  Yours truly,

* * * * *
Gentlemen:  We are interested in having our building project finished as soon as possible.  We realize that it is not practicable at this time to ask you to give us a definite date by which you can perform your part of the contract.  However, it will be helpful if you can give us a preliminary idea of the amount of time you will probably need.
            We are attaching a copy of a letter we received from one of our representatives in which he asks us to confer with you in order to form an idea of when we can begin using the new building.  Yours truly,  Enclosure

For more information on shorthand speed building, click here.

 

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    Copy and paste the above article into a word-processing document, using double or triple spacing and 12- or 14-pitch type.
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Dictation Practice:
    Note that the material was counted and recorded for dictation at 100; all other speeds were copied from the 100 take and electronically adjusted and may therefore sound unusual.

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Gregg Shorthand Pitman Shorthand Speedwriting Shorthand