| Many proofreading exercise make the mistake of | | | | Dogs who are suffering from a particular medical |
| confronting the trainee proof reader with errors in | | | | complaint or are receiving prescription medication |
| abundance. Every other line contains a spelling | | | | may also be more at risk. However, it is a fact |
| error, grammatical gaffe or stylistic slip-up. In | | | | that all dogs can be potential victims of |
| reality, however, you're unlikely to find more than | | | | heatstroke. Luckily, there are a number of very |
| two or three errors in any document, particularly | | | | simple things you can do to reduce the risk to |
| if said document has been produced by | | | | you're pet. Avoid taking your dog out in hot |
| professional page make-up artists or seasoned | | | | weather at all, if you can. Restrict their exercise |
| typesetters. These overloaded proofreading | | | | time to the early morning or later in the evening, |
| exercises give the nascent proof reader a false | | | | when it tends to be cooler. |
| expectation when they launch their careers; when | | | | If you do have to take your dog out in the heat, |
| they don't find themselves pinpointing ten to | | | | and you find you have to leave them in a single |
| twenty errors per page, they think they must | | | | spot for any reason, make sure there is plenty of |
| have missed something and self-doubt begins to | | | | shade, and leave a large bowl of drinking water. |
| set in. | | | | Make sure the bowl has a heavy base, so that it |
| So, the following piece of copy contains just three | | | | is less likely to be accidentally spilled or knocked |
| errors. As with any proofreading exercise, you | | | | over entirely. |
| may find the occasional grammatically suspect | | | | When out walking with your dog in hot weather, |
| clause or a phrase that makes you a little queasy. | | | | carry a large bottle of water with you. Periodically, |
| However, it's important to remember that your | | | | you can give this water to your dog. Little and |
| job as a proof reader is to find literal errors and | | | | often is the key here, keeping dehydration well |
| eradicate any lack of clarity, not to indulge in | | | | and truly at bay. Make sure your dog is |
| hair-splitting over the occasional split infinitive or | | | | well-groomed to remove surplus hair. You wouldn't |
| dangling modifier. | | | | go out in the heat wearing an overcoat, would |
| Allow yourself no more than ten minutes to | | | | you? |
| complete this exercise. | | | | If, for whatever reason, your dog has become |
| The Proofreading Exercise | | | | exposed to excessive heat and you are |
| Keep Your Pet Safe from the Dangers of | | | | concerned they may be suffering from |
| Heatstroke | | | | heatstroke, here are the symptoms you need to |
| It is now, thankfully, a widely recognised fact that | | | | be on the lookout for: abnormally heavy panting, |
| dogs left alone in cars can become the tragic | | | | excessive salivation, vividly red gums and tongue |
| victims of the kind of weather that normally has | | | | and, in very severe cases, diarrhoea and vomiting. |
| most of us rejoicing. According to recent | | | | If you encounter any of these symptoms you |
| evidence, when the external temperature is 72 | | | | need to seek veterinary assistance immediately, |
| degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature within a car | | | | whilst cooling your pet as much as possible with |
| can rise to as much as 117 degrees Fahrenheit in | | | | cool water (never use very cold water, as this |
| just one hour. For this reason, all responsible dog | | | | may induce shock). But, as always, prevention is |
| owners plan ahead, to make sure wherever there | | | | better then cure. Keep your pet out of the heat |
| going provides adequate provision for their | | | | wherever possible. |
| beloved pet. | | | | The Proofreading Exercise, Solution |
| However, the emphasis on the dangers presented | | | | Did you spot our three howlers? |
| by leaving dogs in cars has lulled many pet | | | | That's right, the first mistake was in the opening |
| owners into a false sense of security when it | | | | paragraph. The sentence that reads, 'For this |
| comes to protecting their pet from the hazards | | | | reason, all responsible dog owners plan ahead, to |
| of hot weather. There is now, unfortunately, a | | | | make sure wherever there going provides |
| general consensus that our pets are safe in hot | | | | adequate provisions for their beloved pet', should |
| weather, just so long as they are not confined to | | | | read, 'For this reason, all responsible dog owners |
| a vehicle. | | | | plan ahead, to make sure wherever they're going |
| Nothing could be further from the truth. Whether | | | | provides adequate provisions for their beloved |
| or not your dog is in a car, they are vulnerable to | | | | pet'. |
| heatstroke if they are unable to effectively cool | | | | The second mistake is tucked away in the |
| down. Some dogs are more prone than others. | | | | seventh paragraph. 'Luckily, there are a number of |
| For example, | | | | very simple things you can do to reduce the risk |
| • dogs with long hair | | | | to you're pet' should read 'Luckily, there are a |
| • thick-set and heavily muscled dogs | | | | number of very simple things you can do to |
| • very young dogs | | | | reduce the risk to your pet'. |
| • very old dogs | | | | |