INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Don't walk into work after your sick day looking perfectly healthy. Play it up like you're still getting over your illness. Blow your nose a few times or cough softly. You don’t have to play it up too much or act a little too much like a martyr for returning to work. Don’t mention your illness and let other people ask how you’re feeling. You should play it down to be even more authentic, saying something like, “I’m not feeling so bad anymore, really,” or, “I just need one more good night’s sleep and I’ll be just fine.”  If you want to look extra authentic, don't get a lot of sleep the night before so that you show up to work looking haggard and exhausted. This bolsters your credibility for the next time you call in sick (and gives you an excuse to stay up late). Act a little more reserved that day. Don’t be extra friendly or chatty with your coworkers, and turn down invitations. Remember that you still need to save your strength. You may think that you’re close with your coworkers and that they would never rat you out, but you should still be careful about announcing that you were pretending to be sick. Your coworkers won’t want to high-five you, and will think you were being irresponsible or just plain annoying. Plus, if just one coworker repeats what you’ve said and it gets back to your boss, then you will not only get in trouble, but you’ll never be able to fake sick again.  Furthermore, getting called out for faking sick will also make your boss more suspicious the next time you’re actually sick. You don’t want to have to defend yourself for the rest of your time at work. Hey, we all need a day off from work once in a while and there’s no judgment. Still, this doesn’t mean you should go bragging about it, or it’ll show that you really don’t take your work seriously. After calling in sick, you should be nice to your boss when you return to work. You don’t have to mention the illness or thank your boss for being so understanding, but you should work on having a good attitude and sending positive vibes your boss’s way. Make him or her remember what an awesome employee you are and don’t leave a shadow of a doubt in your boss’s mind that you might have been playing hookie. You don’t have to exaggerate your friendliness or go on and on about how much you love your job and how much meaning it brings to your life. When you return to work from faking sick, you should try to put your best foot forward. This is not the day to roll in an hour late or to spend two hours on the phone making personal phone calls or booking your next vacation. Instead, you should stay at work the full time you need to be there, contribute to meetings, respond to emails promptly, and do anything else you can to ensure that you’re making a good impression.  You may love to complain to your coworkers when you come to work, but you should ease up and be a bit more positive after you return. You don’t want your boss to hear you complaining after you’ve taken a day off. It’s okay to fake sick every once in a while, but if you get into the habit of slacking off in general, then your job may be in jeopardy. Make an effort to whistle while you work as much as you can when you return.

SUMMARY: Follow up on your sickness when you return to work. Don’t tell your coworkers that you faked being sick. Be friendly to your boss. Put in a good day’s work.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Wrap the cable around itself until you have a bundle. Use a binder clip to secure the end of the cable to itself. If the binder clip is big enough, you can wrap it around the whole bundle. Wrap the cable up in a bundle by wrapping it around your fingers. You can also coil it in a loop if you prefer. Wrap a piece of tape around it with the sticky part facing outside, and stick it to itself. Wrap another piece of tape on top of it, sticky side to sticky side, so the cable won't stick to everything. Create one loop around your hand. Pull the cable through the middle, and tighten it around the loop. Keep wrapping it through the middle and around the loop. Once you're done, you'll have a neat cable, and you can just let out a little bit of length as needed.

SUMMARY: Bundle and secure with a binder clip. Bundle and tape the cable. Use the shortening method.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Memorizing the introduction, key points, and conclusion word-for-word is wise. However, unless your teacher requires it, don’t feel like you have to memorize the entire speech verbatim. Reciting a completely memorized speech can feel stiff, so just commit the content to memory well enough that you can explain your ideas clearly and consistently.  While it’s generally okay to use slightly different phrasing, try to stick to your complete outline as best you can. If you veer off too much or insert too many additional words, you could end up exceeding your time limit. Keep in mind your speaking outline will help you stay focused. As for quotes and statistics, feel free to write them on your notecards for quick reference. Use hand gestures to emphasize key words and ideas, and make natural eye contact to engage the audience. Be sure to switch your gaze every 5 or 10 seconds instead of staring blankly in a single direction. Instead of slouching, stand up tall with your shoulders back. In addition to projecting confidence, good posture will help you breathe deeply to support your voice. Once you’ve committed the speech to memory, work on making your delivery as engaging as possible. Watch yourself in a mirror or record yourself to make sure you appear confident and natural. Get a second opinion and ask a friend or relative to watch you and offer feedback. Have them point out any spots that dragged or seemed disorganized. Ask if your tone was engaging, if you used body language effectively, and if your volume, pitch, and pacing need any tweaks. Use a stopwatch or cell phone app to time yourself when you practice your speech. Speak clearly and avoid rushing, but work on keeping your speech under the time limit, if your instructor set one.  If you keep exceeding the time limit, review your complete sentence outline. Cut any fluff and simplify complicated phrases. If your speech isn’t long enough, look for areas that could use more detail or consider adding another section to the body. Just make sure any content you add is relevant. For instance, if your speech on nationalism and World War I is 2 minutes too short, you could add a section about how nationalism manifested in specific countries, including Britain, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Serbia.

SUMMARY:
Write the main points and helpful cues on notecards. Project confidence with eye contact, gestures, and good posture. Practice the speech in a mirror or to a friend. Make sure you stay within the time limit.