Choose a topic that interests you and that you understand very well. Then, find a way to relate the information you need to memorize to the subject you already understand. For example, you could relate the material you need to memorize for a math test to the rules of baseball if you are a sports fan, or use a cooking analogy to help you remember a chemistry concept if you are a fan of cooking. The sooner you start memorizing, the better! It takes time and repetition to memorize something. Plan to begin memorizing the material at least 1 week in advance, and even sooner if possible. Work on memorizing the material for a set amount of time every day. The time you will need will vary depending on the amount of material you need to memorize.  For example, if you need to memorize 20 new vocabulary words for a test, then you might only need to study for 30 minutes per day over the course of a week. However, if you need to memorize lines for a leading role in a play, then you will need to start memorizing 3 to 4 weeks in advance and plan to study your lines for at least an hour daily. You might find the material familiar when you re-read it and think that this means you have memorized it. However, this is not an accurate way to check for memorization. Self-testing is better for seeing how well you are retaining the material. Try to recall the information without looking at your notes. If you can recall the information accurately without help, then you have memorized it.  For example, if you need to be able to explain photosynthesis for a science test, then see if you can do this without checking your notes first. If you need to be able to recite a  poem from memory, then try to recite it. Teaching other people the material that you have studied is another potent way to commit it to memory. After you have studied the material and feel that you have a good understanding of it, try to explain it to a friend or family member. If you can do this without checking your notes, then you have memorized the information.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary -- Relate the information to something you already understand. Memorize the information over several days or weeks. Quiz yourself on the material you have studied. Teach other people what you have learned.

Q: During the wet seasons, bamboo is more starchy and will be more difficult to cut and could cause splitting. Plan to harvest your bamboo during the fall or winter so the bamboo is the easier to harvest. Start your harvest before sunrise since the starches will still be held in the roots at that time. Shorter shoots will grow on the outer edge of the bamboo patch. Avoid using shoots that are soft to the touch since this could mean they are diseased. Don’t use bamboo that has visible mold, fungi, or cracks in the shoots. Hold the loppers near the end of the handles to have the widest range of motion. Open them until the stalk fits between the blades and close them slowly so the bamboo is not damaged. Cut the bamboo as close to the ground as you can.  Loppers can be purchased at any gardening store. Closing the loppers too fast could crack and damage the bamboo stalk, preventing it from regrowing. Stab the blade of the shovel into the ground underneath the shoot you’re pulling out. Push down on the shovel handle to loosen the shoot and the dirt. Once the dirt is loose, pull the shoot from the ground. Try pulling the shoot sideways with your hands first. They may be loose enough to pull by hand. Use a sharp paring knife to cut into the outer skin of the bamboo, but do not cut all the way through the shoot. Twist the woody outer layer off of the shoot and dispose of it.  Fresh peeled bamboo only keeps for 1 to 2 days. You can cut the shoots to any size that is convenient for you. Use ½ teaspoon (3 g) of salt per 1 cup (240 mL) of water in a large pot. Bring the water to a boil and then turn down the heat so they simmer for 5-10 minutes. This helps remove the bitter flavor but keeps them crunchy.  Store the shoots in salted water for up to 5 days. Put the blanched shoots in a jar of salted water with ½ teaspoon (3 g) of salt per 1 cup (240 mL) of water. Label the date you prepared the bamboo and place the jar in the fridge.  You can also freeze the shoots in salted water to preserve them for longer.
A: Harvest bamboo at the start of the dry season. Choose shoots less than 6 in (15 cm) tall with a wide base. Use loppers to harvest bamboo less than 1.5 in (3.8 cm) thick. Dig the base with a shovel to get the whole shoot. Peel the skin off of the bamboo. Blanch the shoots over medium heat.

Article: Place one end of the garland at the top of your staircase. Wrap a zip tie around the end of the garland and the banister and pull it tight.  Many stores sell special Velcro for hanging garland. It tends to be more expensive and zip ties can accomplish the same thing! Some stores sell green zip ties as a seasonal item. Keep an eye out in the holiday decor section! Be sure to leave a tail at the end of the garland so that it doesn’t slip through the zip tie. Your tail can be long for a more dramatic look, or short for a cleaner look! Place the zip ties every few feet to ensure that the garland won’t fall down, and make sure they’re secured tightly! If your garland is heavily decorated, you may need more than one zip tie to hold it in place and keep it from falling. Once all of your garland has been secured to the banister, go back and snip off all of the ends of the zip ties so that they aren’t sticking out from the banister. Try to cut them as close to the “lock” as possible, and then spin them around the banister so that the lock and part you just cut are hidden in the garland. Dull scissors probably won’t work for cutting the thick plastic, so use a pair of sharp kitchen or floral scissors. If the appearance of the clear or colored zip ties on the banister bothers you, use green floral wire wrapped around the zip ties to conceal them. Alternatively, you can use green floral tape wrapped around the zip ties, but be sure you don’t tape onto the banister, as it can cause discoloration! You may need to cut off the ends of the floral wire with your scissors so they aren’t sticking out from the garland.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Secure one end of the garland to the end of the banister with a zip tie. Attach the garland to the banister with a zip tie every 2 ft (0.61 m). Clip off the ends of the zip ties with a pair of sharp scissors. Cover the zip ties with floral wire or tape.

Article: Take a seat on the ground. Draw your heels together directly in front of yourself. Place your arms directly in front of your knees and bend forward at your waist. To increase the stretch in your lower back, extend your arms out in front of you. Repeat 4 to 5 times. Stand up straight with your feet together. Cross your right leg in front of your left leg, keeping both feet pointed forward. Bend at the waist and extend your arms to the floor. To increase the intensity of the hamstring stretch, grab your ankles and pull your rib cage closer to your thighs. Repeat with the other leg in front. Stand up straight with your feet together. Shift the weight onto your left leg as you draw your right knee into your chest. Encircle your right big toe with your right pointer and middle fingers. Extend your right leg directly in front of you at hip height—work towards straightening this leg. Hold the leg up for 30 to 60 seconds. Drop your right leg and repeat the stretch with your left leg.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Execute a butterfly stretch. Execute a standing cross leg stretch. Execute a hand-to-big-toe stretch.