INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The first step towards improving your reading comprehension has to be reading in a space where you’ll be able to concentrate. Remove any distractions from your environment and turn off electronics to prevent new distractions from appearing.  Turn off the TV and any music playing in the room you’re in. If you have a smartphone with you, turn it off or turn it on silent and place it somewhere where notifications that appear on the phone won’t distract you from your reading. If you can’t eliminate all the distractions from your environment, relocate! Move to the library, a study room, or even the bathroom, if that’s where you need to go to have peace and quiet. If you still feel distracted, try listening to classical or ambient music without lyrics. Whether that helper is a teacher, a friend, or a parent, read with someone above your level who you're comfortable talking to and asking questions. They can help you if you have any issues and enable you to talk through the text with someone else.  If your helper is an educator, consider having them draw up some key comprehension questions that you can preview before you start reading and that you can aim to be able to answer after you finish.  Summarize your reading material to your helper after you finish it and have them ask you questions about the content to test how well you’ve understood it. If you’re unable to answer a question, look back in the book for the answer. If you’re reading a difficult piece of writing, use online resources like Shmoop and Sparknotes to find summaries and comprehension questions. Reading aloud is a great way to slow down while reading and give you more time to process what you're reading, thereby improving comprehension. An added benefit of slow reading is that you get to see the words on the page (visual learning) and hear them spoken aloud (audio learning).  If you decide that hearing spoken words helps you improve your comprehension, don't be afraid to get narrated books. Of course, you'll want to read the books in addition to hearing them spoken, but this could greatly improve comprehension. For children struggling with reading comprehension, it’s best to avoid having them read things aloud in front of other people. Instead, just have them read aloud to themselves to avoid stressful or potentially embarrassing situations.  Use your finger, a pencil, or a notecard to follow along with the words you read aloud. This way, you stay focused so you can get a better understanding of the reading. Sometimes when we’re reading, we can read finish a paragraph or page and realize that we don’t remember any of what we just read. This is perfectly normal! When this happens, don’t hesitate to go back and re-read what you’ve just read to refresh your memory and improve your comprehension.  If you didn’t understand something the first time around, read a bit more slowly the second time and make sure you understand what you read before moving on. Remember, if you don’t understand or remember what came earlier in a book, you may have a harder time understanding what comes later.

SUMMARY: Eliminate distractions from your environment. Read with a helper if you’re reading something above your level. Read aloud. Re-read text as necessary to improve your comprehension.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: In a brightly lit room, raise your chain to eye level and carefully inspect all of the links, the clasp, and any embellishments. If the clasp is already loose, then you may damage it beyond repair by cleaning it. If any gemstones are damaged, then they may fall off during the cleaning process. You can take your gold chain to a jeweler and ask them to repair the damage and give it a thorough cleaning as well. It is quite common to lose a piece of jewelry down a drain as a result of the cleaning process. Before you start to clean, block off the sink drain with a cover. Or, place a mesh strainer over the drain to ensure that your chain is safe to handle, even if dropped. If your gold chain includes gemstones, such as diamonds or pearls, you will want to carefully consider how a cleaning solution or process could impact them as well. Some solutions that are fine for gold alone, such as ammonia, could prove overly abrasive to an embellishment, like a freshwater pearl. Also, make sure to keep your scrubbing gentle. Or, you could accidently snag and pull a gemstone out of its setting. Some gemstones can even loose color if scrubbed too hard. When in doubt, go to a jewelry store and talk with a professional jeweler. They can suggest cleaning methods and even offer advice regarding possible cleaning solutions. This is especially important if your gold chain is antique or especially delicate. If you bought your gold chain from a national jewelry chain, you might also be able to contact customer service for cleaning advice.

SUMMARY: Make any repairs prior. Block off the drain. Take care with any precious stones. Consult with a jeweler.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: When your cat first starts meowing at night, you want to make sure she is okay. If you decide that she is not sick and has enough water and food, she may just want your attention. If the behavior keeps up every night, you have to ignore her. This may be difficult at first, but it will pay off in the end. If you come to her every time she meows, you will be reinforcing the negative behavior.  Don't punish her or give her any attention at all. She is looking for any acknowledgement from you, even it you are disciplining her. If she won't stop, leave a toy hanging off a scratch post at the end of your bed for her to play with instead of bothering you. If your cat doesn't stop, you can buy earplugs or headphones so you cannot hear her until she gets the hint. You can feed your cat right before bed if she wakes you up to get fed in the middle of the night. Don't worry about giving her a full meal, but make it large enough that it feels like more than a treat. This mirrors a cat's natural rhythm. They hunt, eat, groom, and then sleep to get more energy for the next hunt. If you feed your cat before bed, she will be full and want to sleep to regain her energy for her next hunt. It will also train your cat to know that late evening food means bedtime. You can also buy a timed feeder that will release food for them in the middle of the night. Instead of waking you up, your cat will learn to go to her bowl on her own instead. One of the main reasons your cat may be awake at night is because she is bored. If your cat is alone all day, she will want to play and expend some energy when you are home. Try to make time to play with your cat every day. Drag a toy across the floor and let them chase it. You can even give them something distracting to play with alone. As long as she uses some of her built up energy, she will be more likely to sleep better at night.  Get toys that mimic the movement of animals such as birds or mice. Play fetch with ping pong balls or furry mice toys. You can even leave toys out with catnip in them during the day so she can play by herself when you aren't around. Play with your cat until she seems to tire out. This will ensure that she will sleep better every night. If your cat is social, try incorporating playtime with other cats. You can also get another cat to help her be more active during the day. If your cat likes to bite your fingers or toes, try to deter it from happening at night. Before you go to sleep, cover yourself completely with the sheet or blanket. You can also wear socks on your feet to keep your cat from seeing your toes move and thinking they are prey. Give her something else to nibble on. Give her access to catnip toys, sisal balls, scratching posts, or anything she likes to chew on. Don't waver on your decision for your cat. If you do decide to shut her out, whether it's from the bedroom or from a whole range of rooms in the house, stick to your plan. Once the cat realizes you mean business, she will put up with the new arrangement. If you cave in, the cat knows things are back right to the way it wanted them to be all along.

SUMMARY:
Ignore her meowing. Feed them before bed. Play with them. Stop them from biting. Be firm.