Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Look for a collar. Check to see if the cat seems healthy. Look at the condition of its coat. Look for a missing ear tip.

Answer: Cats that have a home will most likely also have a collar.  Most pet owners keep a collar on their cat that has their name and a phone number to call in case the cat is lost.  If you think a cat might be a stray, check to see if it is wearing a collar. Just because a cat is not wearing a collar, does not mean it is a stray.  It’s possible the cat lost its collar or was never given one. Another clue to whether or not a cat is a stray is its general health.  Is the cat skinny and malnourished?  Is it injured?  Does it seem to be in distress?  These can all be indications that the cat is a stray and is unable to find the food or help it needs.  These factors can be tough to analyze, however.  For example, maybe the cat appears to be well-nourished—you cannot see its ribs and it appears to be at a healthy weight—but it also seems very hungry.  It’s possible this is a stray cat that has not been lost very long, but is hungry because it is not used to hunting its own food in the wild. On the other hand, perhaps you found a cat that seems skinny, but does not act hungry.  It’s possible this cat is feral and has always lived outdoors.  It does not act hungry because it knows how to find its own food, but it is not as well-nourished as a pet cat would be.  Do your best to make a judgment that takes both its appearance and behavior into consideration. Stray cats are most likely going to look dirty and disheveled.  Since they probably came from a home where they were kept inside and groomed on a regular basis, they probably won’t know how to keep this appearance up on their own.  Feral cats’ coats are usually clean and well-kept, despite the fact that they live in the wild. When a cat is spayed or neutered, the doctor sometimes surgically removes the tip of one ear to signify this surgery has already been performed.  This is done so that, if the cat becomes lost, it hopefully will not have to go through the trauma of an unnecessary surgery.  If the cat you’ve found is missing the tip of one ear, it is possible it is a cat that has a family and is cared for.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Recognize that sobering up takes time. Learn what impacts the rate at which you process alcohol. Do not expect a cup of coffee to sober you up. Recognize that a cold shower won’t work. Understand the dangers of losing consciousness. Do not try to walk it off. Know that forcing yourself to vomit will not make you sober.

Answer: Although there are a number of methods cited to help sober up you, for the most part it is simply a matter of waiting for your body to process the alcohol. The human body needs an hour to metabolize the alcohol in one drink. One drink is equivalent to:  A 12 oz beer. An 8-9 oz malt liquor drink. A 5 oz glass of wine. A 1.5 oz drink of hard liquor. If you are mixing drinks, they may be stronger than one serving of alcohol. There are a number of factors that influence the speed at which your body will process the alcohol you have drunk. Some of these you will have some influence over, others you won’t. The rate at which you process alcohol will vary depending on:  Your health. Your size. Whether you drank on a full or empty stomach. The speed at which you drank. Your tolerance level. Whether you are also taking any drugs, including prescription or over-the-counter medications. Always follow any warning labels on medication and avoid mixing medications with alcohol. Caffeine is a stimulant and will may make you less sleepy, but it won’t improve your coordination, reflexes, or counteract the alcohol. Coffee will actually make you more dehydrated, and could worsen your hangover and further impede your decision-making. You might think taking a cold shower, or repeatedly splashing your face with cool water, might help you sober up more quickly. These actions might wake you up and give you the feeling that you are more alert, but they won’t contribute to the rate at which your body processes the alcohol.  Your body does not regulate temperature as well when you are drunk, so if you have a cold shower you may feel cold afterwards. A cold shower is a considerable shock to your body, especially when you have been drinking heavily. The shock of the cold water can cause you to lose consciousness, which is very dangerous in the shower. If you have been drinking very heavily, and are at risk of alcohol poisoning, you should be aware of the dangers of losing consciousness if you fall asleep. If you consumed more drinks shortly before falling asleep, your blood alcohol level will continue to rise as it is absorbed.  If you suspect you or a friend has alcohol poisoning, lie him or her on their side, in the recovery position. Do not lie down on your back. Do not leave someone alone if you think they are suffering from alcohol poisoning. You might think taking a walk and getting some fresh air will help you sober up, but, much like a cold shower, the effects are more mental than physical. You may feel more awake or more composed, but your body will still be processing the alcohol at the same speed. If you go for a long walk and feel more sober afterwards, it has more to do with the time that has passed than the activity of walking itself.  If you are extremely drunk, your coordination and reflexes will be slow, which could put you at a higher risk for falling and injuring yourself. If you suspect someone has alcohol poisoning, do not try to walk them around. Lay them on their side in the recovery position. If you are drunk and you think you can vomit out the alcohol and thus sober up quicker, think again. Once the alcohol has reached your small intestine, vomiting will not expel it. It might reduce the amount of alcohol in your stomach, but it won’t change the amount you have already absorbed. The amount you have absorbed is what you are trying to sober up from. Vomiting will not lower your blood alcohol level faster.  Do not encourage somebody who is semi-conscious to vomit, as this could be dangerous. Vomit can cause choking and/or asphyxiation.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Take the first steps to swimming. Swim widths of the pool with the learner. Get the learner to try out different strokes.

Answer: Get him/her to swim short distances in the shallow end of the pool, in a simple stroke which he/she feels comfortable with. Don't push the learner to do too much at the moment - this will probably be the first few strokes of his/her life. This may not happen immediately. In fact, it will probably take many learning sessions to get to this stage. Make sure to support him/her both physically and mentally - this will be hard for him/her. This will help him/her decide which one he/she likes best. Get him/her to swim a width of freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and any other easy-to-hard stroke you can think of. Don't put too much pressure on the learner.  Make it fun for the student so that he/she will want to learn more.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Find a time when the two of you can talk privately without distraction. Inform your significant other of your decision. Acknowledge you care for the other person. Back up your decision with facts. Listen to your significant other’s concerns. Stay firm. Cry if you need to. Leave. Get out quickly if necessary.

Answer:
Allow plenty of time for this conversation. Don’t have it in the morning as you are rushing off to work, for example.  You could say to your significant other, “There’s something I need to talk to you about. Can you turn off the TV?” You could also give your significant other a heads-up that you’d like to talk to them about something important at a later time. For example, you could text the person and say, “Do you have time tonight to talk? I think we need to talk about our relationship.” Unless you are in an abusive situation and need to leave immediately, it is best that you talk to your significant other about your decision to break up. It will probably be a difficult and upsetting conversation, particularly if the other person does not agree with you. Talking to the person and making clear that you want to end the relationship, however, is the mature, responsible, and correct thing to do, even though it will not be fun.  It is best to have this conversation face-to-face. You could decide to write a letter and present it to your significant other, and have the person read it while you are present. Be clear in your intent. You could say, “I want to end our relationship,” or “I need to break up with you.” Saying things like, “I don’t know if this will work out,” or “I’m having doubts about our relationship,” could leave the other person into believing there is a chance to get back together again. This person was an integral part of your life for some time. Acknowledge that you had happy times together, and that you value the person for the part they played in your life. You could say, “I care about you a lot. You’ve been a part of my life for two years now, but I think we are growing apart.” Cite examples of why things between the two of you have not been going well lately. You could talk about previous arguments, breakups, or differences in values.  You could say, “I know we care about each other, but it seems to me that we also fight constantly. Remember last month when the neighbors knocked on our door to make sure we were okay? I don’t want to live like that anymore.” Use “I language” to make your points. Describe your feelings instead of placing blame on the other person. For example, “You never want to have sex!” could become “I feel hurt that we haven’t had sex in so long.” They may be angry or upset, or they may agree that this is for the best. Allow your significant other to express their feelings.   Do not continue the conversation if the person becomes verbally abusive toward you. If that happens, you could hold up your hand and say, “I am not talking to you when you call me names. I am leaving now. We’ll talk again when we can have a respectful conversation.” Leave the premises before the situation can escalate further.  You could say, “I know you’re upset, and I know you wanted us to work this out. But it doesn’t seem to me to be working anymore, and I don’t want to try to fix it again.” If your mind has been made up, don't allow the person to suck you into the same old arguments, guilt trips, or drama. Do not let the person try to persuade you to change your mind.  You could say, “I think we’ve been having this same disagreement for a while now, and we’re not getting anywhere. I’m done arguing about it, and I have made up my mind.” You could say, “I know you want me to give you another chance, but I’ve already given you several chances. I don’t want to do this anymore.” It’s okay to be sad about your relationship ending, even if you know it is for the best. Crying is a healthy expression of grief. You can even give your significant other a hug and cry with them if you feel comfortable doing so. Do not let the physical contact progress beyond a hug, to avoid sending mixed signals. Say your goodbyes and let your ex know that you will talk to them again in a few days (if necessary). Give yourselves a few days to grieve, calm down, and adjust to a new reality.   You could say, “I’ll call you in a few days to drop off your things from my place.” If you live together, arrange to spend the night somewhere else. Contact a nearby friend or family member, or stay at a hotel. If there is nowhere else you can stay, you could say, “I’ll sleep on the couch tonight, and will find somewhere else to stay tomorrow.” If you are in an abusive situation, make plans to get to safety immediately. Do not stick around to see if the situation will improve or the person will stop. You have not done anything to deserve being treated that way, and you are worthy of better.  If you need to leave quickly, take only the essentials, like money, important documents, medications, and a few changes of clothing. Remember, things can be replaced.  Bring your children to a safe location with you. Have a safe place to stay, like a friend’s house where the abuser may not think to look for you, or a domestic violence shelter. Once you are away from your ex, consider contacting law enforcement about pressing charges against the person, and/or filing a protective order against them.