Article: Traditional dizis are made of bamboo, while historically, dizis and other flutes have been made from bone, jade or other stone, or pottery. Be sure to take into account being able to acquire and prepare the materials. Choose a piece of material that is about ¾” to 1” in diameter. Bamboo is the ideal material for a homemade dizi, as it is easy to acquire and easy to manufacture into a dizi. It is also lighter and will likely be easier to play, which is useful if you are a beginning player. Bamboo can come from a regular bamboo plant with any extraneous leaves removed, or you can repurpose another bamboo object, such as an old bamboo fishing rod. There are different strains of bamboo that can be used; purple bamboo is typically used in the northern regions of China, while white bamboo is typically used in southern China. The size of the flute will determine the musical key in which it plays. Flutes are typically available in the following keys (from longest to shortest): F, G, G#, A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F and F#. A good length is approximately 18-20” long. Longer flutes may have an additional finger hole (the larger dizi has this), and they play lower octaves. Small flutes with higher octaves are smaller than 16”, while longer flutes are ideally 24-26” long. Choose ringed ends, capped ends, or no ends for the dizi. These will determine how long-lasting your flute is, as well as how susceptible to cracking or molding it may become. The materials for the capped or ringed ends, called ferrules, can be made of brass, bone, plastic or wood.  Ringed ends: Some flutes have a brass ring around the end. This helps the flute (especially those made of bamboo or other wood) from cracking. Moisture can get underneath the ring, however, and cause molding. These can also be installed on a flute that did not previously have a ring in order to stop a crack from getting bigger. Capped ends: These ends are often made from plastic, cow bone or horn. Flutes with capped ends typically make brighter tones. Moisture can get underneath the cap, however, and cause molding. No ends: You do not need to have any rings or caps on the end of your flute. Instead, you can paint the ends to add decoration, or you can leave them bare. However, bamboo flutes especially may be susceptible to cracking more easily than flutes with ringed or capped ends. Find the correct size of plastic or metal ring or cap to fit this diameter at a hardware store. If you are not using any ends, you can also opt to wrap string around the dizi to prevent cracking.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Select the type of material for the dizi’s body. Choose the size of your flute. Determine the style of ends for the dizi. Carefully measure the outside diameter of your flute body.
Article: If you own your home, a mortgage statement may be used to prove residence.  Bring the most recent statement.  This will demonstrate that you still reside at this address.  The mortgage statement must have your name on it.  If the mortgage is not in your name, then the statement will not have your name on it. If you rent, a cancelled rent check can prove where you live.  Your landlord must sign a receipt verifying that you live at this address.  If you live with relatives and pay rent to them, ask them to sign a statement that you live with them at this address.  In this case, you might also be asked to produce mail, such as a bill, addressed to you at this address. Lenders will usually accept a utility bill in your name as proof of your address.  Be prepared to provide more than one utility bill.  For example, you can provide an electric bill, water bill, sewer bill or phone bill if you have a land line.  Be sure that the utility bill has your name on it.  If all of your bills are in someone else's name, such as a spouse or roommate, you will need to provide other forms of business mail in your name at that address. Other business mail includes bank statements, credit statements or other household bills besides utilities.  The mail must be addressed to you at your address.  Don't use junk mail.  Since junk mail is not specifically addressed to you, it would not suffice as proof of residence. A library card application requires proof of residence.  So, it can also be used to verify that you reside at your stated address.  Some lenders may accept this as proof of your address.  However, be prepared to bring additional documents, such as bills or other business mail.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Bring your most recent mortgage statement. Provide cancelled rent checks. Produce utility bills. Show other business mail. Present a library card application.
Article: Take a medium or large carrot, and use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. After peeling the carrot, use a sharp knife to cut it in half, thirds, or quarters, depending on the size of the carrot. The pieces should be approximately 3-inches (8-cm) long. You don’t necessarily have to peel the carrots. If you’re using organic carrots, the skin is usually thin enough to eat. Take each section of carrot, and use a knife that you feel comfortable making precise slices with to cut long, shallow wedges along the entire length the carrot piece to form the flowers’ petals. You’ll want to make 5 to 6 wedges around each piece of carrot. It helps to hold the carrot piece upright when you’re cutting out the wedges. Balance it against a cutting board with one hand, and use the other to cut. Once you’ve cut out wedges around the entire piece of carrot, place it horizontally on the cutting board, and use your knife to slice it into coins that are approximately ¼-inch (½-cm) thick. Each coin will be a small flower.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Peel the carrots and cut into pieces. Cut grooves into the carrot pieces with a knife. Slice the lengths of carrot into coins.