Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Build yourself up. Keep the pressure on your opponent. Don’t let your sportsmanship suffer. Anticipate trash talk directed towards you.

Answer: An important part of trash talking is to build up your own confidence. Successful trash talking can make you feel more aggressive, which often translates into better playing.  For example, tell your opponent what you’re going to do before you do it. Say something like, “I’m going to dribble twice, then make a three-pointer over your head,” and then do it.  If you’re competing on a team, trash talk will motivate your team members to join in and step up their game, as well. You will play better and be under less pressure if you can trash talk and taunt your opponent. Keeping the trash talk focused on the competition will keep you from feeling self-conscious about your performance. You can do this by drawing attention to your success and your opponent’s failure. Highlighting things you do well and your competition does poorly will increase your self-esteem in the game, and you can intimidate your opponent into thinking that they don’t have a chance of winning against you. Although losing a competitive event is never fun, you should still show dignity and sportsmanship by losing without complaining or criticizing your opponents.  There is a difference between trash talking and poor sportsmanship; a good trash-talker can still admit when an opponent out-performed them. You can also show that you’re a good sport by lightly mocking yourself if you’re not playing well. A little self-directed trash talk will make everyone laugh and show them you’re not taking the game too seriously. Once you’ve made it clear that you’re willing to engage in trash talk, and start trashing your opponents, you should expect your opponents to trash talk you as well.  Don’t let this get into your head; stay focused on the game or event, and ignore your opponents’ trash talk. You may be able to turn the trash talk around; if an opponent trash talks you, a sarcastic reply can give you the advantage. For example, if an opponent is boasting, reply with: “Don’t be humble, you’re not that good.”


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Establish your base salary. Divide your base annual salary by 12 (monthly), 26 (bi-weekly), 52 (weekly), or 365 (daily). Add on any tips, commissions, or bonuses during the chosen time period. Compare your calculations to your pay documents.

Answer: Salaried employees work under a contract for a set amount of pay over a set period of time, without factoring in the number of hours worked (unless, possibly, overtime is involved).  Typically, your salary refers to your base pay amount for a year. As an example, let’s say you earn a $30,000 base annual salary. Do this only if calculating your gross pay for a time period shorter than a year, though. For instance, your $30,000 base annual salary is $577 per week ($30,000 / 52 = $577). Remember, gross pay includes everything you earn for your work and subtracts nothing.  For simplicity’s sake, let’s say you’re an amazingly consistent salesperson and have earned a $120 commission each week for the past year.  Added to your weekly base salary plus overtime of $577, your weekly total is now $697.  This is your weekly gross pay. For the year, $697 x 52 = $36,244.  This is your annual gross pay. As a salaried employee, you will receive a pay stub (paper or electronic), typically at intervals of one or two weeks, or monthly.  This will list your gross pay, along with your net pay and the taxes and other deductions. In the U.S., your federal W-2 form will arrive for tax season, and will list your gross pay for the past calendar year.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Select a liner size. Choose a liner material. Decide if you want magnets and suction cups. Decide if you want grommets. Choose a liner that prevents bacteria. Coordinate with your curtain.

Answer: Measure your shower to determine the size of liner and shower curtain you will need. You will want your liner to fit in your shower for appearance and so it does its job of preventing water from escaping into your bathroom. Most liners for a standard size shower are 70 by 72 inches (1.8 by 1.8 m).  Make sure your liner stretches between the two walls and reaches down to the floor so no water escapes. There are extra long liners that are 70 by 84 inches (1.8 by 2.1 m) or 72 by 84 inches (1.8 by 2.1 m). You can purchase an extra wide liner that is 144 by 72 inches (3.7 by 1.8 m). If you have a stall shower, instead of a traditional bathtub size shower, there are shower stall liners that are 54 by 78 inches (1.4 by 2.0 m). Most liners are vinyl, but you can also purchase liners in fabric (such as nylon or polyester). Some people think that vinyl liners look cheaper than fabric ones, but vinyl liners stick to the sides of the tub to help prevent water from spilling on the floor. Vinyl liners are also easier to clean because you can just wipe them down with a sponge or cloth.  Fabric liners need to be washed regularly since they can grow mold. Fabric liners tend to be machine wash only and blow away from the tub, which can cause water to spill. However, fabric liners are more durable and last longer than vinyl liners. You can purchase liners that have magnets that weigh down the liner to help it stay in place. You can also purchase liners that have suction cups on the bottom to help it stick to your tub and not blow away. If your liner has grommets along the top, it is less likely to rip. Grommets reinforce the top of liner where the holes for the rings are. If your liner might face a lot of wear and tear (particularly in children’s bathrooms), you might want to opt for grommets. You can get a liner that is resistant to bacteria and mildew. The packaging on the liner will specify if it prevents bacteria and mildew. This is especially important if you live in a humid environment or don’t have good ventilation in your bathroom. You can get liners in many colors, not just clear or white, to match your shower curtain. You can also use a liner alone, and have no shower curtain to keep things simple.  For simplicity, choose a white or clear liner. You could also choose a solid color liner that coordinates with the pattern on your shower curtain. Some liners, like patterned vinyl, double as a shower curtain.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Know how to read an essay prompt. Understand your essay prompt completely. Ask to see a rubric. Come up with at least two ideas.

Answer:
Although they vary depending on who has written them, most essay prompts include similar information. Essay prompts can seem overwhelming at first, especially if they incorporate a lot of information, but knowing what you're looking for can help you decipher them.   Most prompts begin with some contextual information about the topic of the essay. While this can seem superfluous, read it carefully; it may give you a clue about how your teacher wants you to frame the topic of the essay. The "task" of the essay prompt will usually be worded with active verbs such as summarize, describe, compare, contrast, analyze and/or argue. These verbs will help you know what type of essay the prompt is asking for.  Sometimes the prompt will offer a list of questions or suggestions for further thought. Read this section attentively: sometimes these questions or suggestions may just be a way to prompt your own thinking, but other times it may be required to address them all in your essay. Many prompts will conclude with a list of formatting requirements: common requirements include "12-pt font," "double-spaced," and "1-inch margins," but your prompt may also ask for others. Make sure you adhere to all of these requirements in your final draft! Failure to do so may cost you points on the essay. Knowing exactly what your teacher expects from you is the first step to starting your essay successfully. You should read the prompt as soon as possible after it is given to you.  Read any questions or prompts several times. You may want to re-write the prompt in your own words to be sure that you understand it. Paraphrasing can help you remember and interpret information more effectively.  If you have a choice between several essay prompts, choose the one that you feel the most comfortable with or the one that you think you can write about in the most detail. Ask questions if you are confused or unsure about the teacher’s expectations. Find out if there is a grading rubric for the essay and ask to see it ahead of time so that you can see how your work will be evaluated. This can help you know where to focus most of your time. If your essay assignment is open-ended and you have to completely choose your own topic, come up with several ideas and then choose the one that you think will make the best essay: it may not be the first idea that pops into your mind. A good essay topic is broad enough that you will have plenty to say, but not so broad that you can't say anything of substance. An essay about "the impact of Shakespeare" is too broad; you could write a dozen books about that topic. An essay about "the impact of Shakespeare on common English phrases" is narrower, but still offers you plenty to think about.