INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Weevils most often get into your house through contaminated food, but they can also make their way in through access points if they've already infested the area. Things to look for and fix include:  Damaged weather stripping around doors and windows Missing areas of caulk around doors and windows Torn screens in doors, vents, and windows Cracks and openings in your pantry (which can be sealed with caulk) Even if you buy all your grains in bulk, it’s still possible that contaminated food will end up in your home. Luckily, you can prevent an infestation by killing the weevils before the eggs hatch or the females lay eggs. There are two ways you can do this:  Heating: This works best for whole grains (rice, for instance), but shouldn’t be used for ground grains or powders. Heat your oven to 140 F (60 C). Lay your grains out on a baking sheet. Bake the grains in the oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool before storing. Freezing: This is suitable for powdered and ground grains, but also works for whole grains. Simply place the newly purchased bag or container of grains in the freezer and leave it undisturbed for three days. Allow to thaw before storing. Once you’ve killed any weevils that might have been hiding in your grains, transfer the grains to glass, metal, or thick plastic containers that have airtight lids. Weevils can eat through paper and thin plastic. Along with storing all cereals, grains, and flours in weevil-proof containers, you can also store sugar, coffee, and other dry goods in these containers if your house is prone to infestations. To ensure that weevils don’t have time to invade your dry goods, buy your grains and flours in smaller quantities so you eat them quickly and don’t leave them in the back of the pantry for months. This is another time when buying in bulk can be beneficial, because you can control the exact amount that you purchase. Weevils may be attracted to your home if there are bits of food lying around in your pantry, such as flour dust, spilled cereal, or fallen grains of rice. To ensure that there's nothing in your pantry that might attract them, keep your shelves clean and free of food.  Once every month or two, remove all the food from the pantry or cupboards and vacuum the shelves. Clean underneath the stove and refrigerator as well.  Clean up spills and messes as soon as they occur.  You can also be proactive by making a habit of regularly looking through your storage bins, pantry, and containers to look for signs of infestation. There are many herbs that may act as weevil repellants. You can use these herbs in your pantry and in your grain containers to help keep weevils away.  Herbs that may work as weevil deterrents include bay leaf, clove, rosemary, black pepper corns, and garlic cloves.  A few bay leaves can be placed inside each grain, flour, and cereal container. Use the other herbs on the pantry shelves, otherwise they may flavor your grains.

SUMMARY: Seal possible entry points into your home and pantry. Kill weevils that could be in your grains. Transfer grains to weevil-proof containers. Eat food quickly. Keep pantry shelves clean. Use herbs to help deter weevils.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Purchase a small tube of sealant meant for fixing aquariums, or other leaks. Pipe a thin band around the joint between the gasket and the bottle. If you need to, use a popsicle stick or a toothpick to smooth the sealant down. Allow the sealant to cure. You may need to seal the area between the gasket and the tubing itself. You don't really have to do this, but it will make filling the bottle easier. You can also cut it off only partway so that it's still attached to the rest of the bottle by a "hinge." This will allow you to partially close the opening.

SUMMARY: Seal the area around the gasket and tubing. Cut the top part off of the bottle, if desired.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The point of any swimming unit is to learn how to swim (or to improve in your swimming skills), and you won’t get much out of the class if you don’t participate and make an effort. Whether this is your first time in the pool or you’re an experienced swimmer, get out there, participate, and have fun! Even if you can’t swim, try your best. Most teachers can recognize when someone is trying and will give you a good grade for effort. High school swim unit is a great opportunity to improve your swimming skills, especially if you plan to compete in a swim club. Your swim coach is most likely a highly qualified individual who cares about his or her students and wants to help them swim better. Even if you’re not a competitive swimmer and have no plans to become one, you should still obey the coach. He or she can lend a fun sense of community to the class, and swimming is a great way to stay in shape. Many high-school students are already involved in a swim team, and regularly compete in swimming or diving competitions. Learning from a coach is especially valuable if you’re already a competitive swimmer. Even if you routinely swim and train at a private swimming club, your high school coach can add a sense of community and team spirit to your swimming. Focus on learning new strokes and improving your time; tune out distractions. Take your training—even if it’s not at your normal swim club—as seriously as possible.

SUMMARY:
Try your best in the pool. Listen to the coach and follow their direction. Improve your competitive swimming abilities.