Problem: Article: It has been observed by those both inside and outside of the country that Americans have a penchant for self-education and self-improvement. No one is born knowing how to do everything he needs to know how to do to succeed. To achieve the sort of strong, rugged individualism that is central to the American Dream, it's essential to be willing to better yourself wherever and whenever you get the opportunity. Whether it's learning a new skill, practicing a second language, or studying strategies for business success, almost any avenue of self-improvement can help you become a stronger, more versatile, or more productive person. Below are just a few more ideas for self-improvement:  Physical conditioning (running, weightlifting, etc.) Learning sales techniques Studying modern history or current events Learning a martial art Mastering a hobby or activity Creating art or music Proud, individualistic Americans shouldn't shy away from confronting the world's problems head-on. Doing this often means becoming a leader, taking charge of others while accepting the responsibility that comes with leadership. Having the courage to volunteer for tasks that involve leadership, whether they're big or small, can help you make a difference in the world while earning recognition for yourself.   One great way to become a leader is to run for public office. Doing this gives you a platform to make your views known and, if you win, to fight for the changes you want to see. Even if you don't win, if your campaign attracts enough attention, it can re-frame the public debate or persuade lawmakers to consider your views. You don't have to be a member of government to be a leader in your community. Volunteering for certain types of charitable work or even simply doing community-oriented  work on your own can give you an opportunity to become a leader for others. The United States was founded on the principles of representative democracy. The more people who participate in the process of government by voting, the more truly representative the nation's government is of its citizens. Because of this, all Americans who can vote should make sure to do so. However, this is far from the only way actively participate in the civic life of the country. For instance, citizens can join a political party whose beliefs are close to their own and work or volunteer to spread its message. If they feel especially strongly about certain civic issues, they can even start their own political associations. Below are just few more ways you may want to consider becoming an active participant in American democracy:   Participating in a political round table or forum Joining or organizing a protest Volunteering to get signatures for a political candidate or cause Donating to your favorite political cause Nothing is more quintessentially American than the rags-to-riches story of someone who's able to build a life of influence and importance from almost nothing. Whether you're a poor, unknown immigrant or an established citizen, everyone has the chance to make a name for himself in America as long as you're willing to work hard, be creative, and have the strength to stick to your personal values. While, for obvious reasons, it's impossible for everyone to become fabulously rich and famous, it is possible in America to retire in a higher position than you started your career in and to make a name for yourself as an important member of your local community in the process.  As you climb the social ladder, never feel intimidated by the prospect of having to deal with people from higher social strata than you. In America, more so than in certain other countries, a person's destiny is determined by her willpower and ability, rather than the privilege of her birth. While some people are born into wealth and privilege, if you're able to climb into a certain social class from a lower one, you have every right to view yourself as an equal to members. It's not easy pursuing the American dream. As described above, building a great life for yourself while living as a free, independent individual can require lots of work and personal responsibility. If you're having a hard time motivating yourself to keep chasing the dream, consider turning to one of the many iconic American success stories to fuel your drive. Many of these real-life individuals were able to build a life of importance from nothing or successfully fought against prevailing societal forces of the time to make a better country (or even a better world). Below are just a few all-American examples:   Andrew Carnegie: A poor Scottish immigrant, Carnegie began his career as a "bobbin boy" in a factory and ended it as one of the most powerful, important industrialists ever. Susan B. Anthony: By spearheading the women's suffrage movement with her tireless efforts, which included being arrested, Anthony was instrumental in winning the right to vote for women.  Jawed Karim: This immigrant, best known for co-founding YouTube, also helped design the commerce service PayPal. Jay-Z: Born Shawn Corey Carter, this American music icon rose from a life of crime and poverty to become one of the wealthiest and most influential figures in the music industry.
Summary: Strive for self-improvement. Be a leader. Have an active civic life. Climb the social ladder. Look to stories of American success for inspiration.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: This should be soft enough that you can cut a slit through it with a flathead screwdriver. Get several, if you can, in case you mess up your first try. Put the bottlecap down on the table, with its top upward. Stick a flathead screwdriver through the vertical side, under the bottlecap, and through the other side. This pair of holes should be very close to the lower rim. Make the holes wide enough to fit a popsicle stick. Rotate the cap 90º. The holes will now be on the left and right. The side in front of you will have no holes in it. Push the screwdriver through in this direction to make holes at a 90º angle to the others. These holes will be halfway up the cap's sides. Leave room below and above them. These should also be wide enough to fit a popsicle stick. One popsicle stick goes through the two lowest holes, just poking out one end. A second stick goes through the middle holes, poking out equally on each sides. Now you have a † shape through the bottle cap. Keep the cap pointed the same direction. Poke the screwdriver high up on the sides, near the flat top. Make these holes small, and keep them straight over the lower stick. You can use a larger, Philips head screwdriver to make the holes round without making them wider. Take a wide rubber band. Place it over the bottle cap, above the sticks. Hold it against the top of the †. Pull the lower end over the left arm, then the right. Repeat until the rubber band is mostly tight. Pull the rubber band down over the top of the bottlecap. Take the cotton off one end of a cotton swab. Stick the swab through the top pair of holes, starting at the top of the †. Pull back on the rubber band and let go to fire.  If the rubber band doesn't pull far enough, unwrap it once from the arms. If the cotton swab won't fit (without the cotton ball end), make the hole larger with a screwdriver. Pull the rubber band back as far as it can easily go. Mark that spot on the stick with a pen. Push a thumbtack just in front of that spot. You can now keep the rubber band "locked" by stretching it over the thumbtack. To shoot, pull out the tack or pull up the rubber band and let go. The rubber band will wear out fast if you keep it locked. Unhook the band any time you aren't using the crossbow.
Summary:
Find a plastic bottlecap. Poke a pair of holes near the rim. Turn the bottlecap. Poke a second pair of holes. Fit popsicle sticks through the holes. Make smaller holes. Fasten with a rubber band. Load the crossbow. Add a lock.