IN: In our most recent CSA basket from Downing Hollow Farms , we found lovely slender eggplants . Once we saw that we had tomatoes that also had the same slender shape and fresh basil , we knew what to do - eggplant Napoleons . I made nice long , thin slices of eggplant with the mandolin . I made not so nice slices of tomato .
Was the produce easy to slice ?

OUT: The tomato was difficult to slice

IN: I made it through about ten pages today , which is an improvement . I think I really can get back to my reading now , and the only obstacle is that I have n't been reading for so long now . I 'll be finishing Anna Karenina , but then I have an obligation to Have a Nice Day . And I can throw in some Virginia Woolf from time to time .
Why is the person having a hard time reading books ?

OUT: This person has gotten out of the habit of reading books everyday .

IN: My big problem was that I was shy and hated to speak the language . I was so afraid of how stupid I sounded and had a lot of problems with the accent . I was willing to fail the course if it required that I speak the language but luckily it never came to that .
Why was I so intent on not speaking the language ?

OUT:
I was shy when speaking publicly at something I was n't confident in .