Article: Marble is very soft and prone to damage so it is important to apply a coat of high quality marble sealing agent before proceeding with the grout. This seal is also important because marble is very porous and grout can cause stains in the tiles. Apply the sealing agent over the tops of the marble. Even if you prefer the color and look of unsealed marble you can use a "grout release"-type sealer to prevent grout from sticking to the marble tiles. Grout, or mortar, will be used ot fill in the spaces between the tiles. Be sure to wear a dust mask, safety goggles, and heavy-duty work gloves. Wear a long-sleeve shirt to avoid any possible damage to your skin from contact with the grout. Mix only enough as will be used in 15-20 minutes of work or else the extra can dry out and harden. This prepares the spaces for the grout or mortar. Spread the concrete evenly over the spaces between the tiles using a squeegee. Be careful to avoid getting cement on the tops of the tiles. Some will inevitably get on top of the tiles but you want to minimize the amount. Try to push it into the spaces as much as possible to create a tight fight. Wipe up any grout on top of the tiles as you go. Use a squeegee to spread out the grout and leave a smooth surface in the cracks. You can also use a gloved finger to run down the grooves and smooth the top of the grout. Use a damp sponge to wipe down the tops of the tiles to remove any excess grout. Try not to get extra moisture into the grout or else it can make it too wet. Allow the grout to dry for the length of time required by the manufacturer. Some will require long curing times to ensure maximum strength. Use a disposable sponge applicator to paint the grout with a grout sealer. This will help prevent stains and dirt from permanently discoloring the grout. It will also make cleaning easier later on. Clean your tools with water or acetone to remove the excess grout or mortar and prepare them for use once again.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Seal the marble. Mix grout according to the instructions on the packaging. Dampen the spaces between the tiles using a moist sponge. Fill the spaces with cement. Use a squeegee to spread out the grout. Use a clean sponge to wipe down the surface of the marble tiles. Allow the grout to dry. Seal the grout. Clean tools with water or acetone.
Article: English is a tricky language, because many of the rules have exceptions. Certain spellings simply don't follow the rules. However, knowing the rules will help you most of the time. While it helps to know the exceptions, don't try to learn them all at once. If you absorb them gradually, they won't seem so frustrating. Your best bet is simply to memorize the spellings that don't conform to the rules. " This well-known rule pertains to words such as die, friend, yield, patient, convenience, piece and receive (where "ei" follows "c.") Unfortunately, there are many words that disobey this rule, such as weight, height, sleigh and reins. When the rules fail, you're left with memorization. If the i/e combination is followed immediately by a "gh" (as in weight or height), the "e" precedes the "i." It's another exception you simply have to memorize. A few other words to memorize (that don't follow the "i before e" rule) include "either," "neither," "leisure," "protein," "their," and "weird." Remember the rhyme, "When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking." When two vowels are next to each other, often you pronounce only the first vowel. This makes it easier to place two vowels in the right order. (Of course, you have to remember that two vowels are called for in this case.) For example, you hear the "o" sound in the word "coat," so you know the "o" comes first. You hear the "e" sound in "mean," so you put the "e" first. Once again there are exceptions to this rule that you will need to memorize, such as "you," "great," and "phoenix." The letter "c" can be pronounced hard, as in "cat," or soft, as in "cell." Usually if the letter following the "c" is "a," "o," "u" or a consonant, the "c" is hard. Examples include cat, cot, cut, cute and clue. If the following letter is "e," "i" or "y," the "c" is usually soft. Examples include celery, citation and cycle. English words sometimes have a letter that is silent, typically a consonant next to another consonant at the beginning of a word. Here are common letter combinations where one letter is silent: Gn, pn, and kn: These letter combinations all have an "n" sound. The other letter is silent. Examples are "gnaw," "pneumonia" and "knock." Rh and wr: Both of these combinations have an "r" sound. For example, rhyme and "write. Ps and sc: These combinations both make an "s" sound, as in psychic and science. Wh: Sometimes "wh" sounds like "h," as in "whole." "Gh" is often silent, especially if it comes after "i." This happens in words like "right" and weight." Sometimes "gh" makes an "f" sound, as in "cough" or "tough."
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Recognize that some spelling rules have exceptions. Remember the general rule that "i" precedes "e" much of the time except when they follow the letter "c. Pay attention to other double vowels. Learn the "c" sound patterns. Look for consonant letter combinations where one letter is silent.
Article: Set down 10-15 cones or small obstacles in 2 rows, staggering them slightly. Dribble towards the first cone, tapping the ball with the outside of your right foot with each step. Cut sharply around the cone with one side of your foot, round it, dribble to the next cone, and repeat. Once you've gone through with your right foot, switch to dribbling on your left. When you're turning around a cone, try to leave as little space as possible between the cone and the ball. Go through the cones 5 times on each foot. Set up 2 cones or small obstacles 34 feet (0.911.22m) apart, and another cone about 30 feet (9.1m) away in a perpendicular direction. Starting at the 2-cone "gate," dribble as fast as you can with the outside of one foot, cut sharply around the far cone, and sprint back on the same foot. When you get back to the gate, stop the ball directly on the line with the outside of your foot. Complete 10 back-and-forth runs on each foot, giving yourself a minute to rest before switching feet. This drill will train you to keep good ball control while moving at speed and to quickly break down your steps to make cuts or quickly change direction. Set up 3 cones in a line or a triangle shape, about 2 feet (0.61m) apart. Dribble a ball through the cones with all parts of your foot, using quick touches to cut the ball around each cone as sharply as you can. Do this drill for 10-15 minutes to work on your control with all the surfaces of your feet. This is also a great drill if you're low on practice space. To get better at specific moves, drill them as much as you can. Use a cone or unmoving obstacle when you're first learning the move, then ask a teammate to go one-on-one with you to see how it works against a defender. Focus on mastering one move at a time. Once you get one trick down, learning more advanced ones will get easier and easier.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Zig-zag around cones to improve your ball control. Make quick back and forth turns between sets of cones. Practice dribbling in close spaces to improve your footwork. Practice your moves around cones and other players.