INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Wait until your base coat is dry to the touch before adding more paint. This will prevent the colors of your more intricate designs from bleeding into the base coat. Some enamel paints will instruct you to leave the paint to dry for 5 to 7 days. This is necessary to set the paint, but not needed when you're doing multiple coats of paint.

SUMMARY: Let the base coat dry for at least an hour.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Try to be prepared for every lesson so that you can follow along easily. Make sure you have the right supplies, books and completed assignments for each lesson. When you go into class, be ready to learn. When you're doing your homework the night before, write down any questions you have about it. Make sure to ask your teacher those questions the next day. This will show your teacher that learning is important to you. Try not to drift off or get distracted. If the teacher asks the class a question and you know the answer, raise your hand. Get involved in group discussions whenever you can. When you do join in, never talk over a classmate or interrupt your teacher. If you aren't sure how to join a class discussion, ask a question. You could say something like, "Mrs. Bell, can we talk more about the main character's motivations in the book?" You could also say something like, "Mr. Turner, can we please go through that equation one more time? I'm not sure I understand the last part of it." When the teacher gives in-class assignments, always do them when you're supposed to. Work during the work period provided so that you can finish your assignments on time. Try not to distract anyone nearby who's also working on their assignments. If you have a question about something on the assignment, raise your hand and ask the teacher politely for help. Then say something like, "Ms. Miller, I'm not sure if I understand this part of the assignment. Can you explain it?" After the teacher helps you, always say "thank you." Always doing your homework is a way to show your teacher that you care about the class and what you're learning. Teachers work long hours teaching kids all day, so when students don't do their homework or complete assignments, they feel ignored. Teachers, like everyone, want to feel that what they do matters. When students show that they are learning things, it makes their teachers happy. Doing your homework is one of the easiest ways to be nice to your teacher! If you've been out sick and missed class, always ask your teacher what you missed. Be sure to get your makeup assignments and homework. Whenever the teacher asks you to do something specific, be sure to follow their directions exactly. Do your assignments the way the teacher told you to. Whenever your teacher verbally asks you to do something, always do it without making a fuss. Never do anything disrespectful, like make a face or roll your eyes, when the teacher asks you to do something. If you don't understand the directions given, don't be afraid to raise your hand and ask a question or for assistance. Never make excessive noise or talk to your classmates during a lesson. Don't shuffle papers around loudly, dig noisily in your back pack or slam books around. This will interrupt your classmates' concentration and your teacher. If you can't pay attention when you sit by your friends, try sitting elsewhere. You can save small talk with your friends for after class. If you have assigned seats, go to your teacher privately after class and ask to be moved. Let them know you'd like to be moved so that you can concentrate on lessons better. Your teacher will appreciate that you are taking an active role in your education.

SUMMARY: Be prepared. Participate in lessons. Work on your assignments when instructed. Do your homework. Follow directions. Avoid distracting other students.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you're only going to use a portion of your sliced bread, it's best to defrost that portion only. Thawing out an entire loaf of sliced bread when you only need a few slices will require you to either consume the rest of the loaf or refreeze it. Refreezing bread repeatedly can dry the bread out, making it hard and/or stale. Set aside as many slices as you'll need to defrost and save the rest in the freezer. If the slices are stuck together, you can try using a clean fork or knife to gently pry them apart. Take the slices you've chosen to defrost and arrange them on a plate. Most permanent kitchen dinnerware is safe to microwave; if you're not sure, check the bottom of the plate, as manufacturers will stamp some kitchenware as being microwave safe. Do not cover the bread. Simply arrange your slices on a plate with a little space in between each slice. Some bakers recommend wrapping frozen bread in a paper towel before microwaving. Make sure the plate can safely be microwaved. Avoid using disposable plates or anything made of plastic. While most loaves of bread will not defrost well in the microwave, sliced bread can be microwaved effectively. As the bread thaws, the starch molecules in each slice will form crystals, which can draw out any moisture that was previously in the bread (called retrogradation). Using a microwave allows the crystals to break down inside the slices of bread so that each piece is soft and warm. Set the microwave on high power. Heat the sliced bread in your microwave for increments of 10 seconds. Check on the slices after 10 seconds before adding more time in the microwave. It should not take more than 15 to 25 seconds for most microwaves to defrost sliced bread. However, there may be some variance in defrost time, depending on your particular microwave. Do not microwave bread for longer than a minute, as this will probably overheat it. Make sure the bread isn't too hot before eating. Be aware that microwaving bread is likely to make it either overly chewy or hard and stale. This is because the bread loses its water content as the microwave turns that water into vapor, which leaves the bread. If you don't have a microwave or would rather not use one, you can defrost frozen bread in a toaster oven. This method may not work well for whole loaves of bread, though, so it's best to only use toaster ovens for slices of bread. Adjust the setting to "defrost" or "frozen" to warm up sliced bread from the freezer. As always, make sure the bread hasn't gotten too hot while toasting.

SUMMARY:
Thaw out as many slices as you'll need. Arrange the slices on a microwave-safe plate. Use a microwave to warm the frozen slices. Heat up frozen slices of bread in a toaster oven.