INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Installing a shorter lever arm is the best way to adapt a racer for speed. However, if the lever is too short, it will spin out. There is no precise formula for how long the lever should be. Experiment to see how short you can get the lever while maintaining control of the car. Longer lever arms will extend the time in which the axle is pulled, making it travel longer distances before the car reaches maximum speed. As a result, it will go slower, but move further. When you increase the size of the wheel, the amount of torque necessary to begin a rotation increases as well. A smaller wheel is easier to turn. So you should make sure that your driving (front) wheel is as small as possible. A good standard is approximately 3 inches (7.6cm) in diameter. Use materials that are as lightweight as possible. A larger wheel means more rotational inertia, which keeps the wheel moving once it gets going, but reduces acceleration. A smaller wheel is a trade-off between distance and speed. The overall distance traveled will decrease as you reduce the size of the driving wheel. Experiment to determine what the most functional design is. The greater the ratio of the diameter of the axle to the wheel, the less force will be required to accelerate the car. In other words, you should match a larger axle with a smaller wheel to increase acceleration. Conversely, a mousetrap racer built for distance should have a smaller axle and a larger driving wheel. One way to adapt the size of the axle is to wrap tape around the center of the axle, where it does not come into contact with the frame. This added weight will increase the torque of the axle. Experiment to find the correct amount of torque by adding and removing layers of tape. For the wheel to pick up speed it needs to create pressure against the ground. For the wheel, use a material with a rough texture around the outside to give the wheel traction. Alternatively, cut something that has a rough surface such as a rubber balloon. Glue strips of this material to the outside of the wheel to give it traction. There are so many variables involved in the physics of a mousetrap racer that even similarly built cars operate differently. The only way to perfect your model is to experiment with small variations in design to determine what works best. Study mousetrap racers that have won competitions in the past. Learn from designs that you know work.

SUMMARY: Shorten the lever arm. Find smaller wheels. Increase the size of the axle. Increase traction. Keep on trying.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you have trouble talking to girls (or just the girls you are interested in romantically), you should think about what's preventing you from saying the right thing. Do you find girls intimidating? Are you worried you'll say the wrong thing? Understanding what you're nervous about will help you counter it. Don't put any girl on a pedestal. It's nice to think highly of someone you like, but no one is perfect. Girls have their faults and flaws too, and they probably worry about many of the same things you do. Take cues from your body so that you can recognize when you're too worked up to have a conversation. Do your breathing and heartbeat get faster? Do your face and body feel flushed and sweaty? If you need extra time to calm down before you talk to girls, walk around a bit and control your breathing by inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. Don't think too much about it ahead of time. Come up with a phrase that you can repeat when you feel like you're losing control of your emotions or body. For example, if you get nervous every time you want to talk to a girl, take a time out. Go somewhere quiet and tell yourself, "She's just a person. Just a person. I'm a person. Just a person. I'm a person." When you've calmed down, you should attempt to talk to her again. Think about what the girl means to you, and what you want to tell her. What is your goal? Do you want to date her? If you are dating her, do you want to remind her of how much you appreciate her? Once you've got some sweet words in mind, get in front of a mirror and say them out loud. Knowing exactly how you're going to phrase your sentence can be hugely helpful. Even if you have a general idea of what you want to say in mind, actually putting it into words will be beneficial. Try not to feel silly when you do this because it's important to notice how you carry yourself. Hold your head up (not too high), stand up straight, and look her in the eyes when you talk. Almost any girl is happy to talk to a confident person, and you want to show her that you believe in yourself. When you go to talk to girls, pay a little extra attention to your appearance. You will feel more confident, and, by putting in the effort, you are showing a girl that you care. Brushing your teeth, shaving, taking a shower, and wearing the clothes you feel good in are all great ideas. The more confident you are, the better.

SUMMARY: Think about your reservations. Understand that girls are people, not goddesses. Notice the physical changes that happen when you are around girls you like. Don't be afraid to talk to yourself. Plan ahead. Practice. Put your best self forward.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Problems relating to asthma can cause serious damage to your lungs. A way to avoid this is to prevent attacks based on triggers, such as air quality and environmental issues. If you have asthma, you may consider wearing a mask to help protect you from some of the common triggers, including pollen, mold, pet dander, pollution and, to some degree, strong odors. You can also use air filtration systems to remove and prevent many asthma triggers from entering your home. People with asthma may have certain food triggers that are typically unique to each person. In general, individuals with asthma should avoid the common triggers such as eggs, fish, peanuts, soy, yeast, cheese, wheat and rice. Foods with a variety of preservatives, such as Monosodium glutamate (MSG), nitrates or nitrites, also can be triggers for asthma. These substances also decrease the efficacy of rescue inhalers. These common allergies are the basis for the suggestion of an organic, whole food diet for asthma sufferers.

SUMMARY:
Avoid your asthma triggers. Cut out foods that aggravate your asthma.