Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Know the difference between mint, excellent, and good condition. Research the item's rarity. Look for signs of authenticity. Check for damage. Have your item appraised.

Answer: If a vendor uses these terms online, at a store, or during an auction, you'll have a good idea of what quality to expect. Mint condition means that the piece is not cracked, chipped, or broken. This antique is in perfect condition. Excellent condition means that the piece has some minor flaws. The antique may have small chips or has been repaired over time. Good condition means that the piece is in a presentable state. Antiques in good condition may have noticeable cracks or chips, and they might require repair after you buy it. The less common an antique is, the more likely it has a high value. Rare items may have been made in limited amounts, or the amount of the items may have decreased over time. Items that are difficult to reproduce in the contemporary era (such as items made of limited materials) are especially coveted among collectors. Rarity could also be determined by a manufacturing abnormality (like an unusual glass color for a certain era) or, in the case of art, an uncommon subject matter for a certain artist. Rarity raises the value of a piece alongside desirability. Some antiques, such as a certain edition of a book, were initially commonplace. Decades or even centuries later, their desirability increases because of their historical significance or scarcity over time. When looking at an antique, you may not know how to tell if this is an authentic piece. Research the antique and check for signs of its authenticity. Be on particular lookout for artist signatures, materials used, and era markers. Even if an antique looks old, it might not be from that era. Really convincing hoaxes use old materials to create their pieces. When in doubt, enlist the help of an antique broker or specialist. If your piece has bronze mounts, unscrew one. On antique bronzed pieces, there will be two colors on the back: the dark, oxidized center and the tiny rim of gilding in the front. If your bronze mounts have a gilded back, your piece may be authentic. Even small chips can lower your antique's worth from mint to excellent (or excellent to good). Examine the item thoroughly and look for any cracks, chipped paint, or other signs of wear. Research what mint condition looks like for your antique and compare to spot any small damages. If you collect furniture or other wood items, look out for wormwood damage. These will look like little holes in the wood. The older the wood, the more holes you'll see. Wormwood damage is not necessarily negative: it can be a sign that the object is as old as the vendor claims. After you have bought an item, bring it to an antiques collector who can tell you how much it's worth. Before the appraisal, prepare a mental inventory of where you found the item, how much you paid for it, and any other information you know about the item. This will help the appraiser assess its worth accurately. Some auction houses have "appraisal days" where they invite people to bring their antiques and have them appraised for free or a reduced cost. Check local auction house websites and mark appraisal day dates down in your calendar.

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Rinse your hair daily. Don't wash your hair too often. Condition the tips of your hair. Towel dry your hair. Massage natural hair oil into your scalp after shampoo is used.

Answer: For the silkiest hair, it's good to rinse the dirt and grime out at the end of each day to keep your hair clean and smooth. Using clean fresh water to rinse your hair will help to keep the healthy effects of the natural oils, and will make it easier for them to replenish. It's not necessary to shampoo your hair daily, and doing so will dry your hair out in time. If you can't take a whole shower, combing a wet comb through your hair, or even rinsing your hair in the sink can be a perfectly effective way of keeping it clean. If you do take showers daily, you don't need to shampoo every time. In general, it's best not to wash your hair more than once every three days. Depending on how oily your hair is naturally, you may need to shampoo more or less often. For some people, once a week is sufficient to keep hair clean, lustrous, and healthy, while others may want to shampoo as often as every other day. Use shampoo sparingly, no more than a small pea-sized amount. Wet your hands and create a lather in your hands before massaging it into your hair, focusing on the tips of your hair and working in toward your scalp. Massage gently and rinse thoroughly with warm water. If you don't use any heat treatments (like straightening or blow-drying your hair) and your hair is not dry, you may be able to wash your hair every day. Some people elect to condition their hair more regularly than shampooing, perhaps choosing to shampoo once a week and condition the hair three times throughout the week to keep the hair feeling silky, depending on the health of the hair and the oiliness. Use the same technique as when you wash with shampoo, then rinse thoroughly with warm water. It's very important to get all the shampoo and conditioner out of your hair every time you wash. If you have longer hair, it's somewhat difficult to get it all rinsed out, which can make your hair gunky and sticky when it dries and forms a residue. After rinsing, shampooing, or conditioning your hair, you need to dry it with a towel as much as possible, then let it dry on its own in the air. Drying your hair gently and slowly will help it stay strong and healthy, creating a silky shine. Avoid using blow dryers that involve directly heating your hair, which has a tendency to dry hair out and make it bristly. Don't heat-dry your hair. A few times a week, after using shampoo, it's a good idea to use one of the natural hair balms described above to comb gently into your hair. Coconut oil and other types of natural oil can be scooped onto a fine-tooth plastic comb and combed directly into the hair, or can be massaged into the follicles with the hands, then combed out for the same effect. Avoid adding hair oil more than once or twice a week, or you can weight your hair down unnaturally and attract more dirt, making it difficult to keep clean. Use hair oil or tonic sparingly.

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Use the words in songs or quotes. Look for video footage. Make a podcast. Get a friend to quiz you.

Answer:
Think of a word that means the same as the word you're trying to learn. Then think of a song or quote that includes the word you already know, and switch the words. Sing or say these to yourself over and over again until you get them into your head. An example might be: "I've obtained you, babe" rather than "I've got you, babe" "What's the big notion?" rather than "What's the big idea?" Search for your word in the search engine function of online video sites. It can be really helpful to hear the word spoken, see the footage, and be able to link the word and the video. If you play the video enough times, you will start to hear the word in your head in the voice of the person on the video. This can help you differentiate it from all the other words you're studying. Record yourself saying the words, then saying them in a sentence, or as part of a song or quote. Listen to your recording repeatedly. For many of us, listening to something over and over works even better than using flash cards. Using the list of vocabulary words you need to know, have a friend ask you what one means and then use it in a sentence. It's a good way to force yourself to prove to someone else that you know the words, and saying it out loud can help in the memorization process.