Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, October 13, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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crystalline
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Forming Compound Words with PrefixesA prefix attaches to the beginning of a word (known as the "root" or "stem word") to change its meaning. While the vast majority of prefixes don't require a hyphen when they are attached to the root, in what situation is it helpful to use a hyphen between the prefix and the stem word? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 William S. BurroughsBurroughs was an American novelist, essayist, social critic, painter, and spoken-word performer whose two dozen books controversially blend homosexuality, science fiction, drug use, and underworld depravity. Much of his work is semi-autobiographical, drawn from his experiences as a long-time opiate addict. A primary member of the Beat Generation, he was an avant-garde writer whose style and ideas influenced popular culture as well as literature. Who did Burroughs accidentally kill in 1951? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Young Readers Get Their First Taste of Paddington Bear (1958)Michael Bond first introduced Paddington Bear to the world in his 1958 children's book A Bear Called Paddington. Paddington, a polite immigrant bear from Darkest Peru, is taken in by the Brown family after they find him in a London train station. A variety of books feature the well-meaning bear, whose adventures have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. An award-winning TV show helped the series retain its popularity well into the 1990s. What inspired Brown to create Paddington? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Rudolf Ludwig Karl Virchow (1821)A German pathologist, anthropologist, and statesman, Virchow contributed to nearly every branch of medical science, was a member of the Prussian lower house and later the Reichstag, and was a leader of the liberal party opposed to Bismarck. He coined the terms "thrombosis" and "embolism" and supported emerging ideas on cell division and metabolism. His many contributions earned him the appellation "Father of Modern Pathology." What was the "Sausage Duel," and how was Virchow involved in it? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 I'm not a bit changed—not really. I'm only just pruned down and branched out. The real me—back here—is just the same.Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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sleep like a baby— To experience a very deep and restful sleep; to sleep soundly. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Eo e Emalani i Alaka i Festival (2018)This annual outdoor celebration takes place on the second Saturday in October in Koke'e State Park, Kaua'i, Hawaii. It is a joyous commemoration of the journey of Queen Emma Naea Rooke in 1871 to the upper reaches of Kilohana Viewpoint. At the festival, a woman from the Halau and an entourage re-enacts Queen Emma's entrance to the mountain meadow, where they are greeted by hula dancers who offer ancient chants and special dances to the party. The day's activities also include demonstrations of local crafts, including lauhala (fan and matt) weaving and Ni'ihau shell lei-making. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: wrinkle | |
| In the News | |
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Elusive stick insect thought extinct for 80 years is still alive and kickingA 6-inch-long stick bug with an exoskeleton that looks like a lobster was metaphorically brought back from the dead by scientists. The tree lobster (dryococelus australis) was long thought extinct but thanks to a group of exploring rock climbers and ... More... | |