Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, January 30, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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poultice
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining Prepositional IdiomsMany prepositions can be used with certain words or phrases to form idioms (expressions that have a unique meaning that cannot be inferred from their constituent parts). Prepositional idioms can function adverbially, adjectivally, or verbally. Where can they appear in a sentence? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Clothing in the Ancient WorldClothing in the ancient world served more than just a protective function; it reflected climatic necessity, class distinctions, and religious beliefs. Ornamentation was an important part of ancient clothing, and charms, trophies, and other valuables were worn to enhance attractiveness and signify one's social position. In ancient Egypt, for example, jewelry was used to symbolize power and religious standing. What was the purpose of wearing a cone of ox tallow and myrrh on top of the head? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 First Anglo-Japanese Alliance Signed in London, England (1902)The First Anglo-Japanese Alliance was signed to protect the respective interests of Britain and Japan in China and Korea. Directed against Russian expansionism, the alliance helped Japan by discouraging France from entering the Russo-Japanese War on the Russian side. The alliance later prompted Japan to join the Allies in World War I. Britain allowed the alliance to lapse after the war, when it no longer feared Russian encroachment in China. What were the cultural effects of the alliance? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Shirley Hazzard (1931)Hazzard is an Australian novelist and short-story writer who has lived in the US since 1951. She and her husband, writer Francis Steegmuller, were both frequent contributors to The New Yorker magazine. Noted for her lyrical style, she achieved early success with her first story collection, Cliffs of Fall. Her 1980 novel, The Transit of Venus, brought her literary acclaim and a greatly expanded readership. Hazzard did not publish her next novel until 2003. What was it? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Of great riches there is no real use, except it be in the distribution.Francis Bacon (1561-1626) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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Elysian Fields— A place or time of perfect, happy contentment, likened to the paradisiacal afterlife of Greek mythology. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 St. Charles's Day (2020)Charles I, crowned king of England in 1625, was illegally executed on Jan. 30, 1649, primarily for defending the Anglican Church. His body was secretly buried in Windsor Castle, and he was widely acclaimed as a martyr. A royal decree ordered a special service on this day to be in the Book of Common Prayer from 1662 to 1859. It also ordered it to be a day of national fasting. The anniversary of this event is commemorated by the Society of Charles the Martyr with an annual service at the site of his execution in Whitehall, London. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: strawberriesstrawberry friend - A freeloader, one who visits only when the strawberries are ready for picking. More... small fruits - Currants, raspberries, strawberries, etc. More... soft fruit - Fruit that grows on bushes, such as berries, strawberries and currants, as contrasted with top fruit. More... strawberry - Got its name because the plant "strews" its runners along the ground; its seeds are actually individual fruits and it is termed an aggregate fruit. More... | |