Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, April 29, 2015)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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virid
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Collective NounsCollective nouns are nouns that refer to a collection or group of multiple people, animals, or things. They usually function as singular nouns in a sentence, but they are occasionally used as plurals, too. What are some examples of collective nouns that can only be plural? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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%2c_1860_-_ca._1900.jpg) RickshawsA rickshaw is a small, two-wheeled carriage that is usually drawn by one person. The first rickshaws appeared in Japan around 1868 and became a popular mode of transportation because human labor was considerably cheaper than that of horses. Rickshaws were mainly used in Asia, but nowadays they are outlawed in many places and have been replaced by cycle and auto rickshaws. What is the origin of the carriage's name? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Oldsmobile Builds Its Last Car (2004)Founded in 1897 by Ransom Olds, Oldsmobile—not Ford—was the first company to mass produce automobiles. After it became part of General Motors in 1908, it shifted to making luxury vehicles. Sales soared in the 1970s and 80s—the Cutlass was the top-selling car in America in 1976—but by the 90s, Oldsmobile had lost its market to other GM divisions. Amid declining profitability, GM discontinued the line in 2004 after 107 years. The first Oldsmobile was the Curved Dash. What was the last? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis (1957)The son of a British poet laureate and an actress, Day-Lewis is one of the most respected and critically acclaimed actors today. He is also one of the most selective, working only sporadically and maintaining a low profile between films. The intense method actor has won two Academy Awards for best actor, for 1989's My Left Foot and 2007's There Will Be Blood, and is known for his diverse and convincing roles. In 1997, he disappeared and became an apprentice in Italy—in what trade? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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put the wind up (someone)— To make someone very anxious, upset, or frightened. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Stanford Antigua Sailing Week (2020)The island nation of Antigua and Barbuda is famous for stiff easterly trade winds, which are ideal for sailing. Thus, it is little wonder that Antigua is the site of a major international sailing event that draws racing fans and yachting enthusiasts from all over the world. The first Antigua Sailing Week took place in 1968; since then, the regatta has expanded to include as many as 1,500 sailors and 200 yachts of various sizes that compete in 16 different classes. Nearly every day of Sailing Week, yachts face off in courses of various distances and orientations toward the wind. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: nourishalimony - From Latin alimonia, "nourishment" or "eating money," from alere, "to nourish," and mony, "result, resulting condition," it first meant "nourishment, support." More... alumnus, alumna, alumni - Alumnus and alumna stem from Latin alere, "to nourish or be nourished," now by a university; originally alumnus was a pupil and now it is a male graduate. Alumni refers to either sex. More... coalesce - Meaning "cause to grow together," it is from Latin co- and alere, "nourish." More... nurture - The verb was formed after the noun, which first referred (c. 1330) to a person's training or breeding. The word can be traced back to Latin nutritus, meaning "to nourish." More... | |