Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, May 2, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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funereal
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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EllipsesAn ellipsis is a series of three consecutive periods known as ellipsis points ( . . . ) used to indicate where words have been omitted from quoted text. When are brackets placed around ellipses? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Golden HordeThe Golden Horde—the Russian designation for the western part of the Mongol empire—flourished from the mid-13th century to the end of the 14th century. The name is traditionally said to derive from the golden tent of Batu, Genghis Khan's grandson, who expanded the domain of the Golden Horde in a series of campaigns that included the sacking and burning of Kiev in 1240. At its peak, its territory included most of European Russia. The outbreak of what disease in 1346 contributed to its downfall? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 "Nessie" Reported for the First Time (1933)More than 700 ft (213 m) deep, Loch Ness is the largest freshwater lake in the UK by volume. This makes it the perfect hiding place for a prehistoric creature—or so believers say. Though the legend of the Loch Ness Monster dates back to at least 565 BCE, modern accounts of "Nessie" date only to 1933, the year a local newspaper began reporting sightings of a fearsome, dragon-like creature in the lake. What natural phenomenon, known as a seiche, may be responsible for some of the sightings? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Saint Catherine Labouré (1806)Shortly after Labouré joined the Daughters of Charity, a religious order devoted to serving the poor, she reportedly began having visions of the Virgin Mary. In one, she was shown the design for what has come to be known as the Miraculous Medal, now worn by Christians the world over. Her role in the medal's creation was concealed until after her death, so she lived out her life in relative obscurity. In 1947, she was canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. What invocation appears on the medal? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 To criticize is to appreciate, to appropriate, to take intellectual possession, to establish in fine a relation with the criticized thing and to make it one's own.Henry James (1843-1916) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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Hell and half of Georgia— A great distance or area; a huge amount of space. Primarily heard in US. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Flores de Mayo (2021)Flores de Mayo ("May flowers") festivals take place throughout the Philippines during the month of May. Children create offerings of flowers and bring them to their churches in the afternoon. Parades make their way through towns and villages, with girls wearing traditional costumes followed by their relatives and friends singing Hail Marys. The festival ends on May 31 with fiestas everywhere. In big cities like Manila, Flores de Mayo is one of the largest festivals of the year, featuring May Queens and fancy dress balls. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: nimbleagile - Means having quick motion and being nimble, from Latin agere, "to do." More... flippant - Once meant "flexible, nimble, pliant." More... chopsticks - In Chinese, the word for chopsticks originally meant "quick sticks" or "nimble ones." More... wieldy - Means "easily controlled or handled," and once meant "agile, nimble." More... | |