Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, June 1, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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farcical
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Dummy PronounsDummy pronouns are words that function grammatically as pronouns, but which do not have antecedents like normal pronouns do. This means that, unlike normal pronouns, dummy pronouns do not replace a noun, phrase, or clause. What do they refer to in a sentence? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Ultimate Fate of the UniverseA number of theories have been proposed regarding the ultimate fate of the universe. Some, like the Big Crunch and the Big Rip, suggest the universe will come to an end, while others conclude that it will exist for an infinite period of time. Most cosmologists agree that the universe's average density, the rate at which it expands, and the physical properties of the mass and energy in the universe will determine its ultimate fate. What is the difference between an open universe and a closed one? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Court Martial of Benedict Arnold Begins (1779)When Arnold was court-martialed in 1779, it was not for the treason that would later make his name synonymous with betrayal. The charges involved fiscal irregularities and were relatively minor. Though he was largely exonerated, the trial sullied his reputation. Despite having distinguished himself in various American military campaigns—he was wounded more than once—Arnold was subsequently passed over for promotion. Embittered, he hatched what plot to aid the British in the American Revolution? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 James Hadley Billington (1929)Billington is a US scholar and the 13th Librarian of Congress. He earned his PhD in 1953 as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, taught at Harvard and Princeton, and published several significant books on Russia. He served as director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars from 1973 to 1987, when he became Librarian of Congress. There, he has fostered cooperation between libraries worldwide and encouraged the use of digital media. He has been decorated by what countries? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 We should regret our mistakes and learn from them, but never carry them forward into the future with us.Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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have a/the wolf by the ear(s)— To be in a difficult situation from which it is as dangerous to extricate oneself as it is to remain in it. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Goûter Matrimonial (Matrimonial Tea Party) (2020)Known locally as Goûter Matrimonial, the Matrimonial Tea party that takes place on Whit Monday every year in Écaussinnes-Lalaing in Belgium is an opportunity for unmarried women to entertain eligible bachelors. At 9 a.m., the visiting men are greeted at the town hall and invited to write their names in an official guest book. At three in the afternoon the annual tea is announced. It consists of coffee, beer, and locally made sweets, and it is followed by folk dancing and merrymaking that continues for most of the night. No statistics are available concerning the success of the matchmaking. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: runnerrunner - A blade of a skate or sled. The supports on which a drawer slides are also called runners. More... dromedary, Bactrian - A one-hump camel is a dromedary (from Latin, meaning "swift camel," from Greek dromas, "runner") and a two-hump camel is a Bactrian (from Bactria in Asia). More... cursor - First meant "runner" or "running messenger" and is now the moving/movable indicator on a computer screen. More... dromomania - A mania for roaming or running, from Latin dromas. More... | |