Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, July 8, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Plural Possession with ApostrophesIf there is more than one person, place, or thing that possesses something else, then the rules for showing possession change slightly. Because an "-s" is usually added to a word to make it plural, the "-s" that follows the apostrophe is dropped. What marks possession in this case? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Road of DeathLeading from La Paz to Coroico, Bolivia, the North Yungas Road was named the world's most dangerous road in 1995. Notoriously deadly due to its single-lane width, extreme drop-offs, and lack of guardrails, the route is dotted with memorials marking the many spots where vehicles have fallen. According to one estimate, 200 to 300 travelers are killed on the route each year, along with many thrill-seeking mountain bikers. According to local road rules, who never has the right of way on the road? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Vasco da Gama Sets Sail on First Direct European Voyage to India (1497)In 1497, da Gama began his epochal voyage to India, becoming the first European to journey there directly by sea. With four vessels, he rounded the Cape of Good Hope, passed the easternmost point reached by Bartolomeu Dias in 1488, continued up the coast of Africa to Malindi, and sailed across the Indian Ocean to Calicut. His voyage opened up a way for Europe to reach the Indies and marked the beginning of the Portuguese Empire. For what brutal methods was da Gama known during his travels? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 John Davison Rockefeller (1839)After two years of high school, Rockefeller—the man destined to become, by some estimates, the richest person in history—got a job as a bookkeeper. A few years later, he formed a food handling firm that prospered in the American Civil War. In 1863, he entered the brand new oil business, and within 15 years, his company dominated the American petroleum industry. A noted philanthropist, he donated $550 million during his lifetime. It has been said that Rockefeller had what two ambitions in life? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 If people only made prudent marriages, what a stop to population there would be!William Makepeace Thackeray (1811-1863) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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on the hush-hush— In a state of secrecy or minimal public knowledge; being known only by a select few people. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Caribbean Festival (Feast of Fire) (2022)The annual Caribbean Festival in Santiago de Cuba, also known as the Feast of Fire, is dedicated to preserving and promoting the cultural traditions of the Caribbean. In addition to numerous performances of music and dancing, there are exhibitions of culinary arts, painting, crafts, drama, religious rituals, and poetry. Each year the festival gives special focus to one of the Caribbean countries. The "Serpent Parade" is a high point of the Festival, with throngs of dancing people winding their way through the streets of Santiago de Cuba. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: inkatrament - A synonym for ink. More... calamari - The term for Deep-fried squid comes from Latin calamarius, meaning "pen case"—because of its long tapering shell and its ink; it is also spelled calamary. More... ink - First spelled inke and enke—from Greek enkauston, the purple ink used by Roman emperors. More... | |