Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, July 21, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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epicurean
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining Reflexive VerbsReflexive verbs are verbs whose subjects are also their direct objects—that is, the action of the verb is both committed and received by the same person or thing. Reflexive verbs are sometimes identified as being in the "middle voice." What does that mean? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 BaalbekLocated in modern-day Lebanon, Baalbek is an ancient city noted for its extensive ruins. The city was identified with the worship of the Phoenician sun god Baal and called Heliopolis—city of the sun—by the Greeks. It became a Roman colony under Augustus, and work began there on some of the largest temples in the Roman Empire. It was later sacked by invaders and was destroyed by an earthquake in 1759. In the 6th century, eight columns were disassembled and sent to Constantinople for what purpose? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Lowest Temperature in History Recorded at Vostok Station, Antarctica (1983)Located near the magnetic South Pole, Russia's Vostok Research Station in Antarctica experiences three straight months of polar night every year from April to August, a period during which the Sun does not rise. In 1983, in the dead of southern winter and polar night, Vostok experienced the lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth, a chilling -128.56 degrees F (-89.2 degrees C). December 1989 was the warmest month ever recorded at Vostok. On average, how warm was it? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Isaac Stern (1920)Born in Ukraine, Stern came to the US as an infant and began studying violin as a child. He made his New York debut at 17 and toured extensively after World War II. A cultural ambassador, he performed in the Soviet Union and China as one of the world's top violin virtuosos. In 1960, he formed a famous trio with pianist Eugene Istomin and cellist Leonard Rose. Stern helped establish the National Endowment for the Arts and is noted for having saved what landmark institution from demolition? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 I dare say I am compelled, unconsciously compelled, now to write volume after volume, as in past years I was compelled to go to sea, voyage after voyage. Leaves must follow upon each other as leagues used to follow in the days gone by, on and on to the appointed end, which, being truth itself, is one—one for all men and for all occupations.Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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house cooling party— A party thrown to commemorate when someone leaves an apartment, flat, or house. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Just for Laughs Festival (2020)Every July, Montreal hosts one of the largest comedy festivals in the world, the Just For Laughs Festival. Founded in 1983 as a small French-language show (Juste pour rire) comprised of only two nights, in 1985, the organizers opened the stage to English-speaking comedians, paving the way for newcomers like Tonight Show host Jay Leno and sitcom star Jerry Seinfeld to launch their careers. In subsequent years, the organizers extended the festival—today there are more than 1,300 shows and performances, featuring all kinds of comedy as well as juggling and performance art. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: twistedtwist-grip - A bicycle grip that may be twisted to change the gears is a twist-grip. More... pigtail - In the 17th century, it was tobacco twisted into a thin rope, which resembled the animal's tail. More... torsibility - The tendency to untwist after being twisted; it is also the degree to which something can be twisted. More... | |