Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, August 27, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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apostate
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining Prepositional PhrasesA prepositional phrase is made up of at least a preposition and its object, which can be a noun, pronoun, or a noun phrase. Often times, the object will have a modifier or modifiers. Where do these appear in the prepositional phrase? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Brazen HeadMedieval Europe's version of the Magic 8 Ball, the legendary brazen head was a purportedly prophetic device said to be able to correctly answer any question put to it. Accounts of these devices differ—some are described as mechanical, others as magical—but they always take the form of a man's head. Brazen heads were so widely accepted that even writers, philosophers, and religious leaders allegedly made use of them. What work, often considered the first great novel, features such a head? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Mars Makes Its Closest Approach to Earth in Nearly 60,000 Years (2003)In its most favorable position for viewing, when it is opposite the Sun, Mars is twice as bright as the brightest star in the sky. The Red Planet was even more visible in 2003, when it made its closest approach to Earth in nearly 60,000 years, passing within 35 million mi (56 million km) of us. An email sent during the 2003 approach has spawned hoax emails saying that during an upcoming approach Mars will appear as big as the Moon. When is the next time Mars will be as close as it was in 2003? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Theodore Dreiser (1871)Dreiser was a novelist and pioneer of naturalism in American literature. After working as a journalist, magazine editor, and publisher, he published his first novel, Sister Carrie, which was denounced as scandalous. In 1915, the withdrawal of his autobiographical novel, The Genius, from distribution on moral grounds ignited a national anticensorship campaign supported by most of the leading literary figures of the day. Whose murder inspired his An American Tragedy? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 What would any of us have been, if our fathers hadn't drawed our faculties out of us?Charles Dickens (1812-1870) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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leave much to be desired— To be very inadequate or unsatisfactory; to lack a large amount of what is desired or required. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Helsinki Festival (2023)The largest cultural event in the Nordic countries is the Helsinki Festival. First held in 1967, its programming includes music from all periods—rock, jazz, opera, symphonic music, and chamber works—as well as theater, ballet, circus, and art and photo exhibitions. Among the many musical events is what is known as the Festival Informal, a series where artists and visitors meet informally for "relaxed performances." Events are held in the city's parks and arcades as well as in the modern Finlandia Hall and the Finnish National Theatre and Opera. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: sheetmap - Comes from Latin mappa mundi, "sheet of the world" from mappa, "napkin, tablecloth." More... ream - Used to be 480 sheets of paper and is now 500. More... bed clothes, night clothes - Bed clothes usually refers to blankets and sheets, while night clothes refers to pajamas and gowns. More... portfolio - Comes from Italian for "carry" and "sheets or leaves of paper." More... | |