Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, August 9, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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coddle
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Adverbs in the Positive DegreeAn adverb refers to any element in a sentence used to modify a verb, adjective, another adverb, or even an entire clause. What are adverbs in the positive degree? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Referred PainReferred pain is a phenomenon in which pain is felt in an area of the body other than the part where it originated. One well-known example is the jaw, neck, or arm pain often felt during heart attacks, another is the shoulder pain associated with gallstones. A less serious example is "brain freeze," a sudden headache sometimes triggered by eating cold foods. Scientists do not fully understand what causes referred pain, but it is thought to be related to what phenomenon experienced by amputees? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Singapore Is Expelled from Malaysia (1965)After more than a century of British rule, Singapore gained independence in 1959. Four years later, it joined with nearby territories to form Malaysia. However, racial and economic tensions arose, and two years later, the Malaysian parliament unanimously voted to expel Singapore. Despite being left unexpectedly autonomous with few defenses or natural resources, Singapore rapidly developed into an economic powerhouse. Still, it remains dependent on Malaysia for what one critical thing? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Izaak Walton (1593)A friend and fishing companion of John Donne, Walton wrote one of the most famous and frequently reprinted books in the English language, The Compleat Angler; or, the Contemplative Man's Recreation. The book not only describes the strategies and techniques of fishing, it also draws a picture of peace and simple virtue that was Walton's protest against the civil wars taking place at the time. Though the book was first published in 1653, Walton continued to add to it—for how long? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 I can see the humorous side of things and enjoy the fun when it comes; but look where I will, there seems to me always more sadness than joy in life.Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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have (something) to do— To have some task or action that one must complete or undertake. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Drachenstich (Spearing the Dragon) (2020)This annual event centers around the performance of an open-air play, Drachenstich, in Fürth, Germany, in the Bavarian Forest. The climax of the play is a battle between a knight on horseback and a huge (about 50 feet long and 10 feet tall), fire-spewing dragon. The knight, of course, wins—by thrusting his spear into the dragon's throat, thereby piercing a pig's bladder filled with ox blood. The celebrations also include various merrymaking events and a street procession. The play has been performed for about 500 years and is thought to be the oldest folk play in Germany. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: lawsautonomy - From Greek autos, "self," and nomos, "law," i.e. a person or unit that makes its own laws. More... blue sky laws - Laws protecting the public from securities fraud. More... code, codex - Code, from Latin codex, meaning "block of wood split into tablets, document written on wood tablets," was first a set of laws. More... constitute, constitution - Constitute can mean "make laws" and a constitution is a "how-to" document for a government or organization. More... | |